Ricky Ponting; The best batsman I 'll ever see

[Magpiespower]

If you're talking about Graeme Pollock, he must have been a wonderful player but I only saw him bat once, he made 8, so it's a bit hard to rate him among the best I've seen.

Only saw him bat in an exhibition match a few years ago.

The one where Zoe Goss got Lara out.

Even nearing 60, Pollock just planted his big foot down and smashed them everywhere.

Took particular delight in dispatching anything Goss sent down to the boundary.

You could see the arrogance all over his face - as if to say a woman's place is in the kitchen, not international cricket.

And who'd argue with that?

[dinglinga]

i remember when gordon greenidge played a season here playing adelaide ... watched him play against salisbury .... while every other game he was smashing 100's the berries got him for 6 ....

[Magpiespower]

Remember when Gus Logie played a summer in Adelaide.

Think he scored six runs for the whole summer.

[Booney]

Remember when Gus Logie played a summer in Adelaide.

Think he scored six runs for the whole summer.

Scored 6 runs,but how many fair maidens did he knock over?

[Rik E Boy]

Remember when Gus Logie played a summer in Adelaide.

Think he scored six runs for the whole summer.

Scored 6 runs,but how many fair maidens did he knock over?

I could tell you a bit of a story there Booney, you'd be very surprised I reckon

regards,

REB

[Booney]

Remember when Gus Logie played a summer in Adelaide.

Think he scored six runs for the whole summer.

Scored 6 runs,but how many fair maidens did he knock over?

I could tell you a bit of a story there Booney, you'd be very surprised I reckon

regards,

REB

HE ISN'T! Is he?

[Magpiespower]

Unlike most West Indians, Gus didn't object to to the pink WSC uniforms...

[Rik E Boy]

No Booney he's not LOL. BTW, would you have the guts to go up and have a go at Joel Garner about those lovely pink outfits..no way Jose LOL again.

regards,

REB

[am Bays]

Richards was amazing against good pace bowling on true wickets - but struggled against exceptional pace bowling (who doesn't) e.g Lillee witness the last three balls of Boxing day 1981.....outswinger, outswinger, inswinger - gone, and quality spin bowlers Witness Bennet and Holland bowling to him at Sydney in 1985 and his record on the sub contenent.

However when he got in on a true wicket against ordinary pace bowling i.e. the POMS or Melb 84 or Perth 1988 good night nurse, shit he was awesome. The swagger, the gum, the eye **** he could bat.

My point is in the conditions that suited him against not so great test bowlers he was awesome but he was found wanting aainst the best. he only averaged 26.7 in 81-82 against Lillee and Alderman - quality movers of the ball compared to a test average of 52.

When you think of the bowlers he faced Abdul Qadir in PAkistan, Bedi in India, HAdlee in Aust, Marshall, Garner, Holding, Ambrose, Roberts, Walsh.....here and over there you have to rate Allan Border as the best IMHO.

He made runs everywhere and at an average of 72 runs in 1984 against arguably the best pace bowling quartet ever on their decks that is awesome and mindboggling. I've heard Wayne Phillips tell a few stories about that series and fair dinkum it is scary stuff, all the Windies wanted to do hald the time was pin Dujon on the back fence, they were bowling **** quick!!

Tendulkar is the other Gun IMHO samshing the best spinner in the worlds over his head ad **** nauseum in 1998 and hooking and pulling McDermott et al in 1991-92 as an 18 yo in Perth. Another one who produced in all conditions against the best attacks.

Ponting is good don't get me wrong and his shot making is awesome all around the wicket when he is going but against the swinging ball he goes with hard hands walking into the shot, he hasn't got the mental side of his game that Border and Waugh had to isolate the ball and make the bowlers bowl to you. However he showed and Manchester last year that he was starting to develop this side of his game.

To me the best batsman set the fields, by getting the bowlers to bowl to them. That to me is batting at its highest art form - the batsmen get the bowler to bowl to him and dictates to the fielding captain where the field should be, no matter who or where they are playing and in that regard the best batsmen I have seeen are:

Border, Tendulkar, Waugh, Lara, Ponting (Honourable mentions to Richards, Dravid, Hayden, Gower, M Waugh, VVS Laxman, Gilchrest & Gavaskar)

PS I spent my honeymoon in a bar underneath Observation city in Perth watching Dravid and VVS Laxman bat for a day at Kolkota in 2001 while her indoors watched hotel movies. That was great batting too against McGrath, Gillespie, Miller and Warne - fair attack!!

[Adelaide Hawk]

When you think of the bowlers he faced Abdul Qadir in PAkistan, Bedi in India, HAdlee in Aust, Marshall, Garner, Holding, Ambrose, Roberts, Walsh.....here and over there you have to rate Allan Border as the best IMHO.

Allan Border was a great player, but he batted ostensibly in the number 6 position. Although No.6 is a responsible batting position, when it comes to talking about the"best" batsmen they really need to have played mainly 1-4 for most of their careers IMHO.

[Aerie]

1. Lara
2. Tendulkar
3. Ponting

Hard to seperate, but I doubt I'll see a better innings than Lara's at Adelaide Oval last year. I much prefer to watch Lara and Tendulkar bat, but do think Ponting is the best batsman in the world at the moment.

Dravid, Kallis and Hayden are also brilliant, but not in the same category as the top three.