Who's the greatest left handed batsman of alltime?

[The Sean]

Thats true. I would also put another lesser known left hander Bert Sutcliffe of NewZealand

If we're talking lesser known Kiwi lefties, then step forward Mr Martin Donnelly. Greater than Sutcliffe, IMO, though with sadly fewer Test opportunities.

 

[nightprowler10]

Martin Donnelly?

 

[Matt79]

 

[Dr_Brad]

Lara for me followed by Sobers

 

[The Sean]

I sooooooooooooooo brought that on myself....

 

[PhoenixFire]

Lol at Matthew Hayden being anywhere near this thread, Lara anyway.

 

[Poker Boy]

Sobers, then Lara. I would put both above pollock. Bear in mind in the 1970 RoW matches in England (which were considered Tests at the time and are probably of a slightly higher standard than Bangladesh's Tests) Sobers heavily outscored Pollock. As for Sobers' place in the bating order, his 365* came from No 3. And batting at 6, he saved the Windies from defeat in these two Tests against England:
http://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/test/606.php
http://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/test/629.php
So he didn't just make hay after those above him had flayed the bowling.

 

[The Sean]

Sobers batting lower down the order (generally) made hay while the upper batsmen Kanhai, Lloyd et al flayed the bowling.

Lara assumed a far greater burden on his shoulders. IMO, his performances could have been greater had he a modicum of batting support from the other end.

Lean towards Lara over Sobers, barely.

Sobers played plenty of his career at 3-4-5 and averaged very highly there, whereas I would say that on balance over the course of their careers Lloyd batted on average at least as low or lower in the order than Sobers did. During the years their careers did overlap it wasn't as though Lloyd was going in at 3-4 and destroying the attack while Sobers came in at 6-7 and cashed in.

 

[The Sean]

Sobers, then Lara. I would put both above pollock. Bear in mind in the 1970 RoW matches in England (which were considered Tests at the time and are probably of a slightly higher standard than Bangladesh's Tests) Sobers heavily outscored Pollock. As for Sobers' place in the bating order, his 365* came from No 3. And batting at 6, he saved the Windies from defeat in these two Tests against England:
http://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/test/606.php
http://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/test/629.php
So he didn't just make hay after those above him had flayed the bowling.

It's an interesting (if slightly irrelevant, but when has that ever stopped me...?) point actually that Pollock is one of those players whose Test record would suffer markedly if the 1970 and 1971/72 RoW series were included in official Test figures. He averaged only 35 in five Tests in England in 1970, and 42 in 3 Tests in Australia in 1971/72.

Whereas the likes of Sobers, Lillee and the Chappells would love the RoW and WSC stats to be included on their official records, if RG Pollock is concerned about his own personal stats then he's probably glad they're not!

 

[Matt79]

When I've said I've been embarrassed to win a Boycott award, its because of posters like The Sean. Top poster!

 

[The Sean]

Awww....I promised myself I wouldn't cry today....

Thanks mate.

 

[Richard]

FFS, I've already said it once just a few hours earlier!

 

[roseboy64]

Went for Lara TBH.

 

[Chubby Rain]

Lara easily over Sobers. Sobers averaged something like 80+ against India and Pakistan in his time.

http://stats.cricinfo.com/guru?sdb=...1;.cgifields=cplayerid;.cgifields=comparetype

 

[Engle]

Lara faced stiffer opposition than did Sobers

 

[Richard]

Lara easily over Sobers. Sobers averaged something like 80+ against India and Pakistan in his time.

http://stats.cricinfo.com/guru?sdb=...1;.cgifields=cplayerid;.cgifields=comparetype

So? India and Pakistan were perfectly Test-class sides at the time.

 

[SJS]

If we're talking lesser known Kiwi lefties, then step forward Mr Martin Donnelly. Greater than Sutcliffe, IMO, though with sadly fewer Test opportunities.

Agreed.

 

[archie mac]

I votes Sobers but again there have been players who played before 1950 who could bat

Morris
Hill
Woolley
Leyland

To name a few

 

[Johnners]

Voted Sobers, and Hayden is definitely out of his league in that list.

 

[SJS]

Voted Sobers, and Hayden is definitely out of his league in that list.

Frankly the only thing that keeps Border there is his final tally of test runs. He wouldnt make most all time Aussie XI's while Morris and Harvey would make most.