Presence at the crease

[Red]

As Chappelli said, you can't manufacture it. You get it through performance.

 

[smash84]

Tendulkar is a weird one for me. I've never really felt he has a presence.

Still damn effective though.

awta

Viv Richards the king in this one.

Matthew Hayden too had a real presence (his towering figure definitely helped)

 

[wpdavid]

In addition to those already mentioned, I'd give votes to Barry Richards and Steve Waugh.

 

[Contra]

Tendulkar is a weird one for me. I've never really felt he has a presence.

Still damn effective though.

He had more of a presence in the 90's than now. I also feel presence has a lot to do with form, when on song quite a lot of players make their presence felt, but it starts to become a bit hallow if they start doing badly.

MS Dhoni in ODI's is a shout too IMO.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I honestly believe Dravid in his pomp, and probably Sanga too, have had a presence at the crease which has been advantageous for them as batsmen.

Yeah, Chappelli makes the same point in the article Sparko links to. Dravid at the crease suggested permanence, a player who valued his wicket and of whom the oppo knew they would have to get out because he wasn't going to give it away. His valedictory tour of England was a prime example. "Presence" isn't just about big lumps smashing sixes.

I'd say Kallis and Trott have similar presence, albeit without the great man's deftness and delicacy of touch. Trott's infuriating/endearing eccentricities (delete according to national bias) speak of a player who won't be hurried and is going to play his own game come what may.

 

[Jono]

Tendulkar didn't have a presence of Viv, KP or Ponting, but I'd say he definitely has a presence at the crease. I refuse to believe that many players aren't affected when India are 2 wickets down (unless there's a night watchman ) and the whole stadium is on their feet applauding his entrance to the crease. That creates a presence. Doesn't mean they're ****ting themselves or anything, but I have no doubt they're going "okay, its game time". Their mindset changes more than say when Laxman comes to the crease.

 

[Ruckus]

It's funny to think of someone like Ponting having a presence at the crease - there's no doubt he does (or probably more did) - but he's also a notoriously nervy starter, and has been basically for his entire career. So it's a funny combination of traits.

 

[MrPrez]

Tendulkar is a weird one for me. I've never really felt he has a presence.

Still damn effective though.

AWTA.

I'm obviously biased but I've always found that Kallis has an almost royal presence at the crease. He just seems so obviously superior just by looking at him out there. A confident Smith has an insane presence too.

I'd also add Dhoni to the list.

 

[uvelocity]

AWTA.

I'm obviously biased but I've always found that Kallis has an almost royal presence at the crease. He just seems so obviously superior just by looking at him out there. A confident Smith has an insane presence too.

I'd also add Dhoni to the list.

Bradman v Kallis - who is best? Kallis obviously, just watch his BRUTAL BATTING..... - YouTube

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

I would say KP from current era if the bowler is not SLA

 

[watson]

I liked Michael Vaughans proud Yorkshire attitude. It had a touch of arrogance about it that rubbed off on his batting. A great leader.

 

[fredfertang]

In the days when England had just a couple of batters who didn't run scared from Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson it was always good to see Tony Greig come out and fight fire with fire

Brian Close's attitude to Holding, Roberts and Daniel in 1976 was remarkable too ... and a generation before I'd have loved to have been able to watch him giving Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith the charge in '63

 

[Debris]

From reports, this has to be WG Grace.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

yeah W.G. Grace enormous presence

 

[MrPrez]

Bradman v Kallis - who is best? Kallis obviously, just watch his BRUTAL BATTING..... - YouTube

That is completely and utterly irrelevant. Presence doesn't mean scoring quickly.

 

[stumpski]

Time for Walter Hammond to get a mention here - there were no volunteers to field in the covers when he strode out.

The Tendulkar comment is interesting - clearly it isn't just about the runs in the book. Dravid, only just behind him in the runs tally, has never received the sort of adoration SRT has had. Durability comes into it too - many of Tendulkar's fans weren't even born when he started playing, so it's not surprising they see him as a godlike figure.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of players disagreed with the idea that Tendulkar didn't have a great presence at the crease.

However, I can sort of understand the comments, because he's a picture of serenity most of the time when he is batting. With the head tilted slightly backwards, not making eye contact with anyone, he's almost separating himself from the contest; whereas others seek to dictate and control what is going on.

 

[Lurker100]

Presence for me is something you can just feel. The atmosphere in the crowd and the fielding team just changes when certain batsmen walk out.

Looks like some people are judging Tendulkar based on the last few years. His career has been so long. Look at him in his prime.

From Brett Lee's autobiography...exactly how I define it.

I ended up with 5-47 off 18 overs and I got a couple more wickets in the second innings. We won by 180 runs, Australia's sixth straight Test victory. But there was one batsman I couldn't get out: Sachin Tendulkar. He got a century in the first innings and a 50 in the second. I was amazed at how good he was. When he came out to bat I felt the energy lift in the field and crowd.

No matter how fast I bowled, he seemed to have all the time in the world, and he had incredible wrists that could turn the ball on any angle, especially from outside off through midwicket and backward square leg. There was simply no margin for error in my bowling. I had to pitch on a good length on a fourth and fifth stump line in that corridor of uncertainty. Anything away from this was generally runs.

He was just too good. Despite my success in the Test I still hung back when it came to the winner's traditional grabbing of stumps at the end of the match. As we walked off Pidgey put his arm around me and congratulated me. Then, I felt a tap on the shoulder, and I turned to find Justin Langer pushing a stump into my hand. It was a Gilly-like gesture that made me feel as though I'd really graduated to being part of the team.

 

[Furball]

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of players disagreed with the idea that Tendulkar didn't have a great presence at the crease.

However, I can sort of understand the comments, because he's a picture of serenity most of the time when he is batting. With the head tilted slightly backwards, not making eye contact with anyone, he's almost separating himself from the contest; whereas others seek to dictate and control what is going on.

He doesn't really, yet he quite obviously does. I can't really explain it better than that.

Glenn McGrath would be the bowling equivelant.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Donald and Waqar.