Wisden Ranks All-Time Best

[hourn]

Wisden: All-time ODI batting table


Pos, Name, Country, Inns, Runs, Ave, Rating

1 IVA Richards WI 167 6721 47.00 1132.5
2 SR Tendulkar Ind 291 11554 44.22 1119.3
3 BC Lara WI 198 7550 42.64 1036.8
4 DM Jones Aus 161 6068 44.61 1022.1
5 MG Bevan Aus 161 5809 54.78 1016.7
6 SC Ganguly Ind 203 8197 43.61 1012.6
7 ME Waugh Aus 236 8500 39.35 1010.6
8 Zaheer Abbas Pak 60 2572 47.62 1009.4
9 JH Kallis SA 160 5890 44.62 1001.2
10 Saeed Anwar Pak 239 8605 38.93 997.7

11 Inzamam-ul-Haq Pak 263 8841 39.29 995.3
12 RT Ponting Aus 147 5273 41.20 989.5
13 CG Greenidge WI 127 5134 45.03 980.4
14 DL Haynes WI 237 8648 41.37 975.8
15 Javed Miandad Pak 218 7381 41.70 969.6
16 PA de Silva SL 278 8803 35.49 964.1
17 G Kirsten SA 177 6498 40.11 948.2
18 M Azharuddin Ind 308 9378 36.92 944.5
19 Yousuf Youhana Pak 112 4049 43.07 942.1
20 R Dravid Ind 173 6065 39.38 928.6

21 AJ Lamb Eng 118 4010 39.31 928.2
22 ST Jayasuriya SL 272 8286 31.63 921.3
23 WJ Cronje SA 175 5565 38.64 921.1
24 AC Gilchrist Aus 139 4507 33.63 913.6
25 MA Atapattu SL 170 5699 38.25 902.0
26 A Ranatunga SL 255 7454 35.84 897.4
27 DC Boon Aus 177 5964 37.04 896.3
28 GR Marsh Aus 115 4357 39.97 893.2
29 Salim Malik Pak 256 7169 32.88 887.7
30 MD Crowe NZ 141 4704 38.55 886.4

31 GA Hick Eng 118 3846 37.33 883.4
32 RG Twose NZ 81 2717 38.82 882.6
33 A Flower Zim 201 6453 34.57 870.2
34 NS Sidhu Ind 127 4414 37.08 867.8
35 Ijaz Ahmed Pak 232 6566 32.33 867.4
36 GA Gooch Eng 122 4290 36.98 865.5
37 JN Rhodes SA 217 5852 35.25 861.9
38 SR Waugh Aus 288 7569 32.90 860.5
39 NV Knight Eng 85 3072 40.43 849.4
40 CL Hooper WI 200 5663 35.84 842.2

41 L Klusener SA 120 3286 43.24 841.3
42 NJ Astle NZ 159 5204 34.46 840.7
43 HH Gibbs SA 114 3764 35.18 834.9
44 RB Richardson WI 217 6248 33.41 832.1
45 A Jadeja Ind 179 5355 37.47 827.6
46 DJ Cullinan SA 133 3861 32.99 826.2
47 Rameez Raja Pak 197 5841 32.09 819.4
48 RP Arnold SL 88 2534 39.59 814.8
49 S Chanderpaul WI 118 3718 36.45 820.0
50 SP Fleming NZ 175 4924 30.77 811.6

51 AR Border Aus 252 6524 30.62 809.5
52 Aamer Sohail Pak 155 4780 31.86 803.9
53 CL Cairns NZ 138 3614 32.99 792.3
54 GW Flower Zim 188 5809 33.70 791.7
55 DB Vengsarkar Ind 120 3508 34.73 790.2
56 MA Taylor Aus 110 3514 32.23 787.2
57 AJ Stewart Eng 148 4315 32.20 786.7
58 AH Jones NZ 87 2784 35.69 777.5
59 DI Gower Eng 111 3170 30.77 773.3
60 KC Wessels Aus/SA 105 3367 34.35 770.1

61 Imran Khan Pak 151 3709 33.41 765.0
62 AP Gurusinha SL 143 3902 28.27 747.3
63 Shahid Afridi Pak 165 3838 24.28 746.5
64 K Srikkanth Ind 145 4092 29.01 744.8
65 SM Gavaskar Ind 102 3092 35.13 744.3
66 ADR Campbell Zim 182 5173 30.55 739.2
67 CD McMillan SA 114 2933 30.43 736.1
68 AC Hudson SA 88 2559 29.41 725.6
69 RS Mahanama SL 198 5162 29.49 724.8
70 PV Simmons WI 138 3675 28.93 721.6

71 KR Rutherford NZ 115 3143 29.65 721.1
72 Kapil Dev Ind 198 3783 23.79 685.6
73 CZ Harris NZ 186 3955 30.43 679.3
74 JG Wright NZ 148 3891 26.46 676.7
75 AL Logie WI 133 2809 28.95 665.3
76 RJ Shastri Ind 128 3108 29.04 661.2
77 HP Tillakaratne SL 154 3439 29.64 649.6
78 RS Kaluwitharana SL 169 3463 22.19 639.9
79 AC Parore NZ 161 3315 25.68 636.4
80 Moin Khan Pak 159 2853 23.00 635.6

How The Ratings Work

For one-day batting, the 12 factors considered are:

* Runs scored -- a simple linear calculation

* Speed of scoring -- the number of runs scored for each ball faced

* Bowling quality -- the strength of the opposition players who bowled during the innings

* Pitch quality -- how the other batsmen in the match performed on the surface

* Support -- the extent of support received from others during the batsman’s innings

* Point of entry -- the difference between coming in to bat at, say, 10 for 2, and the third wicket then adding 100, rather than a further slump to 20 for 4

* Percentage of team runs -- another straightforward calculation

* Shepherding the tail -- how did the batsman control the strike and protect his junior partners?

* State of play -- was the side setting or chasing a target?

* Result -- did the batsman’s side win the match?

* Contribution index -- what was the batsman’s contribution to the end result?

* Match status -- what was the importance of the match (World Cup finals receive the most points, matches against ICC associate-member countries the fewest)?

[Edited on 16/12/2002 by hourn]

 

[hourn]

Wisden: All-time ODI bowling table


Pos, Name, Country, Matches, Wickets, Ave, Rating

1 Wasim Akram Pak 349 488 23.73 1223.5
2 AA Donald SA 159 268 21.40 1180.1
3 Waqar Younis Pak 253 403 23.84 1167.1
4 GD McGrath Aus 163 253 22.51 1165.9
5 J Garner WI 98 146 18.84 1160.7
6 Saqlain Mushtaq Pak 162 278 21.58 1129.6
7 M Muralitharan SL 200 297 23.28 1108.0
8 SM Pollock SA 177 254 23.08 1101.2
9 SK Warne Aus 189 285 25.77 1073.2
10 DK Lillee Aus 63 103 20.82 1072.9

11 MA Holding WI 102 142 21.36 1072.2
12 Shoaib Akhtar Pak 70 115 20.39 1066.2
13 CEL Ambrose WI 176 225 24.12 1047.2
14 CJ McDermott Aus 138 203 24.71 1032.1
15 DW Fleming Aus 88 134 25.38 1020.8
16 D Gough Eng 111 174 25.17 1020.2
17 RJ Hadlee NZ 115 158 21.56 1012.5
18 WPUJC Vaas SL 202 247 27.78 962.7
19 C Pringle NZ 64 103 32.17 960.5
20 J Srinath Ind 211 281 29.45 958.5

21 A Kumble Ind 235 300 29.84 956.3
22 Kapil Dev Ind 225 253 27.45 948.4
23 MD Marshall WI 136 157 31.90 943.7
24 IR Bishop WI 84 118 26.50 927.0
25 AB Agarkar Ind 107 162 28.91 909.7
26 CA Walsh WI 205 227 30.47 901.9
27 EJ Chatfield NZ 114 140 25.84 892.4
28 IT Botham Eng 116 145 28.54 885.7
29 Abdur Razzaq Pak 116 152 25.42 879.8
30 Abdul Qadir Pak 104 132 26.16 862.7

31 Imran Khan Pak 175 182 26.61 857.0
32 Aaqib Javed Pak 163 182 31.43 849.1
33 PR Reiffel Aus 92 106 29.19 844.7
34 DK Morrison NZ 96 126 27.53 842.0
35 M Prabhakar Ind 130 157 28.87 837.2
36 BKV Prasad Ind 161 196 32.30 836.0
37 L Klusener SA 147 170 29.15 834.0
38 WKM Benjamin WI 85 100 30.79 832.4
39 SP O'Donnell Aus 87 108 28.72 825.7
40 HH Streak Zim 149 183 31.13 820.4

41 PAJ DeFreitas Eng 103 115 32.82 817.4
42 MC Snedden NZ 93 114 28.39 814.4
43 Mushtaq Ahmed Pak 143 161 32.89 809.4
44 HDPK Dharmasena SL 129 133 34.43 748.0
45 JH Kallis SA 165 156 30.64 743.1
46 CL Cairns NZ 151 154 31.90 741.8
47 GR Larsen NZ 121 113 35.39 714.1
48 RA Harper WI 105 100 34.31 702.0
49 CL Hooper WI 221 190 35.74 696.0
50 CZ Harris NZ 216 192 36.43 689.4

51 Mudassar Nazar Pak 122 111 30.91 668.5
52 Azhar Mahmood Pak 123 112 37.35 662.9
53 ST Jayasuriya SL 280 226 35.79 660.4
54 RJ Shastri Ind 150 129 36.04 650.4
55 GP Wickramasinghe SL 134 109 39.63 619.3
56 SR Waugh Aus 325 195 34.67 574.3
57 Shahid Afridi Pak 170 127 38.36 569.4
58 WJ Cronje SA 188 114 34.78 552.6
59 IVA Richards WI 187 118 35.83 544.5
60 SR Tendulkar Ind 300 110 46.86 332.6

How The Ratings Work

For one-day bowling, the 10 factors considered are:

* Wickets taken -- a straightforward calculation

* Batsmen dismissed -- the quality and averages of the batsmen got out by the bowler

* When wickets taken -- at what individual score was the batsman dismissed?

* Batting strength -- the strength of the opposing players who batted during the innings

* Pitch quality -- how the other bowlers in the match performed

* Accuracy -- the runs conceded in the bowling spell

* State of Play -- was the side bowling first or defending a target?

* Result -- did the bowler’s side win or lose?

* Contribution index -- what was the bowler’s contribution to the end result?

* Match status -- what was the importance of the match (World Cup finals receive the most points, matches against ICC associate-member countries the fewest)?

[Edited on 16/12/2002 by hourn]

 

[royGilchrist]

good info hourn. It does look very authentic, I think its a good list. goes to show how far ahead, Bradman is of the pack, also Wasim Akram to a lesser extent in ODI. Surprising that Haynes and Greenidge didnt make it higher.

 

[Rik]

Good List...just repeated too much

 

[age_master]

some of that stuff is absolute crap, Michael vaughn the 62nd best test bat of all time

damien fleming the 15the best odi bowler, gough the 16th, kallis 45th, cairns 46th

i dunno what is wrong with this sydstem but there are some serious misplacings

ohh and im not suggesting the above are the only ones

 

[Tim]

Well don't forget that ODI cricket has not been around as long as test cricket.

But for Damien Fleming to be ranked 16th when he has been in & out of the Australian side is strange.

 

[age_master]

there have been more than 61 batsmen better than Vaughn in tests easily

 

[Rik]

Flemming is a very fine bowler but not that good...

 

[age_master]

he got dropped from victoria too

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by age_master
he got dropped from victoria too

Yes but more due to injury problems.

 

[age_master]

injury or no injury, he just did not perform

 

[Top_Cat]

Match Status is a complex index which reflects the context of the match. The highest value is given for successfully defending a low fourth-innings target, like Hugh Tayfield's 9-113 or Fanie de Villiers's 6-43

* Result Contribution is based on the sum of the previous seven index values, and reflects the value of the player's contribution to the match result. Full points are given for wins, and 30% of those points for draws (or ties). Additional credit is given for away wins.

This is the criteria I have a problem with. The WI bowlers of the late 70's and 80's weren't given the opportunities to wreck teams by themselves because they had to share the wickets with bowlers who were at least as good as they were.

I mean Michael Holding is rated as the 29th best of all time, supposedly. I don't care how many wickets he took, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Holding, Andy Roberts (44th?!?!?!? Lower than Terry Alderman?!?!?!?!?!?) were better bowlers than Courtney Walsh.

If each of the WI bowlers mentioned above played for different teams, they'd all be in the top 10 at least.

And Abdul Qadir rated BELOW Harby?? HAH!

Curtly Ambrose should definately be rated more highly too. There's NO WAY I'd rate Wasim below Donald. Joel Garner below Anil Kumble??? I don't think you'd have Merv argreeing that he was a better bowler than Andy Roberts either. I could go on for ages.

The worst is Muttiah Muralitharan at number 1. I personally would have him at number 5.

I'm sorry but the criteria is dodgy and is biased too heavily towards bowlers who were the only great bowlers in their line-up.

As for the batting, Ponsford at 99 despite two FC 400's??? Why is Martin Crowe rated so low? How about Aravinda de Silva??

Quite frankly, these lists are beyond being a load of crapola.

[Edited on 16/12/2002 by Top_Cat]

 

[Eclipse]

How did Kalllis make the all time ODI batsman top 10!!

surley there are batsman of better pedigree in ODIs currently that are better than him.

 

[hourn]

Test Batting

My opinion is that Clyde Walcott (15th), Graeme Pollock (19th) and George Headley (17th) all should've been in the top 10, alongside Gary Sobers (4th) and Don Bradman (1st). The next 5 in the top 10 are very debatable. Sachin at number 2 isn't overly wrong and it can be argued for and against his position.

Others:

Too High - Brian Lara (10th) probaly should've been around 20th. Steve Waugh (16th) should've been down around number 30. Graham Gooch (22nd) should've been about 40th. Alec Stewart (39th) should've been much lower. Michael Atherton (56th) is much too high - no way he is as good as batsmen as Arthur Morris (57th).

Too Low - Denis Compton (34th) should've been in the top 25. Arthur Nourse (42nd) could've arguably been a top 10 in my mind. Frank Worrell (54th) should've been in the top 30 or 40. Bruce Mitchell (69th) i thought may have been a guernsey in the top 30, but at worst around 40th. Stan McCabe (77th) is a joke - he had to have been in the top 40. Bill Ponsford (99th) and Bill Woodfull (100th) should've both been no worse than top 50, and Ponsford probaly should've been in the top 35/40.

Test Bowling

Muttiah Murilitharan at number 1 is a controversial call. I thought Marshall should've been in the top 3 at worst, while Ambrose should've got a guersney in the top 5 or so bowlers. O'Reilly i would've had before both Grimmet and Warne as well. Courtney Walsh is defientaly not the 10th best bowler of all time.

Others:

Too High - Anil Kumble (14th) is no where there IMO - i reckon he should be down around the 40th-50th range. Ian Botham (18th) i would've thought would also be around the 40-50 range, maybe a little bit higher. Craig McDermott (24th) and Bruce Reid (25th) both should've been about 20 places lower as well. Graham McKenzie (39th) should've been about 20-30 spots lower. Terry Alderman (40th) should've been in a similar region to McKenzie. Geoff Lawson (47th) should've been around 70-80. Angus Fraser (49th) should've been in the lower regions of the list, if in at all.

Too Low - Fred Trueman (16th) i would have in the top 10 somewhere (probably in the 8-9-10 area). Michael Holding (29th) should've got a spot in the top 15-20 bowlers. Alan Davidson (36th) i thought would've been in contention for a top 10 spot, and really no worse than 15th. Colin Croft (42nd) should've been closer to 30th. Ray Lindwall (45th) should've been around 20th - there is no way Merv Hughes is a better bowler. Bill Johnstone (53rd) should've been around 30th mark. Keith Miller (74th) is the biggest disgrace of the whole list - i would've had him as a contendor for a top 10 spot, and at worse 15th, maybe a little lower. How can Dominic Cork (71st) or Javagal Srinath (72nd) be considered a better bowler than Keith Miller.


Basically, i think they have most bases covered with their selection criteria, however i dont think they have weighted them properly or the formula for working out a players worth is a little wrong. The batting isn't too bad, but the bowling is definetaly way out of the ball park. It appears that it is very much bias of bowlers who played in teams without other champion players, and such have a much greater chance to take wickets.

One thing people fail to note, beeing an average bowler in a crap bowling attack can make you look very good because your the only one who gets wickets. At the end of the day it doesn't work that way for batsmen because you have to take 10 wickets (most of the time) but if you can't bat, than you won't get runs.

Definetaly need to re-assess their system. Keith Miller at 74 sums it up for me.

[Edited on 16/12/2002 by hourn]

 

[onemangang]

MIandad is ranked below Inzamam in ODI, which is strange really.Miandad was a more dependable batsman, great improviser and definately the best ever batsman from Pakistan.Also he was a brilliant runner between the wkts, while Inzi is a big joke in this area.

And what is Ajit Agarkar doing at 25th slot above the likes of Bothom,Cairns and Walsh????

Anil Kumble is definately ranked higher, a bowler who has an embaressing away record and has done well only in his home country!

 

[Tim]

This is a very flawed list from Wisden, & one wonders whether they produced this to up their profile by making a few questionable placings.

 

[royGilchrist]

wow! i guess I did not even look at the 100 list carefully, but there definetely are many probelms with the list, top ten is not too bad.

Although there are problems with the criteria I think its a good start. Hourn had a good point about changing the weighting of the different categories.

Another thing that I was thinking might improve the list is to choose the 50 best tests of each individual and if less than that 50 tests played than they should be penalized, like G Pollock (I think) and Sydney Barnes.

I will look at the criteria more carefully and comment, TC, brought up many good points as usual. Maybe if I get the time I will modify the criteria and try to come up with my own list.

 

[Tim]

How can Agarkar be ranked 25th of all time when he is being questioned by some commentators as no more than a club bowler?

its an absolute joke from Wisden & should leave them red-faced.

 

[marc71178]

Originally posted by age_master
there have been more than 61 batsmen better than Vaughn in tests easily

Go on, name them - I dare you!

 

[marc71178]

I mean Michael Holding is rated as the 29th best of all time, supposedly. I don't care how many wickets he took, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Holding, Andy Roberts (44th?!?!?!? Lower than Terry Alderman?!?!?!?!?!?) were better bowlers than Courtney Walsh.

Erm, Walsh had an outstandingly long career and has more wickets than anyone else - can't be all that bad.