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Your five best Australian cricketers? Best of last 50 years and before?

Harsh Thakor

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Best 5 Australian cricketers of all in order of merit.


1.Don Bradman
2.Shane Warne
3.Dennis Lillee
4.Keith Miller
5.Glen Mcgrath

Bradman's record literally made him a creature from another planet attaining supremacy over rivals more than anyone in history of sport.Warne played the most instrumental role in rekindling spirit of Australian cricket to attain a status it never reached since the war and redefined the role of the leg spinner.Glen Mcgrath arguably posessed more control than any fast bowler and blended every requirement of a paceman in more perfect proportion than anyone.Figures simply staggering surpassing Lille,Wasim and Akram in wicket agregate.No paceman could so accurately diagnose an opponent's weakness sand he wa smore clinical than Lillee or Lindwall.GLillee was the most competitive and agressive post war Australian cricketer and was a an epitome of perfection in the art of fast bowling.Miller was arguably the best allrounder amongst genuine paceman who was in the Sobers class as a match-winner.

Best Australian cricketers of last 50 years in order of merit

1.Shane Warne
2.Dennis Lillee
3.Glen Mcgrath
4.Greg Chappell
5.Adam Gilchrist

.Greg Chappell statistically was the best batsmen of the 1970's of you add scores in World series cricket supertests and against t Rest of the World.No batsmen was as prolific against the great Carribean pace attack in West Indies in that decade as Greg who in 1979 score 3 centuries there at an average of 69 runs .Greg was closer to the perfect batsmen than Gavaskar or Viv Richards blending correct technique and attacking agression perfectly.Adam Gilchrist was the most devastating cricketer of his game who could in flash turn the complexion of a match 180 degrees more than anyone.Often reminscent of a bomber plane creating the impact of a hurricane.

Chose Greg Chappell as he was more complete and classical than Border ,Waugh or Ponting.Lillee placed ahead of Mcgrath because he was more hostile or volatile and more versatile.Warne at top because he defined Australian cricket at it's helm more than anyone.

Best Australians before 1966 in order of merit

1.Don Bradman
2.Keith Miller
3.Victor Trumper
4.Ray Lindwall
5.Alan Davidson

Trumper was the ultimate batting magician taking art of batting to region s never traversed and championing the cause on wet pitches like no batsmen ever where he acumulated runs at a staggering strike rate.Bradman was not Trumper's equal on a wet pitch.Lindwall was perfection in fast bolwing personified who arguably had more prowess than even Lillee .Til this day no right arm paceman has been more complete moving the ball around more than y any genuine Aussie quickei.Davidosn was like a Wasim Akram or Jeith Miller of his day who could be more lethal than nay fast bolwer of his day and a more than useful batsman.

Overall
1.Don Bradman
2.ShaneWarne
3.Dennis Lillee
4.Keith Miller
5.Glen Mcgrath
6.Greg Chapppell
7.Victor Trumper
8.Adam Gilchrist
9.Ray Lindwall
10.Ricky Ponting
 
Bradman
Warne
Lillee
Ponting
Mcgrath
Miller
Gilchrist
Chappell
AB
Davidson
 
Don Bradman
Shane Warne
Glenn McGrath
Dennis Lillie
Keith Miller

Honorary mention to Alan Border, Steve Waugh, Chappell brothers and Adam Gilchrist
 
Richie Benaud?

Richie was a very good player and a vital link in our legspinning chain of knowledge/history and a bold captain. He's well loved and appreciated but comes in as a 4th ranked leggy at best, maybe 2nd best allrounder (not as good as Miller) so he just gets squeezed out of these lists.

He's well loved and was a bold captain, but just misses out.
 
From the ones I've seen:

1) Warne
2) Punter
3) S Waugh
4) McGrath
5) M Taylor
 
So do most Aussies consider Ricky Ponting the second best batsman in Australian cricket history? Ahead of AB, Chappell and Steve Smith?
 
Top 3 most influential ones are extremely easy to pick -

1. Donald Bradman
2. Shane Warne
3. Dennis Lillee


There are quite a few worthy contenders for the next 2 spot - Keith Miller, Allan Border, G. Chappell, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting.
 
Ones I've seen in this order:

1. Gilchrist
2. Mcgrath
3. Warne
4. Ponting
5. Smith
 
So do most Aussies consider Ricky Ponting the second best batsman in Australian cricket history? Ahead of AB, Chappell and Steve Smith?

He played 2/3 of his career in a weak bowling era compared to those of Chappell, AB and Tugga. While W&W, Walsh & Ambrose, Donald were still going he averaged 47, which is very good, but he didn't turn into a run machine until they retired.
 
He played 2/3 of his career in a weak bowling era compared to those of Chappell, AB and Tugga. While W&W, Walsh & Ambrose, Donald were still going he averaged 47, which is very good, but he didn't turn into a run machine until they retired.

I often see people use this reasoning to put Ponting down, but I find it shallow. When these bowlers were in their pomp, Ponting was in his early to mid 20's, which were his formative years. He peaked as a batsman - like most other batsmen - in his 30s, which is why he was phenomenal from 2002-2003.

He was simply a better batsman in his 30's than his 20's irrespective of the quality of bowling that he faced. Had he played the said bowlers during his peak, he would have done better. An average of 47 against some of the greatest bowlers of all time before entering his peak years proves his prowess as a batsman.

The fact that he peaked at the same time as they faded away is nothing but a mere coincidence, creating this illusion that he peaked only because they retired.
 
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