Memorable players from this era

[tassietiger]

I know at the moment we see the best players of this era as Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting, Warne, McGrath, Muralitharan and co. But in 50 years or so, you have to wonder who will be remembered the most. After many hours of deep thought (actually minutes but I had to watch many hours of cricket to even ponder these thoughts) I think Shahid Afridi will be one of the most known.

Think of who the greatest cricketer of all time is. Most of you will say Bradman. The rest of you are lying. Then think why you think he is the greatest cricketer of all time. He averaged 99.94 over his career. That statistic has not been beaten after all this time, and nobody has even come close. The fact he is that far ahead of the pack in this statistic has made us no longer ponder who the best cricketer ever is, but who the second-best is. There are some great players over past eras who are only ever rated by those that were there. Maybe the greats I listed in the first sentence will be like those, only rated by us, and the next generation won't think they're that great.

Murali and Warne have the most wickets in Test cricket, over 700, and that's the statistical proof that they are the greatest spin bowlers we have ever seen. But with the rising amount of cricket played, that record may very well be broken. Many of the statistical feats that we consider amazing at the moment may eventually be less amazing.

The only record that I think will most definitely never be broken is the 37-ball century hit by Shahid Afridi. In 50 years time, when someone hits a really fast century, say 50 or 60 balls, they'll want to check what the fastest one was, and they'll find it was and unbelievable 37-ball ton hit by a Pakistani kid in his debut innings. Other records may be broken, but I can't see this one being broken, no matter how small the grounds get or how flat the pitches get.

I reckon in 50 years time when we are trying to justify how Brian Lara's average in the 50s doesn't show the fact that he played some of the best innings we've ever seen, the new cricket tragics won't believe it. But when they see Shahid Afridi's 37-ball century, they'll look past the fact he struggled to hold down a regular spot in the team for a lot of his career and be amazed at that one match. I think they'll see him as the best from our era.

Also, the word 'era' can be rearrange to spell ear and are. How many three-letter words can do something like that? I don't think there are too many.

 

[sohum]

I personally believe Tendulkar will be the most remembered from a purely mathematical perspective. Tendulkar has the most number of fans in the world because he is hailed as the greatest cricketer from the most populous country on the planet. When these fans procreate they will definitely spread their love for his batting to their little ones and hence I believe he will be remembered for a while.

I think great names that will fall through the cracks are Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. Though Kumble may have records that stand for a while, I feel like their names will not be remembered, quite unfortunately, for a long time. This is from an Indian perspective, of course, I'm not sure about the rest of the world.

As for the Afridi argument, I'm not sure I'll remember that. I'll remember Yuvraj Singh's 12-ball half-century in the Twenty20 World Cup before Afridi's 37-ball century.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Tendulkar, Lara, Warne & McGrath are probably the names I've heard most of since I've been watching cricket although I don't think Lara or Tendulkar are the best batsman of this era.

But what I'll always remember most from this era (and probably forever) is when I was 10 years old watching Australia's tour of India in 2000/01 just after Don Bradman past away and seeing Steve Waugh enforce and follow on and despite Laxman only making 59 in the first-innings I felt I knew that Waugh should've batted again just by how dominant Laxman looked in that innings of 59. Laxman ended up making 281 and Australia lost the Test Match and went onto lose the Test Series.

 

[sammy]

Bradman is not the best player. he played cricket when it wasn't even competitive, and there were prolly only 3 nations playing cricket then.

Sobers is the greatest player, batting and bowling. Bradman was a batsman in a time when cricket was very average.

Greatest team is the west indies team during the 80s, because they ruled cricket when all your favourite players were playing.

It's funny today seeing the old english heads talking bad about the young west indies team today, when i'm sure all the loses recieved during windies prime should still be hurting them.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Bradman is not the best player. he played cricket when it wasn't even competitive, and there were prolly only 3 nations playing cricket then.

Sobers is the greatest player, batting and bowling. Bradman was a batsman in a time when cricket was very average.

Greatest team is the west indies team during the 80s, because they ruled cricket when all your favourite players were playing.

It's funny today seeing the old english heads talking bad about the young west indies team today, when i'm sure all the loses recieved during windies prime should still be hurting them.

How can you justify saying Bradman isn't the best player? No one has come close to dominating an era like he did, not by a country mile. That's what makes him the best and the only player back in the day worthy of mention.

 

[sammy]

well clearly during his time it wasn't competitive, because today its beyond impossible to have an average that high.

 

[manee]

Sachin Tendulkar will be the most remembered batsman of this era. In the 1990s when Test cricket was the dominating game in terms of fixtures, he dominated them. Now, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as ODIs came to become the dominating game, he has mastered them and secured a place as the greatest ODI batsman, bar none, in my eyes.

You argue about Shahid Afridi's unbroken record, but I assure you that the record is not held in high esteem or well known these days. You expect the same to be the case in 50 years?

 

[Sureshot]

well clearly during his time it wasn't competitive, because today its beyond impossible to have an average that high.

If batsman nowadays played on uncovered pitches I doubt anyone would average over 50, maybe even 40.

 

[Leicester Fox]

If Kevin Pietersen picks up his form back to how he was in the early part of his career he could be remembered, mainly because of the rariy of a world class English cricketer but his agressive style and the fact he averages oer 50 in ODI's will make sure he's remembered here. Lara, Murali, Warne and McGrath obviously will be remembered, Lara for hitting the 2 highest scores ever in FC and tests, and the bowlers for being the best spinners ever and the most succesful pace bowler ever. I reckon Ponting will be remembered, he's by far the best test batsmen of this era imo and you don't forget players who average over 60 quickly which he will do by the end of his career.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Nah, I think Ponting will end up averaging 56 / 57 /58 by the end of his career and he'll end up playing 150+ Test Matches. He'll still have better statistics then anyone else but he'll easily have the highest average of anyone to play so many matches.

well clearly during his time it wasn't competitive, because today its beyond impossible to have an average that high.

Not really, Hussey averages 86. But I guess that shows you why his the greatest player ever?

 

[usy]

Shoaib Akhtar.

 

[evertonfan]

I'll never forget Mal Loye and Warren Hegg.

 

[Leggie]

Brian Lara, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sachin Tendulkar for me...

 

[King Pietersen]

Kevin Pietersen is going to go on and be England captain, and i reckon one of the most successful English batsmen of all time, he's fantastically talented, entertaining and doesnt seem bothered by pressure.

Ricky Ponting, Australia's greatest batsmen of his generation, going to finish his career pretty close to Tendulkar's record, brilliant batsman.

Sachin Tendulkar, i believe that he is the most technically sound batsman of the era, scores hundreds for fun and has the ability to score runs on all pitches, against all bowlers. Pure brilliance.

Shane Warne, arguably the best spinner of all time, 2nd only to Muttiah Muralitharan in terms of test wickets. Always looked dangerous and has the best variation of any leggy i've ever seen, also has fantastic control.

Muttiah Muralitharan, unorthadox, but effective, most successful bowler of all time, which in my eyes, makes him the best bowler of all time. Has the ability to spin the ball on any track, on any day of a test. World class in every sense of the word.

Brian Lara, has the ability to make massive innings, and was the heartbeat of the West Indian team for many many years. Top quality batsman.

 

[usy]

You can never forget Brian Lara, I have no words for him.