Cricket - All rounders

[chickenfeet]

I'm thinking of doing a poll on top test all rounders largely because i think some modern players are over hyped. The cut off will be that the player must have played at least one test match post WW2. My initial list is:

Keith Miller
Jacques Kallis
Gary Sobers
Ken Barrington
Ian Botham
Eddie Barlow
Kapil Dev
Imran Khan
Tony Greig
Richard Hadlee
Wally Hammond
Ted Dexter
Sanath Jayasuriya

Other suggestions?

Comments

[topicaltim.livejournal.com]

What's the definition of an all-rounder for the purposes of the poll? I'm watching the current Aus vs. SL Test and thinking Adam Gilchrist is an all-rounder i.e. he'd be picked purely as a batsman even if he wasn't keeping wicket, so he's filling two places. If that's the case, then I'll nominate him, and Alec Stewart while I'm at it.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I think a wicketkeeper/batsman is a different beast. I'm thinking of players who are top notch bowlers and batsmen. In any poll for wicketkeeper/batsmen Gilchrist wins by a country mile.

[topicaltim.livejournal.com]

Fairy nuff. I just think you're allowed to be called an "all-rounder" if picking you frees up a slot for an extra batsman or bowler; which means in the XI that's batting for my life I'd be happy with Gilchrist or Sangakarra or Stewart, i.e. a wicket-keeper who doesn't need oxygen to bat in the top three, meaning you can play five bowlers. Or if you were picking purely on keeping ability, none of those. Either way, if Matt Prior was that man, I'd be nervous...

Anyway, if I limit myself to people I've seen in the flesh, there's one person on your list who is easily the most exciting cricketer I've ever seen; but I'll wait for the poll to cast my vote...

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Vivian Richards? Viv! Viv! Viv!

And shouldn't the last be Sanath Jayasuriya?

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Yes.

Wasim Akram. Though if you're looking for older ones, Benaud is over the 2,000 runs/200 wickets mark.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

How did I miss Wasim Akram? I thought of Benaud but his batting average is pretty awful (24.45). Perhaps i should include him in the poll anyway.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

You could throw in his captaincy as worth a few points!

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough I was thinking there was sort of a Brearley factor at work with Benaud.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I shall edit Jayasuriya. What was I thinking. Sir Vivian's bowling rather rules him out I fear. 32 wickets at 61.37 isn't going to cut it.