Might in the Middle

[The Battlers Prince]

South Africa at the moment have a well rounded side. No big problems anywhere really. I normally think of their pace bowlers as the driving force behind their wins lately, but thinking about it currently I think more credit should go to their powerhouse middle order.
Amla: Argueably as the best batsmen over the past 4 years. He's often talked in the same breath as Sanga as the best number 3's in the world.
Kallis: Never ending run machine. Scored his highest inning last year. Can't see him slowing down soon.
De Villier: A great fielder thrown the gloves, the thought was it would crumple his batting. Last year he still averaged 58.21, this year so far 78.33. Enough said.
Du Plessis: Awesome start to his career and has shown that he knows how to fight for his runs. Early days and a "lowly" 40 average in FC who knows what might happen.
The point is, with this kind of line up, has there ever been much better?

A couple I can think of
1948 Australia : Bradman, Miller, Brown, Hassett
1928 England : Mead, Hammond, Jardine, Hendren
1965 West Indies : Kanhai, Butcher, Nurse, Sobers

There have been many other middle orders, the recent Australian one as well.
Does anyone have any personal favourites?

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Good post. SA's middle order is certainly indulging in a feeding frenzy


Australia 06 -07

3. Ponting
4. Hussey
5. Clarke
6. Symonds
7. Gilchrist

India 07

3. Dravid
4. Tendulkar
5. Ganguly
6. Laxman
7. Dhoni

Pakistan 06-07

3. Khan
4. Yousuf
5. Inzi

 

[Maximas]

Not quite in the Middle as such, but could watch these guys all day...

Sri Lanka 2012
2. Dilshan
3. Sanga
4. Mahela
5. Samaraweera

Pretty solid IMO, but they never seemed to come together as a group enough for my liking.

 

[hendrix]

Dilshan a bit of an overrated player IMO. Had one or two good seasons.

 

[Maximas]

Has been one of the top openers in the world in all formats since 2009 IMO, Sri Lanka's best fieldsman as well

 

[OverratedSanity]

Love the South African middle order but honestly it's the spot after these guys that's slightly dicey...

Obviously being Indian,for me it's hard to go past Dravid-Tendulkar-Laxman-Ganguly/Azharuddin

Favorite I've seen though has to be Ponting, M. Waugh, S. Waugh, Martyn, Gilchrist in late 90s/early 2000s.... Versatile No. 3 who could dominate as well as defend, two of the most elegant stroke makers of all time, one of the toughest middle order batsmen ever, and the most destructive No. 7 in history. Jeez... No wonder they won everything

 

[OverratedSanity]

Not quite in the Middle as such, but could watch these guys all day...

Sri Lanka 2012
2. Dilshan
3. Sanga
4. Mahela
5. Samaraweera

Pretty solid IMO, but they never seemed to come together as a group enough for my liking.

Good call... Loved watching these guys bat... Greatly admired Samaraweera too, though apparently he isn't quite popular here

They all had their problems overseas though, which is why they weren't consistently great

 

[CricAddict]

Love the South African middle order but honestly it's the spot after these guys that's slightly dicey...

Obviously being Indian,for me it's hard to go past Dravid-Tendulkar-Laxman-Ganguly/Azharuddin

Favorite I've seen though has to be Ponting, M. Waugh, S. Waugh, Martyn, Gilchrist in late 90s/early 2000s.... Versatile No. 3 who could dominate as well as defend, two of the most elegant stroke makers of all time, one of the toughest middle order batsmen ever, and the most destructive No. 7 in history. Jeez... No wonder they won everything

Will be occupied by Duminy..He is a good player as well..

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Good call... Loved watching these guys bat... Greatly admired Samaraweera too, though apparently he isn't quite popular here

They all had their problems overseas though, which is why they weren't consistently great

Don't chicken out like that, say why you liked him so much? I think he underperformed on overseas tours for his talent, and I can't quite put a finger on the reason myself.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Not quite in the Middle as such, but could watch these guys all day...

Sri Lanka 2012
2. Dilshan
3. Sanga
4. Mahela
5. Samaraweera

Pretty solid IMO, but they never seemed to come together as a group enough for my liking.

That's pretty much exactly what I mean. Imagine getting an early wicket and then Sanga comes in. Then you might get lucky and Jayawadne comes out to join him. And they still have Samarweera in the sheds! That's just outright intimidation!
Really like all the listed middle orders. But does anyone have an old school one they wish they had seen?

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Personally think Fluff Du Piss is overrated.

 

[Daemon]

Faf has definitely got a lot of might in the middle.

Morkel's arms tho

 

[Riggins]

Ponting Martyn Hussey Clarke Gilchrist

As good as it gets.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

I'm not meaning to give undue credit. Simply he's made an incredible start to his test career. Most would kill for. I'm aware his FC stats aren't magnificent, but I was impressed by his technique in Australia and against New Zealand at home. Didn't see much against the ****'s though he made a few starts.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Ponting Martyn Hussey Clarke Gilchrist

As good as it gets.

Absolutely, but there were so many good formations through that 10-15 years.
My personal favourites were
Ponting, Martyn, Waugh, Katich, Gilchrist AND
Ponting, Waugh, Waugh, Martyn, Gilchrist
Plus Symonds for a bit and Langer at 3 early on, and Lehmann. Stuart Law and Hodge would have to be so unlucky for Bevan to have had so many chances (he deserved them mind you) and they had so few and succeeded when given the chance.

 

[Riggins]

Absolutely, but there were so many good formations through that 10-15 years.
My personal favourites were
Ponting, Martyn, Waugh, Katich, Gilchrist AND
Ponting, Waugh, Waugh, Martyn, Gilchrist
Plus Symonds for a bit and Langer at 3 early on, and Lehmann. Stuart Law and Hodge would have to be so unlucky for Bevan to have had so many chances (he deserved them mind you) and they had so few and succeeded when given the chance.

Yeah it would have been amazing to have had a Mark Waugh, Clarke, Marto middle order. Wowsers.

 

[harsh.ag]

In 1957, the Windies top order was - Worrell, Weekes, Walcott, Kanhai and Sobers.

Can't see anything getting past this combo, though Sobers wasn't the great batsman he would become yet.

 

[watson]

AUS 1975 was pretty good to watch;

3. Ian Chappell
4. Greg Chappell
5. Ross Edwards
6. Doug Walters

 

[Red]

There might've been a point where Australia would've fielded something like:

Ponting
M.Waugh
S.Waugh
Lehmann/Martyn
Gilchrist

which is pretty handy.

Compton, May and Cowdrey are a pretty handy bunch.


Clive Lloyd's last test featured: Richardson, Gomes, Richards, Lloyd, Dujon, plus Greenidge and Haynes opening.

Did the three Ws, Sobers and Kanhai all play together?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Easy:

Ponting
Waugh
Waugh
Martyn
Gilchrist

How is this even a question?

Although I could be persuaded to go with

Hodge
D. Hussey
White
Wade