Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
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This is my list of rating in order of merit the best opening batsmen against genuine pace bowling.Does not judge overall merit.
1.Barry Richards
2.Graham Gooch
3.Sunil Gavaskar
4.Len Hutton
5.Majid Khan
6.Geoff Boycott
7.Hanif Mohammad
8.Virendra Sehwag
9.Gordon Greenidge
10.Greame Smith
11.Roy Fredricks
12.Desmond Haynes
Barry destroyed the likes of Lillee and co better than any opener ever when scoring his 207 and unbeaten 125 in World series cricket in Australia in 1977-78,even overshadowing sir Viv Richards .He also tore apart a Western Australia attack when scoring 356 which included Lillee.I find it difficult not visualizing Bary dominate the great West Indian quartet.Resembled a batting machine more than any opener posessing the gift of the gods.
Gooch in 1980-81 in West Indies averaged over 57 with 2 centuries against the best pace attack ever with his unbeaten 153 at Kingston one of cricket's classics.In 199 his 154 at Leeds against a top West Indian attack is ranked amongst the top 3 test inings ever.He also averaged over 46 against the duo of Wasim-Waqar in 1992 ,who were more lethal than Lillee-Thomson.Averaged 44.8 against the great Carribean attack scoring 2197 runs with 5 centuries and averaged over 41 in the Carribean which is remarkable.Rated above Gavaskar purely against pace because he dominated the bowling more and compiled most of his runs against the top West Indies attack unlike Sunny.Posesed a huge arry of strokes being a master of the hook shot and on his day could reveal domination at it's highest depth.
Gavaskar played the greatest pace bowlers of all time and still broke virtually all the batting records.He scored centuries facing Imran,Botham Hadlee,Andy Roberts,Holding,Marshall Willis etc.However he was mainly defensive and not as attacking as Barry or Gooch in prime.He also scored most of his centuries against West Indies and Australia against the lesser attacks .8 of his 13 centuries v West Indies were not scored against the great pace attack and against the complete pace quartet he scored 3 centuries averaging around 43 in 11 tests in 1983 to 1984.Neverthless to bat for your life Gavaskar would overshadow Gooch and Barry,being the bets defensive opener against sustained pace
len Hutton tackled the likes of Lindwall and Miller as no batsmen ever did in the series in 1952 in Australia executing some of test cricket's finest batting exhibitions on bad wickets.He also dispalyued mastery on the fast Caribean tracks scoring 205 at Kingston in 1954.
Majid destroyed the likes of Willis,Roberts and Lillee and his 167 at Georgetown that ressurected his team from the grave was a testimony to this.In the 1977 series in the Carribean he played the great Quartet almost as well as an batsmen ever did .On his day he was in the Barry Richards class,playing great pace with ease of putting a child to sleep.Lacked consistency and was also a middle-order batsmen for a considerable time.
Geoff Boycott was the ultimate epitome of determination and concentration even if he could be selfish and boring.His centuries on successive tours of the Caribean prove his undaunting tenacity.
Hanif was mental resilience and technical perfection personified who could be virtually impossible to dismiss.Compiled a record aggregate for a pakistani batsmen of 628 runs in West Indies in 1957-58 including a marathon 337 at Barbados.
Sehwag did not relish bouncy tracks but on his day could mercilessly tear pace bowling and make the best paceman helpless.Not tested enough on fast tracks or against express pace but played some classic inings against quickies like Shoaiab Akhtar ,Dale Steyn or Bret Lee.
Greenidge on his day was a Another version of compatriot Bary Richards but was never succesful in Australia in test cricket,inspite of some great performances in ODI'S.If we had seen Gordon play his onw team's pace attack only then could we judge whether he was if not better anequal of Barry and Sunny.
1.Barry Richards
2.Graham Gooch
3.Sunil Gavaskar
4.Len Hutton
5.Majid Khan
6.Geoff Boycott
7.Hanif Mohammad
8.Virendra Sehwag
9.Gordon Greenidge
10.Greame Smith
11.Roy Fredricks
12.Desmond Haynes
Barry destroyed the likes of Lillee and co better than any opener ever when scoring his 207 and unbeaten 125 in World series cricket in Australia in 1977-78,even overshadowing sir Viv Richards .He also tore apart a Western Australia attack when scoring 356 which included Lillee.I find it difficult not visualizing Bary dominate the great West Indian quartet.Resembled a batting machine more than any opener posessing the gift of the gods.
Gooch in 1980-81 in West Indies averaged over 57 with 2 centuries against the best pace attack ever with his unbeaten 153 at Kingston one of cricket's classics.In 199 his 154 at Leeds against a top West Indian attack is ranked amongst the top 3 test inings ever.He also averaged over 46 against the duo of Wasim-Waqar in 1992 ,who were more lethal than Lillee-Thomson.Averaged 44.8 against the great Carribean attack scoring 2197 runs with 5 centuries and averaged over 41 in the Carribean which is remarkable.Rated above Gavaskar purely against pace because he dominated the bowling more and compiled most of his runs against the top West Indies attack unlike Sunny.Posesed a huge arry of strokes being a master of the hook shot and on his day could reveal domination at it's highest depth.
Gavaskar played the greatest pace bowlers of all time and still broke virtually all the batting records.He scored centuries facing Imran,Botham Hadlee,Andy Roberts,Holding,Marshall Willis etc.However he was mainly defensive and not as attacking as Barry or Gooch in prime.He also scored most of his centuries against West Indies and Australia against the lesser attacks .8 of his 13 centuries v West Indies were not scored against the great pace attack and against the complete pace quartet he scored 3 centuries averaging around 43 in 11 tests in 1983 to 1984.Neverthless to bat for your life Gavaskar would overshadow Gooch and Barry,being the bets defensive opener against sustained pace
len Hutton tackled the likes of Lindwall and Miller as no batsmen ever did in the series in 1952 in Australia executing some of test cricket's finest batting exhibitions on bad wickets.He also dispalyued mastery on the fast Caribean tracks scoring 205 at Kingston in 1954.
Majid destroyed the likes of Willis,Roberts and Lillee and his 167 at Georgetown that ressurected his team from the grave was a testimony to this.In the 1977 series in the Carribean he played the great Quartet almost as well as an batsmen ever did .On his day he was in the Barry Richards class,playing great pace with ease of putting a child to sleep.Lacked consistency and was also a middle-order batsmen for a considerable time.
Geoff Boycott was the ultimate epitome of determination and concentration even if he could be selfish and boring.His centuries on successive tours of the Caribean prove his undaunting tenacity.
Hanif was mental resilience and technical perfection personified who could be virtually impossible to dismiss.Compiled a record aggregate for a pakistani batsmen of 628 runs in West Indies in 1957-58 including a marathon 337 at Barbados.
Sehwag did not relish bouncy tracks but on his day could mercilessly tear pace bowling and make the best paceman helpless.Not tested enough on fast tracks or against express pace but played some classic inings against quickies like Shoaiab Akhtar ,Dale Steyn or Bret Lee.
Greenidge on his day was a Another version of compatriot Bary Richards but was never succesful in Australia in test cricket,inspite of some great performances in ODI'S.If we had seen Gordon play his onw team's pace attack only then could we judge whether he was if not better anequal of Barry and Sunny.
