With the curtain drawn on the stellar career of South African cricket legend Jacques Kallis, I thought I would look at the leading all-rounders who have graced our great game, to see how they compare with each other and where Kallis might sit upon the playing green of the greats.
Cricket is unique in that it offers its fans more stats than most other sports to provide them with support for their favourite players.
Yet as helpful as those stats can be, they can also be misleading as fans can and will pull, shake, rattle, stretch and distort those stats in order to justify the elevation of their favourite players.
Even comparing batsmen with other batsmen, or bowlers with other bowlers, is akin to tip-toeing through a minefield.
So how is it possible to compare all-rounders with other all-rounders?
To compound matters further, there are batting all-rounders and bowling all-rounders, and those who were highly competent in both areas such that they could win selection in either department alone.
The over-riding problem lies in the inherent differences in which batting and bowling are both perceived and measured.
Batting, by its nature, is infinite. A batsman can make almost any score in an innings. The only things holding him back are fitness, attention span, motivation and, perhaps most importantly, practicality.
Batting each of five days to accumulate 1000 runs might be good for the individual, but it does nothing for the team, the fans, the spectacle and ultimately, the game.
On the other hand bowling, by its nature, is finite. A bowler can only take 10 wickets in an innings, or 20 wickets in a match.
Consequently, batsmen tend to be appreciated more than bowlers, and batting all-rounders more than bowling all-rounders.
So we’re going to explore several different methodology approaches, including one I have devised myself (although I’m sure others have thought of it also) and I will leave it to readers to determine which methodology is the most accurate.
Writer Gerry Armstrong, in his wonderful book ‘The 100 Greatest Cricketers’ (2006), used his own methodology to determine the various abilities of the five great all-rounders of the 70s and 80s – Mike Procter, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Kapil Dev.
Because Procter, a South Africa, only played seven Tests before his country was isolated from international sport, Armstrong decided to compare the first class careers of the five players – this being the only level playing field available, so to speak.
Each player was given a ‘score’ simply arrived at by dividing their batting average by their bowling average. The higher the score, the better the player.
Armstrong argued “the basis of winning cricket matches is to score more runs than your opponents, so if you score your runs at a higher average than you take your wickets, you should be going okay”.
The results were: Procter (1.84), Hadlee (1.75), Imran (1.65), Botham (1.25) and Kapil (1.21).
I thought this was eminently sensible, since it matched my perception of the five players, who I ranked in much the same order except I would have had Imran and Hadlee swapped around.
However, when I expanded the list to include other cricketers, I was quickly dismayed to discover this methodology heavily favoured batting all-rounders.
The top five, based on their first class career, were: Warwick Armstrong (2.38), Aubrey Faulkner (2.34), Charlie Macartney (2.19), WG Grace (2.17) and Frank Woolley (2.05).
These five men are all great cricketers, but can it be truly argued they are the five greatest all-rounders, even just on their first class records?
Using the same methodology (by dividing batting average by bowling average), here is the top ten for Test cricket.
1. Gary Sobers (1.697)
2. Jacques Kallis (1.695)
3. Imran Khan (1.65)
4. Keith Miller (1.60)
5. Wally Hammond (1.55)
6. Aubrey Faulkner (1.53)
7. Charlie Macartney (1.52)
8. Stanley Jackson (1.46)
9. Shaun Pollock (1.40)
10. Asif Iqbal (1.37)
Fans of Kallis will be delighted he has run Sobers so close, and there are no quibbles with the top four.
However, the presence of Hammond, Macartney, Jackson and Asif in the top 10 provides the flaw in the system, in that it is biased towards batting all-rounders quite considerably.
There must be a better methodology.
Another methodolgy also uses batting and bowling averages, but instead of dividing them, they are subtracted. Again, the greater the difference, then the better the all-rounder.
The top 10 for Test cricket using this methodology (batting average less bowling average) are:
1. Gary Sobers (23.74)
2. Jacques Kallis (22.72)
3. Wally Hammond (20.65)
4. Stanley Jackson (15.50)
5. Imran Khan (14.88)
6. Charlie Macartney (14.22)
7. Aubrey Faulkner (14.20)
8. Keith Miller (14.00)
9. Ted Dexter (12.95)
10. Frank Worrell (10.77)
Again, an outstanding collection of cricketers but also again, this methodology heavily favours batting all-rounders.
Hammond, Jackson, Macartney, Dexter and Worrell only took between one to 1.3 wickets per Test. This suggests they are quasi all-rounders rather than truly genuine all-rounders. This system is perhaps too simplistic.
When I devised my methodology several years ago, I hit upon the idea of finding an all-rounder’s ‘productivity’, his busyness, so to speak, in a game of cricket.
Since all-rounders are involved in both scoring runs and taking wickets, there must be a way to measure their productivity. The more productive a player, the higher his quotient, the better a player he is.
However, going back to the original problem that scoring runs is potentially infinite, but taking wickets is actually finite, a way had to found to provide a value for wickets in relation to runs other than one for one.
I came up with a to:1 ratio of each wicket worth 10 runs.
I had no other reason for choosing a 10:1 ratio other than reading that when the great South African batsman Barry Richards came to South Australia in 1970/71 to play grade and Shield cricket, the Coca-Cola company agreed to sponsor him one dollar for every run and $10 a wicket. It seemed reasonable enough.
To determine a player’s productivity quotient (PQ), I had the total number of runs he had scored plus the total wickets taken (x 10), then divided this by the number of Tests he had played, to arrive at his PQ.
Unlike the previous methodologies used, this productivity quotient gives greater recognition to the bowling compartment of the game.
The top 10 Test cricketing all-rounders based on PQ (x 10) are:
1. Gary Sobers (111.63)
2. Aubrey Faulkner (102.96)
3. Jacques Kallis (97.64)
4. Eddie Barlow (97.20)
5. Wally Hammond (95.05)
6. Frank Worrell (89.22)
7. Chris Cairns (88.71)
8. Richard Hadlee (86.44)
9. Vinoo Mankad (84.75)
10. Tony Greig (86.36)
Again, it just doesn’t look right! Barlow, busy cricketer that he was, surely isn’t an all-time top 10? And where did Cairns come from? He couldn’t possibly be better than Hadlee?
I felt I was on the right track with my methodology, but I had to find the correct value of wickets to runs.
A fellow reader suggested the value should be 15:1, since a leading bowler will take about five wickets a match, while a leading batsman will score an average 75-80 runs (sometimes in a single innings, sometimes over two innings).
I thought this made sense, so I then looked at the leading 20 run scorers in history in order to gain an average runs scored per Test (as opposed to innings less not outs).
I also looked at the leading 20 wicket takers in history to determine an average of wickets taken per Test. The results were a little surprising.
This article will continue in part two tomorrow.
trev
Guest
Here's a Kiwi team that is better: (changes in capitals) MARK RICHARDSON Glen Turner Andrew Jones Martin Crowe ROSS TAYLOR (averages 10 more than Astle - would walk into any team in the world) Chris Cairns Bendon McCullum . Richard Hadlee Vettori Shane Bond TRENT BOULT (best left armer in the world - better than Mitchell J and a step up from Danny)
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
One thing that I would like to bring into the discussion that may have an impact, is one that I have mentioned elsewhere. Many batsmen are pretty good at a wide range of sports, especially games like tennis, hockey, baseball. We know Botham, Bradman, the Chappell brothers (all 3) were very good at many sports They are natural sportsmen, who have to react and respond to what is going on around them. They look natural in the field. By contrast, many "pure" bowlers are not particularly sporty. They can bowl because they have spent a lifetime practising a particular skill or set of skills (known as "splinter" skills) -- they initiate action. It's rare to see a bowler take an instinctive and dramatic catch in the field. No matter how hard they practise, they are not going to be Bradman, because they are not good at reacting - remembering that many good batsmen know where the ball is going to pitch when the bowler is still in the run-up phase. This has an impact on all-rounders: a batsman can usually pick up a bit of bowling, to a pretty high standard, if he wants to (at lower grades, there's always one team member who is the best fielder, keeper, bowler, captain, batsman). Bobby Simpson recognised this when he was coach, and trained batsmen to be able to bowl a few overs in case the opposition batted for a long time. You can look through the lists of all-rounders and instinctively sort them on this basis. That is why it's unusal to have someone like Sobers or Davidson, or Botham, or Imran Khan -- who were all equally good with bat or ball or in the field.
Johnno
Guest
Best WA team Justin Langer Geoff Marsh Kim Hughes Martyo Marcus North spinner to Tom Moody all rounder Adam Gilchrist WK Mitchell Johnson D K Lillee Stuart Mcgill Bruce Reid 12th man Brendon Julian Good luck beating that team
Johnno
Guest
And for a bit of fun, best Tassie side ever 1970-2013. Tp qualify for Tassie side you had to either of played for them or been born in Tassie Jamie Cox David Boon Ponting De Vi Venuto George Bailey Sean Young all rounder but James Faulkner will over take him in good time, good 5th bowling option Sean Young and handy batter plenty of 1st class centuries. Matt Wade WK Colin Miller Ben Hilfenhaus Michael Holding Max Walker 12th Man Gavin Robertson, and Rod Tucker unlucky not to make starting 11. Handy team that. Was tempted to recall D K Lillee lol, he played for tassie in 1987 attempting an ill fated comeback but that would stretching the love a bit to much lol.
Johnno
Guest
Best Zimbabwe XI ever that I can think of Grant Flower Alastair Campbell Graham Hick Murray Goodwin Dave Houghton Andy Flower Brendon Taylor WK Heath Streak Andy Blignaut Paul Strang Ray Price good off-spinner 12th man Henry Olonga I know Graham Hick never played for Zimbabwe'z senior side, but c'mon guys let's give Zimbs a chance and loosen the eligibility up. Graham Hick is as Zimbabwean as you can get. Born in 1966, he grow up on a tobacoo farm there, he made Zimbabwe's World cup 1983 training squad at aged 17 and was left out for the tournament. But if he made the side he would of been the youngest to play in a ODI World cup ever. He played plenty of Zimbabwe A, and went over to England around 18 or 19 only as he was offered a contract in county cricket with Worsteschire. He had to wait aged before he was allowed to play for England, finally in 1991. If Zimbz had more playing options then he may of turned out for ZImbs, he often said he felt like a foriegner in the England dressing room. Zimbabwean born and bread only moved over there to England when aged 18, and was close to making the Zimbs senior team then. But just to help there best ever side, adds some real batting startch to that no 6. Graham Hick,Andy Flower, Murray Goodwin,Dave Houghton, and Wicket keeper Brendon Taylor whos'e playing this season for tassie can all really bat, and the openers are fine too. Good bowling line-up too Heath Streak, Paul Strang, this side would compete hard in Zimbabwe, against other all time best sides last 50 years, and this team would test out all teams on the cricket circuit now, love to see this Zimbs side take on the aussies in a 3-test series, if Zimbs could field a side of this quality.
Johnno
Guest
If we were gonna go Pakistan 1960-2013, you could bring in Mudzzar Nazur to open who was ver handy and better than his average suggests, and some big hundreds to, and was a genuine all rounder too a good medium pace bowler. Or Aamir Sohail who was attacking batter and handy off spinner. Either way good side.
Johnno
Guest
Best NZ team 1950-2013 John Wright Glen Turner Andrew Jones Martin Crowe Nathan Astle Chris Cairns Bendon Mcullum WK top batter , but not as good a WK as Ian-Stockley Smith who could bat but Mcullum;s batting is irresistable. Richard Hadlee Vettori Shane Bond Danny Morrison 12th Man Jacob Oram A very good team, would scare any team at home, Bond and Hadlee and Cairns charging in, and Vettori, and Martin Crowe, Astle, Mcullum, Cairns getitng big scores and Hadlee chipping in, very very tough to beat that side in NZ. That side can sure find the bounday alot of 4's and 6ixes.
Johnno
Guest
My Pakistan best side 1950-2013 of top of my head and reading about players Hanif Mohammed Saeed Anwar Zaheer Ahbaas Javed Miandad Mohammed Yousuf Imran Khan Captain Mohin Khan WK Wasim Akram Saqlian Mohammed Amir I know he's young can bowl 150 k/m, but he so good and less injury prone than Shoaib Akther and a much better batter, around Bresnan standard, may get better too. Waqar Younis 12th Man Fazeel Mohammed Good luck trying to beat that team. 3 top class pace bowlers, plus Imran Khan and Saqlain, an immensly strong bowling line-up. Some teams have better batting line-ups but still a very strong,batting line-up, and bats deep Akram at 8 and Saqlain has a test century. If that team was at home, I'd bring in Abdul Qadir for Amir, but Amir as wasim akram said was better than him at the same age. At home that Pakistan team would be unbeatable.
Johnno
Guest
Indian Side 1960-2013 of the top of my head Gavaskar Sewag Dravid Tendulkar Vengsarker Laxman Dhoni WK Kapil Dev Kumble Shrinath Prasanna 12th Man Bedi, Prasanna bowls the off-spin Kumble the fast leg spin, better balance than 2 leggies, but a very unlucky Bedi. Good team this too. Tendulkar can roll the arm over for a few spinner or medium pacers too.
Johnno
Guest
And Herath has 200 wickets, at an average of 29 so is a handy bowler.
Johnno
Guest
And all together now, im gonna do the best Sri Lankan side I can think off and read about, Test-side Jayasuria Marvan Attapatu Sangakarra playing as No 3, not as WK, he bats better when he can just bat, and fill vital no 3 role Arivinda De Silva Mahalya Jawardene Ranatunga captain: hated him he got under every aussy fan and players skin, but that's what he supposed to do, and why you respect him he dished out to aussies what we do to other teams, sledge doesn't hold back, competitive. Prasanna Jawardne WK, good batter played 52 test was WK on 2012 tour of OZ, has 4 hundreds and can wicket-keep Chaminda Vaas Ashantha de Mel Herath Murali Good team, especially if there is some spin in the wicket. Murali/Herath both top class. Herath is as good a 4th innings bowler as I have seen. Plus Jaysuria/De Silva are handy spinners, Vaas at his best gets alot of swing and movment a clever bowler, and De Mel was a good bowler too, and quick he only played 12 tests as Sri Lanka played less test cricket and had to retire at 28, and had to bowl in Sri Lanka all 11 of those 12 tests, but on a better track with pace eg OZ, unlike the sub-continent he would of been a handful. Puts into context how Great, Kapil Dev, and Imran Khan were, and Akram haveing to bowl on unreceptive sub-continent pitches. And top class batting line-up, that would take the fight to any team in any era, may not win vs aussies or windies best side last 50 years, but would sure give them a hell of a fright especially if there is some turn, or cracks on the pitch. At home in Sri Lanka, very hard to beat that team.
Johnno
Guest
Sheek some teams you have selected aussies and Saffas, and windies. England as you admit needs some work, especially Ian Bell, some big ommisions im sure David Gower,Robin Smith,Alan Lamb, Gooch, will all be breathing down Ian Bell and Thorpe's neck especially Ian Bell's. And Gooch will seriously challenge Cook for the opening spot, based on his efforts vs the west indies in there prime. Alec Stewart based on his batting and leadership qualities for the team will throw down a challenge to Alan Knott. But that England team is for another day. Agreed now on the Spinner factor, for all conditions. It would put extra pressure on Viv, Frank worell in my team, and sobers to be seen as haveing to bowl spin every innings it may hamper there batting, that pressure to bowl. Clive Lloyd or Frank Worell is tough as both were great leaders and I never saw either play so will never know, but did see highlights of Clive Lloyd, wow him and Viv were menacing players in the covers, ala Ponting, Andrew Symonds,Mark Waugh style. Aussy team Mcdermott was good, Bruce Reid offers the left armers can't go Mitch on 1 great series. All the modern day bowlers of the 90's and 2000's would of been a handful in 70's and 80's when less padding, and no ropes etc. Anyways some great players in all line-ups. But ableit a real version game will never happen, oh well one can reminise about Lillee and Thommo bowling to Viv. Or Mcgrath and Warne to Lara.
DanUK
Guest
Nicely written piece, compliments!
sheek
Roar Guru
My Aussies of the past 46 years, 1967-present. Simpson, Hayden, Ponting, G.Chappell, Border, S.Waugh (c), Gilchrist (k), Warne, Lillee, Thomson or McDermott, McGrath, Clarke (12th). My Saffies of the past 46 years, 1967-present. Richards, Smith (c), Amla, G.Pollock, Kallis, de Villiers, Procter, Boucher (k), Alan Kourie (spinner - rebel tests only), Steyn, Donald, S. Pollock (12th). Again, a spinner is essential to play in all conditions in all continents. Kourie was the best Saffies spinner of the past 40-odd years, shame he never played official tests. My Pommies of the past 46 years, 1967-present. Boycott, Cook, Bell, Pietersen, Thorpe, Greig (c), Botham, Knott (k), Snow, Underwood, Willis, Gooch (12th). England side perhaps needs more thought, but this will do for the moment.
sheek
Roar Guru
Johnno, My Windies XI of the past 46 years, 1967-present. Greenidge, Haynes or Fredericks, Lara, Richards, Lloyd (c), Sobers, Dujon (k), Marshall, Ambrose or Garner, Holding, Gibbs, Kanhai (12th). Assuming this team will play in all conditions in all continents, then a specialist spinner (Gibbs) is a must. The Windies have the option of playing Sobers as two bowlers - fourth paceman & second spinner.
JGK
Roar Guru
That's an interesting debate to have bb.
JGK
Roar Guru
I was just pointing out that your list of all rounders by FC batting/bowling average seems to exclude Miller. Yeah, I like the fact you look at contribution per game but it does favour players who stayed uninjured. We know that Immy played a number of tests purely as a batsman while he had a certain injury. That suggests even more what a great all rounder he was because obviously he was the highest of quality as a bowler. Yet he is punished under your system. Ditto Miller who bowled less and less to the end of his career as his wartime back injury worsened. And for someone like Kallis who could have probably bowled more or taken more wickets per test if not for the fact that his team didn't need him to.
fadida
Guest
Great article sheek. A really interesting discussion. I look forward to part 2. For me it's between Pringle and Graf :)
Johnno
Guest
What a game of cricket that would be, could you imagine if that game was played at the WACA in the 80's, or at Sabina Park, wow. Best South African Side Barry Richards Graham Smith Gary Kirsten Graham Pollock Amla Kallis all rounder Mark Boucher WK Peter Pollock Mike Proctor Dale Steyn Alan Donald 12th Man Shaun Pollock What a team that is Imagine a tri-series test championship played between all 3, and at the WACA wow.
Johnno
Guest
And say a random best aussie side last 50 or 60 years Bob Simpson vice-captain Slats Greg Chappell Ian Chapell captain Alan Border just shades Ponting, better in a crsis, and made so good hard runs vs great fast bowling attacks in the 80's. Steve Waugh Adam Gilchrist (WK) Shane Warne Thommo Dennis Lillee Glen Mcgrath 12th Man Bruce Reid