Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
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Sorry I forgot Graeme Smith and Alistair Cook in last list .Please reject it and see this one.
In the history of cricket some of the greatest ever opening batsmen of all time averaged under 50.Arguably they were on par with best of all opening batsmen like Barry Richards ,Sunil Gavaskar,Jack Hobbs or Len Hutton.Below is my list of best openers who averaged under 50 in order of merit.
1.Victor Trumper
genius personified who would overshadow even Bradman on wet pitches.Adjectives could not do justice to his skill.In later eras would probably have averaged over 55.
2.Virendra Sewhag
Arguably the equivalent of Viv Richards in his era.Posessed more creative genius than even Sachin Tendulkar palying strokse that were surreal and at his best could turn the complexion of games more.Averaged over 53 in 1st innings and almost scored 3 triple centuries.At his best blended the power of a bulldozer with the wizardry of a magician .Although mainly at his best on flat tracks played some great knock s on bad wickets like when scoring 83 v England at Kolkata in 2008 and 158 v Australia at Madras in 2004.Played a great role in some of India's most remarkable wins like when scoring 309 at Multan in 2004,a century at Perth in 2008,83 v England in 2008 and 106 in the 2nd test v South Africa in 2010-11.Often inconsistent on fast,bouncy tracks .and
3.Gordon Greenidge
Close to a black Barry Richards who on his day could blend agression and technical skill like no opener bar the great Barry Richards.For some time in the 1980's the best batsmen in the world.Better record in matches won than even Sir Viv Richards or Sunil Gavaskar.Many players chose Gordon in their all time xi.His unbeaten 214 at Lords in 1984 is one of crickets' classics depicting clinical agression at it's highest zenith.
4.Graham Gooch
At his best against the great West Indies pace attack and arguably the best ever opener against genuine pace.He scored 2 centuries at 57.71 in the Caribaen in 1981 and in 1991 against West Indies at Leeds he scored an unbeaten 154 out of 252 which possibly ranks amongst the top 5 test innings of all time.Scored more runs than any batsmen ever in cricket combining O.D.I's.Also dominated Slow bowling attacks like when aggregating a record 752 runs v India at home in 3 tests in 1990 including a 333 at Lords.Superb against Waqar and Wasim at OLd Trafford and Leeds in 1992.
5.Hanif Mohammad
The equivalent of an architect and a boulder to batting.The greatest bowlers struggled to penetrate through his defence.No opening batsmen was technically sounder or posesed more depth of concentration.Scored 337 at Barbados and a record aggregate of 628 for a Pakistani batsmen against West Indies in a series.
6.Geoff Boycott
No batsmen was harder to dislodge.Although a slow scorer and ultra defensive he could wear down the best of bowling attacks and lay the base for a victory.In his ear the 2nd best defensive batsmen in the world after Sunil Gavaskar.Unlike Gavaskar he did not always punish the bad ball.
7..Desmond Haynes
Very close to Gordon Greenidge and even more stylish.Had an elegant,flowing style .At his best a true master eveovershadowing Gordon.One time the leading centurion in O.D.I's.
8.Vijay Merchant
Technically maybe a whisker ahead of even Gavaskar.In 1936 and 1946 seasons tackled the wet English pitches like maybe even Tendulkar would not do. Averaged the 2nd highest average of 73 in 1st class cricket.
9.Saed Anwar
At his best as destructive as anyone and in the Tendulkar-Lara class.Arguably the best of all left-handed opening batsmen.His unbeaten 188 at Kolkata ranks amongst test cricket's gems.
10.Conrad Hunte
An equivalent of a more rte fined Gordon Greenidge in his time.Technically a true master.
11.Graeme Smith
One of the most organized and accomplished of batsmen and a match-winner on his day.
12.Arthur Morris
One of the most accomplished match-winners of his era.
13.Glen Turner
If you add first class and O.D.I.cricket record Turner was one of the all-time greats.Scored 672 runs including a 259 and 223 in a test series in West Indies in 1972 and averaged over 70 in the 1979 Prudential cup.Scored 311 v Warwickshire when reaching his 100th first class hundred and v Somerset in 1977 scored 141 out of 169 a record percentage of run sin first class game.Few batsmen were so technically correct and innovative silmuntaneously.
14.Alistair Cook
No so elegant or exciting but of immense value to his team playing a great role in team wins.Statistically a true great.
15.Dennis Amiss
Played some majestic knocks v West Indies like when scoring 262 at Barbados in 1973-74 and 183 at the Oval in 1976.
16.Mark Taylor
On his day a master and very difficult to bowl to.
17.Roy Fredericks
His 169 at Perth in 1975-76 is arguably the best display ever by an opener or any batsmen against sheer pace or on a fast wicket.
18.Mohsin Khan
At his best close to the best in the world like when scoring 200 at Lords and 70 v West Indies in the 1983 world cup semi-final.Also majestic when scoring 149 at Adelaide and 152 v Australia in 1983-84.
19.Mudassar Nazar
Unexciting but often played the role of an architect like when scoring 231 at Hyderabad v India and aggregating a record 761 run sin that series in 1982-83.
20.Mushtaq Ali
On his day a wizard taking batting artistry to magical proportions.First Indian to score a century in England.
In the history of cricket some of the greatest ever opening batsmen of all time averaged under 50.Arguably they were on par with best of all opening batsmen like Barry Richards ,Sunil Gavaskar,Jack Hobbs or Len Hutton.Below is my list of best openers who averaged under 50 in order of merit.
1.Victor Trumper
genius personified who would overshadow even Bradman on wet pitches.Adjectives could not do justice to his skill.In later eras would probably have averaged over 55.
2.Virendra Sewhag
Arguably the equivalent of Viv Richards in his era.Posessed more creative genius than even Sachin Tendulkar palying strokse that were surreal and at his best could turn the complexion of games more.Averaged over 53 in 1st innings and almost scored 3 triple centuries.At his best blended the power of a bulldozer with the wizardry of a magician .Although mainly at his best on flat tracks played some great knock s on bad wickets like when scoring 83 v England at Kolkata in 2008 and 158 v Australia at Madras in 2004.Played a great role in some of India's most remarkable wins like when scoring 309 at Multan in 2004,a century at Perth in 2008,83 v England in 2008 and 106 in the 2nd test v South Africa in 2010-11.Often inconsistent on fast,bouncy tracks .and
3.Gordon Greenidge
Close to a black Barry Richards who on his day could blend agression and technical skill like no opener bar the great Barry Richards.For some time in the 1980's the best batsmen in the world.Better record in matches won than even Sir Viv Richards or Sunil Gavaskar.Many players chose Gordon in their all time xi.His unbeaten 214 at Lords in 1984 is one of crickets' classics depicting clinical agression at it's highest zenith.
4.Graham Gooch
At his best against the great West Indies pace attack and arguably the best ever opener against genuine pace.He scored 2 centuries at 57.71 in the Caribaen in 1981 and in 1991 against West Indies at Leeds he scored an unbeaten 154 out of 252 which possibly ranks amongst the top 5 test innings of all time.Scored more runs than any batsmen ever in cricket combining O.D.I's.Also dominated Slow bowling attacks like when aggregating a record 752 runs v India at home in 3 tests in 1990 including a 333 at Lords.Superb against Waqar and Wasim at OLd Trafford and Leeds in 1992.
5.Hanif Mohammad
The equivalent of an architect and a boulder to batting.The greatest bowlers struggled to penetrate through his defence.No opening batsmen was technically sounder or posesed more depth of concentration.Scored 337 at Barbados and a record aggregate of 628 for a Pakistani batsmen against West Indies in a series.
6.Geoff Boycott
No batsmen was harder to dislodge.Although a slow scorer and ultra defensive he could wear down the best of bowling attacks and lay the base for a victory.In his ear the 2nd best defensive batsmen in the world after Sunil Gavaskar.Unlike Gavaskar he did not always punish the bad ball.
7..Desmond Haynes
Very close to Gordon Greenidge and even more stylish.Had an elegant,flowing style .At his best a true master eveovershadowing Gordon.One time the leading centurion in O.D.I's.
8.Vijay Merchant
Technically maybe a whisker ahead of even Gavaskar.In 1936 and 1946 seasons tackled the wet English pitches like maybe even Tendulkar would not do. Averaged the 2nd highest average of 73 in 1st class cricket.
9.Saed Anwar
At his best as destructive as anyone and in the Tendulkar-Lara class.Arguably the best of all left-handed opening batsmen.His unbeaten 188 at Kolkata ranks amongst test cricket's gems.
10.Conrad Hunte
An equivalent of a more rte fined Gordon Greenidge in his time.Technically a true master.
11.Graeme Smith
One of the most organized and accomplished of batsmen and a match-winner on his day.
12.Arthur Morris
One of the most accomplished match-winners of his era.
13.Glen Turner
If you add first class and O.D.I.cricket record Turner was one of the all-time greats.Scored 672 runs including a 259 and 223 in a test series in West Indies in 1972 and averaged over 70 in the 1979 Prudential cup.Scored 311 v Warwickshire when reaching his 100th first class hundred and v Somerset in 1977 scored 141 out of 169 a record percentage of run sin first class game.Few batsmen were so technically correct and innovative silmuntaneously.
14.Alistair Cook
No so elegant or exciting but of immense value to his team playing a great role in team wins.Statistically a true great.
15.Dennis Amiss
Played some majestic knocks v West Indies like when scoring 262 at Barbados in 1973-74 and 183 at the Oval in 1976.
16.Mark Taylor
On his day a master and very difficult to bowl to.
17.Roy Fredericks
His 169 at Perth in 1975-76 is arguably the best display ever by an opener or any batsmen against sheer pace or on a fast wicket.
18.Mohsin Khan
At his best close to the best in the world like when scoring 200 at Lords and 70 v West Indies in the 1983 world cup semi-final.Also majestic when scoring 149 at Adelaide and 152 v Australia in 1983-84.
19.Mudassar Nazar
Unexciting but often played the role of an architect like when scoring 231 at Hyderabad v India and aggregating a record 761 run sin that series in 1982-83.
20.Mushtaq Ali
On his day a wizard taking batting artistry to magical proportions.First Indian to score a century in England.
