The 10 Greatest Cricket Batsmen of All Time (In My Humble Opinion)

10 Greatest Cricket Batsmen in reverse order fromdebut against a side captained by W.G.Grace who
10 to 1.presciently observed that "He's goin' to be a good'un".
10. Victor Trumper (Australia) - 48 Tests, 8 100s, 13Even the learned Doctor could not have realised how
50s, Average 39.04, HS 214*'good' Hobbs would become.
Widely acknowledged as the best Australian batsman3. Walter Hammond (England) - 85 Tests, 22 100s, 24
before Bradman, Trumper was both stylish and50s, Average 58.45, HS 336*
versatile with a penchant for playing match-winningThroughout his career, Hammond was often
innings on treacherous wet wickets. After scoring 135compared to Bradman, which is testament to what a
not out against England at Lord's in 1899, Gracegreat player he was, and he was included in the
gifted Trumper his own bat with the inscription "FromDon's all-time XI. His seven Test double centuries has
the present champion to the future champion."only been surpassed by Bradman and Brian Lara, and
9. Herbert Sutcliffe (England) - 54 Tests, 16 100s, 23Hammond certainly had an ability to get big scores.
50s, Average 60.73, HS 194His most notable series came on the tour of Australia
Sutcliffe's name always seems to be inexplicably leftin 1928-29 when he scored an incredible 905 runs at
on the margins when discussions as to who is the113.12 in the five Tests. This has only been surpassed
best ever English batsman. Perhaps this is because hisonce - by Bradman, of course.
he opened the batting with Hobbs and played in the2. Garfield Sobers (West Indies) - 93 Tests, 26 100s,
same era as Hammond. Whatever the reasons,30 50s, Average 57.78, HS 365*
Sutcliffe deserves recognition in his own right - theWidely regarded as Cricket's greatest all-rounder,
fourth highest Test match batting average of all-timeSobers was so good with the bat that he also ranks
for players with at least 20 innings, a fantastic recordbehind only the immortal Bradman on this list. Sobers
against Australia and prodigious run scoring formixed elegance with power and for a long time held
country and Yorkshire alike.the record for the highest Test score until he was
8. Brian Lara (West Indies) - 131 Tests, 34 100s, 48usurped by his fellow West Indian Brian Lara. Perhaps
50s, Average 52.88, HS 400*his best innings though came for the Rest of the
The man with the highest Test and First Class scoresWorld against Australia in 1972 when Sobers played
of 400 not out and 501 not out respectively, Lara isan innings of 254 which was described by Bradman
the fourth of six West Indians on the list. When heas "probably the greatest exhibition of batting ever
started his career, West Indian dominance was onseen in Australia".
the wane. By the time he finished it, his side was in1. Donald Bradman (Australia) - 52 Tests, 29 100s, 13
the doldrums and as a result he spent most of his50s, Average 99.94, HS 334
time trying to keep the West Indies afloat making hisWho else? No self-respecting list of the greatest
record even more impressive. Perhaps his bestbatsmen ever could have anyone else at its head.
achievement was in 1999 in the home series againstHas anyone dominated their sport as much as
Australia, when he single-handedly won the secondBradman? It almost defies belief that his average of
and third tests with scores of 213 and 153 not out99.94 is almost 40 runs higher than the second best
after his side had been obliterated in the first test. Hefor 20 completed innings (Graeme Pollock at 60.97).
scored a century too in the fourth and final test, butOf his many staggering batting feats, here are three
couldn't prevent Australia squaring the series.examples. First, his consecutive triple centuries at
7. George Headley (West Indies) - 22 Tests, 10 100s,Headingley in the Ashes tests of 1930 and 1934.
5 50s, Average 60.83, HS 270*Second, his 974 runs in five tests during the 1930
Like Brian Lara over 60 years later, Headley had toAshes series in England including three double
keep a struggling side afloat. He managed this scoringcenturies - both records. Finally, his second innings
a staggering ten centuries in his 22 Tests with hisknock of 270 during the Third Test at Melbourne
scoring feats leading to him being dubbed the 'Blackduring the Ashes series of 1936/37, which was rated
Bradman'. Headley was noted for his phenomenalby Wisden as the best test match innings of all time
back foot play and the time he seemed to have toin 2001. It enabled Australia, who were two down in
play the ball, with such a shrewd judge as Len Huttonthe series, to win the match and they completed a
declaring that he had never seen a batsman play theremarkable turnaround by winning the fourth
ball later.(Bradman making 212) and fifth (Bradman, 169) tests
6. Ricky Ponting (Australia) - 136* Tests, 38 100s, 48- still the only time a team has come back from two
50s, Average 55.88, HS 257down to win a test match rubber, and Bradman was
The outstanding batsman playing the game today,the captain of course.
Ponting is widely acknowledged as the best AustralianSo, there we have it. Six West Indians, six who
batsman since Bradman - high praise indeed. One ofrepresented England, four Australians, two Indians
Ponting's main strengths is his versatility in that heand one each from South Africa and Pakistan.
can score quickly, counter-attack or tough it outObviously, a number of great players failed to make
when the situation demands. Other strengths includethe cut and as I said yesterday it was an agonising
his consistency and his habit of playing match winningprocess to get down to the final 20. Indians, South
innings.Africans and Pakistanis may feel aggrieved that their
5. Vivian Richards (West Indies) - 121 Tests, 24 100s,nations do not have a higher representation. Rest
45 50s, Average 50.23, HS 291assured that Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Dudley
Regarded by cricket aficionados as probably theNourse, Barry Richards (ruled out by the virtue of
most devastating batsman in the history of thehaving only played four tests), Zaheer Abbas and
game, King Viv was absolutely unstoppable on hisInzamam-ul-Haq were all there or thereabouts.
day. His style was a mixture of swagger andFrom England, no place could be found for Denis
intimidation and most bowlers seemed to visiblyCompton, Peter May, Ted Dexter or David Gower.
cower when faced with an on-song Richards. It isOn the other side of the World in Australia, Allan
befitting that he is the scorer of the fastest-everBorder, Steve Waugh, Neil Harvey, Stan McCabe and
Test century, from just 56 balls against England in hisAdam Gilchrist all failed to make the cut. And those
home island of Antigua during the 1986 tour.swashbuckling West Indians Frank Worrell, Gordon
4. Jack Hobbs (England) - 61 Tests, 15 100s, 28 50s,Greenidge and Clive Lloyd also deserve a mention.
Average 56.94, HS 211For those countries not represented, Kumar
Popularly referred to as 'The Master', Hobbs scoredSangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Aravinda da
more runs (61,760) and more centuries (199) thanSilva were all considered from Sri Lanka, as was
anyone else in the history of the sport - and but forAndy Flower from Zimbabwe and Martin Crowe,
the Great War these figures could have been moreMartin Donnelly, Glenn Turner and Bert Sutcliffe from
spectacular still. His opening partnership with HerbertNew Zealand. Bangladesh have yet to produce a
Sutcliffe is considered to be the best England andgreat batsman, but undoubtedly they will as they
maybe the game has seen. Hobbs made his first classcontinue to improve in the Test match arena.