Best cricketer you've ever watched.

[eric woolban woolban]

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.

[lovejoy]

I'd say Courtney Walsh, played for an unfashionable county and carried the team. A master.

[olaftab]

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.

[Ron Manager]

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!

[olaftab]

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.

[Chris Jameson]

Who was it who said if it had been a pork pie it wouldn't have got past Gatting?

[cdbearsfan]

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.

[Chris Jameson]

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.

[OzVilla]

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.

[Dave Cooper please]

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.

[dave shelley]

I always enjoyed watching Clive Lloyd.

[kiddylion]

Batsman  Graeme Hick (I'm biased)
Keeper Adam Gilchrist
All Rounder Ian Botham
Spinner Shane Warne
Seamer Glenn Mcgrath

[OzVilla]

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.

[Chris Jameson]

I always enjoyed watching Clive Lloyd.

Same here! The West Indies team of the mid seventies was full of great players.

[tomd2103]

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.