Greatest test cricket all-rounders

Greatest test cricket all-rounders

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S

Joined
22 May 06
Moves
1287
10 Dec 06

1. KAPIL DEV (IND)
2. IAN BOTHAM (ENG)
3. IMRAN KHAN (PAK)
4. GARY SOBERS (WI)
5.RICHARD HADLEE (NZ)
6. JACQUES KALLIS (SA)-still playing
7. FREDDY FLINTOFF (ENG)- still playing so may move up the list
8. WASIM AKRAM (PAK)
9. GRAHAM POLLACK (SA)
10. SANATH JAYASURIYA (SL)

m

Joined
07 Sep 05
Moves
35068
10 Dec 06
2 edits

With the usual caveat about statistics not giving the whole story, here are the career test stats for the players you've mentioned (plus one other - personally I think you've got the wrong Pollock on the list!)

(Tests - runs - batting average - wickets - bowling average)

Kapil Dev 131 - 5258 - 31.1 - 434 - 29.6
Ian Botham 102 - 5200 - 33.5 - 383 - 28.4
Imran Khan 88 - 3807 - 37.7 - 362 - 22.8
Gary Sobers 93 - 8032 - 57.8 - 235 - 34.0
Richard Hadlee 86 - 3124 - 27.2 - 431 - 22.3
Jacques Kallis 102 - 8033 - 55.8 - 200 - 31.7
Andrew Flintoff 64 - 3183 - 32.5 - 193 - 31.4
Wasim Akram 104 - 2898 - 22.6 - 414 - 23.6
Graeme Pollock 23 - 2256 - 61.0 - 4 - 51.0
Sanath Jayasuriya 106 - 6760 - 40.7 - 96 - 34.1
Shaun Pollock 102 - 3515 - 32.0 - 296 - 23.4

The 'usual' consensus seems to go for Gary Sobers, and you can certainly make a good case for that. What surprised me a bit is quite how good Kallis' figures look.

RN
RHP Prophet

pursuing happiness

Joined
22 Feb 06
Moves
13669
10 Dec 06

What about Sir Donald Bradman, the "Babe Ruth of Cricket"?

"Cricket could learn a lot from baseball" Don Bradman

m

Joined
07 Sep 05
Moves
35068
10 Dec 06
1 edit

Originally posted by Red Night
What about Sir Donald Bradman, the "Babe Ruth of Cricket"?
He's the greatest batsman ever, but he's not really an allrounder (successful as both batsman and bowler).

t

my island

Joined
10 Nov 05
Moves
17944
10 Dec 06
1 edit

Originally posted by Red Night
What about Sir Donald Bradman, the "Babe Ruth of Cricket"?

"Cricket could learn a lot from baseball" Don Bradman
all rounders bat and bowl, bradman just batted. (probably)

edit: 😠

m

Joined
07 Sep 05
Moves
35068
10 Dec 06

Originally posted by trevor33
all rounders bat and bowl, bradman just batted. (probably)
Like most batsmen do at some point, he bowled a few overs, but not seriously. He's got two test wickets.

E
YNWA

Joined
10 Nov 05
Moves
30185
10 Dec 06
1 edit

Actually I thought Kallis might be higher - he's top quality especially with the bat. What makes him better is that I'm pretty sure his figures are right up there in OD games too.

AB

Joined
19 Sep 05
Moves
80356
10 Dec 06

Originally posted by SALADIN
1. KAPIL DEV (IND)
2. IAN BOTHAM (ENG)
3. IMRAN KHAN (PAK)
4. GARY SOBERS (WI)
5.RICHARD HADLEE (NZ)
6. JACQUES KALLIS (SA)-still playing
7. FREDDY FLINTOFF (ENG)- still playing so may move up the list
8. WASIM AKRAM (PAK)
9. GRAHAM POLLACK (SA)
10. SANATH JAYASURIYA (SL)
Beefy for me.

Flintoff doesn't deserve to be mentioned amongst them yet.

C
Not Aleister

Control room

Joined
17 Apr 02
Moves
91813
10 Dec 06

Kallis is class. Hell, that guy has fallen in and out of favour with me so many times, I've lost count.
He just keeps coming back.

When he's on song, he is awesome - he anchors the innings, takes a few wickets with his out-swingers and takes some great catches in the slips.


Shaun Pollock must be rated as the top all rounder at the moment. He's almost 'over the hill'. Lost some pace, but is still painfully accurate and he's batting is pretty damn good now...

I

Joined
16 Oct 06
Moves
4532
11 Dec 06

It's hard to take that list seriously, it doesn't have Sobers 1st.

h

Cosmos

Joined
21 Jan 04
Moves
11184
11 Dec 06

Originally posted by SALADIN
1. KAPIL DEV (IND)
2. IAN BOTHAM (ENG)
3. IMRAN KHAN (PAK)
4. GARY SOBERS (WI)
5.RICHARD HADLEE (NZ)
6. JACQUES KALLIS (SA)-still playing
7. FREDDY FLINTOFF (ENG)- still playing so may move up the list
8. WASIM AKRAM (PAK)
9. GRAHAM POLLACK (SA)
10. SANATH JAYASURIYA (SL)
Beefy. Simply because of 1980. You know what I mean!

V
Thinking...

Odersfelt

Joined
20 Jan 03
Moves
14580
11 Dec 06

Originally posted by mtthw
With the usual caveat about statistics not giving the whole story, here are the career test stats for the players you've mentioned (plus one other - personally I think you've got the wrong Pollock on the list!)
You're right - stats don't give the whole story.
Graham Pollock spent most of his career not being allowed to play Test cricket because of the sanctions against South Africa.
He was supposed to be much better at his peak.

Also, Flintoff's figures are misleading because at the start of his career he was shockingly bad.
If you discount his first 20 or 30 Tests his figures are much much better.

member 001

Planet Oz

Joined
28 May 06
Moves
94734
11 Dec 06

There is possibly two great all rounders missing ,they are Keith Miller and Richie Benaud.

You might have to wonder about a bloke called Shane Warne if going on stats is the issue ,although he probably does not fit the all rounder catergory.

Keith Miller should certainly be in the top 5 though.

V
Thinking...

Odersfelt

Joined
20 Jan 03
Moves
14580
11 Dec 06

Imran Khan's stats are pretty amazing.
Ave.

m

Joined
07 Sep 05
Moves
35068
11 Dec 06

Originally posted by boarman
There is possibly two great all rounders missing ,they are Keith Miller and Richie Benaud.
OK, let's add them to the list:

(Tests - runs - batting average - wickets - bowling average)
Kapil Dev 131 - 5258 - 31.1 - 434 - 29.6
Ian Botham 102 - 5200 - 33.5 - 383 - 28.4
Imran Khan 88 - 3807 - 37.7 - 362 - 22.8
Gary Sobers 93 - 8032 - 57.8 - 235 - 34.0
Richard Hadlee 86 - 3124 - 27.2 - 431 - 22.3
Jacques Kallis 102 - 8033 - 55.8 - 200 - 31.7
Andrew Flintoff 64 - 3183 - 32.5 - 193 - 31.4
Wasim Akram 104 - 2898 - 22.6 - 414 - 23.6
Graeme Pollock 23 - 2256 - 61.0 - 4 - 51.0
Sanath Jayasuriya 106 - 6760 - 40.7 - 96 - 34.1
Shaun Pollock 102 - 3515 - 32.0 - 296 - 23.4
Keith Miller 55 - 2958 - 37.0 - 170 - 23.0
Richie Benaud 63 - 2201 - 24.5 - 248 - 27.0