ESPN's Legends of Cricket?

[Amit89]

Sachin may be able to take it to Shane Warne but his a complete bunny when he faces McGrath and Sachin's only made 2 centuries against Australia in the last 5 five years when we've been at our peak.

That's true. And how many hundreds did Ponting make when Wasim and Waqur was at their peak?

 

[puddleduck]

My mum's stronger than your mum.

(now to make it vaguely on topic and avoid being deleted again )

Is it that hard to accept chaps that perhaps Sachin peaked earlier in his career, and that maybe Ponting peaked later in his career? That they are two very different personalities, one of whom has had to mature as he's got older, and one who was already very mature at the start of his career?

Is it possible that perhaps both are top quality batsman, some of the very best of their generation, and that maybe just maybe, they will both be remembered in years to come as superb players? That possibly noone in this thread is right or wrong, as defining something like who's the better player, is more down to personal preference. To the aesthetics of watching that player bat, and that the nationality of the fan will also affect things?

No... ok then carry on

 

[Amit89]

but dont you agree that Tendulkars record has waned since the pressure has been on?since 2003 Tendulkar has managed 9 centuries to Pontings 20

if we look at their careers as a whole at the end you will see Ponting with a gap in the averages and with more test runs by a fair margin to Tendulkar

to say he played with a poor side in the 90's doesnt make Tendulkar any better.....

to say he faced better attacks isnt right either because Ponting and Tendulkar are from the same era and both played against great bowlers like Pollock, Akram, Donald, Murali, Saqlain, Younis etc..

The attacks of today with the likes of Ntini, Pollock, Bradshaw, Ahktar, Saqlain, Vaas, Kaneria, Murali, Vettori, Bond, Harmison and Flintoff....both Ponting and Tendulkar face these guys and Ponting is overwhemingly without a shadow of doubt far superior to any batsman currently at playing these guys as a whole ....which includes Tendulkar


also there are plenty of examples in test cricket of pressure benefitting players such as Tendulkar

Vettori is one example, he has often had to contribute with the bat due to his top order failing....and thanks to that I believe, you can almost call him an allrounder, whereas without that pressure its doubtful to say he could have had a batting record like he does........Another is Heath Streak...he ususally had the pressure of coming in at 6 for 117 or around that and he would also contribute with the bat although his actual skill with the bat would rival any other tailender


Tendulkar ever since those times of being the only one having to stand up, has waned, he is still a very dangerous batsman...but not the best imo, its unfair to give someone that title when others around him are performing better, and have done so for a few years now....Tendulkar is 33 now, far from being past it...so that isnt an excuse

Yes Ponting is the best batsmen now no doubt, M Yousuf is coming alarmingly to take the title. Ponting's been the best batsmen since around 2005, but before that it was all about Tendulkar and Lara, they overshadowed evreyone. Ponting is in the greatest form of his life, whilst Tendulkar is in the poorest form of his life, you expect sudden rises and falls, Tendulkar's average was around 57 a year ago, he form as slumped since then and hence his average now. Take M Yousuf for example, he should be a contender for one of the worlds greatest ever, does'ent he?, afterall his record in the past few seasons is phonominal to say the least.

Dont take Vettori and Streak for examples, Tendulkar as had to peform when the chips are down since the early 90s, and he as done it very well since then in both forms of the games, Vettori and Streak dont have much pressure, but from expectations from fans and back in India, Tendulkar as a lot.

 

[aussie_ben91]

You're joking. Tendulkar was and never should've been considered the best batsman during any course of this century.
Ponting's been the best since 2003 before that it was Hayden who for a small period was the best in the world whilst Lara was never consistant enough to be considered the best.
In a way, Ponting is sorta Lara & Tendulkar combined.

 

[Gunner786]

im assuming you guys dont know that im not talking about this very second
all espn legends episodes are made when the player has retired mostly
akhtars career isnt over yet and so isnt inzi
heck even afridi has another decade left in him

akhtar will obviously have a espn episode about him one day and afridi you just dont know what he might do in the next 10 years

 

[gaurav_indian]

In a way, Ponting is sorta Lara & Tendulkar combined.

What a joke?
:

 

[aussie_ben91]

akhtar will obviously have a espn episode about him one day and afridi you just dont know what he might do in the next 10 years

Why would they give Akhtar an episode? There's millions of players that deserve an episode over him.

What a joke?
:

Nope, no joke. Just reality. Ponting has surpassed over of them.

 

[Gunner786]

Nope, no joke. Just reality. Ponting has surpassed over of them.

mate you compare the bowling attacks ponting has faced in his form time which was from 2003 to the bowling attacks lara faced then you will know,

your above statement must be the joke of the century

ponting is lara and tendulkar combined.....

 

[puddleduck]

That would be quite some player, left and right handed, can bat against spin and pace in equal quality, can bowl some right arm medium or leg-spin. Decent safe pair of hands. Can open the batting, bat at first drop or even at number 4. Good at playing massive match-winning knocks, whilst also a legend of the Odi game. World records in both forms of the game.

Oh and your mum may be bigger than my mum, but my uncle is stronger than your uncle.

 

[aussie_ben91]

mate you compare the bowling attacks ponting has faced in his form time which was from 2003 to the bowling attacks lara faced then you will know,

your above statement must be the joke of the century

ponting is lara and tendulkar combined.....

Judging from some of the posts I've seen from you, you're probably the last person on this forum who should be selecting what is a joke and what isn't.

I'm not saying in the sense that Ponting is of the quality that his Tendulkar & Lara in one because then he'd be comparable to Don Bradman but I'm just saying he has the qualities that Lara and Tendulkar both possess that may be of weakness to them.

You're other statement has already be recktified. If Lara or Tendulkar is better then Ponting then why aren't they succeeding more then the man himself?

Now run off and scram before someone like evertonfan clicks onto this thread and continues to make a bigger fool outta you.

 

[Dare]

im assuming you guys dont know that im not talking about this very second
all espn legends episodes are made when the player has retired mostly
akhtars career isnt over yet and so isnt inzi
heck even afridi has another decade left in him

akhtar will obviously have a espn episode about him one day and afridi you just dont know what he might do in the next 10 years

i will bet money that Akhtar will not have a espn episode about him. for one he only has 200+ Test wickets and 200+ ODI wickets and he doesnt have that many years left in him, if he had another 5 years left in his career than maybe he could be considered a Legend because im sure that he would get alot more wickets. if you look at the bowlers that have been featured and the amount of international wickets they have Akhtar doesnt come close, most of those players had 600+ international wickets. if Akhtar gets a episode on ESPN legends of cricket than that would just undermine the acomplishments of other bowlers that have been feature before him. You seem the undermine the word legend and you just throw any name in there just because its famous.

maybe Akhtar and Afridi will be featured on ESPN: Legends that could have been.

 

[stereotype]

Yes Ponting is the best batsmen now no doubt, M Yousuf is coming alarmingly to take the title. Ponting's been the best batsmen since around 2005, but before that it was all about Tendulkar and Lara, they overshadowed evreyone. Ponting is in the greatest form of his life, whilst Tendulkar is in the poorest form of his life, you expect sudden rises and falls, Tendulkar's average was around 57 a year ago, he form as slumped since then and hence his average now. Take M Yousuf for example, he should be a contender for one of the worlds greatest ever, does'ent he?, afterall his record in the past few seasons is phonominal to say the least.

.

since 2002 Tendulkar averages 49.7

since 2002 Ponting averages about 72(which is 50% of his career) hardly worthy of a "great current form" because it simply doesnt justify how many runs and centuries he has made in this time

since 2002 Lara averages a nudge under 60

its laughable to say Tendulkar has been better than Ponting or Lara since 2002

I admire Lara much higher as a batsman than Tendulkar as well, he has had a side that has also struggled but he has 2 of the 3 biggest scores ever and he has a first class 500

 

[Amit89]

since 2002 Tendulkar averages 49.7

since 2002 Ponting averages about 72(which is 50% of his career) hardly worthy of a "great current form" because it simply doesnt justify how many runs and centuries he has made in this time

since 2002 Lara averages a nudge under 60

its laughable to say Tendulkar has been better than Ponting or Lara since 2002

I admire Lara much higher as a batsman than Tendulkar as well, he has had a side that has also struggled but he has 2 of the 3 biggest scores ever and he has a first class 500

Since 2002?, Lara just came out of bad form and Ponting started to look good, Ponting went even better during the years passed. Pontign was'nt the best batsmen in 2002 and 2003 it was either Tendulkar or Lara. Tendulkar started off well in his career, got better and better, he held his consistancy up and around 2004 he as had a dip of form.

Lara as had a side that struggled, but he did have great bowlers. Tendulkar has had to play in a weak team during most parts of his career. During Tendulkar's last years, the Indian team is doing well.

Lara as big scores, I think he as 12 scores of over 200, but his average is still in the low 50s, Lara was really struggling during the 2000-2002 years, his average went into the 40s, Lara's as got troubles with inconsitancy.

For the record I admire all Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting, but for me, in thier overall careers Tendulkar and Lara take the cake.

 

[m_vaughan]

So basically Ponting is not the best because:

1. He peaked "later" than Sachin and Lara.
2. He dint face Australian bowlers and bowlers who played before he "peaked".
3. His team did not depend totally on him for results.

I find these reasons nothing short of stupid.

Ponting has been the best for the past five years and has been cricket's equivalent of Michael Schumacher and Tiger Woods.

Also as far as Sachin is concerned, he plays half of his games at home on dead and flat wickets where scoring big hundreds is a lot easier. Having said that Sachin has a good record against all teams. But Ponting has been far more consistent, effective and dominant than Sachin or Lara ever were.

 

[Gunner786]

Judging from some of the posts I've seen from you, you're probably the last person on this forum who should be selecting what is a joke and what isn't.

I'm not saying in the sense that Ponting is of the quality that his Tendulkar & Lara in one because then he'd be comparable to Don Bradman but I'm just saying he has the qualities that Lara and Tendulkar both possess that may be of weakness to them.

You're other statement has already be recktified. If Lara or Tendulkar is better then Ponting then why aren't they succeeding more then the man himself?

Now run off and scram before someone like evertonfan clicks onto this thread and continues to make a bigger fool outta you.

its actually getting tiring you know

some of the egos on this board....