Rangana Herath vs Bishan Singh Bedi

[trundler]

I was thinking about the greatest southpaw eleven when this question popped in my head. Who do you think is better? Herath or Bedi?
Edit: Deadly Derek Underwood just popped in my head now so consider him also

 

[trundler]

Also, who would you pick to share the new ball with Ashish Nehra? Wasim or Davidson?

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Herath...thru good and bad times

 

[Red]

Lefties XI

Bill Lawry
Brian Lara
Kumar Kangakkara
Graeme Pollock
Garry Sobers
Allan Border
Adam Gilchrist
Alan Davidson
Wasim Akram
Mitch Johnson
Rangan Herath

 

[Burgey]

Decent XI that. Arthur Morris 12th man?

 

[a massive zebra]

Wilfred Rhodes or Hedley Verity should take the spinners spot, IMO. Not sure Bill Lawry was any better than Alastair Cook or Graeme Smith but its a coin toss either way. Neil Harvey should also be seriously considered although I'm not sure who to drop to accommodate him. Border maybe?

 

[trundler]

There's just so many magnificent lefty bats. I wonder where Flower, Clem Hill, Bardsley, Harvey and the like would slot in?

 

[trundler]

Lefties XI

Bill Lawry
Brian Lara
Kumar Kangakkara
Graeme Pollock
Garry Sobers
Allan Border
Adam Gilchrist
Alan Davidson
Wasim Akram
Mitch Johnson
Rangan Herath

Great batting depth there, Red Hill

 

[a massive zebra]

On the original question, Bedi and Herath are similar bowlers in many ways. Both mastered the art of deception by cleverly varying their flight, loop, spin and pace without any perceptible change in action.

As Herath was the undisputed leader of his attack, Sri Lanka were far more reliant on him to win matches than India were on Bedi. Bedi had the privilege of playing alongside a trio of quality spinners who in theory should have built pressure on the batsmen and made their colleagues more dangerous. Yet his strike rate is over 30% worse than Herath. Furthermore, Bedi only ever took a ten wicket haul once in his entire career and India did not win the match. Herath has done this no less than 9 times, leading his side to victory on each occasion.

Conclusion: Rangana Herath is a more effective match winner than Bishen Bedi.

 

[Burgey]

Wilfred Rhodes or Hedley Verity should take the spinners spot, IMO. Not sure Bill Lawry was any better than Alastair Cook or Graeme Smith but its a coin toss either way. Neil Harvey should also be seriously considered although I'm not sure who to drop to accommodate him. Border maybe?

Border bats four in that line up and captains it, just as he does in any all time World XI.

Lawry is an interesting one. There’s been so many top shelf left handed openers. It’s good to see him get a mention though, he’s chronically under rated. Really courageous player, and before he took on the captaincy he played a lot of shots too.

 

[Athlai]

If you don't say Herath, you don't have a heart.

 

[jimmy101]

I'd rate them as follows. Underwood > Bedi > Herath with little more than a Rizla separating them all.

On a side note, does anyone here have an opinion on food & food presentation?

 

[Starfighter]

If you don't say Herath, you don't have a heart.

I already knew that.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Lefties XI

Bill Lawry
Brian Lara
Kumar Kangakkara
Graeme Pollock
Garry Sobers
Allan Border
Adam Gilchrist
Alan Davidson
Wasim Akram
Mitch Johnson
Rangan Herath

Should have to be a genuine leftie to make the team IMO. Gilchrist & Lara at least are righties who cheat by batting lefty. Probably a couple of the others too.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Seems odd to be comparing Herath to Bedi for me.

Herath just turned 40, and really only got 9 if not 7 years ago having to wait out Murali.

Bedi's intl career was over at 32.

Bedi will possibly be more famous for his fabulous endeavours for India in a lower scoring era than Herath with similar averages, but Herath's strike rate is a class above.

I want to see Herath continue on. I would be so happy for him to run down Kumble's 619. Which is at least 5 years of impressive form away for Herath on 415.

Herath is well above average age, he is short, and not at all athlectic looking, but despite these flaws he has skill to compete in top level global sport, and that just makes him so enjoyable to be a fan of.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The fact that he can be so effective, despite having virtually no physical nuance to his cricket (just trundles in and darts the ball in with a bit of turn) is on thing that makes cricket such a great sport. Compare him to so many young spinners these days that prance in and do all kinds of weird **** with their arms, legs, wrists and elbows when bowling. Shows how unnecessary it all is.

 

[trundler]

The fact that he can be so effective, despite having virtually no physical nuance to his cricket (just trundles in and darts the ball in with a bit of turn) is on thing that makes cricket such a great sport. Compare him to so many young spinners these days that prance in and do all kinds of weird **** with their arms, legs, wrists and elbows when bowling. Shows how unnecessary it all is.

So basically the McGrath of left arm spin

 

[trundler]

Something to think about: Currently, Murali is the only with 500+ wickets in a decade. Herath is lurking around with 415 or so in 9 years, I believe. Warne, McGrath and Kumble follow him with 400+ in their best decades.

 

[a massive zebra]

I'd rate them as follows. Underwood > Bedi > Herath with little more than a Rizla separating them all.

I think you are being a little unfair to his roundness. One could easily make a case for Herath over Underwood. Yes, on paper Underwood's stats look better. But he averaged something like 18 in the era of uncovered pitches and 28 (with a strike rate of over 80) after uncovered pitches were abolished. Herath's career average of 28 was achieved without the benefit of uncovered pitches, as the leader of a weaker bowling attack, and in a higher scoring era. His strike rate is over 30% better than Underwood post covered pitches. In roughly the same number of matches, Herath has taken over 100 more wickets, double the number of fivefors and quite a few more ten fors.

 

[TheJediBrah]

So basically the McGrath of left arm spin

yes exactly

I think you are being a little unfair to his roundness. One could easily make a case for Herath over Underwood. Yes, on paper Underwood's stats look better. But he averaged something like 18 in the era of uncovered pitches and 28 (with a strike rate of over 80) after uncovered pitches were abolished. Herath's career average of 28 was achieved without the benefit of uncovered pitches, as the leader of a weaker bowling attack, and in a higher scoring era. His strike rate is over 30% better than Underwood post covered pitches. In roughly the same number of matches, Herath has taken over 100 more wickets, double the number of fivefors and quite a few more ten fors.

Problem with that logic is that it's only looking at one criterion though (covered pitches), and assumes that it's the only difference between their careers. Herath probably played more in spin-friendly conditions a lot more of the time. Just one example of something that would support a case for Underwood over Herath.