Top 10 Middle Order Batsmen Of All-Time

In a particular order.

Bradman
Lara
Tendulkar
Viv Richards
Headley
Ponting
Sobers
Hammond
Weekes
Barrington

Kallis?

What about Graeme Pollock. He had a batting average of 61 after playing through the 1960's.

Hutton was never a middle order player.

gboycottnut wrote:Hutton was never a middle order player.

I thought he was a number three?


As for Kallis, GG.

Not as good as these lot, IMHO.

Ken Barrington?

Stella wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:Hutton was never a middle order player.

I thought he was a number three?


As for Kallis, GG.

Not as good as these lot, IMHO.

Hutton always opened the batting for England. There were perhaps one or two occasions in which he batted lower down the batting order, but on the whole he was always an opening batsman for England.

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Ken Barrington?

A truely fine player and one of the game's genuine gentlemen. However taking account of batting ability and performance he just isn't in the same league as players such as Pollock, Richards, Lara, Tendulkar, Hammond. Barrington in a way is similar to a cross combination of both Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell.

You're right.

In that case, I will change him for Barrington.

Should have changed him for Pollock.

"However taking account of batting ability and performance he just isn't in the same league as players such as Pollock, Richards, Lara, Tendulkar, Hammond."

Barrington had a higher average than all of those bar Pollock, I believe. So performance wise he was up there.
As for ability, in his early career he was reknowned as an attacking stroke-playing batsman, but he changed his approach in order to become more effective.

Pollock was according to people who watched him, a great player but only twenty odd tests played is not enough IMO.
I'm sure he would have maintained a similar average but we will never know.

not in any particualr order, just numbered them cos i wanted to lol..

1)Viv Richards
2)Brian Lara
3)Don Bradman
4)Sachin Tendulkar
5)Jacques Kallis
6)Ricky Ponting
7)Wally Hammond
8)Headley
9)Rahul Dravid
10)VVS Laxman

In things like this I only consider peopel I have seen play - otherwise I am relying on stats or others accounts and would have a team full of people like Bradman, May, Worrell, Woodfull, Grace etc:

So my top ten in no order:

Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacque Kallis, Viv Richards, Rahul Dravid, Gary Sobers, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, Graeme Pollock, Martin Crowe

Bradman
Lara
Tendulkar
Kallis
Ponting
Dravid
Sobers
Richards
Hammond
Pollock

I see your point, London.

The best middle order players I have seen are:

Lara
Tendulkar
V Richards
Ponting
Dravid
Kallis
Border
Miandad
S Waugh
Crowe

Steve Waugh just missed out on my list, often overlooked.

Liam_Main wrote:Steve Waugh just missed out on my list, often overlooked.

Mark was better to watch but Steve scored the runs.

Stella wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Steve Waugh just missed out on my list, often overlooked.

Mark was better to watch but Steve scored the runs.

And the runs are what matter really. He scored runs as captain something past Australian captains have struggled with.

Liam_Main wrote:

Stella wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Steve Waugh just missed out on my list, often overlooked.

Mark was better to watch but Steve scored the runs.

And the runs are what matter really. He scored runs as captain something past Australian captains have struggled with.

Border and Ponting scored a few.

Stella wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

Stella wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Steve Waugh just missed out on my list, often overlooked.

Mark was better to watch but Steve scored the runs.

And the runs are what matter really. He scored runs as captain something past Australian captains have struggled with.

Border and Ponting scored a few.

Kim Hughes, Greg Chappell struggled at times.

Liam_Main wrote:

Stella wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

Stella wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Steve Waugh just missed out on my list, often overlooked.

Mark was better to watch but Steve scored the runs.

And the runs are what matter really. He scored runs as captain something past Australian captains have struggled with.

Border and Ponting scored a few.

Kim Hughes, Greg Chappell struggled at times.

They were before my time

I also think in 5 years time that list won't be much different.

Greg Chappell did pretty well as captain. Averaging over 55.
Rate him as better than Ponting myself.

Certainly more elegant.

Stella wrote:Certainly more elegant.

Undoubtedly.
And he was a better bowler as well.

Kallis>Ponting

Stats prove my point.

right, top ten of all time:

Bradman
Richards
Headley
Pollock
Barrington
Hammond
Lara
Tendulkar
Harvey
Chappell

from what I've seen:
Tendulkar
Dravid
Ponting
Jayawardene
Lara
Sangakkara
KP
S. Waugh
Flower
Kallis

I think in another 5 years KP might be up there.His record is comparable to that of Viv.Atm he is not quite up there but maybe in 5 years' time.

LondonTiger wrote:In things like this I only consider peopel I have seen play - otherwise I am relying on stats or others accounts and would have a team full of people like Bradman, May, Worrell, Woodfull, Grace etc:

So my top ten in no order:

Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacque Kallis, Viv Richards, Rahul Dravid, Gary Sobers, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, Graeme Pollock, Martin Crowe

Wouldn't the ten with the highest averages over a set number of matches (say at least 50 tests) be deemed to be the best? Surely you have to use stats to determine who the best are/have been. If not thats like saying Arsenal are the best English football team because they play the best football even though they haven't won as much as United or Liverpool

Mad for Chelsea wrote:right, top ten of all time:

Bradman
Richards
Headley
Pollock
Barrington
Hammond
Lara
Tendulkar
Harvey
Chappell

from what I've seen:
Tendulkar
Dravid
Ponting
Jayawardene
Lara
Sangakkara
KP
S. Waugh
Flower
Yousuf

Jayawardene better than Lara,Steve Waugh and KP?
Jayawardene's record outside the subcontinent is appalling.He is a flat track bully.

Sure Gregers will have to say something about that, haha. AB, KP and Sanga are the only ones I see being close to the list.

I would have even Cook over Mahela.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Mad for Chelsea wrote:right, top ten of all time:

Bradman
Richards
Headley
Pollock
Barrington
Hammond
Lara
Tendulkar
Harvey
Chappell

from what I've seen:
Tendulkar
Dravid
Ponting
Jayawardene
Lara
Sangakkara
KP
S. Waugh
Flower
Yousuf

Jayawardene better than Lara,Steve Waugh and KP?
Jayawardene's record outside the subcontinent is appalling.He is a flat track bully.

I don't think it's in order.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:I would have even Cook over Mahela.

Cook's not a middle-order batter though which is what the threads about.

Liam_Main wrote:Sure Gregers will have to say something about that, haha. AB, KP and Sanga are the only ones I see being close to the list.

Sanga will retire in a couple of years.He too is guilty of not performing outside Asia.AB?Really?Surely Trott,Amla and Bell are ahead of him.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Sure Gregers will have to say something about that, haha. AB, KP and Sanga are the only ones I see being close to the list.

Sanga will retire in a couple of years.He too is guilty of not performing outside Asia.AB?Really?Surely Trott,Amla and Bell are ahead of him.

Trotts average is going down over time, AB's is going up. Also don't think Trott will be playing for England in 5 years time. Amla is a good shout.

cricketfan90 wrote:not in any particualr order, just numbered them cos i wanted to lol..

1)Viv Richards
2)Brian Lara
3)Don Bradman
4)Sachin Tendulkar
5)Jacques Kallis
6)Ricky Ponting
7)Wally Hammond
8)Headley
9)Rahul Dravid
10)VVS Laxman

Laxman?

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Sure Gregers will have to say something about that, haha. AB, KP and Sanga are the only ones I see being close to the list.

Sanga will retire in a couple of years.He too is guilty of not performing outside Asia.AB?Really?Surely Trott,Amla and Bell are ahead of him.

Trotts average is going down over time, AB's is going up. Also don't think Trott will be playing for England in 5 years time. Amla is a good shout.

n
It is bound to go down because it was so high in the first place.It is still a fair bit higher than that of AB.Also Bell should be ahead of AB.

Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

He'll be well into his 30s in 5 years time, a dip in form could lead to a younger player being brought in. AB I think will pass him.

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

He'll be well into his 30s in 5 years time, a dip in form could lead to a younger player being brought in. AB I think will pass him.

Bell's a better test player than AB.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:Kallis>Ponting

Stats prove my point.

Agree Kallis is awesome, better all round player than Ponting.

Raymond wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

He'll be well into his 30s in 5 years time, a dip in form could lead to a younger player being brought in. AB I think will pass him.

Bell's a better test player than AB.

Now yes, i'm talking about in 5 years time.

Liam_Main wrote:

Raymond wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

He'll be well into his 30s in 5 years time, a dip in form could lead to a younger player being brought in. AB I think will pass him.

Bell's a better test player than AB.

Now yes, i'm talking about in 5 years time.

Bell is only 2 yrs older than AB.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

Raymond wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

He'll be well into his 30s in 5 years time, a dip in form could lead to a younger player being brought in. AB I think will pass him.

Bell's a better test player than AB.

Now yes, i'm talking about in 5 years time.

Bell is only 2 yrs older than AB.

Making AB Captain has shown that SA have faith and loyalty in AB. His position in the side would be not be under threat unless a severe dip in form.

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

Raymond wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:

Liam_Main wrote:Bell's another who i'm not sure will be playing for England in 5 years time.

Why not?

He'll be well into his 30s in 5 years time, a dip in form could lead to a younger player being brought in. AB I think will pass him.

Bell's a better test player than AB.

Now yes, i'm talking about in 5 years time.

Bell is only 2 yrs older than AB.

Making AB Captain has shown that SA have faith and loyalty in AB. His position in the side would be not be under threat unless a severe dip in form.

I think Bell is a better batsman.So IMO his position wont be under threat either.He is technically correct.So he should be able to perform even when the reflexes slow down.AB on the other hand is slightly unorthodox so he could struggle at an older age.

Bell and AB are around the same level.

Bell is more pleasing on the eye though.

Technically correct players can do well even when their reflexes slow down.Look at Dravid.And compare him to Viv.There is absolutely no doubt that Viv was a FAR MORE GIFTED player than Dravid.But he struggled towards the end of his career coz he relied more on power and hand eye coordination rather than defense(not that his defense was terrible).On the other hand,the less gifted but the techincally sound Dravid is scoring runs at this age.


This is where Bell comfortably scores over AB.

And even in terms of natural ability I think Bell is a more gifted player and most would agree.