Best utility players??

[nightprowler10]

Abdul Razzaq fits the bill, surely. At his best he was very dangerous with the ball (brisk pace, accurate, would reverse the ball) and on more than a few occasions won matches with his batting.

[Stace]

Ravi Bopara has to get a mention here

[the big bambino]

Abdul Razzaq fits the bill, surely. At his best he was very dangerous with the ball (brisk pace, accurate, would reverse the ball) and on more than a few occasions won matches with his batting.

I'm getting the feeling that utility player is defined as bit and pieces cricketer for the purpose of this thread. If so then Razzaq was a good deal better than that. Good call though and while I haven't gone back over the thread looks to be the best player mentioned so far.

[Dan]

Can do everything on a cricket field. Way too good a batsman to be classified 'utility' though, obvs.

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, Smith easily gets into a test XI as a pure bat, so his bowling is just an (increasingly rarely used) addendum, IMHO.

[Dan]

Plus he's one of the best fielders in the world - either under the lid, at point or in the deep - and a more-than-competent captain.

Could probably take the gloves too, if need be. WAFG

[Dan]

ABdV in a similar league IMO. Such a valuable utility player to have in that he's one of the best batsmen in the world, but can also keep wickets to a Test standard, field better than almost anyone and lead a side.

Plus he'd dominate team golf days.

[Muloghonto]

Best Utiility player I've personally seen is Shahid Afridi. He is one guy, who wouldn't get into the Pakistan team for most of his career. Except for that short gap between Kaneria's demise and Ajmal's rise, I dont think afridi ever competed for primary spinner role in the team. Those belonged to, in order of Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqqi & Kaneria, in that order and the overlap between the three (especially the first two) means that till 2002 or so, Afridi is not even in contest for the 2nd spinner role in any format.
Purely as a batsman, he does not make the grade either, in either ODI or Test cricket for Pakistani side, in vast majority of his career.
He is one of their best fielders ever and overall, a cracker of a fielder. He isnt overly athletic in the 'diving stop' sense of the word but Lala has tonnes of stamina and can chase ball forever, is a very safe pair of hands and comes with good reflex stops of the non-diving variety. Ie, in positions like cover, point, etc. Lala is not quite ATG category but definitely in the 'well above average/very competent' group.

But take it in whole: Afridi's excellent fielding, his ability to produce a randomly destructive innings against any bowling on any surface from any position, at a rate that only 4-5 other players in the last 20 years can even compete at and a very efficient containing bowling, with the occasional bursts of wickets makes him virtually indispensible for most teams and there is a role for him even in most test sides. For eg, except the West Indies side of the 80s, Pakistan for a brief period in the 90s, the Proteas in the late 90s and Aussie team of the mid 90s to mid 2000s, I can see Afridi justifying his selection in virtually every test side of the last 30 years as well.

He is by far, the greatest of the utility players i've seen.

[BeeGee]

John R Reid.

The ultimate utility. Bat in any position, bowled fast-medium or offies depending on the situation, could keep wicket, top fielder and was a great captain.

Selector, coach, match referee. Did it all.

[Flem274*]

I can see Afridi justifying his selection in virtually every test side of the last 30 years as well.

lol

[fredfertang]

I'd like to see Afridi selected for Come Dine With Me

[the big bambino]

He couldn't even hold his place in some ordinary Pakistani sides let alone any side of the last 30 years.

[fredfertang]

Nah - its a fair point

Any bloke who earns the nickname "Boom Boom" has to be worth having on board in any team game

[Migara]

Sri Lankan trio of Ruwan Kalpage, Kumar Dharmasena and Upul Chandana fits the bill IMO.

Kalpage was one of the ATG fielders from Asia, tight off spinner and a LHB who could give the ball a whack. One of those hardworking players who always went unnoticed due to steady, rather than infrequent stellar performances. Kumar was hugely enthusiastic, a superb fielder, containing bowler bowling second fiddle to Murali and was a limited, but fighting and extremely tough batsman. Gave 110% on the field. Chandana was bit more talented, a batsman who can play expansive shots despite of his build. Easily the second best fielder SL produced behind Mahanama, and considered easily better than Dilshan on the field. Bowled tight, accurate leg breaks.

All three were integral for SL's ODI success from early 90s to 2000s.

[hendrix]

Afridi certainly does fit the bill as a utility player as neither his batting nor his bowling gets him in the team.

Future all-time-greats Anton Devcich and Glenn Maxwell may knock him off his perch.