DoG's Top 100 Test Batsmen - The Top 25

[kyear2]

13. Greg Chappell (Australia) (1970-1984)

Career Length (Days): 4770
Percentage of team's matches played: 73%
Career Average: 53.86
Adjusted career average: 53.11
Adjusted away average: 50.71
Adjusted top-opposition average: 51.98
Top Tier centuries: 6
Second tier centuries: 7
Third tier centuries: 11
Significant innings: 35
Significant innings per match: 0.40

Great innings: 4
2nd Test: England v Australia at Lord's, Jun 22-26, 1972 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 13.90
4th Test: Australia v West Indies at Sydney, Jan 3-7, 1976 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 17.77
1st Test: Australia v India at Sydney, Jan 2-4, 1981 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 14.46
3rd Test: New Zealand v Australia at Christchurch, Mar 19-22, 1982 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 19.43


Innings worth average: 3.56

25 Test peak adjusted average: 61.33 (1973-1977)
50 Test peak adjusted average: 55.90 (1972-1980)

Quality Points: 625
Career Points: 107
Peak Points: 137
TOTAL POINTS: 869


Even though he is ranked as high as no.13, there is a feeling that Greg Chappell should be higher in the list. WSC came along right at Chappell's peak, and the tests he missed during those two seasons, along with not playing as many away games as he could have done, probably cost him a place in the top 10. His peak itself is not outstanding. But he makes up for it with his sheer consistency over 14 years. His lowest adjusted average over 25 tests was 46.87.

Surprised to be seeing Greg before Kallis and Sanga.

Great work DoG

 

[centurymaker]

Sangakkara, Headley > Dravid, Border, Gavaskar, Steve Waugh, Greg Chappell among others.. statistically :/

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

So, how much difference would WSC make to the results - if you included the Supertests in the statistical analysis, for example.

 

[centurymaker]

Enough to have him in the top 10 for sure.

 

[bagapath]

Wouldn't have been such a big deal if it were Pollock.

both headley and pollock, absolute masters of the art of batting, deserve to be in the top 30. but there are 25 other batters who are equally or more talented than them (in the case of bradman for example) who played longer, maintained their high standards over a variety of opponents for decades and hence should be ranked above them.

as for stats and whatnot.... Sachin Tendulkar and Greg Chappell happen to belong to the rarest of the rare breed of batters who average 35+ against all opponents both home and away. Chappell didn't get to play in India and didn't score a hundred against New Zealand in Australia. But he succeeded against all possible challenges thrown at him. Sachin has played against all test playing nations of his time both home and away (except B'desh at home) and scored hundreds against all of them (except in Zim) maintaining a 40+ average against each of them (except a sub 40 avg against SA at home).

It is sensible to predict that a Ponting would struggle in India or a Kallis would have tough time in Sri Lanka. Even the great Viv Richards can be expected to fail in New Zealand. But in terms of consistency and all round success Greg Chappell and, even more definitely, Sachin Tendulkar top the list all around the globe. This factor and runs against top nations of the era (Windies of the 80s, Aussies bet '95 and '05) are usually considered in how I judge great batsmen.

 

[The Sean]

I reckon Greg Chappell might actually be next up.

Might be the first one I've gotten right in the whole countdown.

 

[Coronis]

Was wondering, how does Bannerman's 165 rate as an innings?

 

[Days of Grace]

Was wondering, how does Bannerman's 165 rate as an innings?

22.54

 

[kyear2]

Goin to guess that it we will see Sangakkara next.

 

[akilana]

Headley and Viv Richards should be the next two.

 

[kyear2]

Headley and Viv Richards should be the next two.

Unless I am mistaken, DoG signature used to read Greatest Test XI (based on my ratings), and Viv makes the team, so guessing that we may not see him quite as yet. Kallis may be in with a shout for the next two though with Sanga.

 

[Days of Grace]

12. Ricky Ponting (Australia) (1995-2012)

Career Length (Days): 6202
Percentage of team's matches played: 87%
Career Average: 51.85
Adjusted career average: 48.00
Adjusted away average: 44.11
Adjusted top-opposition average: 44.71
Top Tier centuries: 3
Second tier centuries: 13
Third tier centuries: 17
Significant innings: 71 (rank 1)
Significant innings per match: 0.42

Great innings: 4
1st Test: Sri Lanka v Australia at Kandy, Sep 9-11, 1999 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 13.98
3rd Test: Australia v Pakistan at Perth, Nov 26-28, 1999 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 14.09
3rd Test: Australia v India at Melbourne, Dec 26-30, 2003 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 15.06
3rd Test: England v Australia at Manchester, Aug 11-15, 2005 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo 14.54


Innings worth average: 3.16

25 Test peak adjusted average: 70.60 (2004-2006)
50 Test peak adjusted average: 66.37 (rank 3) (2002-2006)

Quality Points: 570
Career Points: 149
Peak Points: 158
TOTAL POINTS: 877


The recently-retired great batsman, and Australia's best after Bradman according to this ratings system, Ponting may not have the best set of averages, but it is his massive amount of significant innings and 50 test peak that commands respect. That peak is actually adjusted down from the real value of 74.48, which is truly outstanding. There is not much more accolades I can bestow upon Ponting since most of them have already been said since his retirement. He probably cost himself a place in the top 10 by not retiring a little sooner. But he loved the game and with him gone will there be another Australian in the future that could join Bradman in the top 10?

 

[morgieb]

Wow, Ponting having the highest amount of significant innings. Interesting.

 

[morgieb]

Who had the second highest 50 Test peak average ftr?

 

[ankitj]

Who had the second highest 50 Test peak average ftr?

That was Steve Waugh iirc

 

[centurymaker]

Sangakkara ahead of Ponting too now, oh noooo

 

[NUFAN]

Adjusted average of just (relatively just) 48 for Ponting is interesting. I'm really happy that his 96 vs SL made it on the great list as at the time it felt like a bit of a coming of age knock from him, deserved 100.

 

[Delo12]

Sangakkara ahead of Ponting too now, oh noooo

why so much hatred on sangas I gues you're not from India

 

[kyear2]

Didn't see that one coming. Really hard to predict the order.

Raelly getting to the business end of the countdown now. Lets see who misses out of the top 10.

 

[MartinB]

13. Greg Chappell (Australia) (1970-1984)



Even though he is ranked as high as no.13, there is a feeling that Greg Chappell should be higher in the list. WSC came along right at Chappell's peak, and the tests he missed during those two seasons, along with not playing as many away games as he could have done, probably cost him a place in the top 10. His peak itself is not outstanding. But he makes up for it with his sheer consistency over 14 years. His lowest adjusted average over 25 tests was 46.87.

Would be interesting to see what including both the WSC and World-11 matches (71 / 72) would do to his rating (a rough calculation would do).

From memory

• World 11 in 1972 include a 197 not out and 138. This would probably be included in his best 25 tests
• WSC included 253 not out and 178 in the first season.
• His average goes up about 2 runs if both WSC and World 11 are included

All very interesting though. I expected Greg to fall in the 10 to 20 range (in part due to WSC)