Undervalued Cricketers

[JackOutback]

Shaun Marsh in the short form game. Remember thinking he was stiff not to even make the 2015 WC squad.

 

[footyfan1978]

Ponsford and McCabe

 

[MiPiG]

I remember Brett Lee bowling to Makaya (sp) Ntini and he kept bowling short balls that Ntini was pretty much jumping to square leg to avoid. It seem to go on and on. The whole time I was thinking - just bowl a ******* yorker you numpty. Oooo way to go scaring the worst bat in the Saffer line up. He was obsessed with his own aura of speed and agression. He was a luxery in the side we can afford due to having 10 other players who were awesome.

 

[saint_larry]

I'm quite certain he did hit 150kph as well. Pretty sure it was 2010/2011 series at the MCG.

2008 against South Africa at the MCG, reckon he was clocked at 152-153 knocking over de Villiers. Was a ridiculously fired up spell.

Averaged 22 in the away series against South Africa that immediately followed, where noone gave us a chance of winning. Johnson pulling out one of the great all-round series completely overshadowed his performance.

 

[MiPiG]

2008 against South Africa at the MCG, reckon he was clocked at 152-153 knocking over de Villiers. Was a ridiculously fired up spell.

Averaged 22 in the away series against South Africa that immediately followed, where noone gave us a chance of winning. Johnson pulling out one of the great all-round series completely overshadowed his performance.

Yeah I'm 100% on the venue being the MCG, but not the year. You could be right it was 2008.

 

[Aussie_boy]

Jacob Oram is one who I always thought I rated higher than others. Looking at his stats and he was pretty handy in a time when NZ weren't as strong as they are now (or other teams were stronger than they are now).

 

[the universal]

Temba Bavuma is one of the first names to come to mind, usually scoffed at as a mere quota pick but has provided many important, gritty innings when South Africa have been in trouble. In addition to that, he's an outstanding fielder.

 

[archibald]

Jacob Oram is one who I always thought I rated higher than others. Looking at his stats and he was pretty handy in a time when NZ weren't as strong as they are now (or other teams were stronger than they are now).

There was a time there as an opposition supporter he was a terrifying proposition in ODI's. Albie Morkel was another

 

[PhatBoy]

Temba Bavuma is one of the first names to come to mind, usually scoffed at as a mere quota pick but has provided many important, gritty innings when South Africa have been in trouble. In addition to that, he's an outstanding fielder.

Absolutely, im a massive rap on him and if runs were weighted for when they are scored, his record would look far better

 

[Knox Harrington]

From Australia

Merv Hughes. Very good record as a pace bowler. A far more skilful bowler than people gave him credit for. He improved his batting from tailender to handy, well regarded by his teammates as a gutsy member of the team

Paul Reiffel for reasons said above by many.

Allan Border. Seems to get forgotten with many modern test players averaging in the 50s noawadays. However he did it mostly against very strong attacks in what was a weak side for half of his career, when a good bat averaged low - mid 40's. He was 10-20% better than his contemporaries but really does get forgotten in modern discussion.

Other Countries

Vernon Philander. Just a very clever bowler 211 wickets at 21.73 over 57 tests. That is an outrageous average over a long time in the modern game. Averages less than Donald, Steyn, Hadlee, Younis, Akram etc etc. None of his contemporaries come close.

Chris Cairns. Test batting average 33, bowling of 29. Again gets overlooked a lot. Figures compare very favourable against other great allrounders. Matchwinner on his day, one of those guys though who teased and whose best we feel wasn't seen often enough. Better batting and bowling average than andy flintoff.

Kevin Pietersen. Averaged 47 with only 8 not outs in 181 innings due to him being a shot maker and often left with a poor tail had to try and get quick runs and go out.

Chaminda Vaas. 355 test wickets at 29. Most on a pace bowlers graveyard. Very good record

 

[Plugger35]

I don't think Allan Border was undervalued by anyone that was around to watch the way he carried Australia's batting line up during the mid 80s.

He scored tons against the great West Indies bowling attacks of that era when most other Australian batsmen were struggling just to get into double figures.

Chris Cairns would have been one of the all time great all rounders if injury didn't hamper his career, he bowled express pace when he was younger but then became more fast medium later in his career, he was still an effective wicket taker and he was always capable of turning a game with his batting power.

Nathan Astle was another underrated NZ cricketer, could be a dangerous batsman on his day, smashed a test double ton against the Poms in Christchurch and was a handy medium pacer picking up over 50 test wickets.

 

[PT Bar None]

I would get mocked by my mates in the backyard, because whilst they pretended to be Greg Chappell I pretended to be Allan Border. Except the whole "left handed" thing

 

[Plugger35]

I would get mocked by my mates in the backyard, because whilst they pretended to be Greg Chappell I pretended to be Allan Border. Except the whole "left handed" thing

Even though I barracked for NZ as a kid and still do Allan Border was my favourite Australian batsman of that 80s era.

Never liked Greg Chappell even though he was regarded as Australia's best batsman, the underarm incident contributed to that but he also seemed quite arrogant and aloof while AB was more the down to earth working class hero type. Never talked himself up, just rolled up the sleeves and got on with it.

 

[Gough]

AB might be a bit underrated by those who didn't see him play because unlike players who came after him he hasn't spent all his retirement talking about and comparing the current team unfavorably to himself.

 

[Doss]

AB is in the category that should be considered our greatest cricketers, without question.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Chris Martin as a batsman, had loads of potential but NZ lacked confidence and never gave him a chance in the middle order. Could have been anything.

 

[Doss]

The bloke currently talking to Luke Hodge on the coverage right now is another one that I suspect belongs in this thread. (Damien Fleming for those not watching)

Fleming was a sensational bowler; one of the very best swing bowlers I've seen I reckon. Real shame that injury curtailed him so much.

 

[Gough]

I let my old man talk me out of going up to Durban for AB's last Test in 1994.

 

[Plugger35]

I let my old man talk me out of going up to Durban for AB's last Test in 1994.

He remained not out at the end of that test stubbornly batting out a draw with 42 off 166 balls, not exciting but typically defiant to the very end.

A true legend of the game.

 

[Wolfs]

My List without reading other comments


Australia:
- Damian Martyn
- Jason Gillespie with the ball
- Michael Kasprowicz
- Brad Haddin - Saved Australia a lot in the Ashes
- Brad Hogg in ODIs


England
- Stuart Broad
- Marcus Trescothick especially in ODIs
- Matthew Hoggard
- Andy Caddick


India
- Zaheer Khan
- Javagal Srinath
- Saha


SA
- Makhaya Ntini


NZ
- Chris Martin


Pak
- Saeed Anwar
- Ijaz Ahmed
- Mushtaq Ahmed


SL
- Thilan Samaraweera
- Chaminda Vaas


Zimbabwe
- Heath Streak
- Alastair Campbell


That's all who I could think of. I couldn't think of anyone for B'desh and Windies (maybe Carl Hooper I guess)

 

[Shane Sheridan]

Larry Gomes. Accumulated and held up an end while the others bashed the boundaries. Big up yours to skin cancer as well, no hat, great fro.

 

[Pykie]

Bevan.

Barely gets spoken about these days, mainly because he wasn’t really involved in the test side of that era (Despite averaging 57 with 68 100’s in FC cricket).

Like Steve Smith was played as a specialist spinner at the start of his test career, who ended up taking 29 wkts @ 24 in his 18 tests. Unlike Steve Smith he barely got another opportunity and is close to the best FC player of the last 30 years.

Probably our goat ODI player and arguably the only Australian that would make an all time ODI best XI.

 

[Sproj]

Bevan.

Barely gets spoken about these days, mainly because he wasn’t really involved in the test side of that era (Despite averaging 57 with 68 100’s in FC cricket).

Like Steve Smith was played as a specialist spinner at the start of his test career, who ended up taking 29 wkts @ 24 in his 18 tests. Unlike Steve Smith he barely got another opportunity and is close to the best FC player of the last 30 years.

Probably our goat ODI player and arguably the only Australian that would make an all time ODI best XI.

All of Gilchrist, Lee, McGrath, Warne, Ponting, Symonds even would be in discussions. The only certain players in ODI XI teams would be Kohli, Bevan and Richardson. Gilchrist’s competition would be Dhoni and maybe de Kock in a few years.

 

[Pykie]

All of Gilchrist, Lee, McGrath, Warne, Ponting, Symonds even would be in discussions. The only certain players in ODI XI teams would be Kohli, Bevan and Richardson. Gilchrist’s competition would be Dhoni and maybe de Kock in a few years.

I actually don’t think any of Gilchrist, Lee, McGrath, Warne, Ponting or Symonds make a side.

Lee is the closest, but I think Starc probably gets a gig over him (I forgot him)

There’s a few more certainty’s.

You can add ABDV, Joel Garner and probably Amla as absolute locks.

I don’t even think Tendulka makes a side over Kholi/AB

FWIW, my team:

R.Sharma
Amla
Kholi
AB de Villiers
Dhoni +
Bevan
Kallis
Akram (c)
Starc
Mustaq
Garner

 

[Pykie]

I probably rate Brett Lee about the same as Rodney Hogg. Geoff Lawson, Craig McDermott and Mitchell Johnson all a little better.

Nah, I think Johnson is a few pedestals above them in my book.

He was definitely s**t for a few years, but destroyed England at home in arguably the most brutal fashion since Lilee/Thommo and did the same to what will go down as an ATG South African team in their own back yard.

I have him on the Thommo/Gillespie rung tbh, only below McGrath/Lillee and above Harris/Alderman.