Best cricketer you've ever watched.

[richl]

I also watched wasim akram run in and bowl against my side. Was good watching from the pavilion but not so good facing him.

[OzVilla]

Warne thought he could take a wicket with every ball he bowled, and it was that belief that made him great.

I was sat in a pub in Brum when he bowled THAT ball that dismissed Gatting at Old Trafford, there were about a dozen of us and we all just looked at each other as if to say "What the fuck was that?"

THAT ball has a name doesn't it? Is it the ball of the decade or ball of the century or some grand title like that?

Ball of the century. I still remember watching it live with some mates and we were just stunned, one who'd been in the bog came back to a chorus of "you'll never fuckig believe this ball thats just  been bowled".  We'd never heard of Shane Warne before then.

[OzVilla]

Depends on your age of course but Frederick Sewards Trueman is the greatest cricketer I have ever seen. Or am likely to see.

Freddie Trueman was the Muhammed Ali of cricket. He was that good.

My old man loves Trueman and Keith Miller. I'd have loved to have seen them play.

[Villan For Life]

Viv Richards for me. He had an aura about him and seemed invincible.

[Damo70]

Warne thought he could take a wicket with every ball he bowled, and it was that belief that made him great.

I was sat in a pub in Brum when he bowled THAT ball that dismissed Gatting at Old Trafford, there were about a dozen of us and we all just looked at each other as if to say "What the fuck was that?"

THAT ball has a name doesn't it? Is it the ball of the decade or ball of the century or some grand title like that?

Ball of the century. I still remember watching it live with some mates and we were just stunned, one who'd been in the bog came back to a chorus of "you'll never fuckig believe this ball thats just  been bowled".  We'd never heard of Shane Warne before then.

Am I right in saying that was his test debut ?

[taylorsworkrate]

Curtley Ambrose

[OzVilla]

Warne thought he could take a wicket with every ball he bowled, and it was that belief that made him great.

I was sat in a pub in Brum when he bowled THAT ball that dismissed Gatting at Old Trafford, there were about a dozen of us and we all just looked at each other as if to say "What the fuck was that?"

THAT ball has a name doesn't it? Is it the ball of the decade or ball of the century or some grand title like that?

Ball of the century. I still remember watching it live with some mates and we were just stunned, one who'd been in the bog came back to a chorus of "you'll never fuckig believe this ball thats just  been bowled".  We'd never heard of Shane Warne before then.

Am I right in saying that was his test debut ?

No his Test debut was against India and he went wicket less conceding 100 plus in the first innings.
The Gatting ball was his first in Ashes Cricket though. Pretty good introduction.

[richl]

Warne thought he could take a wicket with every ball he bowled, and it was that belief that made him great.

I was sat in a pub in Brum when he bowled THAT ball that dismissed Gatting at Old Trafford, there were about a dozen of us and we all just looked at each other as if to say "What the fuck was that?"

THAT ball has a name doesn't it? Is it the ball of the decade or ball of the century or some grand title like that?

Ball of the century. I still remember watching it live with some mates and we were just stunned, one who'd been in the bog came back to a chorus of "you'll never fuckig believe this ball thats just  been bowled".  We'd never heard of Shane Warne before then.

Am I right in saying that was his test debut ?

I don't think it was. On debut he was smashed all round the park.

[tomd2103]

Curtley Ambrose

Good shout.  The Australians didn't really become dominant until Ambrose and Walsh had departed the scene. 

[brian green]

Don Bradman by a mile. Keith Miller, Garfield Sobers. Never saw Learie Constantine but my brother said he was very special. Best English cricketer Ian Botham (despite his personality) best Bear Eric Hollies.

[Dave Cooper please]

Sir Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose. Great name, even better cricketer.

Him and Walsh bowling in tandem on a seaming pitch must have been terrifying for a batsman.

[aev]

Lara and Warne for me, and I also liked watching Ponting bat.

I wish I could have seen Larwood and before him Barnes.

[Dave Cooper please]

I suppose I'd better mention Botham. I wasn't much of a fan of cricket before 1981, then my Dad decided to educate me by making me sit down and watch just about every ball of The Ashes that year. Hooked ever since. Willis gets an honourable mention for the same reason.

[SteveN]

Batsman has to be Viv Richards.  My dad knew far more about cricket than I ever will and said that Richards was better than Bradman.  That will do for me.

Probably not the best bowler that ever was but my favourite to watch was Jeff Thomson.  Saw him at Edgbaston once and could not get over how far back the wicket keeper and slips were.   A ball on a good length at tremendous pace with the maker's name on it coming up at your throat.  Frightning.

[andyaston]

With the ball quick bowlers I'd say Malcolm Marshall and Glenn McGrath, they were always minutes away from prizing a wicket out when they came on to bowl. Spinner, well it has to be Warney.

Batting wise Viv Richards, once he got in the game got away from the opposition. In recent years Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar get the nod.

I never saw Don Bradman but, to average 99 in a long test career has to make him the greatest ever, no one will ever come close to that average it is unbelievable!