Andrew Flintoff vs Chris Cairns

[slippy888]

Who was the better all round cricketer for you.

 

[Blocky]

Ignoring the match fixing...

Andrew Flintoff had a much higher peak with the ball, Cairns a slightly higher peak with the bat.
Cairns had longevity where as Flintoff was only over a few seasons.

I've picked Flintoff because I hate cheats, but I'd make a stronger case for Cairns if you forgot how his career ended.

 

[slippy888]

Chris Cairns invented that magic slower ball yorker

 

[mr_mister]

Cairns by a whisker

 

[Burgey]

Flintoff. Won his side series. Cairns played impressive cameos but never dominated a series like Flintoff did in 05, for example.

 

[Athlai]

Ignoring the match fixing...

Andrew Flintoff had a much higher peak with the ball, Cairns a slightly higher peak with the bat.
Cairns had longevity where as Flintoff was only over a few seasons.

I've picked Flintoff because I hate cheats, but I'd make a stronger case for Cairns if you forgot how his career ended.

Agree with this.

 

[slippy888]

To be fair to cairns he was a match winner in the 2000 series against England

 

[Zinzan]

Cairns comfortably if we're talking Test cricket.... It's a myth Flintoff was better with the ball, or that he had a higher peak.

People forget Cairns was the best allrounder in the world between about 1999-2002

Look at the numbers, number of 5-fers etc.

 

[Zinzan]

Incidentally, here's what most in here thought around the time Flintoff retired from Tests and prior to learning about Cairns' possible dodgy business.

http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/cricket-chat/44019-c-cairns-vs-flintoff-test-cricket-only.html

 

[Zinzan]

Flintoff. Won his side series. Cairns played impressive cameos but never dominated a series like Flintoff did in 05, for example.

Two things to say about that;

1) Cairns never played in a team quite as strong as that '05 Ashes winning England side &;

2) Cairns did win Tests and series, but you probably say that since it wasn't against Australia as Flintoff's was. See point 1.

 

[Zinzan]

To be fair to cairns he was a match winner in the 2000 series against England

Yup IIRC, he was man of the series in that 4 Test series NZ won in England in 1999.

 

[Burgey]

Cairns was a good cricketer, no mistake. And he gave Australia plenty of headaches. He didn't give them nightmares like Flintoff did though.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Cairns. Flintoff at his best was better, but his best only lasted for like 2 years.

 

[mr_mister]

Yup IIRC, he was man of the series in that 4 Test series NZ won in England in 1999.

wasnt that in 2000?

 

[mr_mister]

lol at these attempt-to-troll slippy topics suddenly inviting good discussion now

 

[Zinzan]

wasnt that in 2000?

Results | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[_Ed_]

I've picked Flintoff because I hate cheats, but I'd make a stronger case for Cairns if you forgot how his career ended.

Pretty much exactly my thoughts.

 

[Zinzan]

Fellas, there's no doubt the match fixing allegations have been an ugly indictment on Cairns, whether he won his case last year or not, but surely we can still assess his playing career vs. another player with some level of objectively.

Otherwise it would be more honest just to say you're not prepared to compare him at all based on that. Stating that you'd make a stronger case if you ignored what most of us think happened just seems a strange way to compare them.

 

[Burgey]

Cairns is getting as much favourable feedback in this thread as he ever will, because come about 5pm EDST all the Poms will wake up from their slumber and correct the current pro-Kiwi bias.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Flintoff. Won his side series. Cairns played impressive cameos but never dominated a series like Flintoff did in 05, for example.

He did dominate series. They just weren't as high profile and because of the team he played for, never got a chance to play a 5 match series

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/60683.html