Ab de Villiers vs Michael Clarke vs Kevin Pietersen

[BazBall21]

Who would you have ahead?

Gooch is the best in that time for me.

 

[BazBall21]

1. Gooch
2. Gower
3. Thorpe
4. KP
5. Cook.

Pietersen is probably better than #2 and #3 against high pace but their better away records in generally tougher periods (conditions and team strength) shades it imo. That top 4 are all very close together though. KP was my childhood hero so it feels weird rating him lower than the average consensus.

 

[GIMH]

I'd have both KP and Cook ahead of Thorpe personally

 

[BazBall21]

I'd have both KP and Cook ahead of Thorpe personally

Yeah I'm a bit of a Thorpe fan and rate him higher than most people do.

 

[Krypto]

1. Gooch
2. Gower
3. Thorpe
4. KP
5. Cook.

Pietersen is probably better than #2 and #3 against high pace but their better away records in generally tougher periods (conditions and team strength) shades it imo. That top 4 are all very close together though. KP was my childhood hero so it feels weird rating him lower than the average consensus.

Surprised Vaughan didn't get a mention other than that very solid list . Also interesting that Gower and Gooch played in Boycotts era and Cook played alongside Root for a significant time .

 

[BazBall21]

Surprised Vaughan didn't get a mention other than that very solid list . Also interesting that Gower and Gooch played in Boycotts era and Cook played alongside Root for a significant time .

I didn't want to drone on haha. Vaughan, Stewart and Robin Smith would each be in the top ten. Dennis Amiss debuted after Boycott so he qualifies too. Amiss probably isn't much worse than Cook. Actually seems a very similar type of player. Eight big hundreds so terrific at capitalising on flat pitches but issues against quality pace (dreadful record against Australia). Trying to think if I've forgotten someone else who debuted in the 1965-1975 period.

 

[Coronis]

He has the 8th best average as a number four with 6000 or more runs .

Out of 10 players.

Thats like pumping up Shiv because he has the 8th best average of players with 11000 or more runs.

 

[Krypto]

Out of 10 players.

Thats like pumping up Shiv because he has the 8th best average of players with 11000 or more runs.

I am unsure if your agreeing or arguing with me ? Was kinda my point , one is an all time great in AB the other in Clarke is highly underrated in my opinion and in KP an aggressive anchor however neither Clarke or KP is comparable to AB . KP even less than Clarke if you read what i posted . As i originally stated its a disservice against Clarke and KP to compare them to AB . Different categories and qualities .

 

[Coronis]

I am unsure if your agreeing or arguing with me ? Was kinda my point , one is an all time great in AB the other in Clarke is highly underrated in my opinion and in KP an aggressive anchor however neither Clarke or KP is comparable to AB . KP even less than Clarke if you read what i posted . As i originally stated its a disservice against Clarke and KP to compare them to AB . Different categories and qualities .

I’m not disagreeing or agreeing with your opinion, I’m saying thats a stupid pointless stat to use in your argument.

 

[Prince EWS]

Out of 10 players.

 

[Prince EWS]

James Anderson has the second best batting average of all time (qual: 170 Tests).

 

[Prince EWS]

de Villiers way better IMO. Close between the other two but I have a feeling we already have a poll for that.

 

[GIMH]

de Villiers way better IMO. Close between the other two but I have a feeling we already have a poll for that.

Yeah we definitely have had this discussion before

I am beginning to think this subforum is just a conspiracy to see how low we have to go to get @trundler to admit KP was better than, like, anyone

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah we definitely have had this discussion before

I am beginning to think this subforum is just a conspiracy to see how low we have to go to get @trundler to admit KP was better than, like, anyone

Pietersen vs Chanderpaul.

Or Pietersen vs Kallis as an allrounder.

 

[trundler]

Yeah we definitely have had this discussion before

I am beginning to think this subforum is just a conspiracy to see how low we have to go to get @trundler to admit KP was better than, like, anyone

This is all leading up to a KP Vs Chanderpaul thread, isn't it? The best modern batsmen I'd put KP ahead of would be Ross Taylor, Cullinan and Yousuf I think.

 

[Prince EWS]

This is all leading up to a KP Vs Chanderpaul thread, isn't it? The best modern batsmen I'd put KP ahead of would be Ross Taylor, Cullinan and Yousuf I think.

I think I rate KP even less than you, but it's probably just my longevity bias coming through.

 

[trundler]

I think I rate KP even less than you, but it's probably just my longevity bias coming through.

The worst batsman I'd have ahead of KP is Richie Richardson so make of that what you will. Part of why I don't rate him is longevity but also he only averaged 47 in the easiest era. He was never the leading batsman for an extended period of time in a way someone like Crowe, Amla or Richie Richardson was either. Clarke managed that peak so I have him ahead.

 

[Prince EWS]

The worst batsman I'd have ahead of KP is Richie Richardson so make of that what you will. Part of why I don't rate him is longevity but also he only averaged 47 in the easiest era. He was never the leading batsman for an extended period of time in a way someone like Crowe, Amla or Richie Richardson was either. Clarke managed that peak so I have him ahead.

Standardised averages have Pietersen marginally ahead - 45.33 vs 44.82 - but Clarke just ahead on the list anyway because he played effectively two years longer. It's a tough one, I rate them about equal but would probably vote for Clarke in a poll.

 

[GIMH]

Think I made a post on his longevity in one of the other comparisons. On the one hand he wasn't dropped for cricketing reasons so in that respect it feels harsh. But then on the other, it was entirely his own fault so whatever

He slightly underachieved IMO but the bigger disappointment was his failure to deliver in ODIs after initial promise.

Gun in T20is obv

 

[BazBall21]

The worst batsman I'd have ahead of KP is Richie Richardson so make of that what you will. Part of why I don't rate him is longevity but also he only averaged 47 in the easiest era. He was never the leading batsman for an extended period of time in a way someone like Crowe, Amla or Richie Richardson was either. Clarke managed that peak so I have him ahead.

Richardson is very good to be fair. Wish he had a bit more work in Asia.