This review is regarding all rounder. This is a review on all rounder which has been talked about mostly. There was an era . 80’s when cricket has seen best all rounder playing their game. I am going to talk only those all rounder of 80’s.
World has seen some of the best all rounder before 80’s also. they are Gery Sobers, Keith Miller and Ritchie benaud. Lets see brief about all 3.
Gery Sobers: 8000+ runs, 235 wickets and 100+ catches at best ever average. what u can ask for more? perhaps the best ever cricketer world has seen.
K Miller: 3000 runs, 170 wickets and 30+ catches in 55 test matches
Ritchie Benaud: In 63 test matches 2200 runs and 250 wickets
Mike Procter: In 7 tests, 225 runs at 25 average and 41 wickets at stunning 15 average. Then SA was out of international cricket, At first class cricket he scored 22000 runs with 35+ average and picked 1400+ wickets at average of 19.53. I wonder if SA continues to play test cricket what Procter could have achieved.
Then we discuss an era of 90’s and onwards.
We have seen good all rounder like Andrew Flintoff and Hollioke brothers from England.
Australia produced Waugh brothers, Andrew Symond and Adam Gilchrist.
Srilanka shown Jaysurya and A D Silva
Pakistan top the chart with Afridi, Razzak, Azhar Mahmood, Wassim Akram and Shoaib Malik.
South Africa produced quality all rounders like Jacque Kallis, Shawn Pollock, Lance Klusener, W J Cronje.
India chips in with Sachin. (this is perhaps the biggest problem of India)
New Zealand entered list with Chris Cairns and Chris Harris.
West Indies shown Carl Hooper and Chris Gayle.
Zimbabwe too had Heath Streak and Grant Flower.
Now we are about to discuss the era of 80’s
There were some good all rounder there like Vivian Richards, Malcom Marshall, Lary Gomes, Lance Cairns, Ravi Shashri, Manoj Prabhakar, Mudassar Nazar, J Coney and Arjun Rantunga. Some of them continued to play cricket till mid 90’s also. They all were really good all rounder and capable of changing the match with either ball or bat.
But coming 5 were best of the best. lets see them.
5. Richard Hadlee:
He was indeed a great bowler who reach 400 mile stone first time in Test Cricket. He had changed match scene with ball many times. But his batting was not that great. He was averaging only 27.17 in his 86 test match and win very few matches with his bat. So he came 5th in my ranking.
4. Kapil dev:
I know it will hurt many of Indian readers and I am too disappointed. Kapil dev with 5000+ runs and 434 wickets is 4th in my ranking. Kapil has also same record like Hadlee. His average with bat with 31 but he has won very few matches with bat. But he was a very good all round fielder. He has taken some memorable catches(Viv Richards in 83 final) That’s why he stood ahead of Hadlee.
3. Imran Khan:
With 3800+ runs and 362 wickets Imran came 3rd in my list. His average with bat was 37 and with bowl was 23. This is stunning. Though he was not a good fielder, he was a super captain. A true leader in his own sense. He had put Pakistan on the top of world many times. That’s why he came 3rd in my list.
2. Ian Botham:
Ian had 5200 runs and 383 wickets in his test career. His average with bat is 34 and with bowl was 28 much lower than Imran. But he was a good fielder who took many catches. Above all he was having match winning capacity. He had turn results of many matches on his own only. I can still remember him smashing Lillie all over the park though he was batting without helmet. That’s why he is at no 2 in my list.
1. Guess who:
Now you tell me who can be no 1? I will answer this after 10 days in my review itself. Lets see who guesses correct.
Hint: He has not played test cricket.