Vote for the greatest of Wisden's five cricketers of the century

[dinu23]

Sobers by far. Bradman is the greatest batsman, not the greatest cricketer.

 

[Slifer]

Whether he was being modest or whatever when Bradman himself chose his team of the century the first name he penciled down was Sobers such was his respect for Sobers' mastery of all of cricket's basic skills.

 

[Shane Warne]

Oh and another thing - Jack Hobbs wasnt in the list, Tendulkar was.

Might want to make an edit there.

 

[Shane Warne]

Bradman ... no one will come close to his Test average of 99.94. How can you argue against that ?

I can't believe he got a first ball nought, his average went just below 100, then he actually carried out his decision to retire.

 

[Slats4ever]

everyone who's voted for sobers thinks they're the man. they think they come in and have some awesome kind of cricketing knowledge and that they're all genius's.

But no one has come close to Bradman's batting avg and many all rounders have come closer to Sobers as an all rounder. Imran Khan avged 12 less with the ball and only 20 less with the bat putting him statistically 8 runs less valuable player than Khan.

As Age said it wasn't Bradman's role to be an all rounder in the team. That's the beauty of cricket C_C there are different things in case u hadn't noticed. some people bat and some people bowl and some people do both. But to compare someone to Bradman just cos they can do both (one very well and one ok) is just not on.

 

[Dasa]

everyone who's voted for sobers thinks they're the man. they think they come in and have some awesome kind of cricketing knowledge and that they're all genius's.

But no one has come close to Bradman's batting avg and many all rounders have come closer to Sobers as an all rounder. Imran Khan avged 12 less with the ball and only 20 less with the bat putting him statistically 8 runs less valuable player than Khan.

As Age said it wasn't Bradman's role to be an all rounder in the team. That's the beauty of cricket C_C there are different things in case u hadn't noticed. some people bat and some people bowl and some people do both. But to compare someone to Bradman just cos they can do both (one very well and one ok) is just not on.

Geez how arrogant are you? As if your cricketing knowledge is so much better than everyone else that think you can basically insult everyone who doesn't agree with you...

 

[Majin]

I fail to see how the bowling of Bodyline was 'amatuer,' and 'several notches below' current bowling.

Hence: Career Batting and fielding averages
class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 6s ct st
Tests 52 80 10 6996 334 99.94 29 13 6 32 0

Bodyline:
Batting M I NO HS R AVGE CT/ST
D.G.Bradman 4 8 1 103* 396 56.57 3

 

[Anil]

everyone who's voted for sobers thinks they're the man. they think they come in and have some awesome kind of cricketing knowledge and that they're all genius's.

just because we voted for sobers?

...no genius is required, you see it just takes a little common sense....and a reasonable knowledge of cricket of course....

what do you have against sobers anyway?

 

[Dasa]

what do you have against sobers anyway?

He's not Australian.

 

[C_C]

everyone who's voted for sobers thinks they're the man. they think they come in and have some awesome kind of cricketing knowledge and that they're all genius's.

But no one has come close to Bradman's batting avg and many all rounders have come closer to Sobers as an all rounder. Imran Khan avged 12 less with the ball and only 20 less with the bat putting him statistically 8 runs less valuable player than Khan.

As Age said it wasn't Bradman's role to be an all rounder in the team. That's the beauty of cricket C_C there are different things in case u hadn't noticed. some people bat and some people bowl and some people do both. But to compare someone to Bradman just cos they can do both (one very well and one ok) is just not on.

It doesnt matter who came close to whom and who didnt. What matters is who has more influence over the game and the answer is Sobers. You cannot be the best batsman from just mastering against one type of bowling and just mastering 3-4 shots. If you are the best batsman, thats because you've displayed the best overall mastery of batting.
Similarly, you cannot be the best cricketer by being the best batsman or the best bowler, since the best allrounder displays an overall mastery of cricket that the best batsman or the best bowler can only dream of.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Basically, what it comes down to is that you've got 20 of the world's greatest ever players lining up on the wall in the schoolyard and you're picking teams.

You've got first pick. Some of us would take Bradman, others Sobers.

There's no right answer, and no amount of posting will ever create one.

 

[Anil]

He's not Australian.

ah..! got it....that is definitely a huge point against sobers...!

 

[Anil]

4 people have actually voted for warne....

 

[shaka]

Basically, what it comes down to is that you've got 20 of the world's greatest ever players lining up on the wall in the schoolyard and you're picking teams.

You've got first pick. Some of us would take Bradman, others Sobers.

There's no right answer, and no amount of posting will ever create one.

good point! I agree

 

[dinu23]

Geez how arrogant are you? As if your cricketing knowledge is so much better than everyone else that think you can basically insult everyone who doesn't agree with you...

word!

 

[dinu23]

He's not Australian.

lol!

 

[archie mac]

It doesnt matter who came close to whom and who didnt. What matters is who has more influence over the game and the answer is Sobers. You cannot be the best batsman from just mastering against one type of bowling and just mastering 3-4 shots. If you are the best batsman, thats because you've displayed the best overall mastery of batting.
Similarly, you cannot be the best cricketer by being the best batsman or the best bowler, since the best allrounder displays an overall mastery of cricket that the best batsman or the best bowler can only dream of.

He does not keep wicket. The True All Rounder would have to be George Brown of Hampshire

 

[Anil]

He does not keep wicket. The True All Rounder would have to be George Brown of Hampshire

another point against sir gary...

 

[archie mac]

another point against sir gary...

Yes but to be honest they are hard to find, he was a true great of the game.

 

[C_C]

He does not keep wicket. The True All Rounder would have to be George Brown of Hampshire

Actually Sir Gary did keep wickets for Barbados when he started out.