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Which sportsmen would make the best cricketers?

Which sportsmen would produce the best cricketers?

  • Basketball

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Football

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Baseball

    Votes: 20 40.8%
  • Tennis

    Votes: 20 40.8%
  • Badminton

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 8.2%

  • Total voters
    49

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Every time I watch NBA basketball I cant help but think "What a waste of fast bowling talent"

If you took the top 50 players from any sport and worked hard for a long time to teach them cricket, which sport would produce the best cricket team?

Basketball
Tall and athletic. A potential fastbowling goldmine. Good hand eye co-ords and footwork

Football
The world game. The best from the biggest talent pool in sport. Surely must be talented athletes who can turn their hand to anything?

Tennis
Tall with great anticipation. Skilled at returning and hitting fast bouncing balls

Baseball
Too often compared to cricket in the USA but does have transferable skills. Great fielding and awesome hand eye co-ordination

Badminton
Fast and with good reactions. A sport of touch rather than just power

Other
AFL, Union, League, Kabadi, American Football, Fly Fishing, Darts..etc, you choose

What do people think?
 
Last edited:

Barney Rubble

International Coach
I voted tennis. They have the athleticism, the height, the power, and above all, phenomenal hand-eye co-ordination. The muscles used in the serving action would also be used for bowling; those used in the action for a forehand would be very useful when batting, particularly for hitting through the leg-side.

As for fielding, they're used to running around and changing direction very rapidly - their ability to pick up a ball quickly and throw it would be second to none after years of sprinting to the net to reach opposition drop-shots.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Barney Rubble said:
I voted tennis. They have the athleticism, the height, the power, and above all, phenomenal hand-eye co-ordination. The muscles used in the serving action would also be used for bowling; those used in the action for a forehand would be very useful when batting, particularly for hitting through the leg-side.
I actually voted the same with the same thought process. I was thinking about the serve and bowling as well.

I must say though I moved the mouse over a couple of options before deciding tennis. It was a tough call for me.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
Tennis players have good hand eye co ordination as pointed. They reply on timing as well - some thing very essential in cricket. I would say that the tennis players could become the best batsmen while the basketballers the best bowlers.

So I haven't voted either.
 

Fusion

Global Moderator
I would say Baseball. As pointed out by others, it requires many similar skills. I believe if baseball athelets played cricket from childhood (like they do with Baseball), many would have great success in Cricket.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
well as traditionaly many sportsmen played football in the winter and cricket in the summer il go for the footballers

Baseballers would be pretty good at twenty20 though
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Fusion said:
I would say Baseball. As pointed out by others, it requires many similar skills. I believe if baseball athelets played cricket from childhood (like they do with Baseball), many would have great success in Cricket.
Yep, that's more or less my thinking exactly. There are obviously big differences, but a lot of the skills are essentially the same.
 

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
Christian Vieri, was supposedly a fantastic young cricketer. He always said he would love to play cricket professionally (thought about quitting in his late 20s to go and play in OZ) but only if he got paid the same wage, which was then £60,000 a week.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
TT Boy said:
Christian Vieri, was supposedly a fantastic young cricketer. He always said he would love to play cricket professionally (thought about quitting in his late 20s to go and play in OZ) but only if he got paid the same wage, which was then £60,000 a week.
Border is supposed to be his sporting hero.

As I mentioned in another thread today Phil Neville was a very decent cricketer as a youth as well, but I guess if one has comparable skills in two disciplines going for the better rewarded option is only human.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
To make things interesting, also talk on what your second choice would be here in comments.
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
Pratyush said:
To make things interesting, also talk on what your second choice would be here in comments.
Baseball has almost exactly the same skills as in cricket, so thats the obvious choice. Basketball players appear too clumsy to make really good players, I'd be tempted to go with the tennis - decent athleticism, hand/eye co-ord.
 

archie mac

International Coach
Baseball I think, we had one play for us once, an american (about 19), he had never played cricket before. He was easily the best fielder in the side in all positions except behind the wicket.

He developed into a pretty good middle order batsman (big hitter) but never picked up bowling. He only played that one season.
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
BoyBrumby said:
As I mentioned in another thread today Phil Neville was a very decent cricketer as a youth as well, but I guess if one has comparable skills in two disciplines going for the better rewarded option is only human.
But you said he was a very decent Cricketer...
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Baseball tends to produce excellent fielders, plus a lot of the pitchers would fit right in without changing their actions :laugh:


Seriously though, baseball hitters have to hit the ball going 95+ mph with a bat much smaller than cricket. The variation is less, but its still hard as hell. They also have to judge quickly whether to leave the ball or swing (and thats hard at 100mph), so that would translate well.

I think a lot of them would be excellent.
 

adharcric

International Coach
Ping Pong players. A few months ago I got bored so instead of hitting the ball back normally I held the paddle like a bat and struck some elegant drives, trying to time them to perfection. :cool:
 

adharcric

International Coach
silentstriker said:
Baseball tends to produce excellent fielders, plus a lot of the pitchers would fit right in without changing their actions :laugh:


Seriously though, baseball hitters have to hit the ball going 95+ mph with a bat much smaller than cricket. The variation is less, but its still hard as hell. They also have to judge quickly whether to leave the ball or swing (and thats hard at 100mph), so that would translate well.

I think a lot of them would be excellent.
They would probably leave a ball expecting a "Strike Two" call and see a raised finger and flying bails instead.
Also, they would only play a straight drive; anything else would be "foul".
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
adharcric said:
They would probably leave a ball expecting a "Strike Two" call and see a raised finger and flying bails instead.
Also, they would only play a straight drive; anything else would be "foul".

The question isn't: "Can baseball players play baseball on a cricket field?"

The question is who can adapt the best, and thats why I said baseball. Similar skill set + more athleticism (not inherent to the game, but they focus more on fitness).
 

adharcric

International Coach
silentstriker said:
The question isn't: "Can baseball players play baseball on a cricket field?"

The question is who can adapt the best, and thats why I said baseball. Similar skill set + more athleticism (not inherent to the game, but they focus more on fitness).
LOL. I wasn't arguing with you man, guess an emoticon would have been appropriate.8-)
 

adharcric

International Coach
Hen-catchers in the slips. A goalie as the keeper. Voltman's rhythmic gymnasts at gully. Looks good.
 

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