Ab de Villiers vs Michael Clarke vs Kevin Pietersen

[trundler]

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.

Where would you rate Richie Rich? Just saw that he's below both Clarke and KP according to standardized averages.

 

[Prince EWS]

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

How I see this is that his average might be artifically high because he didn't debut until he'd already developed and didn't play on much after his peak. I don't reckon he'd have been averaging 47 in those extra games if he played them like a 'normal' batsman at the end of his career, or debuted earlier before he'd refined his game.

If CA had decided Ponting was too much of a prick to persist with after he turned 34 like KP he'd have finished with an average of 57 instead of 52 for example.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah that's fair. & injuries were catching up with him but at the same time he was only 12-18 months removed from two of his most famous, best knocks so I find it hard to really speculate what he would have done had he played on

 

[trundler]

If CA had decided Ponting was too much of a prick to persist with after he turned 34 like KP he'd have finished with an average of 57 instead of 52 for example.

I think all those guys who peaked in the late 90s/2000s ended up with averages that reflect how good they actually were because they had insanely long careers which balances out playing in an easier era. All of them average 55+ over an 8 year stretch. So in my mind KP ends up being a ~44 averaging batsman. I don't have an objective ranking system so I cop more flak when I throw "true" averages out there because they're based on vibez.

 

[BazBall21]

Don't rate Taylor very highly tbh. Cullinan, Yousuf and Richardson are good shouts though.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

De Villiers , he was very versatile, comfortable playing a blockathon as he was smashing a quick fire hundred .

 

[The Sean]

Richie Richardson was a fantastic player who I think suffers historically a bit the same way I've mentioned before that blokes like McKenzie and McDermott do - a champion player who played directly in between the eras of two even greater champions and so can seem (relatively) under-appreciated.

 

[trundler]

Richie Richardson was a fantastic player who I think suffers historically a bit the same way I've mentioned before that blokes like McKenzie and McDermott do - a champion player who played directly in between the eras of two even greater champions and so can seem (relatively) under-appreciated.

I also really rate McDermott actually. Better than Gillespie for me.

 

[ZK$]

Clarke and Pietersen are basically equal. De Villiers was a tier above them.

 

[BazBall21]

Pietersen slightly better in the Ashes. He also edges it in Asia but Clarke smashes him in South Africa. KP edges classic knocks but Clarke had a better peak. Both have a healthy amount of big hundreds. Thought Clarke averaging a solid 5 runs more after the same career length could have been the clincher but their away averages were still around the same then.

 

[Krypto]

This thread is gold, solid opinions and banter. Even if I tuaght the poll itself was lob sided and not comparing apples with apples. Great reading.

 

[Majestic]

Pietersen slightly better in the Ashes. He also edges it in Asia but Clarke smashes him in South Africa. KP edges classic knocks but Clarke had a better peak. Both have a healthy amount of big hundreds. Thought Clarke averaging a solid 5 runs more after the same career length could have been the clincher but their away averages were still around the same then.

Averaging 5 runs more?

KP 47
Clarke 49

And KP batted at 4 while Clarke batted at 5 for most period.

 

[Burgey]

And he ended his career at his peak

Which time?

 

[Burgey]

De Villiers - Clarke - KP imo.

ABdV did a fair bit of downhill skiing early doors but imo more than made up for it with knocks later in his career. KP was insanely talented but left a lot on the bar in terms of output. Clarke for mine had the most ridiculous God mode I've seen in any player except Lara. It just didn't matter what you bowled to him or on what surface when he was in that mode, he just ****ing destroyed it. Didn't do it as often as I'd have liked though.

 

[BazBall21]

Averaging 5 runs more?

KP 47
Clarke 49

And KP batted at 4 while Clarke batted at 5 for most period.

I meant when Clarke had the same eight and a half year career under his belt.

 

[Adorable Asshole]

I'm actually surprised that people here rate Clarke. I used to follow cricket avidly throught most of his career and apart from Ashes 2005 and that 300 on a road I don't have any memory of him.

 

[BazBall21]

I'm actually surprised that people here rate Clarke. I used to follow cricket avidly throught most of his career and apart from Ashes 2005 and that 300 on a road I don't have any memory of him.

Record against SA helps a lot. He was a tad underwhelming in Asia relative to his reputation against his spin.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

AB is clearly the best of the three. Great away from home, amazing gears and range, produced an ATG chasing knock and av over 50.

Clarke is a HTB but he had a greater peak than KP so I'd give 2nd to him in a close one.