Rank and rate these test openers of last 25 years

[stephen]

Oh and if you took away Hayden's hundreds in losses he'd still have more than Smith. Hundreds is a pretty useless statistic. There isn't a huge difference between 97 and 102.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I don't know why people rate 4th innings runs so highly. 4th innings runs are not as crucial as first, second and third innings runs because in the 4th innings, you're either chasing a chasable target, in which case you usually don't need as many runs or you're chasing an unchasable target, in which case your runs don't matter. 4th innings runs are almost incidental to achieving test match victories.

The first three innings are far more important because they're what sets up the final innings. Runs in the first three innings help your side build a lead and press for a win. Getting a first innings lead is so important on so many pitches. Particularly turning pitches, which will only get more difficult to bat on as the game progresses.

An opener making a hundred in the first innings is better than an opener making a hundred in the second innings because wearing out the new ball and the bowlers in the first innings sets up the middle and lower orders to cash in and make huge runs. In the second innings, even if the top order make big runs, it's usually almost certain that the middle order and tail will fold quickly. It's much more rare that the lower order will be able to cash in on a good start in the fourth innings. 3/300 in the first innings is likely to turn into 8/525 dec. In the second innings 3/300 is likely to turn into 400 AO.

This is incidentally why I don't rate Warner very highly as a test match opener. His hundreds have largely come in the second innings where they have less impact. I would wager that he has made more hundreds in losses than most other openers, simply because his hundreds have largely been in the second innings.

Part of the reason that I rate Hayden so highly was his ability to grind the opposition into the dust by setting Australia up for huge totals in the first innings.

We are debunking all kinds of stats today

 

[Brian Lara]

With cooky retiring and warner proving himself to be a complete ****, I really wonder how opinions have changed on this now.

All I know is Smith is number 1 and the rest come next.