Australia's Premier Cricketing Family - Waughs or Chapells

[JASON]

In this thread I want people to provide their opinions as to which of the two famous Australian families should be regarded as the premier cricketing family in Australia. If anyone could start a vote that would definitely be of great interest. Unfortunately I don't know how to create a vote on the cricket Web.

While the Chapell's outnumber the Waugh's by one (or two if you consider grandpa Sir Victor Richardson), to me the achievements of the Waughs is far greater.

What does everyone else think ?

Some comparisons:
In batting - while I don't have their batting averages, from memory and hearsay, I would think Greg Chapell and Steve Waugh would have not too dissimilar batting averages, while Mark's would be way ahead of Ian's. (Someone who has access to the records can clarify this.)

In fielding- Greg's phenomenal fielding (I believe in the slip area) is equalled by Mark. While Steve's ground fielding and ability to break the wicket (from around the wicket), would put him ahead of Ian.

In bowling- I am not sure what Greg's bowling records are, but Steve had a reasonable bowling record till he gave up bowling regularly in late 90's.

Greg's continuing contribution by way of coaching (and Trevor's) are yet to be achieved by the Waughs (but this cannot be ruled out in the future).

What do the members of the cricket web think? If Someone can create a vote it would be interesting.

 

[a massive zebra]

In this thread I want people to provide their opinions as to which of the two famous Australian families should be regarded as the premier cricketing family in Australia. If anyone could start a vote that would definitely be of great interest. Unfortunately I don't know how to create a vote on the cricket Web.

While the Chapell's outnumber the Waugh's by one (or two if you consider grandpa Sir Victor Richardson), to me the achievements of the Waughs is far greater.

What does everyone else think ?

Some comparisons:
In batting - while I don't have their batting averages, from memory and hearsay, I would think Greg Chapell and Steve Waugh would have not too dissimilar batting averages, while Mark's would be way ahead of Ian's. (Someone who has access to the records can clarify this.)

In fielding- Greg's phenomenal fielding (I believe in the slip area) is equalled by Mark. While Steve's ground fielding and ability to break the wicket (from around the wicket), would put him ahead of Ian.

In bowling- I am not sure what Greg's bowling records are, but Steve had a reasonable bowling record till he gave up bowling regularly in late 90's.

Greg's continuing contribution by way of coaching (and Trevor's) are yet to be achieved by the Waughs (but this cannot be ruled out in the future).

What do the members of the cricket web think? If Someone can create a vote it would be interesting.

I have created a poll for you.

Here are their Test records:

GS Chappell 87 151 19 7110 247* 53.86 24 31 122 -
SR Waugh 168 260 46 10927 200 51.06 32 50 112 -
IM Chappell 75 136 10 5345 196 42.42 14 26 105 -
ME Waugh 128 209 17 8029 153* 41.81 20 47 181 -
TM Chappell 3 6 1 79 27 15.80 0 0 2 0

SR Waugh 7805 332 3445 92 37.44 5-28 3 - 84.8 2.64
GS Chappell 5327 208 1913 47 40.70 5-61 1 - 113.3 2.15
ME Waugh 4853 171 2429 59 41.16 5-40 1 - 82.2 3.00
IM Chappell 2873 87 1316 20 65.80 2-21 - - 143.6 2.74

In my opinion Mark Waugh is the most talented batsman and best fielder, Greg Chappell is overall the best and most complete batter, Steve Waugh is the one you would choose to bat for your life and also the best bowler, while Ian Chappell was an underrated batsman and fine captain. Trevor Chappell does not really come into it. Overall I would say the Chappell's are Australia's best cricketing family but only just.

 

[Top_Cat]

In my opinion Mark Waugh is the most talented batsman and best fielder,

For best fielder, he may JUST edge out Greg (highly contentious, though) but for pure talent, Greg Chappell is surely above Mark Waugh. He's an example of what can happen if raw talent is applied with mental toughness and consistency. Put it this way; there's a reason he averaged more than 10-runs-per-innings more than Mark Waugh. Greg rarely had 'off-days'. He had a fun of 5(6?) ducks in a row but it's difficult to remember any other form slumps in his career. At their best, they were both great to watch but I'd have to say that Greg was a 'better' batsman.

Also, you state that you'd choose Steve but not Mark Waugh to bat for you life? I doubt you've seen much of Greg Chappell because he'd certainly be a strong contender for this too.

I'd say that the Chappells contributed more to Australian cricket (call me cynical, but I doubt Steve Waugh would have signed for Packer cricket in the day but would have preferred to play on in the traditional Test side) individually but Steve and Mark Waugh probably contributed to the success of the Aussie cricket team in the 90's collectively more so than Ian and Greg did when playing together.

 

[bennyr]

In terms of being the better cricket "family", it must be the Chappells. Even if you don't count Trevor, Let's not forget that the Chappell's grandfather, Vic Richardson, was a popular and successful Aussie captain in the 30's.

One point that hasn't been raised yet is the relative values of the captaincy of the brothers. My opinion is that it is roughly equal, as Ian Chappell and Steve Waugh were similarly competitive captain that were excellent leaders that sometime stretched and occaisionally broke the rules. Given the relative abilities of the teams they led, I rate Waugh slightly higher. Greg Chappell was an ordinary captain and Mark Waugh was not a captain.

 

[JASON]

I am glad no-one started digging the dirt on the two families in question. Some regard Greg Chappell's underarm bowling incident as the most unsporting thing done on the cricket field till then. The Waughs have never been involved in anything as dirty as that. Apart from the occasional cricketers who claim catches that they know they have dropped (such as Rashid Latiff) , I don't think I have come across anything as unsporting as the underarm bowling incident.

 

[twctopcat]

Steve is the greatest winner of the lot, always being there when the chips are down, as shows with 15 of his 32 centuries being unbeaten, more often than not being scored on winning occasions. That for me shows how he is way ahead of the others in terms of being a competitor and being able to win at all costs and in any situation.

 

[Anil]

greg chappell is the most talented batsman of the 4 for me, followed by mark waugh, ian chappell and steve waugh. in terms of tenacity and consistency, greg again comes first, followed by steve, ian and mark. in terms of fielding, it is mark, greg, steve and ian. in terms of captaincy, ian comes first followed by steve and greg. overall, i would give it to the waughs over the chappells when you think in the collective because for much of their career, they were integral cogs in a winning team hitherto unparalleled in world cricket, while the chappells while being individually greater and also part of exceptional teams didn't have that much of an impact.

 

[bennyr]

I am glad no-one started digging the dirt on the two families in question. Some regard Greg Chappell's underarm bowling incident as the most unsporting thing done on the cricket field till then. The Waughs have never been involved in anything as dirty as that. Apart from the occasional cricketers who claim catches that they know they have dropped (such as Rashid Latiff) , I don't think I have come across anything as unsporting as the underarm bowling incident.

Except maybe Douglas Jardine's tactics in thw 1932-33 Ashes series?

 

[luckyeddie]

Except maybe Douglas Jardine's tactics in thw 1932-33 Ashes series?

Ashley Giles to be mentioned in the same breath as Sachin Tendulkar in 5....4....3....

Oh, wait...

 

[age_master]

the chapells have had a big continuous involvement in the game, something which the Waughs are unlikley to match.

 

[mavric41]

Both Ian and Greg captained Australia for long periods and had a greater influence over the direction of Australian cricket than the Waughs (Steve took a good side and made them great though).

Of the four - I loved watching Greg Chappell bat (even more so than Mark Waugh) elegant is the word.

 

[luckyeddie]

I am glad no-one started digging the dirt on the two families in question.

So you could first?

It's great to get in before the others, isn't it?

 

[JASON]

So you could first?

It's great to get in before the others, isn't it?

I was only trying to add some spice to the discussion.

I was glad however that others had not hijacked this thread into something else.