Ponting, Lara, Tendulkar or Kallis

[Nails]

Strike rate should not mean much in tests imo

what it does mean though, is that he will bat for the same time as the other guys, and put a heap less scoreboard pressure on, meaning the the opposing team will have a fair bit smaller total to chase, even in test cricket, faster runs are better runs (provided you stay in, which all of these do/did as well as anybody anyway)

EXACTLY. thanks pyro this was the point I was trying to male :P

Thats why IMO he costs them a lot of test wins and bats for his average  :-X

He scores a ton and bowls them out to take the victory.

How many of Ponting/Lara/Tendulkar can you actually expect a 5fer? None of the three.

Frankly it's Kallis and daylight. If I had the choice of any of the 4 to be Australian, I'd choose Kallis every time, it's not even close. Kallis' bowling average is pretty much as good as half our frontline bowlers and then averages better.

It's important to have a batter who holds up an end, similar to Cowan on boxing day. Strike Rate doesn't really matter, imagine Cowan, if he could strike at 35-45 and give Warner a solid partner to open the batting with.... PERFECT.

Kallis and daylight.

[pyronerd]

Strike rate should not mean much in tests imo

what it does mean though, is that he will bat for the same time as the other guys, and put a heap less scoreboard pressure on, meaning the the opposing team will have a fair bit smaller total to chase, even in test cricket, faster runs are better runs (provided you stay in, which all of these do/did as well as anybody anyway)

EXACTLY. thanks pyro this was the point I was trying to male :P

Thats why IMO he costs them a lot of test wins and bats for his average  :-X

He scores a ton and bowls them out to take the victory.

How many of Ponting/Lara/Tendulkar can you actually expect a 5fer? None of the three.

Frankly it's Kallis and daylight. If I had the choice of any of the 4 to be Australian, I'd choose Kallis every time, it's not even close. Kallis' bowling average is pretty much as good as half our frontline bowlers and then averages better.

It's important to have a batter who holds up an end, similar to Cowan on boxing day. Strike Rate doesn't really matter, imagine Cowan, if he could strike at 35-45 and give Warner a solid partner to open the batting with.... PERFECT.

Kallis and daylight.

He shouldn't be the player holding up an end though, leave that to someone who is less capable of taking attacks apart

Kallis also has a fair few not outs compared to the others, inflating his average, since he would often come in later in the innings than Ponting and Lara, so naturally would have more not outs

[roo boys!]

The best batsmen, I would list it as Lara > Ponting > Tendulkar > Kallis, but the best players overall, Kallis > Ponting > Lara > Tendulkar.

[TheMailman]

The best batsmen, I would list it as Lara > Ponting > Tendulkar > Kallis, but the best players overall, Kallis > Ponting > Lara > Tendulkar.

Thats the perfect comment right there

Its similar to how Shane Watson works for Australia except Kallis did it his whole career. Ponting also captained, a very hard feat to do well (which he did). I dont really have the knowledge to differ between Lara and Tendulkar

[upthemaidens]

yeah it doesnt say who is the best batsmen, it says best player...  so in that case  kallis by quite some distance..
   but the greatest PLAYER of all time is sobers, destroyed bowling attacks and could bowl fast-med aswell as spin.
so you got two different types of bowlers and a destructive mid-order batsmen with an avg. equal to some of the greatest batsmen ever, all rolled up in one man.

[Maca24]

Didnt Sobers have 6 fingers if I'm correct? :P

[upthemaidens]

Didnt Sobers have 6 fingers if I'm correct? :P

indeed yes,,  with the help of wiki ;D  sobers had 2 extra fingers (1 on each hand)  which HE removed in childhood....ouch they must breed'em'tuff in the carribean

[Maca24]

I read it in a cricketing book one time.
Pretty sure he had them during his career?

[upthemaidens]

I read it in a cricketing book one time.
Pretty sure he had them during his career?

well maybe i was just going by wiki(im sure that isnt 100% correct on everything), but yeah it says he removed them.
   an extra finger hey, i guess he could never give someone the "middle finger"  :o

[Maca24]

I read it in a cricketing book one time.
Pretty sure he had them during his career?

well maybe i was just going by wiki(im sure that isnt 100% correct on everything), but yeah it says he removed them.
   an extra finger hey, i guess he could never give someone the "middle finger"  :o

lol yeh well I might be wrong.. but thats off memory :P
Yeh good point haha.
Do you think a 6th finger would help with spin bowling?  :)

[upthemaidens]

I read it in a cricketing book one time.
Pretty sure he had them during his career?

well maybe i was just going by wiki(im sure that isnt 100% correct on everything), but yeah it says he removed them.
   an extra finger hey, i guess he could never give someone the "middle finger"  :o

lol yeh well I might be wrong.. but thats off memory :P
Yeh good point haha.
Do you think a 6th finger would help with spin bowling?  :)

yeah i was thinking that, either u would get some really good rip on the ball OR the extra digit would just get in the way.

[PowerBug]

Couple of things:

As CF mentioned Ponting was at three while the others were at four. Also Ponting was the captain of his side, which gives him more added pressure.

Kallis is a beast of an All-Rounder.

Tendulkar is Tendulkar. 15000 runs must count for something.

Lara was someone who always found a way out of a tricky situation. Changed his batting styles depending on which bowlers were on.

I go: Kallis >> Lara >> Tendulkar >> Ponting

Based on who i think is the most valuable to their respective sides, as their stats are very similar.

[FisherSaints]

The best batsmen, I would list it as Lara > Tendulkar > Ponting> Kallis, but the best players overall, Kallis > Tendulkar> Lara > Ponting.

You guys have different opinions, so do I. I could have easily had all of them equal first.

[Hawka]

Im rely surprised Tendulkar has more then Ponting