Best cricket allrounder

[chickenfeet2003]

Here is a poll about cricket so if you know nothing about the subject and/or couldn't care less just skip it

Comments

[chickenfeet2003]

I had litle difficulty settling on Sobers as number one. His figures don't tell the whole story. He could bowl three different styles, bat all day or blast the ball out of the park and was an absolutely superb fieldsman in any position. Some of the catches he took at short leg defied belief

[rparvaaz]

Gary Sobers as the first choice - the man was magic.

Sanath J - he's an ornery bastard, and his presence has an effect on other players. His performances aren't too bad either. :)

Wasim Akram - another stubborn performer, who never could figure out when he was beaten... the amount of grief he gave to the Indian team [along with Qadir]

[rhythmaning]

I saw Sobers, Hadlee and Botham play. Not at the same time, unfortunately.

[chickenfeet2003]

The Botham factor is interesting. Statistically he isn't even close to the best all rounders but he gets votes. I think it's an English tendency to overrate overweight hard drinking cricketers with appropriately proletarian manners.

[topicaltim]

As there weren't any house rules, I imposed my own, and arbitrarily decided I would only choose from players I've seen play, which ruled out quite a few. I wouldn't disagree with the general opinion that Sobers should probably be at the top, mind.

Botham-wise, I think it's easy to forget just how turgid Test cricket (or at least the bits of it played by England) could be at times during the early 80s. If you'd spent four hours watching Chris Tavare prodding and poking, a twenty minute Botham cameo was all the more memorable and welcome.