Top 4 Batsmen in the World

[Pup]

I have been thinking about this over the last couple of days, there is really only about 8 players in contention IMO and one of them is mostly based on previous innings and records.

Michael Hussey

Runs HS 100s Average
1896 182 7 86.18

What a player, 18 matches and nearly 2000 runs already. Amazingly in all of his matches, he has only scored under double figures 3 times and one of them was in his first innings. Can you pick a weakness in his game? I cant, He plays the cover drive as well as anyone in the game at the moment. He can hook, cut, pull drive as well. He has excellent patience and always puts his team first. His running between the wickets and fielding is also brilliant. The question everyone wants to know is will he get to the magic number of 100? Inevitably he will fail and it will be fantastic to see how he handles that but there is no doubt in my mind he is in the top 6 batsmen inthe world at the moment IMO.

Jaques Kallis

Matches Runs HS Average 100s Wickets Average 5 For
111 9197 189* 58.20 29 221 31.28 4

To be honest i have always had my doubts about Kallis but in the last 2/3 years i have been proven wrong. He averages an amazing 58 after over 10 years of cricket at the highest level. He is technically brilliant and plays with an elegance that is rare even at this level. He is in amazing form of late scoring 5 centurys in the his last 7 innings, and has never looked more comfortable at the crease. His bowling is good, he is more than a stock bowler but not quite a strike bowler. His weakness IMO is ODI cricket where he rarely gets out of first gear particularly when playing Australia. He is to one paced which is fine in the longer format but not so much when it comes to the 50 over version. Like a lot of good players he does not perform well against Australia, he only averages 38 with 3 centuries. Until he turns this around he wont sit in the same class as Ponting IMO.

Kumar Sangakkara

Matches Runs HS Average 100s
68 5741 287 55.73 15

One of my favourite players in world criket ATM, He is one Sri Lankan who is capable of taking it up to the best home or away, he is an infectious character who is crucial to this team. He is an excellent keeper even though he is not taking the gloves at the moment. His batting is brilliant, he has such wonderful timing and placement. He is excellent against the spinners and can cut and pull as well. Also has a beautiful cover drive. He also has the habit of making big centurys, he has scored 10 scores over 150 with 6 double centurys in those 10 and it should have been 7 on Tuesday. I think he will really stamp himself even more in the next year.

Ricky Ponting

Matches Runs HS Average 100s
112 9508 257 59.42 33

The Games best captain and arguably best batsmen. He really has transformed himself in the last 4-5 years from a super player to being one of the games greats. His batting is so good i can barely pick a way to get him out, Once he scores 20 (Apart from recent series) look out because more often than not he will score big hundreds. He is the best Hooker/Puller in world cricket, his timing is equal to anyone and when is in full flight is as good to watch as anyone. He solved minor problems with his technique and now is IMO the best batsmen in the world. He was averaging 60 before the Sri Lankan series and will be there again after the Indian one IMO. He is a good slipper and a brilliant fielder in the ring. His leadership has been questioned in the early days but i am sure not many doubt it now.

The others who can make a case are Kevin Pieterson, Mohammad Yousuf, Sachin Tendaulker.

Intersted to hear others thoughts on who is the games top 4 and this not based on ratings just purely where i believe they sit.

[GWW]

Is that list in order Pup? I think Ponting would have to be number 1 for consistent performances over 10 or so years.

[Pup]

Is that list in order Pup? I think Ponting would have to be number 1 for consistent performances over 10 or so years.

No not in order, Would probably be Ponting, Kallis, Sanga, Hussey or Yousuf, Tendaulker then KP IMO.

[rogernumber10]

Ponting for me too over the last 2-3 years. Hussey is storming up the charts but Ponting has him covered still just for longevity, before we compare the work of a long-timethree, versus a batsman at 6/5/4.

As for Kallis, I can't have him till he does it against Australia, whenever that may be. It's probably too late in his career for him to salvage a decent record against us, as he's likely to have only one more home and away against us, compared to the three homes and three aways he's already had where he hasn't cut the mustard.

Yousuf, super player. Like Hussey, is on fire over the last 12-18 months and just needs a further 18 months of great form to challenge Ponting's epic last five years (Punter has averaged more than 75 in that time).

Sachin -- was the best batsman on/off with Lara for 5-6 years but that time is a few years ago now. All respect still for everything he's done, particularly with 760 million sitting on his shoulder loading up the pressure every time he batted.

Great debate. We just need beers handy now to really work it along as we argue the cases.

[rod_rooster]

Having said all this about the Aussie batsmen none of them have had to face the Aussie attacks

[mal]

TOP 10 BATSMEN IN ORDER

1 PONTING
2 KALLIS
3 HUSSEY
4 KP
5 SANGAKARRA
6 HAYDEN
7 YOUSEF
8 DRAVID
9 TENDULKAR
10 BOOF

If I had to have a first pick for the most valuable cricketer in the world
KALLIS
A whisker behind PONTING as a batsman, but still bowling well.

[rod_rooster]

TOP 10 BATSMEN IN ORDER

1 PONTING
2 KALLIS
3 HUSSEY
4 KP
5 SANGAKARRA
6 HAYDEN
7 YOUSEF
8 DRAVID
9 TENDULKAR
10 BOOF

If I had to have a first pick for the most valuable cricketer in the world
KALLIS
A whisker behind PONTING as a batsman, but still bowling well.

Sangakarra is the second best batsman in the world. Easily too.

[mal]

TOP 10 BATSMEN IN ORDER

1 PONTING
2 KALLIS
3 HUSSEY
4 KP
5 SANGAKARRA
6 HAYDEN
7 YOUSEF
8 DRAVID
9 TENDULKAR
10 BOOF

If I had to have a first pick for the most valuable cricketer in the world
KALLIS
A whisker behind PONTING as a batsman, but still bowling well.

Sangakarra is the second best batsman in the world. Easily too.

I think my top 5 are a fair way in front of the others.

[GWW]

TOP 10 BATSMEN IN ORDER

1 PONTING
2 KALLIS
3 HUSSEY
4 KP
5 SANGAKARRA
6 HAYDEN
7 YOUSEF
8 DRAVID
9 TENDULKAR
10 BOOF

If I had to have a first pick for the most valuable cricketer in the world
KALLIS
A whisker behind PONTING as a batsman, but still bowling well.

So Kallis is a better allrounder than KP then mal?

[mal]

I consider some of the best opposing batsman in the world are the ones that perform
against Australia in Australia since 2000 vrs WARNE/MCGRATH/LEE/GILLESPIE/ in particular.

OPENING BATSMAN WITH OVER 200 RUNS

RUNS...AVE...PLAYER

633....63-30...VAUGHAN
547....54-70...SHEWAG
245....40-83...KIRSTEN
225....37-50...BUTT
276....27-60...COOK
261....26-10...TRESCOTHIK

The other 2 batsman who got over 200 runs were STRAUSS/RICHARDSON


MIDDLE ORDER BATSMAN

494...82-33...LAXMAN
671...74-55...DRAVID
432...61-71...TENDULKAR
521...57-88...KALLIS
448...56-00...ASTLE
490...54-44...PIETERSON

______________________________________________________________________
Theres a very important common denominator when we discuss the averages
of VAUGHAN and in particular SHEWAG/LAXMAN/DRAVID/TENDULKAR that stands out
WHO KNOWS WHY ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
_______________________________________________________________________

KALLIS must have been here before 2000 to have that average as I think
he averages about 38 vrs AU here

When I take all things into consideration ASTLE/PIETERSON were the most exceptional performers

PLEASE NOTE these stats do not include the SRI LANKAN tour
Mr SANGAKARRA would figure prominently

[MAY-Z]

As for Kallis, I can't have him till he does it against Australia, whenever that may be. It's probably too late in his career for him to salvage a decent record against us, as he's likely to have only one more home and away against us, compared to the three homes and three aways he's already had where he hasn't cut the mustard.

can someone explain this to me- why does everyone say ponting is a better bat than kallis because kallis doesnt have a great record against australia- ponting has never had to face warne & mcgrath so how does anyone know how he would have gone against these 2 bowlers.

if anything when comparing these 2 players for instance surely you can only judge them on their record against the same opposition- so if you take kallis's australian record out statistically he would be stronger than ponting against the same opponents.

[am Bays]

As for Kallis, I can't have him till he does it against Australia, whenever that may be. It's probably too late in his career for him to salvage a decent record against us, as he's likely to have only one more home and away against us, compared to the three homes and three aways he's already had where he hasn't cut the mustard.

can someone explain this to me- why does everyone say ponting is a better bat than kallis because kallis doesnt have a great record against australia- ponting has never had to face warne & mcgrath so how does anyone know how he would have gone against these 2 bowlers.

if anything when comparing these 2 players for instance surely you can only judge them on their record against the same opposition- so if you take kallis's australian record out statistically he would be stronger than ponting against the same opponents.

Ahhh Eggcellent post MAy-z but from 1997-2002 it can be argued Ponting had to face the Pollock, Donald, Ntini (after he had a little 'oliday) Hayward, Adams etc arguably the second best attack in the world and Ponting pogo'd them in '97, 97-98 and 2001-2002....

Pontings record agaisnt S Af (who Kallis had never faced) is MUCH greater than Kallis record against Australia and I reckon the difference between Ponting and Kallis is greater than teh difference betwenn the attacks of Seth Efrica and Australia circa 1997-2002.

*edit* ah the wonders of Statsguru, RT Ponting didn't play in the 1997 series but in 1997-98 and 2001-02 he averaged over 50 against Sth Africa agaisnt attacks that included Donald, Pollock Symcox, Ntini etc.

just a tad more than Kallis' 38.....

I haven't included the years after 2002 because arguably the Seth Efrican attack is much weaker than what it was in teh late 90s and early 00s when they were clearly the 2nd best side in the world.

[rogernumber10]

As for Kallis, I can't have him till he does it against Australia, whenever that may be. It's probably too late in his career for him to salvage a decent record against us, as he's likely to have only one more home and away against us, compared to the three homes and three aways he's already had where he hasn't cut the mustard.

can someone explain this to me- why does everyone say ponting is a better bat than kallis because kallis doesnt have a great record against australia- ponting has never had to face warne & mcgrath so how does anyone know how he would have gone against these 2 bowlers.

if anything when comparing these 2 players for instance surely you can only judge them on their record against the same opposition- so if you take kallis's australian record out statistically he would be stronger than ponting against the same opponents.

The other point I didn't mention, why I have Ponting ahead of Kallis clearly, is that Jacques still doesn't have the real big doubles to his name. Ponting multiple x 200 and Kallis yet to get there even once.

[am Bays]

Don't get me wrong 900 test runs is no fluke Kallis can bat and he is up there in teh top five in teh world but to say he is better bat than Ponting ATM is ludicrous...and the stats back it up too.

[MAY-Z]

Don't get me wrong 900 test runs is no fluke Kallis can bat and he is up there in teh top five in teh world but to say he is better bat than Ponting ATM is ludicrous...and the stats back it up too.

careful using claims that stats back things up when you are trying to make points against me tassie

i shall be hitting stats guru soon for some stats of my own

[rogernumber10]

Plus, the really key point is that Ricky's ours, and Jacques is theirs.

That counts for nearly 97 pct of the argument, before we get to the fact that nearly all of Ricky's ads on tv are better than some of the stuff I've seen Kallis do on Yarpie tv (Only person more wooden on camera than Jacques would possibly be former Hawk coach Alan Joyce).

I am prepared though to give Kallis points for his missus. She's outstanding.

[am Bays]

Don't get me wrong 900 test runs is no fluke Kallis can bat and he is up there in teh top five in teh world but to say he is better bat than Ponting ATM is ludicrous...and the stats back it up too.

careful using claims that stats back things up when you are trying to make points against me tassie

i shall be hitting stats guru soon for some stats of my own

Hooray!!! A good 'ol fashioned SL.org nerd off!!! Apologies to the rest of teh SAFootyers as we indulge in some loutish behaviour!!!!

Hope you are going to find Punters stats agaisnt McGrath, Warne, Gillespie, Lee etc in shield cricket....the same bowlers Kallis faces agaisnt Australia......

[Rik E Boy]

Kallis is a top bat but for some reason I find him incredibly boring to watch. Not too sure why, I just do.

regards,

REB

[sasquatch]

Ponting is the best.
Followed by Kallis.
Then Yousuf.

Tendulkar and Dravid were great, but past their peak.

[mal]

ICC PLAYER RANKINGS

936 PONTING
935 KALLIS
919 SANGAKARRA
908 YOUSEF
874 HUSSEY
872 KP
828 YOUNIS
803 HAYDEN
762 CHANDERPAUL
751 PUP


One thing that I dont understand
If HUSSEY averages close to 80 shouldnt he be top of a ratings list ?
How are these ratings worked out ?