Best you've seen live

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Sep 21, 2002
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Batsman - Barry Richards, absolutely sublime. Never any doubt in my mind he's the best batsman I've seen.
More contemporary batsman - Brian Lara. Nobody in the past 30 years comes close, except maybe Viv Richards.
All-round cricketer - Garry Sobers. There was nothing he couldn't do, to excess.
Best fast bowler - Who else but the great Dennis Lillee? Could swing and cut the ball both ways at express pace.
Best left arm quick - easily Wasim Akram. A veritable maestro of the late inswinging yorker. Like Starc except Wasim could swing it both ways.
Best leggie - Warnie, who else? We won't see anyone anywhere near as good in our life time.
Best offie - India's Bishen Bedi. His flight and control was incredible. Could usually afford to have 4 close in fielders, 2 on other side.
Best cricket team - West Indies 1984-85. Just awesome, and it was amazing the Aussies actually took a Test off them.
 
Feb 8, 2012
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Batsman - Barry Richards, absolutely sublime. Never any doubt in my mind he's the best batsman I've seen.
More contemporary batsman - Brian Lara. Nobody in the past 30 years comes close, except maybe Viv Richards.
All-round cricketer - Garry Sobers. There was nothing he couldn't do, to excess.
Best fast bowler - Who else but the great Dennis Lillee? Could swing and cut the ball both ways at express pace.
Best left arm quick - easily Wasim Akram. A veritable maestro of the late inswinging yorker. Like Starc except Wasim could swing it both ways.
Best leggie - Warnie, who else? We won't see anyone anywhere near as good in our life time.
Best offie - India's Bishen Bedi. His flight and control was incredible. Could usually afford to have 4 close in fielders, 2 on other side.
Best cricket team - West Indies 1984-85. Just awesome, and it was amazing the Aussies actually took a Test off them.
Great post:thumbsu: You saw both Richards and Sobers live:eek: and You have The former over the Black Bradman. Wow, I heard he was s**t hot but I have always believed with an average of 60 or close Sobers was a once in a century player.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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Great post:thumbsu: You saw both Richards and Sobers live:eek: and You have The former over the Black Bradman. Wow, I heard he was s**t hot but I have always believed with an average of 60 or close Sobers was a once in a century player.

Yes. This thread is about what you've seen live. At Adelaide Oval, I saw Barry Richards make 224 v MCC, 146 in the second match against the MCC, and 105 & 72 against the Victorians. To add to this, I was very fortunate to have been taken to Perth on a family holiday and saw him make 325 not out on day 1. Dad was in Perth on business and the WACA was just down the road. How lucky was I? :)

I almost forgot my favourite cricketer Ian Chappell was making a wonderful century at the other end. Richards was out for 356 the next day. To add more cream, although it wasn't "live", I saw him make a wonderful 207 on TV against the Australians in World Series Cricket, also in Perth. I just haven't seen a batsman who compares with him.
 
Feb 8, 2012
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Yes. This thread is about what you've seen live. At Adelaide Oval, I saw Barry Richards make 224 v MCC, 146 in the second match against the MCC, and 105 & 72 against the Victorians. To add to this, I was very fortunate to have been taken to Perth on a family holiday and saw him make 325 not out on day 1. Dad was in Perth on business and the WACA was just down the road. How lucky was I? :)

You almost forgot my favourite cricketer Ian Chappell was making a wonderful century at the other end. Richards was out for 356 the next day. To add more cream, although it wasn't "live", I saw him make a wonderful 207 on TV against the Australians in World Series Cricket, also in Perth. I just haven't seen a batsman who compares with him.
Amazing mate respect! Did you ever see a big Sobers innings?
 
Sep 21, 2002
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Amazing mate respect! Did you ever see a big Sobers innings?

I caught one century, for the West Indies in a Test at Adelaide. I was only starting to get interested in cricket when he played here in 1961-62 to 1963-64 so I didn't actually see him make any first class 100s that year. I saw him take a bag of 5 wickets against SA in 1968-69, very impressed with how he took the new ball, could swing the ball at considerable pace, then revert to spin when the situation called for it. Also a brilliant fielder.

My very earliest memory of Sobers was in the 1963-64 District cricket finals. I didn't see it, but he made 111 for Prospect in the semi finals, so dad dragged me along to the Grand Final the following week as it was Sobers' last match in SA. He didn't disappoint, making 175 and taking 4 wickets. Although I was only 8 at the time, he was so dominant, and that much better than anyone else, it was memorable. Then when he returned to SA in 1971-72 to play for Prospect and SA, he took 8 wickets in his first grade game before being recruited by Bradman for the World XI.

Sadly, most memories of Sobers at Test level were witnessed on TV, including his 254 for the World XI at the MCG.
 

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Feb 8, 2012
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I caught one century, for the West Indies in a Test at Adelaide. I was only starting to get interested in cricket when he played here in 1961-62 to 1963-64 so I didn't actually see him make any first class 100s that year. I saw him take a bag of 5 wickets against SA in 1968-69, very impressed with how he took the new ball, could swing the ball at considerable pace, then revert to spin when the situation called for it. Also a brilliant fielder.

My very earliest memory of Sobers was in the 1963-64 District cricket finals. I didn't see it, but he made 111 for Prospect in the semi finals, so dad dragged me along to the Grand Final the following week as it was Sobers' last match in SA. He didn't disappoint, making 175 and taking 4 wickets. Although I was only 8 at the time, he was so dominant, and that much better than anyone else, it was memorable. Then when he returned to SA in 1971-72 to play for Prospect and SA, he took 8 wickets in his first grade game before being recruited by Bradman for the World XI.

Sadly, most memories of Sobers at Test level were witnessed on TV, including his 254 for the World XI at the MCG.
Thanks for this post mate it was dripping in nostalgia and passion!:thumbsu:
 
Sep 21, 2002
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Great posts Adelaide Hawk it scares me sometimes that cricket prior to WSC, or at least the 74/75 Ashes seems to be disappearing into the mists of time. Keep boring young people with these stories!!! Some of them will stick.

World Series Cricket was of it's time. Not only was it necessary for players to earn a lot more from the game, there has never been a period in the history of the game where the world talent pool was so concentrated with genuine superstars. I cannot imagine it would have succeeded at any other point in time.

When I was a lad, Test cricket was everything. It was the pinnacle of cricket, possibly in sport. Every young man interested in sports had dreams of playing Test cricket for Australia. My interest was such that I wanted to learn as much about the game as possible. The process was listening to and learning from people who have been there, done that.

It worries me that today's youth are the T20 generation. Most will watch a little Test cricket but not be intrigued enough to want to learn about the game's rich history. It saddens me that the man who shaped my cricket world, Ian Chappell, the man who taught me so much about cricket, a maverick and pioneer of the modern game, is now referred to on this forum as that old fart who tells boring stories. It tells me younger people don't want to know about the history of the game.

It is this type of thinking that will eventually kill Test cricket. I just hope it happens long after I'm not here to see it because once Test cricket dies, all the other truncated derivatives of the game will follow.
 

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Only saw Barry Richards on TV but he was all class superb player. Watched Lillee and Thomson destroy the Windies in 74/75 at MCG. Marsh standing 30/35 metres with slips was amazing. Batsman would nick crowd would go completely silent until ball hit gloves or hands and then erupt....Lillee chant unforgetable.
First test I saw was John Snow at the G and he to my mind was similar to Lillee. My early fave cricketer was also Ian Chappell. lacked the class of players to come but never gave his wicket away (except as a happy hooker) and ground out lots of runs. Only saw Sobers on TV but he was magic to watch still think he is best all rounder of all time. Took my son to G and watched Mark Waugh make the best 35 I have seen at test level. Fielded at cover when David Gower made a very nice ton in Perth. Ken McEwan thrashed a sublime 35 against us as well..this guy was a star for Essex but was another South African who would have had a good Test Career. Last but not least VIV RICHARDS what a beast! Never been to a one day game and do not watch T20 so to me the only cricket is the longer form of game agree with other writer when this dies the true game of cricket will be dead.
 

Wolfs

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For some reason every time I go to the cricket, Steve Smith tons up.

For me it would be Sachin and Ricky for batting, and bowling would be Warne, McGrath and Kumble who always performs in Australia at least since 1999/00.
 
May 2, 2007
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Prior to redevelopment you could sit behind the nets at Adelaide Oval and literally be only a couple of metres from the batsman. I remember seeing Curtley bowl one morning and even at 3/4 pace it was terrifying.
This was the first game I went to as a kid, when you had only seen cricket on TV before it was amazing to see the bounce he got and how the keeper was halfway to the boundary at the WACA.
 
Nov 12, 2002
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Yes. This thread is about what you've seen live. At Adelaide Oval, I saw Barry Richards make 224 v MCC, 146 in the second match against the MCC, and 105 & 72 against the Victorians. To add to this, I was very fortunate to have been taken to Perth on a family holiday and saw him make 325 not out on day 1. Dad was in Perth on business and the WACA was just down the road. How lucky was I? :)

I almost forgot my favourite cricketer Ian Chappell was making a wonderful century at the other end. Richards was out for 356 the next day. To add more cream, although it wasn't "live", I saw him make a wonderful 207 on TV against the Australians in World Series Cricket, also in Perth. I just haven't seen a batsman who compares with him.

I knew you'd seen a bit of Barry Richards, but not that much. Man that's impressive.

You're going to enjoy this then. I just found what I thought I would never ever see anything of:



I still can't believe this exists. There's enough evidence on this to easily convince me that this guy was very, very special.

Go to about 7:35 and prepare for your jaw to hit the floor.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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I knew you'd seen a bit of Barry Richards, but not that much. Man that's impressive.

You're going to enjoy this then. I just found what I thought I would never ever see anything of:



I still can't believe this exists. There's enough evidence on this to easily convince me that this guy was very, very special.

Go to about 7:35 and prepare for your jaw to hit the floor.


Dennis Lillee later that summer took 5/84 on debut against England, regarded at the time as the best team in the world, and there was Barry Richards treating him like a pedestrian medium pacer. The mind boggles what he could have achieved over 100 Tests.
 

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