Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Off Topic => Sports Arena => Topic started by: Dave Cooper please on August 04, 2014, 12:06:00 PM
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We occasionally debate our favourite footballers and the best ever Villa player (Brian Little of course), but how about cricketers?
I'll open with Brian Lara, absolute genius batsman.
And Flintoff, just because of the buzz he created every time he was thrown the ball, and for this over:
Linky (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH2UnMxR3IM)
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Viv Richards
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Viv Richards, proper nice bloke as well. Turned up at my wedding.
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Good question, I'll go for Viv Richards with honorouble mentions for Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee and although not a 'great' I used to love watching Darren Lehmann bat for Yorkshire.
My dad worked in the scoreboard at Scarborough and loved his cricket, his top three were Bradman, Johnny Wardle and Len Hutton. I didn't ever see any of them play but he got all misty eyed whenever they came up in conversation!
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Warne, reinvented spin bowling, especially leg spin which had all but died out in Test Cricket.
Great competitor, could take wickets on any surface, rarely got taken apart and could bowl for other bowlers when required. His performance in the 05 Ashes with 40 wickets in the series summed him up.
Great cricket brain, no slouch with the bat and a superb sledger by all accounts.
Loved him to have been English.
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Tendulkar's century at Edgbaston in 1996. Most people were under the stands, watching England and Switzerland play out a nil nil draw at Euro 96 while Sachin was putting on a master class
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As Bears fan, I count myself lucky that I got to see Brian Lara and Allan Donald at their peak. Apart from those two, I'd have to go with Shane Warne, who I saw at Edgbaston in the 2005 Ashes series. I heard someone say that "every ball was an event" with Warne, which is about right!!
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Donald for me as well.
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Brian Lara was best mates with Dwight Yorke. I take an interest in cricket but I am not a huge fan. I always admired the skills and winning mentality of Ian Botham, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
Quick edit, I forgot the Tasmanian Devil himself, Ricky Ponting.
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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?"
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Mike Procter
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Was anyone present when Brian Lara answered his mobile phone whilst fielding at Edgbaston?
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Mike Procter
His move to Forest didn't work out. He ended up going to Sunderland, Sheff Wed and then back to Middlesbrough.
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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?
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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.
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I also watched wasim akram run in and bowl against my side. Was good watching from the pavilion but not so good facing him.
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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.
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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.
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Viv Richards for me. He had an aura about him and seemed invincible.
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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 ?
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Curtley Ambrose
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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.
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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.
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Curtley Ambrose
Good shout. The Australians didn't really become dominant until Ambrose and Walsh had departed the scene.
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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.
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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.
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Lara and Warne for me, and I also liked watching Ponting bat.
I wish I could have seen Larwood and before him Barnes.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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Freddie Trueman was the Muhammed Ali of cricket. He was that good.
I forgot about Fiery another of my dad's favourites, i've seen him play but don't remember any of it! Saw Tendulkar play for Yorkshire but the couple of times I saw him he didn't score many runs, one of my favourite battles was watching Richie Richardson playing for Yorkshire facing a fired up Allan Donald for Warwickshire, he was wearing his trademark floppy hat and didn't look in the slightest bit intimidated.
Forgot about Shane Warne, we're lucky we've seen some magnificent players over the years. Lara, Imran Khan, Botham, Richard Hadlee etc
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Lara for me, hands down the most elegant batsmen I have ever seen.
As for bowlers, I always enjoyed watching a genuine fast bowler at work, Waqar, AD and Brett Lee spring to mind. But my favourite was seeing big Curtly steaming into bowl.
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Re Viv Richards. I remember reading somewhere that Somerset's one day tactics only involved asking him not to get out.
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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.
I'd still take Roberts, Holding and Marshall ahead of Ambrose and Walsh.
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Mcgrath, Warne and Lara for me.
Mcgrath was superb, not as quick or intimidating as the likes of Marshall, Ambrose or Walsh but bowled the right line and length for any batsman he faced, if he didn't know much about someone it'd take him a couple of overs before he looked like he was bowling to a well scripted plan, brilliant bowler with a fantastic understanding of the game.
Warne, as mentioned above, bowled every ball as if he was going to take a wicket, as he says in commentary now, he always went for the ball the batsman didn't want to face, sometimes they'd clip him away for runs and a lesser bowler might wimp out but he just backed himself to get his man sooner or later, he's a true legend.
Lara, probably should have a better average than he has, every action was smooth and fluid, he always looked in control and had the ability to ease the pressure by finding a few boundaries from nowhere. Anyone who's career best figures at international and first class read as 400* and 501* has to be included in the greatest 11 of all time.
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Batsman would be Lara.
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Bowler would be Warne.
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Of cricketers I've seen live, then it's between Sobers and Trueman.
Dad took me to the last day's play of the Edgbaston Test in 63. I got to see Phil Sharpe and Tony Lock set a record last wicket stand (Sharpe got 85 on debut) against Hall, Griffiths, Sobers and Gibbs, then watched awestruck as Fred tore the Windies a new one - all out for 91 with Trueman getting 7 for 44 against a batting lineup that had Deryck Murray in at 8.
It was my first live game and most of that day is burned bright into my head (I was 10), particularly the spectacular way Fred bowled. That was in the days of the back foot no-ball rule and Fred was one of those who dragged his back leg in his bowling stride, and what I wasn't prepared for was that his last stride was ENORMOUS and that dragged back foot raised a great rooster tail of dust that made every ball a dramatic occasion.
Oh and Sir Frank Worrell whinged all the way back to the Pavilion that he hadn't gloved Trueman to Parks in the middle of the collapse (he hadn't, it had hit his arm when we watched the highlights later on TV).
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I was there for that game RR burned in my mind too. Equally memorable was Bears versus the Windies when Charlie Grove took eight wickets in a couple of hours against the team that included Worrell, Weekes, Walcott, Rhamadin and Valentine.
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It is easy to pick the likes of Warne and Richards et al but having sat at Edgbaston for 40 years or so my take would be from players who i saw day in and day out plying their
trade in the Championship and other one day assorted competitions and some of my choices would come under of the greats mentioned by all and sundry in the thread so far.
I was fortunate to be at Edgbaston at the game v Durham when Lara scored his 501* an innings of sheer class but against an attack weakened by injuries but by the sheer weight of runs
he scored for Bears must make him No.1, likewise 'White Lightning' Mr Allan Donald himself would i think have to be No 1 of the bowling fraternity and we have had some good 'uns at
Edgbaston,Shaun Pollock, a young Dale Steyn unfortunately only for a season, Chris Martin - injured too often, Waqar Younis.
So i have selected my best Bears XI based on my years watching and a few of them could be mentioned by various people in this thread: So my side would be:
1 Dennis Amiss
2 Bob Barber or Rohan Kanhai
3 Alvin Kallicharran or Jonathan Trott
4 Brian Lara
5 Ian Bell
6 MJK Smith or Dermot Reeve (either as capt)
7 Jeetan Patel or Lance Gibbs (if Gibbs shunt him to 11)
8 Keith Piper - in my opinion the best ever keeper i have seen up to stumps wherever- couldn't bat but nursed Lara to his 501)
9 Tom Cartwright
10 Gladstone Small
11 Allan Donald
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It is easy to pick the likes of Warne and Richards et al but having sat at Edgbaston for 40 years or so my take would be from players who i saw day in and day out plying their
trade in the Championship and other one day assorted competitions and some of my choices would come under of the greats mentioned by all and sundry in the thread so far.
I was fortunate to be at Edgbaston at the game v Durham when Lara scored his 501* an innings of sheer class but against an attack weakened by injuries but by the sheer weight of runs
he scored for Bears must make him No.1, likewise 'White Lightning' Mr Allan Donald himself would i think have to be No 1 of the bowling fraternity and we have had some good 'uns at
Edgbaston,Shaun Pollock, a young Dale Steyn unfortunately only for a season, Chris Martin - injured too often, Waqar Younis.
So i have selected my best Bears XI based on my years watching and a few of them could be mentioned by various people in this thread: So my side would be:
1 Dennis Amiss
2 Bob Barber or Rohan Kanhai
3 Alvin Kallicharran or Jonathan Trott
4 Brian Lara
5 Ian Bell
6 MJK Smith or Dermot Reeve (either as capt)
7 Jeetan Patel or Lance Gibbs (if Gibbs shunt him to 11)
8 Keith Piper - in my opinion the best ever keeper i have seen up to stumps wherever- couldn't bat but nursed Lara to his 501)
9 Tom Cartwright
10 Gladstone Small
11 Allan Donald
Damn good X1 that, PGW. I would consider David Brown and John Jameson.
When Kanhai and Jameson were on form together, it was something to behold.
For pure poetry in motion on the cricket field, I would go for Dennis Lillee. I have always preferred watch the game behind the wicket, but when he was bowling I would go to square leg.
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Best all-rounder for me would be Botham.
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It is easy to pick the likes of Warne and Richards et al but having sat at Edgbaston for 40 years or so my take would be from players who i saw day in and day out plying their
trade in the Championship and other one day assorted competitions and some of my choices would come under of the greats mentioned by all and sundry in the thread so far.
I was fortunate to be at Edgbaston at the game v Durham when Lara scored his 501* an innings of sheer class but against an attack weakened by injuries but by the sheer weight of runs
he scored for Bears must make him No.1, likewise 'White Lightning' Mr Allan Donald himself would i think have to be No 1 of the bowling fraternity and we have had some good 'uns at
Edgbaston,Shaun Pollock, a young Dale Steyn unfortunately only for a season, Chris Martin - injured too often, Waqar Younis.
So i have selected my best Bears XI based on my years watching and a few of them could be mentioned by various people in this thread: So my side would be:
1 Dennis Amiss
2 Bob Barber or Rohan Kanhai
3 Alvin Kallicharran or Jonathan Trott
4 Brian Lara
5 Ian Bell
6 MJK Smith or Dermot Reeve (either as capt)
7 Jeetan Patel or Lance Gibbs (if Gibbs shunt him to 11)
8 Keith Piper - in my opinion the best ever keeper i have seen up to stumps wherever- couldn't bat but nursed Lara to his 501)
9 Tom Cartwright
10 Gladstone Small
11 Allan Donald
Damn good X1 that, PGW. I would consider David Brown and John Jameson.
When Kanhai and Jameson were on form together, it was something to behold.
For pure poetry in motion on the cricket field, I would go for Dennis Lillee. I have always preferred watch the game behind the wicket, but when he was bowling I would go to square leg.
Good side. I'd look to include Tim Munton and I always had a soft spot for Trevor Penney for his amazing fielding skills.
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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.
Yeah, watching those two as a youth tear through us time and time again set the benchmark in my mind for what fast bowling is.
Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis together were pretty devastating when on song.
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It is easy to pick the likes of Warne and Richards et al
To be fair the question was who is the best cricketer you've ever watched and there aren't many better.
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Graeme Hick.
But then he was my hero when I was about nine years old.
From watching on TV, Glenn McGrath always came across as Mr. Consistent.
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I'd say Courtney Walsh, played for an unfashionable county and carried the team. A master.
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Thread says best Cricketer not best batsman or best bowler so for me the best I have seen is Mike Procter by a long way. Obviously Sir Gary Sobers must be the best cricketer ever but I didn't see him play.
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Nobody has mentioned the terrifying West Indies quickie that was Wes Hall. Wes had a very long run up to the wicket.
If he was bowling at Edgbaston he would start his run up at Headingley!
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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?"
Yes it was WTF moment completely astonishing ball but the more I thought of it later on the more I am convinced that a top class batsman in form would have got that ball. Gatting was not in the best shape both physically and form wise to deal with that. Sachin or Brian would have sorted it.
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Who was it who said if it had been a pork pie it wouldn't have got past Gatting?
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I loved Lara and Donald but Viv just oozed cool and I'm delighted to say I saw him live. I'll never be able to see Maradona, Cruyff or Pele so delighted I saw one of the undisputed best three or four cricketers of all time at Edgbaston.
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My dad was working in the scoreboard for Bradman's final ever innings in England, I've got a fantastic photo of him from that day which along with the signed team sheet of the 1948 tourists my dad left me are two of my most treasured possessions.
I've never been an autograph collector but an old neighbour played for Yorkshire in the early seventies and would get each team they played yo sign an autograph book for me, I found a couple of them the other day and there are some amazing signatures in there including the touring sides. Another thing about cricket is there are some brilliant books and writers on the subject.
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If we're going best all rounder it'd be Jacques Kallis. Superb player who I actually played against when he was about 17 and played for Old Edwardians in the Midland Combination around 1993ish.
Unbelievable record for runs, wickets and catches.
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Mcgrath was superb, not as quick or intimidating as the likes of Marshall, Ambrose or Walsh but bowled the right line and length for any batsman he faced, if he didn't know much about someone it'd take him a couple of overs before he looked like he was bowling to a well scripted plan, brilliant bowler with a fantastic understanding of the game.
I reckon the best tribute I could give to McGrath was when I was on a number 45 bus on my way to the first day of the test at Edgbaston. Someone on the top deck was listening to the radio and he just yelled "McGrath's out, twisted his ankle" The bus erupted, standing ovations, and all you could hear outside was car horns and people on the pavement jumping up and down. That's how important he was in that series, if he hadn't fell over that cricket ball I don't think we would have won The Ashes.
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I always enjoyed watching Clive Lloyd.
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Batsman Graeme Hick (I'm biased)
Keeper Adam Gilchrist
All Rounder Ian Botham
Spinner Shane Warne
Seamer Glenn Mcgrath
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Mcgrath was superb, not as quick or intimidating as the likes of Marshall, Ambrose or Walsh but bowled the right line and length for any batsman he faced, if he didn't know much about someone it'd take him a couple of overs before he looked like he was bowling to a well scripted plan, brilliant bowler with a fantastic understanding of the game.
I reckon the best tribute I could give to McGrath was when I was on a number 45 bus on my way to the first day of the test at Edgbaston. Someone on the top deck was listening to the radio and he just yelled "McGrath's out, twisted his ankle" The bus erupted, standing ovations, and all you could hear outside was car horns and people on the pavement jumping up and down. That's how important he was in that series, if he hadn't fell over that cricket ball I don't think we would have won The Ashes.
Dead right Plumbutt, the whole atmosphere changed. That and when Ratboy said "we'll have a bowl thanks" an hour later. Handed us back the initiative.
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I always enjoyed watching Clive Lloyd.
Same here! The West Indies team of the mid seventies was full of great players.
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Only really remember the latter part of his career, but an on form David Gower was a great player to watch. During the last test they had a number of comments on the BBC page regarding the "best shot in cricket". I didn't see it mentioned on there, but Gower's cover drive would surely be right up there.
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Derek Randall. Brilliant batsman, brilliant fielder, brilliant attitude and all-round good guy.
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Allan Donald for his lightning quick bowling, Trevor Penney for his fielding and Lara, Hick, Moody and many more Bears for their batting.
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Warne was one hell of a player to watch. I was lucky enough to see many years of Courtney Walsh at Gloucestershire as well so he would be right up there for me.
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Derek Randall. Brilliant batsman, brilliant fielder, brilliant attitude and all-round good guy.
Didn't think I'd see his name here!
As a kid I enjoyed watching him more than anyone else. Won't say he was the best I've ever seen but he had me enthralled whenever I saw him play.
Willis, Donald, Lara, Kallicharran, Amiss. Paul Smith even, were all great players but the greatest I've ever seen?
Has to be Shane Warne.
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Derek Randall. Brilliant batsman, brilliant fielder, brilliant attitude and all-round good guy.
My favourite non-Glos cricketer when I was a kid.
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Warne as a bowler and probably Lara when in his pomp.
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This thread has taken me back to the 60s when I used to go to Edgbaston with my dad. It's mainly the batsmen who live in my memory, elegant Bob Barber, the sometimes brutal John Jameson, Rohan Kanhai and his falling over hook shot and Jim Stewart. who I'm sure I saw hit one into Canons Hill Park, but that just might be my memory playing tricks.
Of the bowlers, Lance Gibbs, a huge star at that time and Tom Cartright who just seemd to trundle up and bowl medium paced deliveries that looked destined for the middle of the bat...but rarely were,.
Happy days.
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My first day at New Road was 1991 vs West Indies, Hicky was in overnight so rocked up expecting to see him show the Windies what to expect, he was out after 6 or 7 balls so I guess he did in a way for that summer.....however in came a certain Ian Terence Botham who clubbed a beautifully powerful 161....great introduction for me!
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Got to be Shane Warne, ok he used to revel in embarrassing us and just about every other cricket nation but what an unbelievable spin bowler, one of the greatest of all time.
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Bowler - Denis Lillee
Batsman - Rohan Kanhai
Wicketkeeper- Derek Murray
Fielder - Derek Randall
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Bowler - Warne
Batsman - Lara
Fielder - Jonty Rhodes
Wicketkeeper - Gilchrist(all round package)
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Bowler - Malcolm Marshall
Batsmen - Lara
Fielder - Collingwood
Wickie - Jack Russell
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I've only been to one top class cricket match and that was in 1982 I think. It was the quarter finals of the NatWest trophy between Somerset and Warwickshire. There were some great players on that pitch - Ian Botham, Bob Willis and Viv Richards. My vote would be for Viv Richards. I'll never forget his deep wail of "stayyyy" when he was batting and telling the other batsman that he didn't want him to run. Bob Willis looked really scary as he was bowling, all hair, legs and arms but Richards was the main man for me.
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Watched live:
Fast bowler -Dennis Lillee
Spinner -Michael Vaughan (bowled Tendulkar!)
Batsman -Viv
Fielder -Randall
W/keeper -Bob Taylor
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Batsman - Viv Richards
Bowler - Allan Donald
Fielder - Jonty Rhodes
All Rounder - Ian Botham
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All from 36 years of watching live cricket:
Batsman: Sir Viv
Bowler: Warne
Fielder: Trevor Penney
Keeper: Adam Gilchirst - for his all-round contribution to the team and a decent glove man
Captain: Michael Vaughan - always seemed to be one step ahead of the opposition and made things happen
All Rounder - Sir Beefy
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Brian Lara. End of - pure genius. 501 anybody?
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First "proper" game of cricket I ever went to see was England v West Indies ODI at Old Trafford in 1984, when I was 13.
Viv Richards scored 189 no. Smashed the likes of Willis and Botham all around and out of the ground. Put on over 100 with Michael Holding for the last wicket, who scored 12.
Still haven't seen anything like it. Doubt I ever will. He's the man for me.
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someone mentioned elegant, I was lucky enough to see Hadlee play Pelsall in his testimonial year.
but I have been (as have others on here) to see some fine cricketers, and cannot compalin at some of the names been mentioned.
As an acclaimed fast right arm....ill go with whispering death...Holding. I loved watching him bowl
no one has mentioned Boycs
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Mike Proctor without any question.
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Hopefully, in 10 years time, Sam Hain will be mentioned?....
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Best ever cricketer i have ever seen? Wow,that is a hard one,in fact in over 50 years of watching cricket i don't think i could pick just one.
As a Bear, i would have to go for the likes of Lara, Donald,Willis and Small and Doshi. Going back to a earlier era, i would also have to mention Jameson,,Kallicharran,Kanhai,Amiss,Gibbs and MJK Smith
On a wider front, Sobers,Procter,Warne,Richards,McGrath,Clive Lloyd ,Hadlee,Botham,Flintcroft and Knott come to mind
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Mike Proctor without any question.
Close the thread, we have a winner.
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As a biased Aussie and young whippersnapper, I'll throw Ponting in there mostly because he hasn't got a mention just yet. Superb batsman and unbelievably good fielder who caught everything and hit the stumps more often than not. Tendulkar and Lara probably better batsmen among contemporaries (with other contenders such as Sangakkara, Dravid, Hayden, etc.), Kallis has the all-round chops, and a lot of superb bowlers to think about, but Ponting is one of the guys I grew up watching summer after summer.
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As a biased Aussie and young whippersnapper, I'll throw Ponting in there mostly because he hasn't got a mention just yet. Superb batsman and unbelievably good fielder who caught everything and hit the stumps more often than not. Tendulkar and Lara probably better batsmen among contemporaries (with other contenders such as Sangakkara, Dravid, Hayden, etc.), Kallis has the all-round chops, and a lot of superb bowlers to think about, but Ponting is one of the guys I grew up watching summer after summer.
Didn't play the game in a good enough spirit for me.
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I think in the first two Warwickshire matches I ever saw - as a young kid in the early eighties - Kalli made a century. I didn't know much about cricket then but he was clearly a wonderful batsman. It was in the days of Anton Ferreira and Geoff Humpage (who lived down the road from us). And Norman Gifford, who was in his late seventies, I think.
I remember a lot of brilliant performances in the glory years of the early nineties; I saw Trevor Penney take some absolutely unbelievable catches; Allan Donald was frightening in his pomp; I also remember someone (I can't remember who) smashing a six into the Eric Hollies and it landed right in the bag of the man in front of us and squashed his sandwiches. He'd seen the ball coming and made a hasty lurch to his left, so he didn't see where it went. I dipped into his bag and retrieved it, after which he held aloft a completely destroyed cheese and tomato bap. (It may have been the same match where there was a tannoy announcement that went, "Would the owner of a light blue Lada..." the rest of the message completely lost in loud guffawing from all round the ground).
Funnily enough, in spite of our success in that era, the best performance I can remember was from Robin Smith, who scored a majestic century for Hampshire in a one-day quarter final. He was on another planet that day, we just couldn't bowl anywhere to him. Everything went to the boundary. Quite brilliant.
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As a biased Aussie and young whippersnapper, I'll throw Ponting in there mostly because he hasn't got a mention just yet. Superb batsman and unbelievably good fielder who caught everything and hit the stumps more often than not. Tendulkar and Lara probably better batsmen among contemporaries (with other contenders such as Sangakkara, Dravid, Hayden, etc.), Kallis has the all-round chops, and a lot of superb bowlers to think about, but Ponting is one of the guys I grew up watching summer after summer.
Didn't play the game in a good enough spirit for me.
Well, yeah, he was kind of a prick. But that shouldn't be relevant to this kind of conversation though.
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Mentioning Ponting gives me another excuse to post this:
I just love the look on his little rat-featured face as he trudges off.
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What a time that was. The atmosphere was completely ridiculous.
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Fiery Fred Trueman. The Muhammed Ali of great fast bowlers. If he was still alive today he would tell you so as well!
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Mentioning Ponting gives me another excuse to post this:
I just love the look on his little rat-featured face as he trudges off.
Lovely stuff