World's Best All-Rounder ~ Final Poll ~ Best of the Best

[Pup Clarke]

I wasn't talking about Kallis, I mean't Watson.

 

[Ikki]

LOL, I am not sure why that is funny. But I'll clarify what I mean: I mean his ability and potential. As for what they've achieved in Tests, it's not really a question or comparison.

 

[bond21]

come back to me when Watson scores a 50 in a test match against quality opposition, until then I dont rate him at all.

I would still pick Symonds over him any day of the week simply because Watson is a little wuss who keeps getting injured for some reason.

 

[bond21]

i also dont understand why a NZer is arguing with me on this matter...

Watson has been in the news more times for being injured and missing a series than getting runs or getting wickets.

 

[Pup Clarke]

LOL, I am not sure why that is funny. But I'll clarify what I mean: I mean his ability and potential. As for what they've achieved in Tests, it's not really a question or comparison.

Flintoff has more abilty and potential in his bowling than Watson.

Matter closed

 

[iamdavid]

Yeah, he probably is as good as Flintoff with the ball. Flintoff is overrated, I'm sorry to say, based on 1 very impressive series. I'll add: he had made great strides in the past few years, but I'd still say he was a tad overrated.

Dont think overrated is the right word, he certainly hasnt done as people have expected since 2005/06 but that can be blamed almost exclusively on injuries.
I think Flintoff at his absolute best was comparable to just about any allrounder to have ever played the game, unfortunately we only saw his absolute best for 18 months or so, due to being selected prematurely, injuries, the learning curve, poor luck and laterly more injuries. Hopefully one day we shall see him at his best once more, however it seems less likely with every passing day.
Who knows....come 2009 Ashes time....Cometh the hour cometh the man.

As for Watson being as good a bowler as Flintoff

 

[Ikki]

come back to me when Watson scores a 50 in a test match against quality opposition, until then I dont rate him at all.

I'll come back to you when he has played more than 3 tests.

I would still pick Symonds over him any day of the week simply because Watson is a little wuss who keeps getting injured for some reason.

Hmm. Yeah, I think, if it hadn't before, all your credibility went out the window.

 

[four_or_six]

Watson has more ability and potential in his batting than Flintoff. Flintoff more in his bowling than Watson. If either one could string a few years of fitness together it would be awesome, and then we could compare them to Kallis.

 

[Ikki]

Flintoff has more abilty and potential in his bowling than Watson.

Matter closed

I don't agree. If Watson had kept fit he would be just as good at bowling, and he's even better with the bat. Unfortunately, he hasn't had much of a test career to show his qualities.

Dont think overrated is the right word, he certainly hasnt done as people have expected since 2005/06 but that can be blamed almost exclusively on injuries.
I think Flintoff at his absolute best was comparable to just about any allrounder to have ever played the game, unfortunately we only saw his absolute best for 18 months or so, due to being selected prematurely, injuries, the learning curve, poor luck and laterly more injuries. Hopefully one day we shall see him at his best once more, however it seems less likely with every passing day.
Who knows....come 2009 Ashes time....Cometh the hour cometh the man.

As for Watson being as good a bowler as Flintoff

Yeah, at his best he was. But at his usual he wasn't. And his peak, for me, is too short to consider his bowling, or his batting, on a higher plane. So, whilst I acknowledge for a certain period he was really good, I feel it's too short to say he actually IS that good.

 

[Goughy]

Ive been talking for a long while about how Pollock is percieved in his homeland of SA (ie severely declined) and here is further evidence.

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/312841.html

Not exactly what you would expect if he really was the best allrounder in the world given his main job is bowling

 

[bond21]

yea and you have supplies of credibility dont u lmao.

the fact that watson hasnt played more than 3 tests in at least 3 years in International cricket proves hes a wuss.

I didnt know this was the Shane Watson fan club, because everyone ive talked to about him reckons hes lucky to be playing state cricket. Jeff Thomson himself said that Watson is a girly man.

amount of cred score:

Jeff Thomson - 100%

Nerd on the interweb - 0%

 

[pup11]

I think its got be Pollock, if the same poll would have been held 2 years i would have voted for Freddie (btw his real name in Andrew so atleast thats how it should have been written in poll options) but he hasn't been able to take all that pressure and his body has suffered due to it and frankly speaking i never rated him too highly as a batsman even when he had that golden period.
But on the other side Pollock has won so many games with both bat and ball for his team over the years, so he is a tried and tested veteran now and he has definitely proved himself as a very good all-rounder at the international level.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I don't agree. If Watson had kept fit he would be just as good at bowling, and he's even better with the bat. Unfortunately, he hasn't had much of a test career to show his qualities.

Flintoff's bowling though has basically everything that Watson's hasn't. He can bowl with control, seam it, swing it, bow genuine pace, the only thing that Watson has above Flintoff is in the short ball category, Watson has a extremely underrated bouncer.

 

[Perm]

i also dont understand why a NZer is arguing with me on this matter...

Because I am entitled to my opinion about cricket, and in this case I think I am right. Does my nationality have anything to do with being allowed to argue? No.

Also, I find it quite amusing you go on about Watson being from Queensland, when Symonds himself is a Queenslander and Watson is originally from Tasmania IIRC.

 

[Ikki]

yea and you have supplies of credibility dont u lmao.

the fact that watson hasnt played more than 3 tests in at least 3 years in International cricket proves hes a wuss.

I didnt know this was the Shane Watson fan club, because everyone ive talked to about him reckons hes lucky to be playing state cricket. Jeff Thomson himself said that Watson is a girly man.

amount of cred score:

Jeff Thomson - 100%

Nerd on the interweb - 0%

Haha, and how do you rate yourself?

 

[bond21]

the mere fact that a poll including flintoff, kallis and pollock with the majority of discussion about how great watson is proves how many ignorant idiots are on this website.

oh wow watson is so awesome, hes played 3 TEST MATCHES!!!

I wouldnt put it past everyone here that you all sit around all day looking at cricket stats drinking red bull.

I think ill leave you sad people to it. Good luck with it all, I will be hoping Watson gets to play a full 5 day test before he gets injured for another 6 months.

 

[bond21]

the mere fact that a poll including flintoff, kallis and pollock with the majority of discussion about how great watson is proves how many ignorant idiots are on this website.

oh wow watson is so awesome, hes played 3 TEST MATCHES!!!

I wouldnt put it past everyone here that you all sit around all day looking at cricket stats drinking red bull.

I think ill leave you sad people to it. Good luck with it all, I will be hoping Watson gets to play a full 5 day test before he gets injured for another 6 months.

 

[Ikki]

Flintoff's bowling though has basically everything that Watson's hasn't. He can bowl with control, seam it, swing it, bow genuine pace, the only thing that Watson has above Flintoff is in the short ball category, Watson has a extremely underrated bouncer.

Let me clarify even further, I think if things go right and Watson plays more and both have their career, I can see Watson averaging at best 50 with the bat but I'd expect him to average in the mid-40s. I expect his bowling to average 32 possibly with a strike-rate of 60.

On Flintoff, I don't expect his batting, even at best, to go above 40 and I think mid to high 30s is what he'll end up with. His bowling at best I think will average 28 and as it is will stay near that, with a strike rate a few ticks under 60.

So yes, I agree that Watson won't be as good as Flintoff as a strict comparison to a bowler, but as an all-rounder I think Watson will slot in just as well for Flintoff for his bowling.

It's all speculation I guess because Watson hasn't played hardly any tests and that's where I think the tragedy lies. Of course, some would have you think he deserves it because he is a wuss.

 

[pup11]

How the hell is Shane Watson lucky to be playing state cricket!! He averages around 50 with the bat and his bowling too has been decent, he did really well in the Super series, KL, then in the Champions trophy in India but after that his body broked down again (which is the sad part).
I don't think even Watson's biggest critic would say that he hasn't got any talent, he has got good potential but his body has just let him down time and again.

 

[four_or_six]

Because I am entitled to my opinion about cricket, and in this case I think I am right. Does my nationality have anything to do with being allowed to argue? No.

Also, I find it quite amusing you go on about Watson being from Queensland, when Symonds himself is a Queenslander and Watson is originally from Tasmania IIRC.

No, he's from Qld. He moved to Tasmania when he was 19 because they offered him a start in their first team which he could keep if he performed to the required standard, whereas Stuart Law/selectors at Qld told him he had to wait in the queue for a while before he got an opportunity because Hopes deserved the opportunity first.