Harsh Thakor
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My list in order of merit of combinations of most artistic or stylish cricketers whose duels took aestheticism to its greatest depth. My criteria is not class,power or technique but poetic content.
1.David Gower-Michael Holding
Reminiscent of a Beethoven with a Michelangelo.Both took cricketing grace or art to sublime proportions.No paceman in the history of cricket made the impact of thunder and lightning with the grace of a seagull flying in the manner of Holding. . In his final bowling strides he resembled a cobra coiling or a ballad dancer performing. Gower could caress the best balls to the fence as few batsmen ever could wit the deftest of touches,reminiscent of painter making curves on a board.Against sheer pace or short-pitched bowling he was possibly more proficient than even Brian Lara .I can visulaise few better sights than Holding beating Gower through the air or in turn Gower effortlessly driving Holding to pierce the gaps.
2.Martin Crowe-Wasim Akram
The beauty or elegance of Crowe against the wizardry of Wasim .Cricketing prowess of sublime proportions.Sheer spectacle witnessing Crowe driving Wasim being an epitome of grace and Wasim delivering six types of balls in an over,including majestic swinging yorker.
3.Denis Compton-Ray Lindwall
Denis Compton was creative genius personified while Ray Lindwall wast he epitome of pace bowling skill.Few better sights than Compton dancing down the track or Lindwal skidding a cricket ball.
4.Zaheer Abbas-Bishen Bedi
Like seeing a poet with a ghazal singer.Both possessed the grace of the Gods of Oympus.Zaheer held a bat like a wand with his feather touches sending the ball skimming to the ropes.Bedi 's mivements resembled a classic snake charmer with his characteristic loop.What a sight seeing Zaheer dance down the track to dispatch Bishen over the fence and in turn Bedi break through the gates of Zaheer or trap him.
5..Rohan Kanhai-Subash Gupte
The sheer imaginative genius of Kanhai against supreme spin mastery of Gupte
6.Brian Lara-Glen Mcgrath
The creative genius of Lara against the supreme control of Mcgrath.Lara resmbled a musical composer and Mcgrath although not so versatile was artistic in his own right.
7.Ted Dexter-Alan Davidson
The sheer stylishness of Dexter against the artistic skill of Davidson was a treat for fans.
8.Colin Cowdrey-Gary Sobers
The majestic natural ability of Cowdrey against the unequaled versatility of Sobers.On his day Cowdrey could rule like a king while Gary had more trick sup his sleeve than anyone.
9.Alvin Kalicharan-Dennis Lillee
Sensation of a boxing bout with continuous ebb and flow.Kalichaarn would never loose his grace even when driving ,pulling,hoking and cutting all over the place.Lille was always hostile but had an element of poetry.
10.Mohammad Azharuddin-Courtney Walsh
The unique artistry of Azhar against the rhythmic flowing action of Walsh .A great sight witnessing the delicate leg glances or silken drives through the covers of Azhar and the poetic grace of Walsh which could still create most disconcerting pace and bounce to a batsman ..Both were grace personified.
11.Majid Khan-Andy Roberts
The best exponent of the hook shot after Viv Richards with most majestic grace against the most complete paceman of his era after Lillee .Terrific to witness Majid majestically drive and Andy bowling an outswinger and bouncers at different speeds.
12.Saed Anwar-Alan Donald
The glorious touch of Anwar flourishing against the lightning speed of Donald and in turn the versatlity of Donald to send shivers down the spine of his opponent.
If I had to choose my ultimate spectacle of a batsman versus a bowler resembling poetry in motion. the contenders that would conjure up to my mind first are David Gower and Michael Holding. There were better batsmen and bowlers in that era, but no one surpassed them for sheer elegance or few bestowed more sheer talent. This year we mark the 40th anniversary of Michael Holding bowling what was arguably the best over ever in the history of test cricket at Barbados and David Gower scoring an unbeaten 154 against the best pace attack ever in the West Indies. There were batsmen more technically sound than Gower and bowlers more accurate than Holding but none took cricketing poetry to such heights. There could hardly be more of majestic sight than witnessing the duo take on each other. It would be like seeing a painting of Rembrandt, or work of Michelangelo.
. Imagine witnessing the sheer genius of Rohan Kanhai resembling a musical composer taking on arguably the best master of leg -spin ever, Subash Gupte. Denis Compton's artistry confronting Lindwall could have been the piece for a museum. Few sights could be more delightful than the epitome of elegance against Wizardry in divine proportions in a Wasim -Crowe duel.
1.David Gower-Michael Holding
Reminiscent of a Beethoven with a Michelangelo.Both took cricketing grace or art to sublime proportions.No paceman in the history of cricket made the impact of thunder and lightning with the grace of a seagull flying in the manner of Holding. . In his final bowling strides he resembled a cobra coiling or a ballad dancer performing. Gower could caress the best balls to the fence as few batsmen ever could wit the deftest of touches,reminiscent of painter making curves on a board.Against sheer pace or short-pitched bowling he was possibly more proficient than even Brian Lara .I can visulaise few better sights than Holding beating Gower through the air or in turn Gower effortlessly driving Holding to pierce the gaps.
2.Martin Crowe-Wasim Akram
The beauty or elegance of Crowe against the wizardry of Wasim .Cricketing prowess of sublime proportions.Sheer spectacle witnessing Crowe driving Wasim being an epitome of grace and Wasim delivering six types of balls in an over,including majestic swinging yorker.
3.Denis Compton-Ray Lindwall
Denis Compton was creative genius personified while Ray Lindwall wast he epitome of pace bowling skill.Few better sights than Compton dancing down the track or Lindwal skidding a cricket ball.
4.Zaheer Abbas-Bishen Bedi
Like seeing a poet with a ghazal singer.Both possessed the grace of the Gods of Oympus.Zaheer held a bat like a wand with his feather touches sending the ball skimming to the ropes.Bedi 's mivements resembled a classic snake charmer with his characteristic loop.What a sight seeing Zaheer dance down the track to dispatch Bishen over the fence and in turn Bedi break through the gates of Zaheer or trap him.
5..Rohan Kanhai-Subash Gupte
The sheer imaginative genius of Kanhai against supreme spin mastery of Gupte
6.Brian Lara-Glen Mcgrath
The creative genius of Lara against the supreme control of Mcgrath.Lara resmbled a musical composer and Mcgrath although not so versatile was artistic in his own right.
7.Ted Dexter-Alan Davidson
The sheer stylishness of Dexter against the artistic skill of Davidson was a treat for fans.
8.Colin Cowdrey-Gary Sobers
The majestic natural ability of Cowdrey against the unequaled versatility of Sobers.On his day Cowdrey could rule like a king while Gary had more trick sup his sleeve than anyone.
9.Alvin Kalicharan-Dennis Lillee
Sensation of a boxing bout with continuous ebb and flow.Kalichaarn would never loose his grace even when driving ,pulling,hoking and cutting all over the place.Lille was always hostile but had an element of poetry.
10.Mohammad Azharuddin-Courtney Walsh
The unique artistry of Azhar against the rhythmic flowing action of Walsh .A great sight witnessing the delicate leg glances or silken drives through the covers of Azhar and the poetic grace of Walsh which could still create most disconcerting pace and bounce to a batsman ..Both were grace personified.
11.Majid Khan-Andy Roberts
The best exponent of the hook shot after Viv Richards with most majestic grace against the most complete paceman of his era after Lillee .Terrific to witness Majid majestically drive and Andy bowling an outswinger and bouncers at different speeds.
12.Saed Anwar-Alan Donald
The glorious touch of Anwar flourishing against the lightning speed of Donald and in turn the versatlity of Donald to send shivers down the spine of his opponent.
If I had to choose my ultimate spectacle of a batsman versus a bowler resembling poetry in motion. the contenders that would conjure up to my mind first are David Gower and Michael Holding. There were better batsmen and bowlers in that era, but no one surpassed them for sheer elegance or few bestowed more sheer talent. This year we mark the 40th anniversary of Michael Holding bowling what was arguably the best over ever in the history of test cricket at Barbados and David Gower scoring an unbeaten 154 against the best pace attack ever in the West Indies. There were batsmen more technically sound than Gower and bowlers more accurate than Holding but none took cricketing poetry to such heights. There could hardly be more of majestic sight than witnessing the duo take on each other. It would be like seeing a painting of Rembrandt, or work of Michelangelo.
. Imagine witnessing the sheer genius of Rohan Kanhai resembling a musical composer taking on arguably the best master of leg -spin ever, Subash Gupte. Denis Compton's artistry confronting Lindwall could have been the piece for a museum. Few sights could be more delightful than the epitome of elegance against Wizardry in divine proportions in a Wasim -Crowe duel.
