Thursday, January 27, 2011

Ten Best Cricketers of All Time

Any list of the best sport persons in any field has got to be time specific. New and better sports persons keep emerging all the time and often some who were a part of the list do not live up to their promise.
Hence let us discuss the guys who proved they were the top ten cricketers until 2010. There are sure to be some who disagree with our list – but then we always look forward to having a great discussion with our readers.
1. Sir Donald Bradman:
He was the yardstick against whom all cricketers have always been measured. He set high standards, had a great batting average and in 1930 he scored his highest test innings. Idolised by cricket fanatics all over the world he singlehandedly brought cricket to the forefront among sports. Wisden has nominated him as the greatest Test cricket player ever.
2. Sachin Tendulkar:
Thirty six years old and he is still going strong. Soon he is expected to overtake the Don’s records for the highest cricket average in Test cricket. His talent and dedication to the game have made him India’s favourite Little Master and the bane of bowlers worldwide. Tendulkar is great not only in Test cricket but is also a great ODI player and on his shoulders rest the hopes of a billion Indians.
3. Sir Vivian Richards:
A great batsman and an even more aggressive bowler, Sir Vivian towered over the cricketing world from 1974 till 1991. A popular and wise captain, he led West Indies cricket during its heydays. He has been ranked by Wisden as the best One day International player of all times. He is also believed to be one of the best fielders of all times.
4. Brain Lara:
Another West Indian, Brain Lara enchanted cricket audiences worldwide with his style of batting and his ability to dispatch every bowler’s ball to the boundary with ease and grace. He holds many batting records, including the one of scoring the maximum number of runs in one over in Test cricket. He scored 24 runs of an over of Robin Peterson in 2003
5. Muttiah Mulitharan:
Murli has many a batsman quivering in his shoes when he comes roaring down the pitch. A great bowler he is unmatched in his ability to take wickets in both one day internationals and in test cricket. It is going to be a long time before anyone is able to match his score of 800 test wickets.
6. Sir Garfield Sobers:
Another great captain and leader of men, Sobers was one of the best batsmen that the West Indies team ever had. An amazing all-rounder he excelled in all aspects of cricketing – be it as a batsman or a bowler or a fielder or a captain.
7. Steve Waugh:
The ever-cool and calm Steve Waugh, was Australia’s captain from 1999 to 2004. His ability to deliver in tight situations and to steer his team through all problematic situations made him a very popular captain and cricketer
8. Sir Ian Botham:
He still holds the record for the highest number of wickets taken by an English bowler.  During his time there were few who could match his ability to both bat and bowl well.
9. Shane Warne:
Believed by many to be the best spin bowler of all times, Shane Warne was renowned for his antics both on and off the field. But this did not in any way take away from his abilities and talent. He is the only specialist bowler who has been nominated by Wisden as one of the five best cricketers of all time
10. Jacques Kallis:
A formidable right hand batsmen, a good medium pace bowler and a great team member of the South African team, Jacques Kallis’s figures do not adequately represent his contribution to the South African team. He has been described his fellow team members as the “greatest cricketer to play the game”

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