most exciting batsmen

[The King]

Avg S/R

Jayasuriya, S T* 31.90 88.85
Sehwag, V* 32.00 94.59
Tendulkar, S R* 45.02 86.19
Lehmann, D S* 39.01 81.55
Gilchrist, A C* 35.70 94.12
Symonds, A* 38.12 90.86
Klusener, L* 41.10 89.92
Flintoff, A* 35.18 92.67
Shahid Afridi*
23.64 103.21
Powell, R L* 26.29 98.20
Pollock, S M* 24.67 83.70
Most people would be in unanimous agreement that there is nothing more exciting then an attacking batsman. I have composed a list of who I think are the most exciting to watch batsmen and bowlers. The question I pose is how much do you think they could score in a fifty over match and a twenty over match and what will the scores roughly be for each batsman/bowler.

 

[Langeveldt]

Out of proper batsmen, there is nobody more flamboyant and exhilerating than Herschelle Gibbs when on fire.. Shahid Afridi a close second..

Honourable mentions

Andy Symonds
Lance Klusener
Nathan Astle
Andre Nel

 

[SupaFreak2005]

Ricardo Powell

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

A freak sighting in CC!

 

[Tom Halsey]

Good cricket is more attractive to me than quick scoring. Of course, both together is always nice.

 

[marc71178]

Out of proper batsmen, there is nobody more flamboyant and exhilerating than Herschelle Gibbs when on fire.. Shahid Afridi a close second..

What about Flintoff?

When he's going, there's surely no-one to touch him (just look at the way his tons have come this summer in ODIs)

 

[steds]

Flintoff or Gilchrist

(how come Hayden isn't in that list?)

 

[Barney Rubble]

It depends what kind of strokes they are playing - for example, in a Test match when quick scoring is around 4.5 an over, seeing Michael Vaughan play his divine cover drive once every three overs will do me fine.

But in an ODI, when you might expect quick scoring to be around 6 or 7 an over, it's more entertaining (for me) to see Shahid Afridi or Flintoff come in, hit 70 off 30 balls with six sixes, then get out - both innings could change a match, both are great to watch for different reasons, Vaughan for his technical excellence and elegance when at his best, and Afridi or Flintoff for sheer power, timing and audacity.

Of course, that doesn't mean to say that it isn't good to see someone score 150 off 100 balls in an ODI without hitting a six, or that it's not an awesome sight to see Chris Cairns come in with NZ 150-5 (won't be happening any more, of course), blast 80 off 50 balls and get them out of trouble. It's just as good, only slightly more rare. Which in a way, I guess, makes it better.....I'll shut up now.

 

[Tony Blade]

Afridi, Flintoff, Razaaq, Symonds.. in that order

 

[deeps]

none other than mr shahid afridi

 

[SJS]

none other than mr shahid afridi

If it is Afridi, dont even go to the fridge to get a can of beer or to the loo to rid yourself of the last one...for he could be gone before you are back

 

[Linda]

If it is Afridi, dont even go to the fridge to get a can of beer or to the loo to rid yourself of the last one...for he could be gone before you are back

Wouldn't that apply to every batsman?!

 

[Sudeep]

Freddie.

Honorable mentions: Symonds, Gilchrist, Hayden, Razzaq, 1999 Klusener.

 

[Mr Casson]

(how come Hayden isn't in that list?)

I hope you don't mean in ODIs. Hayden is almost painfully slow to watch whenever I see him in a ODI. Of course, then every once in a while he fixes it all with a blistering century.

 

[Linda]

I agree. Hayden's strike rate in ODI's is overrated. He tends to have this reputation of being this big slapstick bully from the first ball. He takes longer than that. Not that its a bad thing, though. Gilchrist does enough most times to cover it.

 

[age_master]

Mr Gilly no contest

 

[Richard]

Myself I don't find I get too excited by seeing scoring-rates of 12-an-over.
If so, I don't really find any one batsman is any more exciting than another.

 

[SJS]

Laxman,
Gibbs,
Ponting,
and Lara

either of them in full flow against world class bowling is a feast.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It might make the purists choke on their Pimms, but I reckon for sheer excitement you can't beat a powerful tailender having a mow.

I think Harmison's thirty-odd against The Windies in the 4th test was pretty good value, excitement wise. Of course it was an adjunct to a solid batting display & I might've not found quite so enjoyably exciting if he'd come in at 150-8!

 

[ReallyCrazy]

In tests, I love watching laxman bat. He is the best and then after him its Lara.

In ODIs, I think most exciting batters are Flintoff (i haven't seen him bat after his new found inspiration) and Gilchrist. I think Sachin Tendulkar was very exciting to watch till 2 years ago. I don't find Shahid Afridi exciting at all.....I like to see batters play with controlled aggression, this shows they know how to play. That's not the case with Afridi. He's hit or miss.