Redbacks
International Captain
We had 3 bowlers getting wickets at a much cheaper rate.
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Player of the Decade - Ponting
- Thread starter Edged&Taken
- Start date
Debris
International 12th Man
Ponting was one of the top 3 or 4 fieldsman of the decade as well (if not the best) so I think he has a bit over Kallis there. And he scores a bit faster.
Then there is captaincy record to consider.
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Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Fifth bowler's always very useful though. Australia were searching for an allrounder to bat in the top seven for quite some time during Ponting's career - they couldn't find one who could actually justify his position as a batsman and be a frontline bowler but they were constantly on the lookout - hence the persistence with Watson in ODIs early in his career, the original selection of Symonds in Tests, the fact that Symonds was persisted with early on when he wasn't scoring any runs, etc etc. Ponting would've loved to had that up his sleeve while still maintaining his status as a world class batsman even if he had to give away a fraction of his batting prowess.
Kallis was a world class slipper as well though. In the grand scheme of things there was **** all difference between Ponting and Kallis on batting and fielding - Ponting was a fraction better but I definitely don't think it's a difference you could call significant throughout the decade; certainly not as significant as the difference between Kallis's bowling and Ponting's bowling anyway. I think people are a bit caught up in the romance of Ponting being the best batsman - sure, he was, but someone who's extremely close to being the best batsman who is also a good bowler is far, far more useful.
Unlike others who have put Kallis forward, I'm not even prepared to say it was close; it should have been a walkover decision. It's just part of the general bias among the cricket-supporting public against players thought of as "boring" and the chronic undervaluing of allrounders.
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andyc
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
McGrath unquestionably better than Warne this decade IMO.
Migara
Cricketer Of The Year
Kallis, MoYo, Sanga, Jayawardane average close to that. but my main concern was with gilchrist. in this decade Murali >> Gilchrist
vic_orthdox
Global Moderator
Personally think that Ponting has been the pre-eminent cricketer of the decade; maybe not the best but one of the most dominant figures in the game. A bit like how Viv is looked upon throughout the 80s. There may have been better players during that period, and it may not have been Viv's peak, but he was the man during that period.
Uppercut
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Kallis, McGrath, Murali for me. Close decision between those three, Ponting doesn't really feature for mine. When everyone's scoring runs and no one's taking wickets I'm always giving the accolades to the few players who continue to take wickets, and vice versa. Kallis is just superhuman.
Matt79
Global Moderator
Between Ponting, McGrath and Murali for mine. Any one of those would be deserving in my eyes, with Kallis in fourth. What is maybe being overlooked here is that for most of this decade, Ponting has achieved all of this while being (the-most-winningest ever) captain. Pretty amazing and definitely adds something to the regard he is rightly held in.
Debris
International 12th Man
All good sportsmen are wankers, that's how you get good at sport. Some just hide it better than others.
Pratters
Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Why do you put Murali at 5? Also, both the number 1's are Aussies unsurprisingly.
aussie
Hall of Fame Member
Although i dont agree with Murali being so low either. At least let the poster explain his choice before trying to suggest "nationality bias"..
andyc
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Come on Pratters, it's not as if everyone else has Murali at one. Think you could just be jumping at the chance there, especially considering the official list had Murali at 4 and three Aussies in the top 5.
Scaly piscine
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Laughable decision. Ponting is a horrible captain so you can't really include that as a factor. The bowlers mentioned are worldwide all-time greats. Ponting is not in the same bracket. There are numerous batsmen in this era with a record like his. He might be considered an all-time great in Australia, but in a couple of decades cricket fans in general will remember Murali, McGrath and Warne far more than Ponting. McGrath and Murali had awesome records for the decade so it should have been between those two.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
I've stopped getting angry when batsmen get the accolades over bowlers. Happens all the time, MoM awards, all time awards, etc. The expert morons can go **** themselves, especially as they keep on bleating (rightly) about flat pitches and how bowlers win matches.
Redbacks
International Captain
TBF this has 0 bearing on selecting a player of the decade.