I'm genuinely shocked that
he is still available after so many rounds. He was a genuinely frightening quick bowler who could bowl with real swing and accuracy but his main claim to fame was the several variations he had of the slower ball, one of which was disguised expertly as a beamer after a few bouncers but in reality would just loop at a very slow pace before landing as the perfect yorker (Akhtar used this successfully versus England once). A mentor to Chris Cairns who claims that he learnt the art of slower deliveries from him, he was arguably the first bowler who popularised the variations of a slower delivery in limited overs cricket. This is without mentioning the fact that he could revert to bowling slow off-breaks like a spinner with or without changing his bowling action. In addition, he could bowl a quicker delivery with a spinners' action too!
And if you were impressed with that alone, he was a mercurial talent with the bat. Bowlers were afraid to bowl at him because he had no respect for them, often resorting to slogging the very next ball even when beaten previously. His strike-rate was roughly estimated to be nearing hundred, an outstanding feat for the era he played in. Had he not been on those rebel tours (a decision he still stands by), he would have been regarded as another one of those glorious all-rounders of the 80s.
My pick will be the last player to achieve the 'double' in county cricket and perhaps the greatest player to have never played an international game of cricket,
Franklyn Stephenson. Of course, he shall take the new ball with Rice and will be invaluable in the death overs. With the bat, Stephenson will be the one who smashes boundaries towards the end of the innings.
@ahmedleo414
Josephat Ababu
