PONTING the CHAMPION

[luvcricket]

I know he's had his ups and downs off the field, but boy is he the best Captain/Batsman since Sir Donald Bradman? Heck YES.

[cripple]

better then benaud, chappell, chappell, border, taylor and i am sure i have forgotten some others is a mighty mighty big call. and since you didn't specify best australian captain clive lloyd would be up there as well.

[cripple]

sorry, just read the previous post correctly, but would still have the chappell's in front of him. If he gets a couple more tons in this series it may change, guess we will just have to wait and see.

[GWW]

Ian Chappell as captain would be better i think, best batsman since Bradman, maybe best Australian batsman, but i wouldn't say world's best batsman. Tendulkar better, also Viv Richards, and probably a few others as well.

[Pag]

Ian Chappell as captain would be better i think, best batsman since Bradman, maybe best Australian batsman, but i wouldn't say world's best batsman. Tendulkar better, also Viv Richards, and probably a few others as well.

Lara's in that category.

[rod_rooster]

Ian Chappell as captain would be better i think, best batsman since Bradman, maybe best Australian batsman, but i wouldn't say world's best batsman. Tendulkar better, also Viv Richards, and probably a few others as well.

Lara's in that category.

Look at the records of Tendulkar and Ponting and Ponting has him covered. That's just purely stats though and stats can lie. In this case though i don't think they do. Lara is the pick of the bunch though IMHO.

[NFC]

Absolute freaking champion! 2nd best Australian batsmen ever.

[Gozu]

Lara was the best I ever saw and Ponting has been the best in the world for a number of years now. Even though he was a great player Tendulkar was always hyped up a bit too much especially after Bradman's comment.

[LBT]

Too many people do not rate Ricky's achievements, i cannot believe all the negative stuff i hear about him. When he retires he is likely to have: Most runs in test cricket, most 100's in test cricket, most wins as Australian captain, and our best ever one day batsman! What more can we ask!

[Rik E Boy]

What a fantastic innnings by Punter. YOU LEGEND. You can tell it meant a lot to him. Massive amounts of concentration and the Indian attack wasn't exactly serving up meat pies yesterday. A fantastic innings from a fantastic player. Well done skipper.

regards,

REB

[NFC]

Too many people do not rate Ricky's achievements, i cannot believe all the negative stuff i hear about him. When he retires he is likely to have: Most runs in test cricket, most 100's in test cricket, most wins as Australian captain, and our best ever one day batsman! What more can we ask!

Honestly, how long has he been this good for? Seems like forever now. 27 hundreds in 7 years, and look at his averages from the past 7 years: 70, 100, 41, 67, 88, 38, 58. Keep in mind the 38 was from only 4 tests.

He is a freak, just an amazing player, and is HE underrated.

[hearts on fire]

well done Punter. i bagged him when he didn't perform last summer but credit to ya mate, you turned it around. you legend.

[rod_rooster]

Absolute freaking champion! 2nd best Australian batsmen ever.

Oh dear, we agree again

Lara was the best I ever saw and Ponting has been the best in the world for a number of years now. Even though he was a great player Tendulkar was always hyped up a bit too much especially after Bradman's comment.

Couldn't agree more. Well said.

[rooburger]

you are only as good as the oppostion you play.
you can't tell me the countries going around the last 5 years have been any good.
different times against better teams some of those other captains had to do it tough.
very hard to compare in my opinion

[NFC]

you are only as good as the oppostion you play.
you can't tell me the countries going around the last 5 years have been any good.
different times against better teams some of those other captains had to do it tough.
very hard to compare in my opinion

Why isn't everyone averaging 59 then?

[rooburger]

you just answered your question.
weak oppositon means more runs .

Sobers 57.78 30 Mar 1954 05 Apr 1974 93 Matches


Ponting,58.54 08 Dec 1995 116 Matches and still going.

30 to 40 years time difference .

In Sobers time there were no dud teams like bangaladesh, Zimbabwe etc.

Just a thought.

[luvcricket]

I think cricket today is much more competitive and skillful than it was 30 or 40 yrs ago. Yes, you a have more protective equipment and so forth but cricketers that play at the elite level are very much full time athletes. I don't think Sobers would dominate in this era of cricket.

[cripple]

I think cricket today is much more competitive and skillful than it was 30 or 40 yrs ago. Yes, you a have more protective equipment and so forth but cricketers that play at the elite level are very much full time athletes. I don't think Sobers would dominate in this era of cricket.

If cricket was more competitive in this day and age, you would not have a team that has been the undisputed world champions for the past 10+ years going around, a team that has not won a match in its history (bangladesh) except for a win or two against a team that is no longer allowed to play(Zimbabwe). Yes cricketers are now full time as opposed to yester year's underpaid amateurs and if players like sobers had this advantage it would only make them better. Its hard to compare era's and individuals deeds against different attacks but when your one of wisdens top 5 players in history, he deserves the respect afforded to him and the assumption that he probably would succeed if he played in modern cricket.

[Iron Fist]

I think cricket today is much more competitive and skillful than it was 30 or 40 yrs ago. Yes, you a have more protective equipment and so forth but cricketers that play at the elite level are very much full time athletes. I don't think Sobers would dominate in this era of cricket.

i must say, the players of todays era would be able to go back and play the cricket that was played 30-40years ago alot easier then the opposite. 80% IMO of yester year players would not cut it at the level of cricket that is played today.
all sports progress and become better and cricket is no exception to the rule!!!
Only thing that would benefit older players would be the condition of the pitches!!
everything else the new players would be better at then a few of the old school players!