2nd Greatest Test Batsman of All-Time

[King Pietersen]

Having just watched part of the first ESPN Legends of Cricket Disc, I have to say WG Grace definitely has to be on the poll. He's incredibly highly regarded by all the cricketing journalists, and anyone that knows anything about him. He may have played in an era where cricket was very far from the standards of today, but Grace stood above everyone else in his era, somewhat like Bradman did in his era. In a spell of around 15 years, WG Grace made 52 FC hundreds, no-one else in England made any more than 10. Grace was the first real cricketing celebrity. There are stories of grounds at the time charging 3pence for admission if Grace wasn't playing, and sixpence if he was. He just drew the crowds in.

There's also a story of an innings Grace played for London County (iirc) where he made 400* on an uncovered pitch and on an outfield that was described as having long grass. This meant that he had to run almost all of those 400 runs. Once he'd finished his innings he went across London to take part in a race, and happened to win that as well. He was just an incredible sportsman, and a very fit young man in his prime. He was pure box office, in his 2 testimonial matches he made over ?3000 at the time, which in current money equates to about ?3-4million, and he was a qualified doctor.

It's very hard to compare him to the modern players, but as far as influencing the modern game, and dominating an era, there's no-one like WG Grace. He was just an incredible player for the time, in a time of uncovered pitches, 4 ball overs and no 6's. Just a pure legend of the game.

 

[Cricketman]

Having just watched part of the first ESPN Legends of Cricket Disc, I have to say WG Grace definitely has to be on the poll. He's incredibly highly regarded by all the cricketing journalists, and anyone that knows anything about him. He may have played in an era where cricket was very far from the standards of today, but Grace stood above everyone else in his era, somewhat like Bradman did in his era. In a spell of around 15 years, WG Grace made 52 FC hundreds, no-one else in England made any more than 10. Grace was the first real cricketing celebrity. There are stories of grounds at the time charging 3pence for admission if Grace wasn't playing, and sixpence if he was. He just drew the crowds in.

There's also a story of an innings Grace played for London County (iirc) where he made 400* on an uncovered pitch and on an outfield that was described as having long grass. This meant that he had to run almost all of those 400 runs. Once he'd finished his innings he went across London to take part in a race, and happened to win that as well. He was just an incredible sportsman, and a very fit young man in his prime. He was pure box office, in his 2 testimonial matches he made over ?3000 at the time, which in current money equates to about ?3-4million, and he was a qualified doctor.

It's very hard to compare him to the modern players, but as far as influencing the modern game, and dominating an era, there's no-one like WG Grace. He was just an incredible player for the time, in a time of uncovered pitches, 4 ball overs and no 6's. Just a pure legend of the game.

Then again, there are rumors that he changed the rules at will whenever things weren't going his way .

 

[metallics2006]

Having just watched part of the first ESPN Legends of Cricket Disc, I have to say WG Grace definitely has to be on the poll. He's incredibly highly regarded by all the cricketing journalists, and anyone that knows anything about him. He may have played in an era where cricket was very far from the standards of today, but Grace stood above everyone else in his era, somewhat like Bradman did in his era. In a spell of around 15 years, WG Grace made 52 FC hundreds, no-one else in England made any more than 10. Grace was the first real cricketing celebrity. There are stories of grounds at the time charging 3pence for admission if Grace wasn't playing, and sixpence if he was. He just drew the crowds in.

There's also a story of an innings Grace played for London County (iirc) where he made 400* on an uncovered pitch and on an outfield that was described as having long grass. This meant that he had to run almost all of those 400 runs. Once he'd finished his innings he went across London to take part in a race, and happened to win that as well. He was just an incredible sportsman, and a very fit young man in his prime. He was pure box office, in his 2 testimonial matches he made over ?3000 at the time, which in current money equates to about ?3-4million, and he was a qualified doctor.

It's very hard to compare him to the modern players, but as far as influencing the modern game, and dominating an era, there's no-one like WG Grace. He was just an incredible player for the time, in a time of uncovered pitches, 4 ball overs and no 6's. Just a pure legend of the game.

He sounds like a legend even when you have not spoken about his bowling. He has around 2800 wickets at 18. Thats why I raised the question in my previous post in the first page.

 

[Cricketman]

OMFG

Bowling averages    	Mat  	Inns  	Balls  	Runs  	Wkts  	BBI  	BBM  	Ave  	Econ  	SR  	4w  	5w  	10
Tests 	22 	13 	666 	236 	9 	2/12 	3/68 	26.22 	2.12 	74.0 	0 	0 	0
First-class 	870 		124831 	50980 	2809 	10/49 		18.14 	2.45 	44.4 		240 	64

You weren't kidding, 2809 wickets!

 

[King Pietersen]

Yeh, Grace's bowling was mentioned on the ESPN classic thing, and it was said that he did everything he could to get the batsman out. There was one occassion where he distracted the batsman by pointing him in the direction of some birds flying in the glare of the sun, then before the batsman could re-adjust to the light, Grace had bowled the next delivery and got him out. Such a great character.

There were instances of Grace trying to bend the rules, one such occassion is a famous story where a club/county bowler got him out first ball. Grace then looked behind him, popped the bails back on and said to the bowler "The crowd are here to watch me bat son, not you bowl, get back". Just a fantastic arrogance about him. There were also stories of him not trusting the Australian captain of the time, not agreeing to him flipping the coin he had as Grace didn't trust him. I wouldn't say the cheating massively influenced his career, it's not like he'd have averaged 20 in FC cricket without the odd bending of the rules.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Well you'd feel pretty stupid if you didn't dominate a game that you created.

 

[King Pietersen]

"you created?" Grace didn't create the game of cricket. The game has been dated back to the 16th century, with the first laws created in 1744. WG Grace's FC career didn't start until 1865, and it was a fair while after that before he made his reputation and started to gain in popularity. He may have been the first truely popular cricketer, but he certainly didn't create the game. He helped make it what it is today, being the first player to invent a proper technique, playing in the V and keeping the bat close to the pad, but he certainly didn't create the game.

 

[Leggie]

I think Ben was referring WG Grace as English.

 

[Tanmay]

Sachin surely second on my list will be Lara.I've never saw Richards or any other old player in the poll so cant actually rate them but surely statistics speak for them,Chanderpaul desereves to be in the list atleast and also Kallis.

 

[King Pietersen]

Chanderpaul and Kallis don't get near the list for me. I should have added a few more guys onto the list, not all of these, but they should all be close to the list at least- Walter Hammond, Len Hutton, Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes, Allan Border, Herbert Sutcliffe and Sunil Gavaskar. I rate all of those guys ahead of Kallis and Chanderpaul.

 

[rockyrakster]

I feel Sehwag,Dravid miss out on the list.Dravid is a great player techncally sound even than Tendulkar.I would say he is a much better batsman than Ponting.Sehwag is has equalled Lara's and Bradman's feat of 2 triple hundreds, he changes game in matter of overs, this is not ordinary. it is a hallmark of greatness

 

[Dare]

Chanders is a WI great, he is certainly a great batsman but the guys in the poll are in another league, even some of the guys Dan just mentioned.

Sehwag is has equalled Lara's and Bradman's feat of 2 triple hundreds, he changes game in matter of overs, this is not ordinary. it is a hallmark of greatness

Sehwag doesn't deserve to be mentioned beside guys like Bradman, Sobers, Tendulkar etc.

 

[rockyrakster]

Chanders is a WI great, he is certainly a great batsman but the guys in the poll are in another league, even some of the guys Dan just mentioned.



Sehwag doesn't deserve to be mentioned beside guys like Bradman, Sobers, Tendulkar etc.

If sehwag does not deserve to be in the list so is Viv Richads.The poll shows it anyway

 

[Cricketman]

Hughes has played three test matches. It's hardly anything to base the next ~15 years of his career on to call him the second best ever.

 

[Dare]

If sehwag does not deserve to be in the list so is Viv Richads

oo this deserves a facepalm. will dig one up in a bit.

I'm sorry but Viv is in a different league than Sehwag. The two shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence. As far as I can remember Viv wasn't a flat track bully. He was just a guy that bullied the bowlers he faced.

EDIT: as promised