Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
- 3,520
- Post of the Week
- 2
This is my selection of the best batsmen against genuine pace bowling ever who averaged less than 50 in test cricket ranked in order of merit.It does not analyze overall merit.
1.Rohan Kanhai
2.Graham Gooch
3.Colin Cowdrey
4.Inzamam Ul Haq
5.Ian Chappell
6.David Gower
7.Martin Crowe
8.Ted Dexter
9.Stan Mcabe
10.Majid Khan
11.Gundappa Vishwanath
12.V.V.S..Laxman
13.Lawrence Rowe
14.Mark Waugh
15.Alvin Kalicharan
16.Mohinder Amarnath
17.Wasim Raja
18.Alan Lamb
19.Dilip Vengsarkar.
20.Gordon Greenidge
21.Geoff Boycott
22.Kim Hughes
23.Bruce Laird
24.David Hookes
25.David Boon.
Placed Kanhai at 1.on basis of ease and domination against hostile pace of Trueman,Davidson,Snow,Mckenzie etc who traversed batting regions even Bradman did not attain.His118 v Australia in 1972 and 2 centuries in a single test at a run a minute at Adelaide in 1960-61 are best examples.
No opener played the great Caribbean pace battery as well as Gooch did in 1980-81 averaging over 57 or in 1988 at Leeds when scoring an unbeaten 154.
Cowdrey had a series of tons in the Caribean on succesive tours with his 114 and 97 at Kingston in 1959-60 a classic.He also scored 102 out of 191 at Melbourne in 1954.
Inzamam could play the fastest deliveries more late than any batsmen I saw in his era,including Tendulkar and Lara.Imran rated him the best batsmen against genuine pace of his era and his scores in the Carribean testified this.
Ian Chappell was a better batsmen against the bouncing ball or on fast pitches than brother Greg and morally with his 449 run sin 1975-76 shaped Australia's 5-1 Frank Worrel trophy triumph more than brother Greg.Gary Sobers rated Ian Chappell as one of the finest players of pace bowling as well as Imran Khan.
Gower expressed remorseless ease when facing Australian pace at its best in 1982-83 averaging over 44 and at home in 1985 devoured the likes of Lawson and Mcdermott.Also scored an unbeaten 154 at Kingston in 1981.
Dexter combated great Aussie and Calypos attacks with a flourish few batsmen ever did.Alan Lamb took a liking for the greatest pace attack ever scoring 3 centuries at home in 1984 and also one later in the Carribean.
Martin crowe played great pace like a mother putting a child to sleep.
Stan Mcabe played bodyline bowling overshadowing Don Bradman who classified his 232 at Nottingham as the best cricket innings she witnessed in his whole life.Boycott although seemingly selfish defied great pace like a boulder withstanding a thunderstorm like in the Carribean in 1981.Holding thought he was the hardest batsmen to dismiss.
At his best Majid relished the likes of Lillee,Roberts and Willis and his match-saving 167 at Georgetown in 1977 was one of cricket's classics.Bar Viv Richards no batsmen was a better exponent of the hook shot than Majid.The great Carribean paceman prized Ian's wicket more than that of any other Aussie batsmen at that time.
Vishy's 97 in 1974-75 and 124 at Madras v West Indies are a testimony of his mastery against great pace and his 114 at Melbourne in 1980-81 .Above all these knocks won the test for India.
V.V.S.Laxman played great pace with the skill of a magician like in 2004 in Australia and when scoring 281 that ressurected India from the grave in a record 376 run partnership with Saurav Ganguly.Few batsmen ever had such time to play their shots against express speed.
In 1983-83 Mohinder Amarnath played Imran at his best and the great Carribean pace quartet better than any batsmen ever averaging over 66 and aggregating over 1100 runs in both the series acumulatively.
Lawrence Rowe could match the talent of a Viv Richards and for a while shaped to be the best batsmen in the world .Played some stunning knocks against Australian quickies.
Mark Waugh at his best relished great South African,Pakistani and Calypso pace attacks with mastery of onside play.
Alvin Kalicharan played some of the finest innings against great pace and his 78 v Australia in the 1975 world cup was close to the best cricket innings ever ,taking level of domination of genuinely quick bowling to depths of divinity.Arguably played genuine pace better than even Lara.
Wasim Raja statistically overshadowed every great batsmen against. the mighty Carribean pace attack averaging over 57 in the test series in 1977 and over 56 in a home series in 1980.
Dilip Vengsarkar in 1983-84 and 1987-88 topped the batting averages against West Indies ,averaging over 100 in 1987-88.I can never forget his 102 at Delhi in 1987-88 and his match-saving unbeaten 40 at Mumbai in the same series.
Alan Lamb took a liking for the great Carribean pace attack scoring 3 centuries in a home series in 1984 against arguably the best team ever and 2 in the Carribean itself.He brilliantly penetrated or bissected the gaps against hostile pace being successful even down under in 1982-83 scoring 4 fifties.
Boycott resisted express pace like a boulder withstanding a thunderstorm .Michael Holding rated Boycott the hardest ever batsmen to dislodge.In 1980-81 in the West Indies he was revelation.
Kim Hughes played some of his finest innings against West Indies like his match -winning unbeaten 100 at Melbourne in 1981-82 and his unbeaten 131 at Brisbane in 1979-80.
Omitted super batsmen like Victor Trumper,Ranjitsinghji,Frank Worrell,Peter May,Vijay Merchant etc who although on overall merit could have been ahead of all batsmen listed did not completely prove themselves against the most lethal pace bowling.Infact in Gary Sober's view May did not relish the short-pitched bouncer nor did Worrel.I apologize if this stand is erroneous as I did not see them.Azharuddin although a batting wizard was not at his best against great pace attacks.Arguably most unfortunate to miss out were Desmond Haynes,Saed Anwar Aravinda De'Silva and Robin Smith.
1.Rohan Kanhai
2.Graham Gooch
3.Colin Cowdrey
4.Inzamam Ul Haq
5.Ian Chappell
6.David Gower
7.Martin Crowe
8.Ted Dexter
9.Stan Mcabe
10.Majid Khan
11.Gundappa Vishwanath
12.V.V.S..Laxman
13.Lawrence Rowe
14.Mark Waugh
15.Alvin Kalicharan
16.Mohinder Amarnath
17.Wasim Raja
18.Alan Lamb
19.Dilip Vengsarkar.
20.Gordon Greenidge
21.Geoff Boycott
22.Kim Hughes
23.Bruce Laird
24.David Hookes
25.David Boon.
Placed Kanhai at 1.on basis of ease and domination against hostile pace of Trueman,Davidson,Snow,Mckenzie etc who traversed batting regions even Bradman did not attain.His118 v Australia in 1972 and 2 centuries in a single test at a run a minute at Adelaide in 1960-61 are best examples.
No opener played the great Caribbean pace battery as well as Gooch did in 1980-81 averaging over 57 or in 1988 at Leeds when scoring an unbeaten 154.
Cowdrey had a series of tons in the Caribean on succesive tours with his 114 and 97 at Kingston in 1959-60 a classic.He also scored 102 out of 191 at Melbourne in 1954.
Inzamam could play the fastest deliveries more late than any batsmen I saw in his era,including Tendulkar and Lara.Imran rated him the best batsmen against genuine pace of his era and his scores in the Carribean testified this.
Ian Chappell was a better batsmen against the bouncing ball or on fast pitches than brother Greg and morally with his 449 run sin 1975-76 shaped Australia's 5-1 Frank Worrel trophy triumph more than brother Greg.Gary Sobers rated Ian Chappell as one of the finest players of pace bowling as well as Imran Khan.
Gower expressed remorseless ease when facing Australian pace at its best in 1982-83 averaging over 44 and at home in 1985 devoured the likes of Lawson and Mcdermott.Also scored an unbeaten 154 at Kingston in 1981.
Dexter combated great Aussie and Calypos attacks with a flourish few batsmen ever did.Alan Lamb took a liking for the greatest pace attack ever scoring 3 centuries at home in 1984 and also one later in the Carribean.
Martin crowe played great pace like a mother putting a child to sleep.
Stan Mcabe played bodyline bowling overshadowing Don Bradman who classified his 232 at Nottingham as the best cricket innings she witnessed in his whole life.Boycott although seemingly selfish defied great pace like a boulder withstanding a thunderstorm like in the Carribean in 1981.Holding thought he was the hardest batsmen to dismiss.
At his best Majid relished the likes of Lillee,Roberts and Willis and his match-saving 167 at Georgetown in 1977 was one of cricket's classics.Bar Viv Richards no batsmen was a better exponent of the hook shot than Majid.The great Carribean paceman prized Ian's wicket more than that of any other Aussie batsmen at that time.
Vishy's 97 in 1974-75 and 124 at Madras v West Indies are a testimony of his mastery against great pace and his 114 at Melbourne in 1980-81 .Above all these knocks won the test for India.
V.V.S.Laxman played great pace with the skill of a magician like in 2004 in Australia and when scoring 281 that ressurected India from the grave in a record 376 run partnership with Saurav Ganguly.Few batsmen ever had such time to play their shots against express speed.
In 1983-83 Mohinder Amarnath played Imran at his best and the great Carribean pace quartet better than any batsmen ever averaging over 66 and aggregating over 1100 runs in both the series acumulatively.
Lawrence Rowe could match the talent of a Viv Richards and for a while shaped to be the best batsmen in the world .Played some stunning knocks against Australian quickies.
Mark Waugh at his best relished great South African,Pakistani and Calypso pace attacks with mastery of onside play.
Alvin Kalicharan played some of the finest innings against great pace and his 78 v Australia in the 1975 world cup was close to the best cricket innings ever ,taking level of domination of genuinely quick bowling to depths of divinity.Arguably played genuine pace better than even Lara.
Wasim Raja statistically overshadowed every great batsmen against. the mighty Carribean pace attack averaging over 57 in the test series in 1977 and over 56 in a home series in 1980.
Dilip Vengsarkar in 1983-84 and 1987-88 topped the batting averages against West Indies ,averaging over 100 in 1987-88.I can never forget his 102 at Delhi in 1987-88 and his match-saving unbeaten 40 at Mumbai in the same series.
Alan Lamb took a liking for the great Carribean pace attack scoring 3 centuries in a home series in 1984 against arguably the best team ever and 2 in the Carribean itself.He brilliantly penetrated or bissected the gaps against hostile pace being successful even down under in 1982-83 scoring 4 fifties.
Boycott resisted express pace like a boulder withstanding a thunderstorm .Michael Holding rated Boycott the hardest ever batsmen to dislodge.In 1980-81 in the West Indies he was revelation.
Kim Hughes played some of his finest innings against West Indies like his match -winning unbeaten 100 at Melbourne in 1981-82 and his unbeaten 131 at Brisbane in 1979-80.
Omitted super batsmen like Victor Trumper,Ranjitsinghji,Frank Worrell,Peter May,Vijay Merchant etc who although on overall merit could have been ahead of all batsmen listed did not completely prove themselves against the most lethal pace bowling.Infact in Gary Sober's view May did not relish the short-pitched bouncer nor did Worrel.I apologize if this stand is erroneous as I did not see them.Azharuddin although a batting wizard was not at his best against great pace attacks.Arguably most unfortunate to miss out were Desmond Haynes,Saed Anwar Aravinda De'Silva and Robin Smith.
