Cricketweb decides the second best batsman ever. 32 player bracket, nomination thread

[Slifer]

Well, it seems to a pretty hotly debated issue around here and amongst cricket fans in general since Bradman came on the scene. So I'll make a 5 round, 32 player knockout tournament. I'll give about 2 days for each round, with every match in a round taking up a single thread.

Use any criteria you like when voting, but try to take everything important into account.

The following I consider to be auto-contestants, they don't need nominations to be in the discussion:

Greg Chappell
Steve Waugh
Ponting

Hobbs
Hammond
Hutton

Headley
Weekes
Walcott
Sobers
Viv Richards
Lara

Graeme Pollock

Gavaskar
Tendulkar
Dravid

Miandad

Sangakkara



That gives 18... with 14 places left to be filled. I assume there won't be too much argument to any of these 18 making the cut. I know it raises some questions such as if X is here then why can't Y be here? Well I tried to take the forum's opinions into account. Poor ol' Kallis seems to get a lot of hate around here for his boring/slow style of batting, and maybe people don't view him as worthy of the top 32. But I doubt anyone will say any of the above players don't deserve a chance in this thing. Kallis will probably make the cut anyway. I also couldn't justify Trumper and Grace as auto-noms, but expect both to make the final 32. Nourse and Sutcliffe were two more I nearly threw in but couldn't justify it based on the fact I don't see them get as much praise as the above listed. Barry Richards is another who I couldn't let waltz in due to his limited his test career, but by all means nominate him if you want. This is not test specific, but people who tried and failed in tests despite dominating FC (Hick) should be viewed in a different light to Barry obviously. Anyway I'm sure I've made my point.


Okay so, simply nominate 5 batsman who aren't in here. You can double nominate another 5(and they can be the same 5) after 12 hours, because I want this to be quick. Anyway once a player reaches 10 noms they make the final 32.


I'm nearly positive I've missed a huge name with my 16 auto-qualifiers. so if there is a few people thinking so and so definitely, undoutably, deserves to be up in that class of batsman, state their name

Kallis
Border
Worrell
Compton
Barrington
Sutcliffe
M Yousuff
Y Khan
Chanders
Inzi
Kanhai
Sehwag
Nourse
Trumper

 

[mr_mister]

80% of those names are now in the contest, the ones that weren't I am taking as your noms

 

[marc71178]

I guess you don't know the quality of bowling he faced for seasons in County Cricket too.

He didn't play county cricket.

 

[honestbharani]

Vvs

 

[a massive zebra]

He didn't play county cricket.

Marc is only technically correct. Merchant did not play for a county in the county championship but he did play a full part on two Indian tours to England at a time when overseas sides toured England extensively, playing against virtually all the counties. While Merchant's record in English first class cricket is excellent, a simple statistical comparison with his performances in Indian first class cricket suggests the standard of bowling in India was then some way short of the English standard (and/or the pitches were much flatter):

Season Country M Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct
1936 (England) 22 38 5 1,639 151* 49.66 3 11 14
1946 (England) 26 41 9 2,385 242* 74.53 7 13 15
All (England) 48 79 14 4,024 242* 61.91 10 24 29

Seas Team M Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct
All Bombay 35 52 13 3,955 359* 101.41 17 8 32
All Hindus 19 26 8 1,965 250* 109.16 7 6 13
All (Bmb & Hin) 54 78 21 5,920 359* 103.86 24 14 45

I think what really proves the limited standard of bowling in Indian first class cricket at the time is his comparatively poor record for India:

Season Team M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct
All India 23 39 0 1,572 154* 40.30 4 7 24

A fair proportion of these matches would have been played in India on the same pitches in which he played for Bombay and Hindus; the major difference being they were played against international sides where the standard of bowling could not have been in doubt.

 

[Red]

Nominating another guy who is always overlooked/forgotten- Peter May.

 

[mr_mister]

Younis Khan now has enough nominations.

That leaves one spot left.

Kanhai needs 1 more, Hayden and Inzy need 2. A bunch of others need 3

 

[smash84]

Inzy, I haven't seen kanhai much (nor have read up on him too much)

 

[mr_mister]

The Windies already have easily the largest representation in this thing so maybe Inzy deserves it more. Anyway, I'll abstain and leave it to the next lucky nominator.

I'm gonna have a top 8 seeds and then randomize the rest, just so we don't get Sobers vs Viv in round 1 or something


I'm thinking this ATM, sorry to Grace, Trumper etc


1. Sobers
2. Viv
3. Hobbs
4. Sachin
5. Lara
6. Hutton
7. Headley
8. Hammond

This sets up some interesting potential quarter final matches, should some of these names make it to the final 8

 

[kingkallis]

Hashim Amla
Younis Khan
Graeme Smith
Andy Flower
Kevin Pietersen

 

[mr_mister]

Flower, Amla and Hayden now need 2. Inzy and Kanhai need 1

 

[mr_mister]

highest number of test tons to not receive a single nomination: Jayawardene with 34

 

[OverratedSanity]

Was actually going to say he deserves a mention. Definitely struggled away from the SC but was incredible against spin.

 

[Howe_zat]

boycotting the competition unless graeme smith is removed

 

[mr_mister]

Smith hasn't made the cut and most likely won't, so yeah. Lrn2read

 

[Hurricane]

boycotting the competition unless s smith is removed

ftfy

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

come on no love for the god in monty python and the holy grail?

 

[mr_mister]

Okay, I retract my Steve Smith nom. Will you now vote Hurricane?

 

[mr_mister]

so is someone gonna split Kanhai/Inzy? I wanted to get this up and running tonight

 

[Howe_zat]

Kanhai.