Discord

[Xuhaib]

Hearing Willis commentate is enough evidance to confirm that his views are not to be taken seriously and he also comes across as being bias to sub-cont players and the absence of Imran in that list proves the point.

 

[The Sean]

He rated Imran in the all rounders section, so didn't put him in the fast bowling category.

 

[Richard]

That being said, you were asking for a view on Thommo from someone who saw him in action and wasn't an Aussie so I gave you RGD Willis who, it turns out, rates him very highly indeed.

Yeah, yeah, fair noof mate, completely. I just thought it was a bit strange, that's all, specially because, as I say, IIRR Willis missed both those series in 74\75 and 75.

 

[Xuhaib]

He rated Imran in the all rounders section, so didn't put him in the fast bowling category.

Okie. But still it would take a lot more for me to agree with him

 

[SJS]

Thomson was terrific in his first full season. Scaring the daylights out of batsmen with sheer pace and an unbirdled aggression. He bowled short to hit the batsman and pitched on the stumps to shatter them to pieces or so it appeared everytime one watched him during this period.

But it didnt last. Almost all the truly great bowlers have careers that have been around ten years of really high class bowling. With Thomson it lasted just four seasons - 1974-75 to 1977-78. If he hadn't played much beyond that he may still be remembered with awe but he continued and was nothing like a world class bowler after that.

He did have a swan song in his second last series in England 1982-83. In between he was a shadow of his former self.

I dont remember thinking of him in those years as one thinks of bowlers like Roberts Holding or Garner and Ambrose.

He was an Australian Shoaib Akhtar. Better than Shoaib only in those first four seasons.

I think the partnership of Thomson and Lillee was the real big thing. It was spectacular and "The Sherrif and Billy the Kid" or If "Lillee dont get you Thommo will" was the real excitement.

No. We thought of him as we had of Gilchrist or Griffith but he wasn't a great to us like Lillee or Wes Hall or Andy Roberts.

 

[Richard]

 

[pup11]

I think to rate Akthar he would have to play consistent cricket first, he plays one game and then he is ruled out for the whole season due to injury so i don't think he is underrated at all.
In Akram's case i would say he is not overrated, i think he deserves all the praise he gets, though i think he was overrated as a batsman.

 

[BhupinderSingh]

Was Sobers overrated?

Yes

 

[nightprowler10]

Yes

Missed the point of his post I feel.

 

[Fusion]

I think Wasim is actually UNDER-rated, specially in Test cricket. Judging him by stats alone does not do him justice (as is the case with most players). I never saw a more skillful bowler. The way he was able to make the ball swing in both directions, in all conditions, was a sight to behold. Considering he was in the highly unstable Pakistani side, was a Captain (or at least a core team leader) post-Imran, had to deal with numerous controversies, I say what he achieved was amazing.

As for Akhter, he had/has the talent to be ranked amongst the best bowlers of all time. It's a shame that he wasted it all and was never consistent enough to be ranked highly.

 

[Beleg]

Fusion,

Ah. But consistent in what?

 

[Sanz]

Fusion,

Ah. But consistent in what?

performance, fitness.

 

[Fusion]

Fusion,

Ah. But consistent in what?

performance, fitness.

What Sanz said.

 

[nightprowler10]

He hasn't had many performance issues that I can think of in the past three years or so. Obviously agreed with the fitness part.

To answer the question in the opening post, I think Wasim was under rated whereas Shoaib is probably rated about right.

 

[Dasa]

I reckon Shoaib is very underrated, Wasim slightly less so. It seems like all the other issues with Shoaib cloud judgement of him.

 

[SJS]

This whole business of over-rating or under-rating of a player is a bit 'over-rated'.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, over-rated and under-rated are to the point of cliche now. "Overrated" = bad player, "Underrated" = good player.

 

[Richard]

This whole business of over-rating or under-rating of a player is a bit 'over-rated'.

Yeah, over-rated and under-rated are to the point of cliche now. "Overrated" = bad player, "Underrated" = good player.

Absolutely. Some of the more tiresome things they can become, because everyone is both overrated and underrated in some guise or other.

 

[Sanz]

This whole business of over-rating or under-rating of a player is a bit 'over-rated'.

Yeah, over-rated and under-rated are to the point of cliche now. "Overrated" = bad player, "Underrated" = good player.

I think passing smartass comment like that is over-rated. No one forced you to participate in this thread. If you thought it was diminishing your status as a forum member, then stay away from the thread.

The guy just wants to hear and discuss what people think about it and that's it. I thought it was a a very valid thread and a very valid question that beleg asked in his first post. As I said I dont think Wasim can be over-rated at all but If someone thinks he is, I would like to hear his/her views.

 

[Beleg]

Fusion,

What's wrong with his performance over the last few years?