Gary Kirsten vs Alistair Cook

[subshakerz]

Who is the better opener?

 

[BazBall21]

Good one. Similar quality, same position and similar batting styles.

 

[reyrey]

Cooky.

Kirsten had a short, but productive stint as a middle order bat late in his career. 20 odd Tests with a mid 60s average. Who knows what might have been had he always batted there.

 

[BazBall21]

Cooky.

Kirsten had a short, but productive stint as a middle order bat late in his career. 20 odd Tests with a mid 60s average. Who knows what might have been had he always batted there.

Think he could have had a Chanderpaul-type career if he batted there in a similar time period. Good player of spin and excellent at grinding.

 

[subshakerz]

Cooky.

Kirsten had a short, but productive stint as a middle order bat late in his career. 20 odd Tests with a mid 60s average. Who knows what might have been had he always batted there.

I give Kirsten credit for those runs too.

 

[subshakerz]

Cooky.

Kirsten had a short, but productive stint as a middle order bat late in his career. 20 odd Tests with a mid 60s average. Who knows what might have been had he always batted there.

Kirsten faced a lot better bowling IMO.

 

[BazBall21]

Kirsten faced a lot better bowling IMO.

Kirsten just for me too but I can see both cases. I'm a big fan of his. This is an excellent comparison.

 

[reyrey]

Kirsten faced a lot better bowling IMO.

Cook faced very good bowling line ups at the beginning of his career and the latter stages was a period when being an opening batsman was incredibly difficult. He didn't have it easy.

 

[subshakerz]

Cook faced very good bowling line ups at the beginning of his career and the latter stages was a period when being an opening batsman was incredibly difficult. He didn't have it easy.

How did he do against those attacks tho?

 

[BazBall21]

Cook and Kirsten were both respectable/decent if unspectacular against quality pace and excellent at capitalising when more favoured conditions/attacks were present. Both very good v spin (Cook in particular) and both excellent at grinding. I'd back both to average 50 in a more ideal home country to bat in because they were clinical at not giving it away cheaply.

I go with Kirsten because I think he was a slightly better player of lateral movement, but Cook's marquee overseas performances, equal ability to go big, and Gary not really being anything special v quality pace himself makes it very tight.

 

[sledger]

Kirsten was absolutely painful to watch.

 

[sledger]

Gary Kirsten vs Mark Richardson a more suitable comparison imo. Similar roles, similar styles. Both absolutely turgid from a spectator perspective.

 

[subshakerz]

Kirsten was absolutely painful to watch.

So are all SA left hand openers

 

[BazBall21]

I'm actually fond of watching Kirsten. Attritional symbolism.

 

[reyrey]

How did he do against those attacks tho?

Pretty well in general.

One bad series in Australia against Harris and Johnson, but he also destroyed them in an earlier series there.

He had a few bad Tests in NZ against Boult and co, but did also get runs there against them on a different tour.

Was average against Steyn, Morkel and co. Didn't excel, but didn't disgrace himself.

 

[HouHsiaoHsien]

Cook was very important in Eng’s wins in Ind and Aus. So him

 

[subshakerz]

Pretty well in general.

One bad series in Australia against Harris and Johnson, but he also destroyed them in an earlier series there.

He had a few bad Tests in NZ against Boult and co, but did also get runs there against them on a different tour.

Was average against Steyn, Morkel and co. Didn't excel, but didn't disgrace himself.

Struggled against McWarne and Aamir Asif too.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Ranking of post 90s openers:
1) Michael Slater
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Matthew Hayden
4) Graeme Smith
5) Alec Stewart
6) Gary Kirsten
7) Justin Langer
8) Alastair Cook
9) Mark Taylor
10) Virender Zendayawag
@subshakerz

Alec Stewart is having nosebleed at #5.

 

[Coronis]

Ranking of post 90s openers:
1) Michael Slater
2) Saeed Anwar
3) Matthew Hayden
4) Graeme Smith
5) Gary Kirsten
6) Alec Stewart
7) Justin Langer
8) Alastair Cook
9) Mark Taylor
10) Virender Zendayawag
@subshakerz

I think you misunderstand the word post

 

[BazBall21]

Sehwag was definitely better than Taylor