Player in the opponent teams that you feared most

[bagapath]

steve waugh, ponting, mcgrath
graham gooch, ian botham
richard hadlee, martin crowe, chris cairns
imran, miandad (if i have to choose only one from all teams, it would be javed), salim malik
gary kirsten, shaun pollock, allan donald
aravinda de silva, jayasuriya, muralitharan
viv richards, greenidge, haynes, lloyd, marshall, holding, dujon
andy flower

 

[inbox24]

Tendulkar, Laxman, Sehwag
Pietersen, Mullally, Fairbrother
Jayasuriya
Van der Wath, Duminy, Amla
Lara, Gayle

 

[Furball]

Uber-talented Ponting was probably wanting to get on top of Harbhajan early in 2001 (the angst with the Aussies started in 1998, really) and, when he got out a few times to him, tried even harder to dominate and, well, we've seen the results. Ponting does have a fixation with some players when he tries to dominate them. Shane Bond too, although Bond was a top bowler. You get the feeling Ponting rates Murali so is able to pull back on the macho-ness enough to do well against him.

The fact that Harbhajan is a complete tosser probably has a lot to do with it as well.

Getting owned by a Murali or a Warne, fair enough, I reckon most batsmen could live with that because they're such legends. Getting owned by Harbhajan would irritate the crap out of me, which more than likely wouldn't help the next time I was up against him.

 

[Maximus0723]

The fact that Harbhajan is a complete tosser probably has a lot to do with it as well.

Getting owned by a Murali or a Warne, fair enough, I reckon most batsmen could live with that because they're such legends. Getting owned by Harbhajan would irritate the crap out of me, which more than likely wouldn't help the next time I was up against him.

One criteria that separates greats from legends.

 

[Top_Cat]

One criteria that separates greats from legends.

Harsh. By that criteria, Sachin is is a great but not a legend because Cronje knocked him over more times than Warne did.

 

[stephen]

Ambrose was always feared in my house, Lara too.

Other than those two there haven't really been any players I've feared from opposing teams, other than perhaps Dravid and Laxman.

 

[silentstriker]

Harsh. By that criteria, Sachin is is a great but not a legend because Cronje knocked him over more times than Warne did.

Says more about Warne against India really...in any case, Cronje had 5 dismissals in 11 Tests vs. Tendulkar, while Harbhajan has 10 dismissals in 12 matches...

James Anderson on the other hand, has dismissed Tendulkar five times in six matches, so that's an apt comparison. Though, I don't think three or four of them were first ball dismissals.

Not that I think that is particularly relevant when talking about legends.

 

[Top_Cat]

Says more about Warne against India really...in any case, Cronje had 5 dismissals in 11 Tests vs. Tendulkar, while Harbhajan has 10 dismissals in 12 matches...

James Anderson on the other hand, has dismissed Tendulkar five times in six matches, so that's an apt comparison. Though, I don't think three or four of them were first ball dismissals.

Not that I think that is particularly relevant when talking about legends.

Exactly.

 

[SJS]

A batsman getting 'owned' by a bowler is such a silly concept when based purely on the hindsight provided by statistics. There is such a thing as statistical oddity and the longer a player plays the chances of some such oddities being found in his stats increase.

Look at almost any player with over a hundred test matches and you are likely to find a bowler who seems to have got him too often in comparison to how often they faced each other. Only on rare occasions does this truly represent a bunny.

Here are some quick examples I could find in just ten minutes on the net.

Harvey :

- Eight times to Lock in the first seven times they faced each other
- Five times to Fazal in just three Tests
- Five times to a second string bowler like Worrell​

I am not counting Bedser to whom he fell 13 times in his career in 13 Tests and did seem to have an issue against Bedser as had Bradman.

Lara :

- Eight times to Nel in Seven meetings
- Five times to Bichel in 8 games
- Four times to Raju in three​

Chanderpaul :

- Six times to Kaneria in seven Tests​

Alec Stewart :

- Six times to Nash in seven Tests​

Boycott :

- Six times to Motz in Seven Tests​

Sobers :

- Four times to Barry Knight in four​

One can go on and on.

 

[Matt79]

How many players of that standard can you find who have recorded so many ducks, or single figure scores against the one bowler, from limited encounters, as Ponting vs. Bhajji though? For Harvey and Lara, did guys like Fazal, or Nel consistently get them out for low scores, or were some of the times after they put on a 50 or more?

 

[oitoitoi]

How many players of that standard can you find who have recorded so many ducks, or single figure scores against the one bowler, from limited encounters, as Ponting vs. Bhajji though? For Harvey and Lara, did guys like Fazal, or Nel consistently get them out for low scores, or were some of the times after they put on a 50 or more?

I think Ponting Bhaji is pretty unique considering the quality of batsmen, also 10 times in 12 tests is pretty huge.

 

[zaremba]

As a kid, Garner and Richards above all others.

 

[pasag]

Sehwag?

Yep, haven't seen this Aussie team fear anyone like they did Sehwag in the recent India tour. The bowlers were genuinley demoralised and had no idea what to do with him at any stage of the tour.

 

[Matt79]

For England now - The Prince

 

[Evermind]

For England now - The Prince

Ashwell plays for South Africa.

Phil Hughes can **** off.

 

[Noble One]

Always fear any spin bowler who is operating against James Hopes. Feel a wicket can't be too far off.

Seriously, growing up in the 90's, Wasim Akram was the one bowler in the opponent team I feared the most. Everytime he bowled he always looked dangerous and likely to blow the game open. Few players had that ability to swing the ball as much with new ball as old, always a threat.

Batsman, Brian Lara. Always knew it was going to be a golden day of cricket when Lara strode to the wicket and belted Warne through covers for a first ball four. Terrific at just taking the game away, capable of scoring big innings in so little time. Most feared, but also my most respected batsman.

 

[oitoitoi]

For me it was probably always Glenn, you just felt this sense of foreboding that a wicket was on the way as soon as he started to bowl, he wouldnt look devastating but you always knew deep down that a wicket was inevitable.

 

[Athlai]

Australia - Gilchrist
Bangladesh - Shakib
England - Sidebottom would be the closest to that not really a fearsome side
India - Gambhir/Sehwag
Pakistan - Inzamam
South Africa - Steyn/Kallis
Sri Lanka - Maaaalinga
West Indies - Gayle/Edwards

 

[Shri]

Just had that sinking feeling back again when Warne came onto bowl against Badrinath in the recent RR Vs CSK clash. And he was turning it a mile.

In tests, I am usually more wary of players who score slowly than players who attack all-out. Chanderpaul is another player who comes to mind.



Aus - Matthew Hayden / Justin Langer / Steve Waugh
RSA - Kallis / Ntini / Donald
SL - Jayawardene / Muralitharan
WI - Chanderpaul / Lara / Sarwan / Carl Hooper
Eng - Marcus Trescothick
Pak - Younis Khan / Wasim Akram / Mohd. Yousuf
NZ - Stephen Fleming / Daniel Vettori
Zim - Andy Flower
Ban - Mohd. Ashraful

 

[zaremba]

Currently:

Aus: Poontang
India: Gambhir, Sehwag
NZ: Taylor
WI: Shiv
SL: Murali, Mendis
Pak: MoYo (is he still playing?), Younis Khan
SA: Kallis
Ban, Zim: N/A