5 least influential Cricketers of all time

[flibbertyjibber]

Carl Hooper

I very nearly went for him, such a wasted talent.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

One could argue that Gatting's performance in the 1987 tour of Pakistan played a huge role in the switch to neutral umpires.

Only cos he threatened to eat them.

 

[Howe_zat]

The Great Hall of Dull English Orthodox Spinners Who Could Bat A Bit - pretty extensive, even if they didn't mostly get 50 matches. Emburey and Giles being the masters.

The Lengendary Row Of English All Rounders Between Botham and Flintoff - Depressing. Includes Pringle, Lewis, and Botham post 1987.

Edit: Also, what's this bad-mouthing of Caddick?

 

[archie mac]

Yeah harsh on Blee, was always entertaining and had a big heart. Some of is batting performances in 2005 were stiring efforts

 

[bagapath]

Least influential, not worst. They're two players who are unjustly neglected nowadays.

iqbal qasim was the reason pakistan won a series in india for the only time in history. you cant be more influential than that. forgotten, may be. but definitely influential. please leave him out of this list.

 

[fredfertang]

Patsy Hendren

51 Tests in the 1920s and 1930s and averaged 47 - third highest run scorer of all time and only Hobbs hit more centuries, but his name is seldom mentioned nowadays

 

[archie mac]

Patsy Hendren

51 Tests in the 1920s and 1930s and averaged 47 - third highest run scorer of all time and only Hobbs hit more centuries, but his name is seldom mentioned nowadays

One of my favourites. The story of him when passed his best facing the young speedster Gover is a classic. Also an article by Foot on a retired Patsy; sad stuff

 

[bagapath]

One of my favourites. The story of him when passed his best facing the young speedster Gover is a classic. Also an article by Foot on a retired Patsy; sad stuff

links?

 

[archie mac]

links?

I only have them in books mate, not sure if there is a way to put them up without typing copious amounts

 

[Chubb]

links?

I think the gist is:

Alf Gover meets Patsy Hendren before a game. Hendren asks him his name
AG: Gover.
PH: What do you do?
AG: I bowl
PH: Quick?
AG: Very quick.
PH: Good for you (shudders) just don't drop too many short to me out there, my eyes aren't what they were.
AG: Certainly.

Alf Gover bowls to Patsy Hendren. As fast as he can, he drops one short and Hendren pulls it for six. He does it again and Hendren hits it for six. He takes 20 or so off the over.

Gover's Captain: What are you doing?
AG: He doesn't like it quick!
Captain: Boy, there's never been a better player of pace bowling than Patsy Hendren! He tells all young quicks his eyes have gone!

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I think the gist is:

Alf Gover meets Patsy Hendren before a game. Hendren asks him his name
AG: Gover.
PH: What do you do?
AG: I bowl
PH: Quick?
AG: Very quick.
PH: Good for you (shudders) just don't drop too many short to me out there, my eyes aren't what they were.
AG: Certainly.

Alf Gover bowls to Patsy Hendren. As fast as he can, he drops one short and Hendren pulls it for six. He does it again and Hendren hits it for six. He takes 20 or so off the over.

Gover's Captain: What are you doing?
AG: He doesn't like it quick!
Captain: Boy, there's never been a better player of pace bowling than Patsy Hendren! He tells all young quicks his eyes have gone!

Legend. Why have I never seen this in any of those lists of great pieces of cricketing wit?

 

[archie mac]

I think the gist is:

Alf Gover meets Patsy Hendren before a game. Hendren asks him his name
AG: Gover.
PH: What do you do?
AG: I bowl
PH: Quick?
AG: Very quick.
PH: Good for you (shudders) just don't drop too many short to me out there, my eyes aren't what they were.
AG: Certainly.

Alf Gover bowls to Patsy Hendren. As fast as he can, he drops one short and Hendren pulls it for six. He does it again and Hendren hits it for six. He takes 20 or so off the over.

Gover's Captain: What are you doing?
AG: He doesn't like it quick!
Captain: Boy, there's never been a better player of pace bowling than Patsy Hendren! He tells all young quicks his eyes have gone!

That's the jist

 

[abmk]

I think the gist is:

Alf Gover meets Patsy Hendren before a game. Hendren asks him his name
AG: Gover.
PH: What do you do?
AG: I bowl
PH: Quick?
AG: Very quick.
PH: Good for you (shudders) just don't drop too many short to me out there, my eyes aren't what they were.
AG: Certainly.

Alf Gover bowls to Patsy Hendren. As fast as he can, he drops one short and Hendren pulls it for six. He does it again and Hendren hits it for six. He takes 20 or so off the over.

Gover's Captain: What are you doing?
AG: He doesn't like it quick!
Captain: Boy, there's never been a better player of pace bowling than Patsy Hendren! He tells all young quicks his eyes have gone!

 

[Furball]

Nominating Mark Boucher for this list.

 

[mrcheek]

How about Ian Bishop? You dont ever hear his name mentioned amongst the top Windies quicks of the 80s and 90s, but somehow he played 43 tests.

You might also mention Alec Stewart. Most test match appearances by any England player, highest run scorer in tests out of anyone in the world in the 1990s, yet how often is his name included among the greats of the game? Never. He ended with an average of under 40.

Mark Ramprakash goes without saying. Easily the least talented England batsman to play 50 tests, and undoubtedly the worst player ever to reach a hundred hundreds. Also, the most selfish player in the whole of cricket. For the last 8-10 years, Surrey have been poor, their main purpose seemingly being to bat steadily so that Ramprakash can get another ton. They never seem to try to win games, becuase I guess if they won too many they might be promoted, and Ramprakash might end up having to face some better bowlers.

Jason Gillespie? His greatest achievement ended up being that he was the only man to be dropped after getting a double ton.

 

[Mike5181]

How about Ian Bishop? You dont ever hear his name mentioned amongst the top Windies quicks of the 80s and 90s, but somehow he played 43 tests.

You might also mention Alec Stewart. Most test match appearances by any England player, highest run scorer in tests out of anyone in the world in the 1990s, yet how often is his name included among the greats of the game? Never. He ended with an average of under 40.

Mark Ramprakash goes without saying. Easily the least talented England batsman to play 50 tests, and undoubtedly the worst player ever to reach a hundred hundreds. Also, the most selfish player in the whole of cricket. For the last 8-10 years, Surrey have been poor, their main purpose seemingly being to bat steadily so that Ramprakash can get another ton. They never seem to try to win games, becuase I guess if they won too many they might be promoted, and Ramprakash might end up having to face some better bowlers.

Jason Gillespie? His greatest achievement ended up being that he was the only man to be dropped after getting a double ton.

Jason Gillespie would be the second best bowler today if he were still young. The great names around him shadowed his talent IMO. Didn't Brad Hodge get dropped after a double ton or something along those lines. I always wondered what England supporters thought of Mark Ramprakash. He has such a ridiculous first class record. Hes like the extreme version of Matthew Sinclair.

 

[morgieb]

How about Ian Bishop? You dont ever hear his name mentioned amongst the top Windies quicks of the 80s and 90s, but somehow he played 43 tests.

You might also mention Alec Stewart. Most test match appearances by any England player, highest run scorer in tests out of anyone in the world in the 1990s, yet how often is his name included among the greats of the game? Never. He ended with an average of under 40.

Mark Ramprakash goes without saying. Easily the least talented England batsman to play 50 tests, and undoubtedly the worst player ever to reach a hundred hundreds. Also, the most selfish player in the whole of cricket. For the last 8-10 years, Surrey have been poor, their main purpose seemingly being to bat steadily so that Ramprakash can get another ton. They never seem to try to win games, becuase I guess if they won too many they might be promoted, and Ramprakash might end up having to face some better bowlers.

Jason Gillespie? His greatest achievement ended up being that he was the only man to be dropped after getting a double ton.

If it wasn't for injury Bishop probably would be seen as a great.

Dizzy still had a lot of achievements, he just got unlucky that his peak was around the same time as McWarne.

Ramps untalented? Just because he was ****house at test cricket, means 2/3rds of **** all about his talent. Also, wtf does it have to do with the thread?

 

[Teja.]

Certainly not Dizzy Gillespie. He played arguably the most important part in his team conquering India and that's a major milestone in the legacy of the ATG Oz team of the 00s.

 

[robelinda]

People seem to have not seen much of Dizzy at his peak, he was REALLY fast, like on the 97 tour to SA, he scared the crap out of those guys especially in the 2nd test, and on the 97 Ashes tour he was really fast too. Always remember his great bowling during the Adelaide test of 2000/01 vs WI, Michael Holding had questioned his place in the Aussie team and questioned if he was really a fast bowler- thanks Mr HOlding for handing us the series, you really fired up Dizzy big time! and of course on the 04 Indian tour, he didnt bowl that bad in 2001 either. Seems like some huge majority of cricket fans only first saw him during the 05 Ashes, which of course is stupidly unfair on Dizzy as it was easily his worse bowling in his career.

 

[Kylez]

People seem to have not seen much of Dizzy at his peak, he was REALLY fast, like on the 97 tour to SA, he scared the crap out of those guys especially in the 2nd test, and on the 97 Ashes tour he was really fast too. Always remember his great bowling during the Adelaide test of 2000/01 vs WI, Michael Holding had questioned his place in the Aussie team and questioned if he was really a fast bowler- thanks Mr HOlding for handing us the series, you really fired up Dizzy big time! and of course on the 04 Indian tour, he didnt bowl that bad in 2001 either. Seems like some huge majority of cricket fans only first saw him during the 05 Ashes, which of course is stupidly unfair on Dizzy as it was easily his worse bowling in his career.

Awsome post. The main problem with Gillespie in 2005 was a technical issue with his bowling action, it wasn't much of a form slump really.