Best out of these four '90s aussie fringe-test batsmen? Bev, Lehmann, Blewett, Elliot

[mr_mister]

I was going to include Martyn and Slater, but they ended up playing about 70 tests each so they had an extended go at the top level. But out of the four I mentioned, none even got to 50 tests, with Blewett the closest on 46.


Who deserved to play more out of them? I know Elliott apparently had a bad attitude but I loved watching him bat. And Lehmann's unorthodox style impresed me too.

 

[adub]

Bevo, just shades Boof for mine. (but absolutely nothing in it).

It's a real tragedy that Bevo didn't get more support. I've no doubt a bit more patience in the test selectors would have had him end up with a record like Haydos. The guy was a serious run machine. Boof should have got a chance much earlier than he did.

Elliot was a very good player, but not in the same league as those two, and Blewett was a solid enough citizen, but no way should have played more tests than these guys. Be surprised if he gets any votes here (other than trolling)

 

[Red]

Elliott was a gun. Just looked so good at times, should've got more out of himself.

Never liked Blewett or Bevan much.

Lehmann gets my vote though. Probably would've played 100+ tests for most other nations.

 

[Coronis]

Lehmann and Bevan well ahead of the other two for me. Gotta be Lehmann though, deserved a better go.

 

[NUFAN]

I voted for Lehmann mainly due to his excellent performance in that series-sweep in Sri Lanka where we trailed after the first innings each match.

My favourite to watch out of the 4 in Tests was Blewett, loved his straight drive.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

With hindsight you could argue for Lehman. But Boof started slow to test cricket.

I would say none of them. How Elliot, Blewett and Bevan made this list is beyond me.

 

[Tangles]

As a NSW child it's the Bev for ever.

 

[Jono]

As a NSW child it's the Bev for ever.

But he's a Canberran

 

[adub]

With hindsight you could argue for Lehman. But Boof started slow to test cricket.

I would say none of them. How Elliot, Blewett and Bevan made this list is beyond me.

Won't say much about Elliot and Blewett, but maybe the fact that Boof and Bevo have the 16th and 17th highest First Class averages of all time* (right behind Tendulkar at 15th) and 150 FC tons between them might indicate that they were probably good enough to have played a fair bit more Test cricket.

* 50 innings qual

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Won't say much about Elliot and Blewett, but maybe the fact that Boof and Bevo have the 16th and 17th highest First Class averages of all time* (right behind Tendulkar at 15th) and 150 FC tons between them might indicate that they were probably good enough to have played a fair bit more Test cricket.

* 50 innings qual

Bevan: short ball. Yeah he got some some very slow runs against the Windies but an average of 11 in 6 matches against England. C'mon. 18 matches and couldn't crack an average of 30. He was tried and failed. A lot easier accumulating all those FC runs when you're not playing test cricket.

You have to look at who was out of the team for these plonkers (not including Lehmann).

Hayden, Langer, Slater, Martyn....

The Taylor era was underachieving with the talent at its disposal.

 

[mr_mister]

Elliott and Blewett were just a joy to watch when they were on song. Their 199 and 214, both amazing. Yes I know they were inconsistent, I still loved watching them

 

[mr_mister]

Bevan: short ball. Yeah he got some some very slow runs against the Windies but an average of 11 in 6 matches against England. C'mon. 18 matches and couldn't crack an average of 30. He was tried and failed.

You have to look at who was out of the team for these plonkers (not including Lehmann).

Hayden, Langer, Slater, Martyn....

The Taylor era was underachieving with the talent at its disposal.

honestly dude, it's only the fact that Hayden, Langer, Slater and Martyn played a lot more cricket that I'm not including them. Yes I know Hayden was definitely fringe in the 90s but he eventually got his go didnt he

 

[harsh.ag]

Lehmann for me too. Just an exquisite player at his peak, and much more consistent than the others. Blewett's drives were awesome, and his cut could be brilliant, but there were too many flaws.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

honestly dude, it's only the fact that Hayden, Langer, Slater and Martyn played a lot more cricket that I'm not including them. Yes I know Hayden was definitely fringe in the 90s but he eventually got his go didnt he

Hayden should have played a helluva lot more matches.

 

[harsh.ag]

Plus Blewett played more than a fair share of test cricket. Not a fringe player by any means. 40 odd tests.

 

[harsh.ag]

Lehmann for me too. Just an exquisite player at his peak, and much more consistent than the others. Blewett's drives were awesome, and his cut could be brilliant, but there were too many flaws.

Hayden should have played a helluva lot more matches.

Plus Blewett played more than a fair share of test cricket. Not a fringe player by any means. 40 odd tests.

Yeah, the correct answer overall is Hayden for the 90s. Lehmann second probably. Blewett shouldn't be on the list, not a fringe player.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Marto should've played a lot more than 67.

 

[fredfertang]

Stuey Law was better than any of them

 

[Top_Cat]

Lehmann for me but it's close with he and Bev. Was a golden season when they were both crow eaters.

On whether they should have played more, honestly they all got a relatively fair go in the Test side but had issues that meant they weren't going to play 100 Tests. Lehmann perhaps shouldn't have had to wait as long as he did but he had issues with the short ones that probably would have found him out eventually, Bev was a nicker (no real problem with the short ones as widely believed), Blewett was really a dasher but tried to play more conservatively for Tests and it just wasn't him and Elliott had al the right ingredients but was missing the killer instinct, would have been a different story if, instead of merely looking like Lawry, he had that bloke's self-belief too (that and he was more injured than people probably knew about but just battled through). None of them, in my opinion, were unfairly dropped.

At least they got a go. Blokes like Law, Cox, Love and maybe Siddons were the genuine missing generation. Playing now, they'd have jagged more than a few Tests for sure, certainly more than the 1 Law got and the 5(?) Love got.

 

[Red]

Love and Law in their prime would be perfect for Aus right now tbh