Barry Richards vs. Graeme Pollock

[Tejretics]

Who was the better bat? I understand Pollock played more Tests, but I’m interested in absolute talent: suppose they both had sizable Test careers, who would have been better?

 

[DrWolverine]

 

[Johan]

Pollock played little, but did great. As a 19 year old, he had debuted in and made two hundreds in Australia against a decent attack, already played a match winning inning with Eddie Barlow. At 21, he made one of the most distinguished hundreds in England by a touring Batsman. In 1966-67 he would make two fantastic hundreds against Australia, in 1970 he'd make the biggest hundred by any South African until Hashim Amla in 2012 I think.

comparatively, Barry doesn't have a career sadly.

 

[Thala_0710]

Barry

 

[Johan]

Barry

doesn't have an international career.

 

[Thala_0710]

doesn't have an international career.

The question doesn't ask for the better international career

 

[Johan]

The question doesn't ask for the better international career

doesn't have a better batting career

 

[Thala_0710]

doesn't have a better batting career

He does

 

[Johan]

He does

No he doesn't

 

[Thala_0710]

No he doesn't

Yes he does

 

[subshakerz]

Yes he does

How?

 

[Johan]

Yes he does

How?

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Pollock.

I rate him the 3rd greatest lefthander of all time (behind Lara & Sanga but ahead of Border).

 

[PlayerComparisons]

We’d be comparing these two to Sobers and Viv if they had full careers

 

[Thala_0710]

How?

I would think @kyear2 has made enough of a case for him over the years. I really can't add much more to it.

 

[Agonizingly Awkward]

Pollock.

I rate him the 3rd greatest lefthander of all time (behind Lara & Sanga but ahead of Border).

You are forgetting Sobers

 

[Fuller Pilch]

You are forgetting Sobers

Oops, sorry

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Pollock.

I rate him the 3rd greatest lefthander of all time (behind Lara & Sanga but ahead of Border).

You are forgetting Sobers

Apologies - I rate him 4th

 

[SeamUp]

It has to be Graeme Pollock. Not just because he got the chance to perform at test level but because that's the feeling in SA who saw both regularly. And that's taking nothing away from the classy quality of Barry.

Graeme got 11 FC hundreds before his 21st birthday. Comfortably the most by a South African. He was a prodigy and performed to it.

Saying that Barry averaged a tick under 60! In FC in SA which is insane considering the toughness and contemporaries. Graeme averaged 54.

I loved this little snippet from Luke Alfred;

 

[capt_Luffy]

I would think @kyear2 has made enough of a case for him over the years. I really can't add much more to it.

Yes he is partly the reason I feel Barry is overrated.