Prettiest batsman to watch

[PhatBoy]

After watching Sibley and to a lesser extent burns over the past few tests I got wistful for the artists of the game.

I know there’s been lots of threads about favourite batsmen to watch etc and I’ll always say Lara and Gayle because of how thrilling they were.

but I don’t think any batsman for pure artistry has ever been as easy on the eye as Damien Martyn.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I really enjoyed watching Amla live at the WACA, stands out for me as a particularly fluid campaigner.

 

[PhatBoy]

I really enjoyed watching Amla live at the WACA, stands out for me as a particularly fluid campaigner.

he’s the only bat twirler I’ve ever enjoyed watching

guys like boon, slater, sibley at the moment - they have a wave of the bat before they shape up to hit the ball. It looks really ugly but on Amla it was like he was waving his wand about to caress the ball at tracer bullet speed across the turf

 

[atlas1]

I liked watching Cook at his peak. VVS Laxman was pretty classy

 

[Cainozz]

Kevin Pietersen was beautiful to watch at his best. Shaun Marsh does have a beautiful cover drive and looks so technically sound.

 

[MJG14]

Mentioned a lot, but Mark Waugh immediately came to mind.

An opposite thread would be interesting if one doesn't already exist.

 

[PhatBoy]

Mentioned a lot, but Mark Waugh immediately came to mind.

An opposite thread would be interesting if one doesn't already exist.

waugh was very elegant but with him I thought his elegance was really pronounced off his legs and with a normal front foot off drive. With Martyn every shot he played just looked so effortless so that’s why i have him a bit higher.
Marvin Attapattu was a delight to watch when in form. Had the most perfect high elbow on the drive.

as Boring as he could be I loved watching Kallis - he didn’t open the shoulders as much as he could have but when he played an attacking stroke it was like watching a how-to video.

ugliest is a bit subjective because as I’ve said many times watching someone like Katich or Chanderpaul was fascinating in its own way.

trott was terrible on the eye. Gary ballance was another who was atrocious to watch. Gary Kirsten was horrible on the eye too

 

[Power Raid]

glen mcgrath for me

 

[Gethelred]

I used to really enjoy watching Hussey bat, especially early on in his career. Amla was someone I could really enjoy. VVS in Perth was how I fell in love with the effortless ability of wristy batsman. I really enjoyed Lara, and Ponting in full flight was breathtaking. A KP on drive was a thing of absolute beauty.

I also used to like watching Trescothick lean into a shot instead of moving his feet. It wasn't a pure technique, but it was different. Clarke, even late in his career, was as interesting for his foibles and limitations as he was attractive through cover and straight of the wicket. Watching Haddin ride his luck was captivating in its own way.

There's a lot of different ways a bat can be pretty, I think.

 

[t_94]

VVS number 1 for mine.

 

[Pistol Night]

 

[WireHawk]

Greg Chappell was elegance personified.
Beautiful cover and straight drives.

Brian Lara was delightful to watch. Quality never
dropped throughout his many long innings.

Gary Sobers was my favourite as a kid. Lovely, free
flowing style.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

I really enjoyed watching Amla live at the WACA, stands out for me as a particularly fluid campaigner.

The 197 he hit against us in Perth is up there with the most aesthetically satisfying knocks I've ever seen.

Damien Martyn (particularly in his early 04-pre 05 Ashes purple patch) deserves to be up there as well.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Ooh, how could I forget to mention Sangakkara. Absolute stud.

 

[Gough]

No mention of Gower, for shame cricket board.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

No mention of Gower, for shame cricket board.

We’re not all old.

 

[Gough]

We’re not all old.

Enjoy your ban.

 

[footyfan1978]

Show me some attractive female cricketers and will pick out the prettiest one of them.
I have not watched enough female cricket to know whom is the prettiest amongst them.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

I grew up watching Viv Richards and since then he's the prettiest at destroying bowling attacks I've witnessed.

Loved Mark Waugh, Lara and had the pleasure to see David Gower score a ton at Trent Bridge....Just quality.

Great thread OP.

 

[Gough]

I grew up watching Viv Richards and since then he's the prettiest at destroying bowling attacks I've witnessed.

Loved Mark Waugh, Lara and had the pleasure to see David Gower score a ton at Trent Bridge....Just quality.

Great thread OP.

Saw Gower's hundred at the Boxing Day Test in 1990 it was effortless, then he got to his hundred and offered up catching practice to the slips. Like Mark Waugh, he's another whose Test average doesn't properly reflect his career.

 

[katana]

he was never very good, but jp duminy anyone? loved that compact stance

 

[archibald]

waugh was very elegant but with him I thought his elegance was really pronounced off his legs and with a normal front foot off drive. With Martyn every shot he played just looked so effortless so that’s why i have him a bit higher.
Marvin Attapattu was a delight to watch when in form. Had the most perfect high elbow on the drive.

as Boring as he could be I loved watching Kallis - he didn’t open the shoulders as much as he could have but when he played an attacking stroke it was like watching a how-to video.

ugliest is a bit subjective because as I’ve said many times watching someone like Katich or Chanderpaul was fascinating in its own way.

trott was terrible on the eye. Gary ballance was another who was atrocious to watch. Gary Kirsten was horrible on the eye too

I reckon the only shot Waugh didn't play elegantly was the pull shot. Check out the square drive @1.28 here


Others i've particularly enjoyed are a couple of Pakistanis: Saeed Anwar and Zaheer Abbas. Abbas is like a minimalist version of Amla. A lesser known one, Sadoggopan Ramesh.

 

[PhatBoy]

he was never very good, but jp duminy anyone? loved that compact stance

very elegant

 

[PhatBoy]

I reckon the only shot Waugh didn't play elegantly was the pull shot. Check out the square drive @1.28 here


Others i've particularly enjoyed are a couple of Pakistanis: Saeed Anwar and Zaheer Abbas. Abbas is like a minimalist version of Amla. A lesser known one, Sadoggopan Ramesh.

ramesh was a strange cat. Had a great start to his career then disappeared

Anwar was gorgeous to watch

 

[Teen Wolf]

Have to give Aravinda de Silva a mention. He was basically Salt Bae with a cricket bat.