Best Aussie Allrounder

[cricketnut14]

On the back of the Jadeja plaudits - let's look at Australia's best test allrounders.

Australia have traditionally have structured their team: 6 bats. wicketkeeper and 4 bowlers as we haven't been as blessed producing world class allrounders. Usually someone batting in the top 6 have been able to roll over the arm.

Australia have plenty of what I call 'white ball format allrounders or batting/bowling allrounders.

I'd be interested to see who everyone thinks Australia's best 5 allrounders have been.

The data below shows their averages, overs per match bowled and wickets per match with a qualification of 30 tests (with green being the only exception as he will get there soon).

While I didn't see Miller or Noble play, they clearly could make the side on either skillset and are the only ones in the batting allrounder list who averaged 2+ wickets per match and on the bowling side with a batting average of 30+.

The others have either been batting allrounders or bowling allrounders.

Players such as Watson, Matthews, Armstrong, Macartney, Mackay and Green produced more all round efforts in their collective first class careers.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Keith Miller is the greatest allrounder to ever play for Oz. Should have been captain but politics got in the way. Played plenty of footy for St Kilda before WWII before moving to Sydney on return from the war.

I set the Statsguru query for players who have made at least 1,000 test runs, and taken at least 100 wickets, and set the batting average of at least 35.00, which is the sort of average you want a number 6 to have if they are going contribute with the bat and a bowling average of 25.00 or less, which is the average of someone who can make a decent impact with the ball.

Only 3 names are produced - Imran, Jadeja and Miller by the Statsguru query.

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I reckon Ritchie is 2nd best and Monty Noble 3rd best. Both were captains of Australia Ritchie 28 of his 63 tests, Monty 15 of his 42 tests.

Alan Davidson's record is under appreciated but not having made a century counts against him. Ray Lindwall made 2 tons so he has to be considered. Warnie probably was a better batsman than his record suggested but he threw his wicket away quiet often.

I have put the last 3 Oz fast bowlers who have done the 1,000 runs / 100 wicket double and taken at least 200 wickets for comparison.

Pat Cummins can bat but before he became test captain he didn't deliver on his potential. As captain he has had a lot of important knocks that have contributed to wins.

Kim Hughes has told the story a couple of times on radio that when he went to the Cricket Academy he watched Pat bat when he was 18 or 19, and was impressed with his technique. When he went and asked about him to one of the coaches, he asked what number he batted at, and was floored when he was told he was a fast bowler who batted at 9 or 10. He said his technique was of someone who was a batsman not a bowler.

Player	Span	Mat	Runs	HS	Ave	100	Wkts	Ave	5 W	Av Dif
R Benaud (AUS)	1952-1964	63	2201	122	24.45	3	248	27.03	16	-2.58​
MA Noble (AUS)	1898-1909	42	1997	133	30.25	1	121	25.00	9	5.25​
AK Davidson (AUS)	1953-1963	44	1328	80	24.59	-	186	20.53	14	4.06​
RR Lindwall (AUS)	1946-1960	61	1502	118	21.15	2	228	23.03	12	-1.88​
G Giffen (AUS)	1881-1896	31	1238	161	23.35	1	103	27.09	7	-3.74​
SK Warne (AUS)	1992-2007	145	3154	99	17.32	-	708	25.41	37	-8.09​
MG Johnson (AUS)	2007-2015	73	2065	123*	22.20	1	313	28.40	12	-6.20​
PJ Cummins (AUS)	2011-2024	​ 62​	1295​	64*	17.03​	-	​ 269​	22.53​	​ 12​	-5.50​
MA Starc (AUS)	2011-2024	​ 89​	2093​	​ 99​	20.51​	-	​ 358​	27.74​	​ 14​	-7.23​

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I decided to reset my Statsguru criteria for 1000 runs / 100 wickets test double

Batting average of 30.00 or higher
Bowling average of 29.99 or less.

This increases the list from 3 to 10.


Imran's counterparts from the 70's-90's period Botham and Kapil Dev join him. The man I considered #5 on the treble list, Shaun Pollock, before Jadeja join them, also makes the list.

Of the Big 4 from the 70's-90's period, Richard Hadlee misses out because his batting average was only 27.16, but he had the best bowling average of the Big 4 or now Big 6 with Pollock and Jadeja, of 22.29.

Monty Noble joins Keith Miller, so there is a fair case to say Monty was better than Richie, but I wont change my opinion.

Chris Cairns I have always thought was underrated by cricket fans outside NZ.

Trevor Goddard was always highly rated by those who played against him, but the apartheid ban meant a whole generation missed out on South Africans telling the world how good he was.

Appropriate that Yorkshireman Wilfred Rhodes made the list. His English First Class record is ridiculous. His overall First Class record of 39,969 runs at 30.81, arguably 1 innings away from 40,000 runs and he took 4,204 wickets at 16.72.

Without looking up any records I am pretty sure nobody has achieved a first class career double of 40,000 runs / 4,000 wickets, so Rhodes would be top of that list.

This list like the one in my previous post is ordered by number of Tests played.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Keith Miller 37 with the bat and 23 with the ball is hard to beat.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I decided to again reset my Statsguru criteria for 1000 runs / 100 wickets test double and see if more Aussies meet the following criteria.

Batting average of 30.00 or higher
Bowling average of 35.00 or less.

This now increases the list from 10 to 19. I did that as a I knew that setting the bowling average to 35.00 or less, would capture Sobers and Kallis and other batting all rounders, as well as Vetori from the trebles players. No more Aussie players were scooped up.

Only Aussies in the list remain Miller and Noble as per the previous list I posted.

In the list of 19 you get

3000/300 players, 6 of 11, Imran, Jadeja, Pollock, Botham, Kapil Dev, Vettori

2000/200 players, 7 of 14, Sobers, Kallis, Shakib Al Hasan, Cairns, Stokes, Mankad, Flintoff

2000/100 players, 4 of the 9, Miller, Goddard, Tony Greig, Rhodes

1000/100 players, 2 of many, Noble, Pathkan

This list is sorted in descending order by differential in batting average minus bowling average.

 

[Gough]

Tony Greig gets underrated by almost everyone.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Tony Greig gets underrated by almost everyone.

Yep.

When he passed away, somebody produced a Statsguru query of 3000+ test runs, batting average 40.00+, 100+ test wickets and there were only 3 names on the list - Sobers, Kallis and Greig.

Plus he has 87 catches from only 58 tests. He was a dam fine slips catcher. That's 1.5 catches a test and there would only be a handful of fielders, or less, with a better average catches per test, of players who have played 40 tests or more

Without Tong Greig, there is no Packer Cricket revolution. That's why Kerry looked after him post World Series Cricket. They became great mates as they shared a lot of common interests.

 

[Gough]

Yep.

When he passed away, somebody produced a Statsguru query of 3000+ test runs, batting average 40.00+, 100+ test wickets and there were only 3 names on the list - Sobers, Kallis and Greig.

Plus he has 87 catches from only 58 tests. He was a dam fine slips catcher. That's 1.5 catches a test and there would only be a handful of fielders, or less, with a better average catches per test, of players who have played 40 tests or more

Without Tong Greig, there is no Packer Cricket revolution. That's why Kerry looked after him post World Series Cricket. They became great mates as shared a lot of common interests.

Like Gilly, he played his Tests consecutively too.

 

[Richard Pryor]

IIRC Monty Noble bowled spin and pace and blew out his knee and had to retire early.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Tony Greig gets underrated by almost everyone.

Wonder if his commentary career had a hand in that. Sort of played the class clown and just didn't come across as 'cricketers cricketer' especially alongside Benaud. In terms of legacy as someone from well outside the generation that saw him play I feel like sadly his legacy is the "Make them grovel" comment and his team getting mauled by the rampaging Windies.

 

[Gough]

Wonder if his commentary career had a hand in that. Sort of played the class clown and just didn't come across as 'cricketers cricketer' especially alongside Benaud. In terms of legacy as someone from well outside the generation that saw him play I feel like sadly his legacy is the "Make them grovel" comment and his team getting mauled by the rampaging Windies.

I think in England he's never quite been forgiven for being a South African who gave up captaining his adopted country to accept an Australian's money.

 

[cricketnut14]

Keith Miller is the greatest allrounder to ever play for Oz. Should have been captain but politics got in the way. Played plenty of footy for St Kilda before WWII before moving to Sydney on return from the war.

I set the Statsguru query for players who have made at least 1,000 test runs, and taken at least 100 wickets, and set the batting average of at least 35.00, which is the sort of average you want a number 6 to have if they are going contribute with the bat and a bowling average of 25.00 or less, which is the average of someone who can make a decent impact with the ball.

Only 3 names are produced - Imran, Jadeja and Miller by the Statsguru query.

All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

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View attachment 2132053


I reckon Ritchie is 2nd best and Monty Noble 3rd best. Both were captains of Australia Ritchie 28 of his 63 tests, Monty 15 of his 42 tests.

Alan Davidson's record is under appreciated but not having made a century counts against him. Ray Lindwall made 2 tons so he has to be considered. Warnie probably was a better batsman than his record suggested but he threw his wicket away quiet often.

I have put the last 3 Oz fast bowlers who have done the 1,000 runs / 100 wicket double and taken at least 200 wickets for comparison.

Pat Cummins can bat but before he became test captain he didn't deliver on his potential. As captain he has had a lot of important knocks that have contributed to wins.

Kim Hughes has told the story a couple of times on radio that when he went to the Cricket Academy he watched Pat bat when he was 18 or 19, and was impressed with his technique. When he went and asked about him to one of the coaches, he asked what number he batted at, and was floored when he was told he was a fast bowler who batted at 9 or 10. He said his technique was of someone who was a batsman not a bowler.

Player	Span	Mat	Runs	HS	Ave	100	Wkts	Ave	5 W	Av Dif
R Benaud (AUS)	1952-1964	63	2201	122	24.45	3	248	27.03	16	-2.58​
MA Noble (AUS)	1898-1909	42	1997	133	30.25	1	121	25.00	9	5.25​
AK Davidson (AUS)	1953-1963	44	1328	80	24.59	-	186	20.53	14	4.06​
RR Lindwall (AUS)	1946-1960	61	1502	118	21.15	2	228	23.03	12	-1.88​
G Giffen (AUS)	1881-1896	31	1238	161	23.35	1	103	27.09	7	-3.74​
SK Warne (AUS)	1992-2007	145	3154	99	17.32	-	708	25.41	37	-8.09​
MG Johnson (AUS)	2007-2015	73	2065	123*	22.20	1	313	28.40	12	-6.20​
PJ Cummins (AUS)	2011-2024	​ 62​	1295​	64*	17.03​	-	​ 269​	22.53​	​ 12​	-5.50​
MA Starc (AUS)	2011-2024	​ 89​	2093​	​ 99​	20.51​	-	​ 358​	27.74​	​ 14​	-7.23​

blessed to have miller, benaud, davidson and lindwall all in the same side on the ashes tour of 53 and the home summer of 53/54.

 

[Partridge]

Wonder if his commentary career had a hand in that. Sort of played the class clown and just didn't come across as 'cricketers cricketer' especially alongside Benaud. In terms of legacy as someone from well outside the generation that saw him play I feel like sadly his legacy is the "Make them grovel" comment and his team getting mauled by the rampaging Windies.

I think also that people remember World Series Cricket when he was passed his best. For a while there in the early to mid 70s, it's hard to find a more complete all round cricketer. Made test centuries against tough attacks in extremely varied conditions too. Good enough bowler to take 13 wickets in a test against the West Indies - in the West Indies.

Definitely underrated.

 

[dumb]

worth exploring our female cricketers in this category, have learned a few things looking into it.
obviously much less matches.

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[Lingsface]

Was Michael Bevan an all rounder?
If so would be in the conversation.

Mitch Marsh is the most damaging I think I have seen for a guy that does bowl well when not injured.

Mark Waugh as well was a decent off spinner.

Lehmann had success even though his balls looked like crap.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Was Michael Bevan an all rounder?
If so would be in the conversation.

Mitch Marsh is the most damaging I think I have seen for a guy that does bowl well when not injured.

Mark Waugh as well was a decent off spinner.

Lehmann had success even though his balls looked like crap.

They werent all rounders at test level. Well Marsh was initially, but hasnt bowled much since his comeback last year and reports are that he wont bowl much more than 5 overs an innings these days given his back issues.

Steve Waugh was looking like being a batting all rounder in the Kallis mode, but his back injury around 1989 put an end to that.

The above were all ODI all rounders and would be in that type of conversation, but not for test cricket.

 

[Partridge]

They werent all rounders at test level. Well Marsh was initially, but hasnt bowled much since his comeback last year and reports are that he wont bowl much more than 5 overs an innings these days given his back issues.

Steve Waugh was looking like being a batting all rounder in the Kallis mode, but his back injury around 1989 put an end to that.

The above were all ODI all rounders and would be in that type of conversation, but not for test cricket.

Yep. Marsh came closest, but none of the others came remotely near being worthy of a test spot just on bowling.

As commonly as the term is used, genuine all rounders are actually pretty rare.

 

[sabso]

From the first class scene

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Tarrant carried his bat and took 13 wickets including a hat trick in this game. He never played a test unfortunately.

Gloucestershire v Middlesex at Bristol, 26 Aug 1909

George Tribe did the double seven times and also played vfl for footscray in the 40s

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[Wallaby]

I always thought Paul Reiffel was an under-appreciated all-rounder.

Batting average 26, Bowling average 26. Excellent One-Day player as well.

I remember in 1997, he was contentiously left out of the Australian touring team to England. We got thrashed in the first test, and the national selectors had him on a plane before that match had even finished.

 

[dumb]

I always thought Paul Reiffel was an under-appreciated all-rounder.

Batting average 26, Bowling average 26. Excellent One-Day player as well.

I remember in 1997, he was contentiously left out of the Australian touring team to England. We got thrashed in the first test, and the national selectors had him on a plane before that match had even finished.

i watched a lot of cricket around that time, probably as much as i maybe will.
the aussie crowds had cottoned on to his form down the order and were giving him huge cheers when he came into bat. mitchell johnson like. but he wasn't explosive like johnson, a much more correct offside player.
he averaged more than 50 with the bat in 3 of his last series, england/nz/sa, with not outs mind you. but he had to compete with warne and mcgrath for wickets and finished averaging under 3 wickets each test across his career which is on the low side.

i always dig out these videos. the test commentary alludes to his form.



man of the match when bevan hit 4 off roger harper last ball, with 34 and 4/29

 

[PhatBoy]

i watched a lot of cricket around that time, probably as much as i maybe will.
the aussie crowds had cottoned on to his form down the order and were giving him huge cheers when he came into bat. mitchell johnson like. but he wasn't explosive like johnson, a much more correct offside player.
he averaged more than 50 with the bat in 3 of his last series, england/nz/sa, with not outs mind you. but he had to compete with warne and mcgrath for wickets and finished averaging under 3 wickets each test across his career which is on the low side.

i always dig out these videos. the test commentary alludes to his form.



man of the match when bevan hit 4 off roger harper last ball, with 34 and 4/29

Good shout, incredibly underappreciated cricketer was Pistol, right from that first Ashes series in 1993

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Plus he has 87 catches from only 58 tests. He was a dam fine slips catcher. That's 1.5 catches a test and there would only be a handful of fielders, or less, with a better average catches per test, of players who have played 40 tests or more

Curiosity got the better of me and I did a Statsguru query to confirm my statement, but I set the criteria for 30+ tests and 50+ catches and instead of average catches per match statsguru produces average catches per innings.

Tony Greig is 6th on the list. I knew he was around the same level as Simpson, Taylor, Smith and Fleming. Was unaware of Sammy and Young but figured there would be one or two I didn't know. Mind you I was thinking 40+ tests not 30+ tests when I wrote the above statement.

The guy I knew who was #1, but didn't play a lot of test cricket, was Indian bat pad / short leg specialist Eknath Solkar who played for India between 1969 and 1977 when India had those great spinners in Bedi, Chandrasekar, Prasanna, Venkat etc.

He played 27 tests, and averaged over 1 catch per innings and 1.96 per match, which is the highest by both metrics for anyone who has played at least 10 tests as a non wicketkeeper. He passed away in 2005 when he was only 57.

Nearly everyone in the list below was a slips fielder and some who spent sometime in the gully/point during their career.


Overall figures

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct	St	Ct Wk	Ct Fi	MD	D/I
ED Solkar (IND)	1969-1977	27	50	53	53	0	0	53	4 (4ct 0st)	1.060

 

[Lingsface]

Elysse Perry

 

[worbod]

Jack Gregory deserves a mention also. A fast bowler and hard-hitting batter, he was also a great slips field, averaging 1.54 catches per Test. One of only four Aussies to have scored a century and taken a five-wicket haul in the same Test (along with Charles Kelleway, Richie Benaud and Keith Miller). No Aussie male has achieved this feat since 1958.