England's greatest test captain

[peterhrt]

sounds like a dream setup, would put Hammond at slip and it's almost perfect.

England all-time composite fielding team. Two of the captains above are included. Fielding alone taken into consideration.

Wicket-keeper: Bob Taylor
Slips: Hammond, Phil Sharpe.
Bowler: Tony Lock. 202 first-class caught & bowled, many exceptional. Will alternate with short-leg.
The remaining seven fielders will fill positions according to tactics: Jessop, AO Jones, Chapman, Randall, Collingwood, Chris Jordan (also brilliant to own bowling), Stokes (captain).

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Interesting. I thought either Brearley or Jardine would get the most votes, with Hutton 3rd.


Currently it is

Brearley with 7 votes, Jardine with 5, and Nasser tied with Stokes on 3.

 

[Johan]

Hutton should get more than Brearley

 

[sayon basak]

Hutton should get more than Brearley

Why?

 

[Johan]

Why?

Both brilliant strategists, Hutton was just a better leader.

 

[sayon basak]

Both brilliant strategists, Hutton was just a better leader.

How do you know?

 

[Johan]

How do you know?

R&R

 

[kyear2]

How do you know?

Thing is that I've done my fair share of research and reading about the great man as well, and while he was a captain of note, the words brilliant strategist has never shown up, while we're at it, neither was aggressive.

 

[DrWolverine]

Mike Brearley winning
I am happy

 

[Johan]

Thing is that I've done my fair share of research and reading about the great man as well, and while he was a captain of note, the words brilliant strategist has never shown up, while we're at it, neither was aggressive.

even Trueman who hated his guts reffered to him as a great tactician.

 

[ma1978]

Ben Stokes proving himself yet again as one of the GOAT captains of any country. Effin hero. So pissed off.

 

[Coronis]

Ben Stokes proving himself yet again as one of the GOAT captains of any country. Effin hero. So pissed off.

Think you have to win at least one series against your major rival to even make the discussion for GOAT captain

 

[Ali TT]

View attachment 48111
Statistically
Best win percentage
WG Grace : 61%
Jardine : 60%
Stokes : 59%
Brearley : 58%
Chapman : 52%

Least losses
Jardine : 6%
Chapman : 11%
M. Smith : 12%
Brearley : 13%
Cowdrey : 15%

Alec Stewart missing off that list - he was captain 1998-99 and won a series v SA.

I've voted for Hussain - on paper his record isn't special until you compare it to all those post-Brearley captains that came before him. He turned a very mediocre side into one that became competitive with all except the ATG Aussie side (which accounted for 8 of his 15 losses).

Stokes could be in a similar position - England were consistently mediocre under Root and Cook but like Hussain, albeit in a very different style, he's revamped the side and turned them into winners.

 

[Johan]

I've voted for Hussain - on paper his record isn't special until you compare it to all those post-Brearley captains that came before him. He turned a very mediocre side into one that became competitive with all except the ATG Aussie side (which accounted for 8 of his 15 losses)..

I remember the two games we won in 1997 against Australia too, great feat with a barely decent side.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I've voted for Hussain - on paper his record isn't special until you compare it to all those post-Brearley captains that came before him. He turned a very mediocre side into one that became competitive with all except the ATG Aussie side (which accounted for 8 of his 15 losses)

Lost 1-2 to us in 1999. Had it been 0-4 or 0-3 as it could've been, he would've lost his job.

 

[Ali TT]

It

Lost 1-2 to us in 1999. Had it been 0-4 or 0-3 as it could've been, he would've lost his job.

It was his first series, they didn't lose like that and he wouldn't have lost his job had it been the case.

I do think a lot of success as a captain has to do with circumstances and being the right person at the right time, with the right players and right coaches. Hussain and Vaughan thrived with Fletcher, Strauss had a strong team and Stokes hits it off with BMac. In contrast, Atherton, Cook and Root had to deal with terrible coaches at times and poor administration and weren't good enough on the field to overcome those challenges.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

It

It was his first series, they didn't lose like that

I'm saying if - sliding doors
We choked in the 1st test (terrible collapse after huge lead and then dominated by a nightwatchman) and rain saved England in the 3rd test when NZ got well over 400.

 

[Ali TT]

I'm saying if - sliding doors
We choked in the 1st test (terrible collapse after huge lead and then dominated by a nightwatchman) and rain saved England in the 3rd test when NZ got well over 400.

I'm pretty sure that series was a free pass for Nas and Fletcher. If anything, the terrible performance was further justification for the changes they then brought in (alongside MacLaurin).

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I'm pretty sure that series was a free pass for Nas and Fletcher. If anything, the terrible performance was further justification for the changes they then brought in (alongside MacLaurin).

I remember reading about their win in Pakistan in the dark. It sounds like the team improved professionally a lot during the era. Shame for Nasser's legacy that he didn't lose that Brisbane toss.

 

[Ali TT]

I remember reading about their win in Pakistan in the dark. It sounds like the team improved professionally a lot during the era. Shame for Nasser's legacy that he didn't lose that Brisbane toss.

A famous win, although the 2-1 test series win in Sri Lanka was probably the finest performance especially after England got hammered in the first match. They really ground out the wins, while keeping their cool as things got tense in two successful fourth innings chases. These were the sort of games England would've lost previously.

England had only won against one side in away series in the 90s, NZ in 1991/2 and 1996/7, and hadn't won in Asia since 1984/5.