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Here we continue our journey of determining and comparing cricket’s greatest all-rounders.
Following on from part one, the average runs scored per Test of the top 20 batsmen I assessed was 76.82 and the average number of wickets taken per Test of the top 20 bowlers I assessed was 4.12.
The ratio difference of runs to wickets is 18.65, meaning the true value of each wicket might actually be closer to 20 runs.
Interestingly, the range of runs scored per Test of the 20 batsmen sampled ranged from Brian Lara (91.24) to Alec Stewart (63.63).
The top five were: Lara (91.24), Kumar Sangakkara (89), Matthew Hayden (83.74), Virender Sehwag (82.56) and Rahul Dravid (81.02).
Sachin Tendulkar averaged 79.61 runs per Test (exclusive of total innings).
The rate of wickets per Test of the 20 bowlers sampled ranged from Muttiah Muralitharan (6.02) to Chaminda Vaas (3.20). The top five were: Muralitharan (6.02), Dale Steyn (5.072), Dennis Lillee (5.071), Richard Hadlee (5.01) and Shane Warne (4.88).
I also noted that back in the days when five Test series were far more prolific than they are today, the magic figure for a batsman was to reach 400 runs in the series, while the magic figure for a bowler was to take 20 wickets.
So if you either scored over 400 runs or took 20 wickets, you could be pleased with yourself at having a very good five Test series.
That’s a ratio of 20 runs for every wicket (20 x 20 = 400), so now our methodology is complete.
To find an all-rounder’s productivity quotient (PQ), you add the total number of runs scored plus number of wickets taken (x 20) divided by the total number of matches.
Using this methodology, the top 15 all-rounders in Test cricket based on PQ (x 20) are:
1. Gary Sobers (136.90)
2. Aubrey Faulkner (135.76)
3. Richard Hadlee (135.56)
4. Imran Khan (126.44)
5. Ian Botham (126.08)
6. Chris Cairns (123.87)
7. Vinoo Mankad (121.57)
8. Trevor Goddard (121.37)
9. Jack Gregory (118.53)
10. Keith Miller (115.60)
11. Jacques Kallis (115.27)
12. Alan Davidson (114.72)
13. Richie Benaud (113.67)
14. Shaun Pollock (113.00)
15. Eddie Barlow (110.53)
Wasim Akram rated a PQ of 107.48 and Kapil Dev rated a PQ of 106.32.
Wasim probably loses ground with his batting, while Kapil loses ground with his bowling (both compared to other all-rounders).
It seems to me sanity has been restored to the world! It is only fitting that Hadlee should occupy the all-time number three Test all-rounder’s position. Most cricket fans would agree he is the greatest bowling all-rounder in the history of the game, and this methodology recognises this.
Cairns’ high ranking is surprising until you look closely at his record, it is very good. I guess whichever system you use, it will throw up anomalies.
Gregory pips Miller as Australia’s best all-rounder. Their batting averages are virtually identical, but Gregory averaged 3.5 wickets a Test to Miller’s three, thus edging ahead of him.
On the other hand, Gregory only played 24 Tests to Miller’s 55. However, Miller is still Australia’s best all-rounder.
As is often been mentioned, Miller didn’t care about stats and mostly operated on idle. But he could do the unbelievable and incredible when the occasion demanded it.
Australia’s top 12 Test all-rounders are: Gregory (118.53), Miller (115.60), Davidson (114.72), Benaud (113.67), George Giffin (106.39), Monty Noble (105.17), Bobby Simpson (101.44), Ray Lindwall (99.38), Charlie Kelleway (94.69), Shane Watson (93.02), Armstrong (92.06), Macartney (86.60).
(Note Watson at no.10.)
Fans of Kallis will be perplexed at how he has lost ground to Sobers.
The clue might lie in the fact that Sobers averaged 86.37 runs per Test and took an average 2.52 wickets per Test, compared to Kallis’ figures of 80.05 runs per test and 1.76 wickets per Test.
Clearly, Sobers was busier, and therefore more productive.
So that’s the greatest Test all-rounders according to my methodology of finding the productivity quotient for each player.
But what all about first-class cricket? Who is the best here? Let’s take a look.
I warn readers some of the results here will shock. But I also remind you that playing standards varied enormously from country to country and from decade to decade.
Nevertheless, it is a fascinating education all the same. Here’s the top 20.
1. Aubrey Faulkner (130.05)
2. Vijay Hazare (128.73)
3. Gary Sobers (128.39)
4. WG Grace (126.89)
5. Mike Procter (125.38)
6. Trevor Goddard (122.73)
7. Richard Hadlee (122.37)
8. Warwick Armstrong (121.93)
9. Jack Gregory (121.25)
10. Richie Benaud (118.22)
11. Vinoo Mankad (116.88)
12. Imran Khan (113.90)
13. Wilfred Rhodes (111.76)
14. Jacques Kallis (109.86)
15. Shaun Pollock (109.47)
16. Wasim Akram (108.95)
17. Chris Cairns (108.94)
18. Keith Miller (106.74)
19. Monty Noble (106.67)
20. Ian Botham (106.56)
Wow, where did Hazare come from? There’s no doubt he was a top-shelf cricketer, but perhaps standards in India in the 1940s and 50s were not of the highest order. Nevertheless, the stats support his quality as a cricketer.
The productivity quotient also tells us that the fuss over WG Grace is justified.
Sobers remains the greatest Test all-rounder, but Grace (from the dawn of international cricket 1877-95) and Faulkner (from the golden age of cricket 1896-1914) have certainly stood the test of time.
Also, those of us who make such a fuss of Mike Procter are justified in our enthusiasm of his ability. It’s a crying shame he only played seven official Tests. He had so much to offer the game.
The point of showing the leading player’s PQ for first-class cricket was designed to bring the likes of Grace and Procter into the overall picture, as they played little Test cricket.
Finally, a word on Donald Bradman. If ever there was an example of a cricketer who could bat each of five days in accumulating 1000 runs, Bradman is it.
This has been an article on all-rounders, yet such has been the massive weight of runs made by Bradman (40-60% better than the next best) that despite little bowling he comes in with a Test PQ of 135.31 and a first class PQ of 123.02.
Which would rank him fourth and sixth respectively in those categories.
There’s no doubt about it, Bradman is a nonpareil (without equal).
The point of assessing all-rounders via PQ is to demonstrate their productivity or busyness in a match, bringing both batting all-rounders and bowling all-rounders to a common, or level playing field.
Of course, the example of Gregory and Miller demonstrates that PQ only shows part of the story, but not the full story.
Gregory was better on a day-in, day-out basis. But Miller was the guy to do the unbelievable with bat or ball when the occasion demanded it. He had the ‘X-factor’, and we will need an entirely different methodology to assess that!
Irrespective of whether you agree with my PQ methodology or not, it is important that you have enjoyed reading this journey through cricket history.
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