Cricketweb decides the second best batsman ever. 32 player bracket, Contest Thread!

[viriya]

Then Sobers. Although not as obvious actually.. the bowling in his time wasn't that great.

 

[Prince EWS]

Is this Test only?

It's whatever criteria you like.

 

[fredfertang]

Sobers - not even close

 

[smash84]

Sobers - not even close

What?

Admittedly i never saw sobers play but surely it can't be daylight between the two?

 

[fredfertang]

I was very young and very impressionable when I saw Sobers play, so that's not an objective view, but it is sincerely held

 

[fredfertang]

......... and neither of them were as good as Barry Richards

 

[watson]

......... and neither of them were as good as Barry Richards

I don't know about that. Sobers' 254 against Australia at Melbourne in 1972 proved that he was at least as good imo.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

......... and neither of them were as good as Barry Richards

This is the folly of voting for people as the second best batsman when it's not what you think.

However between these two, it has to be Sobers. The way people talk of Sobers batting is incredible.
Of course the Richards is also lauded, but it sounds more an art form with Sobers

 

[watson]

This is the folly of voting for people as the second best batsman when it's not what you think.

However between these two, it has to be Sobers. The way people talk of Sobers batting is incredible.
Of course the Richards is also lauded, but it sounds more an art form with Sobers

In an era of ruthless pragmatism and professionalism Sobers reminds us that cricket is a game played for fun. That is his appeal I think.

 

[AndrewB]

Sobers

 

[Red]

Sobers.


But it's very hard to split Sobers, Tendulkar, Richards and Hutton for me.

 

[Gnske]

Sobers, not even difficult.

 

[smash84]

Sobers, not even difficult.

why?

 

[Hurricane]

Viv Richards - I admit though this is bias from having watched more of him. Most of my knowledge of Sobers is the six sixes video and reading about his epic double hundreds where the ball canonned into the boundaries.

My defining reason apart from personal bias is that Viv had a cbf attitude towards many of his innings and had he treated each test match as a must win then he would have averaged 70 over his career.

Shoulda woulda coulda and all that notwithstanding he was the second best based on what I know.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Richards

 

[The Sean]

Sobers

 

[Gnske]

why?

Viv was just a gigantic meme hipswinger.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Viv is the best batsman I’ve ever seen. It’s true that for a judgement such as this there’s a lot to count against him. Once he was established in the team he wasn’t prepared to bat forever like Lara. I believe that if he’d played in a side as weak as Lara he would have made more runs simply because he had to. He often wasn’t prepared to play himself in before attempting to dominate the bowler. He even got out to the likes of Devon Malcolm for this reason. His overall stats are “Great” but he doesn’t stand out from the rest of the greats, and indeed is below many of them (and below some not so greats). He should really have averaged 60 plus and the fact that he, to an extent, underachieved is another black mark against him.

Having said all that I’m voting for him anyway, so up yours ugly.

Richards.

 

[a massive zebra]

Sobers.

From an objective point of view it is not particularly close IMO.

 

[mr_mister]

It appears Sobers has won