The ManicaPost
On the point with Aubrey Kamba
CRICKET is a sport filled with a lot of trivia. It has been played for many years and within these years there are a lot of things that have happened. A lot of records have been set and broken. I am starting to write a series of works that look at the three formats of the game. I will be looking at all the aspects of the three formats from batting, bowling to fielding. So it does make sense to start with the traditional format which is test cricket and to start off I will look at the test best batsmen in cricket and why.
1. Sir Donald Bradman
If we describe greatest batsman then, in my opinion and many other fans he is arguably the greatest batsman ever when he was in form, such an unstoppable force. Bowlers felt honored to take him out. He had a batting average of 99.94 tells the whole story of his Greatness. He scored 29 Test centuries from 80 innings. His Amazing Average in test career remains one of the Seven Wonders in Cricket History. No need to mention that he is the all-time greatest batsmen in history of the game
2. Sachin Tendulkar
It is with no surprise Sachin has topped the List of Greatest Batsmen. Even though the Wisden has listed Sachin as the second best batsmen in Test cricket after Don Bradman and the second best batsmen in ODIs after Viv Richards. In contemporary cricket, Sachin Tendulkar is the best in the two formats, Tests and ODIs. The records of ODI’s and Test batting are unequivocally owned by Sachin Tendulkar. Records like Most Centuries and Most Runs in both ODIs and Test matches. Sachin has also the world record of most man of the match awards in ODI’s cricket history. He scored 15 921 runs in test cricket and 18 426 runs in ODI’s.
3. Sir Viv Richards
Just like Sir Donald Bradman I didn’t not see Sir Viv play but I have watched video clips of his work, he was the most destructive and feared man ever. It is said that he gave “swagger” new meaning in cricket, and as one of the very greatest to have ever played the game. Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Shane Warne. Some Experts regarded him Best Ever Batsmen against Fast Bowlers.
4. Garfield Sobers
Another batsman for Caribbean in the List of greatest batsman. Sobers is the One of greatest all-rounder in cricket history. Also the one the best batsman in cricket world ever seen. Garfield Sobers had very elegant shots and great pair of hands. He has Achieved the batting average of 57.78 in test cricket with a highest score of 365* runs. He scored 26 centuries in 93 test matches he played. A true legend, and great batsmen. He is also a Cricketer of the Century award recipient.
5. Jacques Kallis
He is one guy that most kids loved to be, he played great text book shots and played then very well. He is not only a good batsman but, is an excellent all-rounder as well. He is the only cricketer in the history of the game to hold more than 11,000 runs and 250 wickets in both one day and Test match cricket. With Average of 45 in ODIs and 57 in Tests he is the fifth Greatest Batsmen in Our List. Kallis is Now Retired from Cricket. He scored 13,289 runs in test cricket
6. Ricky Ponting
He is one of the most successful Australian captains and one of the All Time Successful Captain in Cricket History. He won more cricket matches as a captain than any other player in the world. Ricky Ponting is finds himself on #6 on my list among the Greatest Batsmen of all time. One of the highest run makers in his era. He scored 41 tests tons in His career.
7. Brian Lara
He is the 3rd West Indian on my list. If you have no knowledge of Brian Charles Lara then you have no knowledge of cricket. Brian Lara was always known for his long inning in test cricket.
He has record for highest individual runs in test cricket 400* runs and in first class cricket 501* runs. He topped the Test batting rankings on several occasions and holds several cricketing records. This classical batsmen has 34 tests centuries and was a belligerent smacker of the ball.
8. Wally Hammond
Sitting at 8th Position on my all-time list of greatest batsmen is the great cricketer from England Wally Hammound. He is the best batsman ever in England team. With an average of 58.45 and 7249 runs. He was the simply invaluable to the team during the Bradman era. He scored 22 tons in his 85 test match career. Even though Alistair Cook is batting his way up to being one of the greatest English batsman he still has a mile to walk.
9. Rahul Dravid
Widely Known as “The Wall”, Rahul Dravidsits on #9 for me on this list. He has amazing ability in defense and play with patience. He has played lots of crucial innings in test cricket. With 53 Test Career average. He was one of the batsmen in the world who could play the square cut shot with elegance and finesse.
10. Javed Miandad
He is Pakistan’s leading run scorer in Test cricket. “The greatest batsman Pakistan ever produced”. Javed is widely known for his historic last ball big sixer against India in 1986, when 4 runs were required to win, winning an international game in that fashion for the first time. With 23 tests centuries, Javed is 10thon my list of the 10 Greatest Batsmen of All Time.
Next week I will be looking at the 10 Test best bowlers of all time and feel free to write to me if there is anything that you would want me to write on.
I do hope now that all is well with you and catch in the next innings.
