Players who would have OWNED T20, but retired before it began.

[grkrama]

IND- Sidhu, kambli
pak-saqlain
nz-chris harris,astle

 

[War]

New Zealand - Chris Harris- he could have been the Narine of those days with his dibbly dobbly bowling

Nah Harris's bowling wasn't on Narine's level.

Ted Dexter ? I thought he was the classic old guy who was more suited to a longer format of the game.

Old guy yes, but he was one of the few attacking, flair style, world class batsmen ENG has produced. A bit of a Pietersen of his time.

 

[Samuels]

Zimbabwe- Somehow, you guys missed out on Eddo Brandes. He was a power-hitter and was a very useful bowler. A true asset for any team.

WI- Ricardo Powell, I distinctly remember him thrashing around the Indian bowlers in Toronto & Singapore

England: the Hollioake twins

Others- Akram Khan, Steve Tikolo & John Davison

Nice to see that you mentioned Powell. Without a doubt he was a good hitter of the ball and a poor man's Jonty Rhodes in the field but I think he lacked consistency and would have faded away even from the T20s. That said, on his day, his batting was a treat to watch.

I thought Zimbabwe had a few more players that not many have mentioned here could have done great in the T20s. Campbell is one. Douglas Marillier -- probably the first to play the now famous scoop behind the wicket -- and Andy Blignaut should have got many more T20s under their belt than they actually managed. Heath Streak, the poor man's Shaun Pollock would have done great too in my opinion. He had some accuracy.

Adam did play quite a few T20s and he was magnificent in them but it is a shame that Ben passed away too young to play T20s. For what I know of him, he would have done better than Adam.

Nah Bevan knew would have been perfect @ T20s at his peak, I think he would be a very good # 3 in T20s.

Bevan was a smart player, he knew went to hit boundaries, just that he didn't hit a lot of sixes. Other players from the past who i reckon could have been very good T20 that haven't been mentioned:

AUS: Mark Waugh, Simon O'Donnell, Lillee, Thompson, Lindwall, O'Reilly, Grimmett, Jack gregory, Norman O'Neil, Dean Jones, Allan Border, Shane Lee

ENG: Gooch, Emburey, Ted Dexter, Gough, Underwood, Lamb

WI: Lloyd, Greenidge, Harper, Hall, Marshall, Garner, Roberts, S Clarke, Franklyn Stevenson, Keith Boyce, Bernard Julien, Ramadhin, Gibbs,

SRI: Aravinda, Vaas, Chandana

PAK: Imran Khan, Waqar, Javed, Inzamam, Aamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Sarfraz Nawaz, Asif Iqbal, Mushtaq Mohammed, Moin Khan

NZ: M Crow, JR Reid, Roger Twose, John Bracewell, R Hadlee

ZIM: Streak, Paul Strang, Neil Johnson

IND: Shastri, Viswanath, Kapil Dev, Roger Binny, Gupte, Sandeep Patel

S Africa: B Richards, Jimmy Sinclair, Lindsay, P Pollock, G Pollock, Procter, Rice, Brian McMillan, Craig Matthews, Colin Bland, Tayfield, Le Roux

I agree with what you mentioned about Bevan. He was a smart guy, such an expert that he would be on 20-25 before you realize. A busy player and I thought he deserves to be called the Mr. Cricket of his time. I remember he averaged over 56 at one of time in his career with a lot of ODIs under his belt. Not to forget that was the time when having an average of anywhere around 30 for a lower order batsmen would have sealed the place in the team for the next 20-25 ODIs at least.


I am glad you mentioned the likes of Harper, Julien and Roberts. Roberts in particularly would have been far more lethal than he was in the test matches particularly with the change in pace and the famous two type of bouncers that he bowled. I am surprised you did not mentioned Richards, Richardson, Kanhai and Holding. They all would have done a lot of good to the T20 format considering their style of play. Carl Hooper would have been very handy up the order as well with his allround skills.

Since you have decided to dig the players from the yesteryears, I think the likes of Graham McKenzie, Trumble, Noble, Miller, Greg Chappell, Don Bradman, Sid Barnes, Sydney Barnes, Jim Laker and Ranji would have done well too.

 

[Ohm]

I guess T20 was firstly introduced in 2003 by ECB and as I'm watching cricket since 2003, I've no idea about the most key players. Still, through the stats I studied and some of the videos I watched, I can say that 'Navjyot Singh Sidhu' and 'Viv Richards' would have created a great impact on TT format due to their blasting skills in batting.

 

[PokerAce]

Nah Bevan knew would have been perfect @ T20s at his peak, I think he would be a very good # 3 in T20s.

Bevan was a smart player, he knew went to hit boundaries, just that he didn't hit a lot of sixes.

----------

Other players from the past who i reckon could have been very good T20 that haven't been mentioned:

AUS: Mark Waugh, Simon O'Donnell, Lillee, Thompson, Lindwall, O'Reilly, Grimmett, Jack gregory, Norman O'Neil, Dean Jones, Allan Border, Shane Lee, McDermott

ENG: Gooch, Dennis Compton, Emburey, Ted Dexter, Gough, Underwood, Lamb

WI: Lloyd, Greenidge, S Nurse, Collis King, Harper, Hall, Marshall, Garner, Roberts, S Clarke, Franklyn Stevenson, Keith Boyce, Bernard Julien, Ramadhin, Gibbs, Ridley Jacobs

SRI: Aravinda, Vaas, Chandana

PAK: Imran Khan, Waqar, Javed, Inzamam, Aamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Sarfraz Nawaz, Asif Iqbal, Mushtaq Mohammed, Moin Khan, Abdul Qadir, Iqbal Qasim, Aaquib Javed

NZ: M Crowe, JR Reid, Roger Twose, John Bracewell, R Hadlee

ZIM: Streak, Paul Strang, Neil Johnson

IND: Shastri, Viswanath, Kapil Dev, Roger Binny, Gupte, Sandeep Patel

S Africa: B Richards, Jimmy Sinclair, Lindsay, P Pollock, G Pollock, Procter, Rice, Brian McMillan, Craig Matthews, Colin Bland, Tayfield, Le Roux

You have gone way into the past, the plan was to look at players who retired shortly before T20 came into existance.

From your list, I think the following do qualify -

Aus- M Waugh, Shane Lee

Eng - Gough (but I would still not include him as he could have been a whipping boy in T20.)

WI - Ridley Jacobs

SL - Vaas (to some extent), Arvinda I did mention.

Pak - Moin Khan - Yes. Inzi and T20 are u kidding me, a very 1D player inzi and that too an innings builder. Waqar to some extent.

NZ - Twose

Zim - Streak and Johnson I have mentioned, Paul Strang, I don't think would have been that great

Ind - No one, they all retired well before T20 was any were near formation.

SA - Again all retired well before T20 was anywhere near being formed.

 

[Haynes123]

A legend like Curtley Ambrose would have been destructive with his bowling at the depth of a T 20, also a players like Phil Simmons, Carl Hooper, Roger Harper, from South Africa Adrian Kuiper, Brian MacMillan, and the late Hansie Cronje

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windies - Richie Richardson, desmond Haynes, eldine baptiste

 

[King Pietersen]

Sobers. Destructive batsman, amazing in the field, bowls seam and spin. He'd be the ultimate T20 player.

Joel Garner would have been seriously good too, one heck of a death bowler. Could put together a pretty tasty WI T20 line-up.

Chris Gayle
Gordon Greenidge
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Garfield Sobers
Marlon Samuels
Jeffrey Dujon
Malcolm Marshall
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Sunil Narine

Good luck beating that side.

 

[PokerAce]

Guys you are going way into the past 70s and 80s. If we go down to it, one could say even WG Grace would have enjoyed T20, and so would Don Bradman.

However the point is to stick to players retired recently, late 90s early 00s.

Whats with all the posts mentioning Joel Garner and Andy Roberts and Gary Sobers !!

 

[Haynes123]

because some of us saw them play, and they were playing in T 20 standards in their days, much better cricketers than the modern day ones.

King Pietersen, a great team, I would just put in ambrose in and either desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson, Phil Simmons in place of samuels

 

[PokerAce]

because some of us saw them play, and they were playing in T 20 standards in their days, much better cricketers than the modern day ones.

Again it is so not the point of the post. The post is about players retired shortly before the advent of T20. That those in the past could has also played T20 is not up for debate, of course they could have, but it is beyond scope of the thread.

Its like in a post asked to name top ten bowlers of today you mention Joel Garner and when told its not what the post is about, you say that u saw him play, and he was much better than the present day bowlers !!

He probably was, but it wouldn't hurt to stick to the post subject.

 

[ethybubs]

Don Bradman, Viv Richards, Gary Sobers, Gilbert Jessop, Brian Lara, George Lohmann, SF Barnes, Fred Trueman and Bill O'Reilly

 

[PokerAce]

Don Bradman, Viv Richards, Gary Sobers, Gilbert Jessop, Brian Lara, George Lohmann, SF Barnes, Fred Trueman and Bill O'Reilly

I give up on this thread.

 

[War]

You have gone way into the past, the plan was to look at players who retired shortly before T20 came into existance.

Oh my bad, sry for not reading carefully & messing up your thread aim. But clearly i wasn't alone

 

[qpeedore]

Guys its not about the players long retired. Nobody is going to doubt that Sobers would be one of the best T20 players ever. But its about the guys of the late 80s, 90s and early 00s.

Speaking as a proud West Indian, I agree with Carl Hooper and Ridley Jacobs. Hooper for his all round skills and Jacobs for his hard hitting, albeit high lack of grace at the crease.

Ambrose would have been amazing in T20. Accuracy, economy, he'd definitely rival Samuel Badree for lowest economy rate.

Funny story...in the regional T20 tournament one year, Ambrose and Walsh were doing commentary. Ambie said if he was playing now he'd think of himself as a cameo player, hitting a few sixes to bring the run rate up. Walsh gave him some talks about that, then the stats guy pulled up something hilarious. Walsh actually hit more Test sixes than Ambrose! Both men were shocked and you could hear laughter from everyone in the booth.

Ricardo Powell would be the Pollard of yesteryear. When he fires, he'll fire big. The thing is getting him to fire. I was never, and I will never be a Pollard fan due to that very reason. I was also not a Powell fan.

Wavell Hinds has just as much power as Gayle. I'd love to have seen him in a few more T20 matches.

I highly disagree with Lara. While he is the best batsman ever (Sachin fans feel free to get irate), Lara simply isn't a T20 guy. Unless his role is as the anchor, he is useless. He has played a few games for various leagues and has not profited. Now Lara in his prime? Still only a guy to turn over the strike. Fours, yes. Sixes...maybe. Find the gap in the field? Definitely. But not an impressive strike rate. Barely touching 120.

 

[PokerAce]

Guys its not about the players long retired. Nobody is going to doubt that Sobers would be one of the best T20 players ever. But its about the guys of the late 80s, 90s and early 00s.

Well finally someone gets it ... lets stick to late 90s and early 00s retirements.

Speaking as a proud West Indian, I agree with Carl Hooper and Ridley Jacobs. Hooper for his all round skills and Jacobs for his hard hitting, albeit high lack of grace at the crease.

Ambrose would have been amazing in T20. Accuracy, economy, he'd definitely rival Samuel Badree for lowest economy rate.

Funny story...in the regional T20 tournament one year, Ambrose and Walsh were doing commentary. Ambie said if he was playing now he'd think of himself as a cameo player, hitting a few sixes to bring the run rate up. Walsh gave him some talks about that, then the stats guy pulled up something hilarious. Walsh actually hit more Test sixes than Ambrose! Both men were shocked and you could hear laughter from everyone in the booth.

Ricardo Powell would be the Pollard of yesteryear. When he fires, he'll fire big. The thing is getting him to fire. I was never, and I will never be a Pollard fan due to that very reason. I was also not a Powell fan.

Wavell Hinds has just as much power as Gayle. I'd love to have seen him in a few more T20 matches.

I highly disagree with Lara. While he is the best batsman ever (Sachin fans feel free to get irate), Lara simply isn't a T20 guy. Unless his role is as the anchor, he is useless. He has played a few games for various leagues and has not profited. Now Lara in his prime? Still only a guy to turn over the strike. Fours, yes. Sixes...maybe. Find the gap in the field? Definitely. But not an impressive strike rate. Barely touching 120.

I agree about Jacobs, but I am not sure about Hooper. I don't remember Hooper as a big hitter, more an accumulator than a hitter. Agree on Ambrose too.

Ricardo Powell was not a yesteryear Pollard, more like a yesteryear Afridi. More often than he would miss, but when he hit yeah he was a destroyer. I think you are being too kind comparing Hinds to Gayle.

On Lara, I don't think he or Tendulkar were T20 guys to be honest. While I rate Tendulkar over Lara, (we can go into the whys on another day), but nether I felt were made for T20. Or atleast the Tendulkar that would have taken to T20 like Duck to water was finished by early 00s. Tendulkar in most of 00s was an accumulator and not a destroyer. I suspect had Lara been around till the advent of T20, he too would have been past his destroyer self, and thus not exactly suited to T20.

One however could always wonder of what a young Tendulkar and Lara would have done in T20 early in their careers. However Tendulkar fans take some delight in whatever little T20 Tendulkar played, and I am sure Lara fans would have also loved to see him play his part.