Cricket's great all-rounders

[Red]

I'm new here, so forgive me if this has been done, but I was reading the Shaun Pollock thread and thought it'd be interesting to discuss the merits of history's all-rounders.

Who do you think are the greatest, and who were of most value to their team. I'll begin by naming some off the top of my head, and you can add those I forget.

Complete All Rounders (who would be selected as either a batsman or bowler in their side)

Keith Miller
Imran Khan
Ian Botham
Kapil Dev

Bowling All Rounders (may or may not be selected in their side as only a batsman)

Richard Hadlee
Shaun Pollock
Wasim Akram
Richie Benaud

Batting All Rounders (may or may not be selected in their side as only a bowler)

Garry Sobers
Jaques Kallis
Steve Waugh

 

[Jager]

Miller for me. Can bat anywhere in the top order, open the bowling or come in as a devastating first change, captain a side with flair, take impossible catches, inspire the team and win over both sides of the crowd. Imran close behind as a second choice- probably a better bowler but nothing like Miller as a match-winner at the crease or in the field. There was actually a thread just like this a little while ago, I'll try and dig it up.

 

[Jager]

Great article: http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/cricket-chat/56775-who-finest-all-rounder-have-graced-game.html

It won't let me go past page three so I can't find the old thread

 

[smash84]

The man in my avatar

 

[Dan]

Aubrey Faulkner and Warwick Armstrong were both genuine all rounders IMO.

Agree with Jager that Miller is probably the best. No offense intended to Imran, however Miller would bat anywhere in the order and make runs, then come out and devastate batting orders with the ball. He could field, inspire as captain (although "scatter" wouldn't have been the most confidence-inspiring word when setting a field) and basically do anything. Plus he didn't try that hard half the time - if he put all his effort in he could have been even further ahead of the pack.

Plus he was a fighter pilot, a VFL player and almost became a jockey. And reportedly had an affair with Princess Margaret. WAG.

 

[Jager]

Aubrey Faulkner and Warwick Armstrong were both genuine all rounders IMO.

Agree with Jager that Miller is probably the best. No offense intended to Imran, however Miller would bat anywhere in the order and make runs, then come out and devastate batting orders with the ball. He could field, inspire as captain (although "scatter" wouldn't have been the most confidence-inspiring word when setting a field) and basically do anything. Plus he didn't try that hard half the time - if he put all his effort in he could have been even further ahead of the pack.

Plus he was a fighter pilot, a VFL player and almost became a jockey. And reportedly had an affair with Princess Margaret. WAG.

The Boston Red Sox also requested that he try out for them!

 

[smash84]

Aubrey Faulkner and Warwick Armstrong were both genuine all rounders IMO.

Agree with Jager that Miller is probably the best. No offense intended to Imran, however Miller would bat anywhere in the order and make runs, then come out and devastate batting orders with the ball. He could field, inspire as captain (although "scatter" wouldn't have been the most confidence-inspiring word when setting a field) and basically do anything. Plus he didn't try that hard half the time - if he put all his effort in he could have been even further ahead of the pack.

Plus he was a fighter pilot, a VFL player and almost became a jockey. And reportedly had an affair with Princess Margaret. WAG.

Imran better in captaincy and bowling

Miller better in batting and fielding.

No offence to Miller

 

[Jager]

Imran better in captaincy and bowling

Miller better in batting and fielding.

No offence to Miller

I would disagree with the captaincy part. Everyone hails Benaud as a fantastic captain, and he learnt nearly everything he knew from Miller, who studied the game fastidiously and had lots of flair. Such a shame he didn't get the chance to captain Australia, I have no doubts in my mind he would have been one of our finest captains and raised his game even higher than usual.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Oh yippee, another lets big up my own nations best ever all rounder and belittle anyone else who has a different opinion.

 

[Spikey]

i don't remember imran or sobers ever scoring 69 and being one of his teams best bowlers in an IPL final

 

[Spikey]

"good point"

 

[Spikey]

well i guess imran khan may have scored a 69 during an IPL final. if you know what i mean.

 

[Jager]

Oh yippee, another lets big up my own nations best ever all rounder and belittle anyone else who has a different opinion.

Hahaha, I do love Imran, Hadlee, Faulkner etc. but Miller's got it all going for him here. So does Imran obviously, but personally I think Miller more so.

 

[smash84]

well i guess imran khan may have scored a 69 during an IPL final. if you know what i mean.

 

[ankitj]

well i guess imran khan may have scored a 69 during an IPL final. if you know what i mean.

 

[weeman27bob]

Tim Bresnan. #trueaverage #statsareverything

 

[Spikey]

Doesn't meet the 20 match qualification tho

 

[watson]

Why not have a team chock full of genuine allrounders?

Barlow
Rhodes
Kallis
Sobers
Miller
Gilchrist
Proctor
Faulkner
Imran
Botham
Hadlee

(Note: I know that there is a question mark about Rhodes being a true allrounder, but I can't think of too many openers who bowl well)

As for Imran V Miller? I choose Imran as I think that the Windies-Aussies-English-Indians of the 1970s-80s were generally tougher opponents than than the English teams of the 1940s-50s. But on the other hand, Miller certainly had the temperment to succeed against Holding, Roberts, Marshall and Garner. MIller kitted up with a protective helmet would be a sight hooking the legendary 'fast bouncer' of Andy Roberts over square leg.

Now I'm not so sure.................

 

[G.I.Joe]

(Note: I know that there is a question mark about Rhodes being a true allrounder, but I can't think of too many openers who bowl well)

Mankad or Goddard.

Rhodes still needs to fit into the team somewhere, IMO.

 

[Jager]

Miller in a helmet? Can't imagine it. Watson is the only person I can think of to open instead of Rhodes... Also, I think Benaud deserves a mention somewhere, too. Ames should be the wicketkeeper because he took 24 wickets with his bowling at FC level at a tidy average of 33!