Props to Jacques Kallis

[MC Bad Genius]

This guy is an amazing player and doesn't seem to get any kudos in Australia. I guess because he is South African and comes across as being quite arrogant, but he is an absolute champion and probably my favourite non-Australian player. Check out these stats:

Top 10 Batting Averages of Current Players

Trott - 57.79 (23 matches)
Kallis - 57.02 (150 matches)
Sangakarra - 56.23 (106 matches)
Tendulkar - 55.94 (186 matches)
Younis Khan - 53.03 (73 matches)
Dravid - 52.91 (162 matches)
Ponting - 52.70 (160 matches)
Samawareema - 52.64 (71 matches)
Bravo - 52.50 (13 matches)
Sehwag - 51.82 (94 matches)

So the only current player above him is Trott, who still has to prove he can do it over the long haul like Kallis can. In terms of all-time highest career averages, he is number 11 and besides Trott, all of them were finished at an international level before I was born.

Add to that 271 wickets at 32.74 and a lazy 174 catches (5th most of all-time not including keepers).

But even without the bowling and fielding to add in there, he is still on top of the pile with regards to batting. So much love is given to Tendulkar and Lara and Ponting that I think he is unfairly forgotten. Best batter of his generation and of the top echelon to have ever played Test cricket.





(And yes, it does kinda feel dirty making a praise thread for a South African cricketer)

 

[The Passenger]

guy is a beast, no doubt about it.

i reckon he gets his due credit though if i was being honest.

and i'd still take tendulkar in front of him as a batsmen.

as an overall cricketer there are very few better.

 

[Andrew Mc]

This guy is an amazing player and doesn't seem to get any kudos in Australia.

A batting average of 39.13 and a bowling average of 38.10 against Australia (43.78 in Australia) probably doesn't help. Not that they are bad figures, but quite a bit removed from his overall stats.

 

[The Passenger]

A batting average of 39.13 and a bowling average of 38.10 against Australia (43.78 in Australia) probably doesn't help. Not that they are bad figures, but quite a bit removed from his overall stats.

true, but that just puts him alongside sangakarra, dravid, strauss, hussain, graeme smith, gangully, jayawardene, samareweera, kirsten, trescotchick, bell, gibbs, inzamam, gooch, yousuf/mohamma youhana, younis khan, sarwan, craig mcmillan, atherton, rudolph the reindeer who have struggeld against australia.... murali, donald, harmison, pollock, cairns, hoggard, akhtar, swann amongst others have also struggled with the ball.

all solid to good to excellent test crickets who struggled against australia.

 

[Andrew Mc]

all solid to good to excellent test crickets who struggled against australia.

Yup, and it only stands to reason that most players will have less than their average against a side that's dominated for most of their careers. But I think it explains the apparent lack of kudos.

 

[Selective Retention]

That and the view that, like Bevan in one dayers for us, there are a few occassions where he looked for the "red ink" - well not technically as we are talking test cricket but you know what I mean - ahead of what was in the teams interest.

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=1798

Classic example. SA need to win the last test to level the series. They come out looking for quick runs in the second innings to set Australia a target. Kallis with a nice 50* off 100 balls.

 

[The Passenger]

yeah i guess. i still reckon he gets pretty good reconigition by aussies.

a lot of the guys on those lists get very overlooked - jayawardene is probably the biggest stand out for me (and his record against australia is bordering on dire... think he tonned up in the recent series for the first time in about a dozen tests)....

kallis, donald, dravid, sangakarra and to a lesser degree ul-haq and pollock (who most people tend to think, rightly or wrongly dependong on ones opinion, is a shit version of mcgrath) still get a pretty good wrap in australia...

the rest probably get a bit of a bum steer in these parts...

 

[Bombertastic]

Yeah he does bat for red ink in ODI as well. Still a great player and if he played for Australia or England he would be talked about as the greatest player since Bradman by many.

 

[Hellgood]

Amazing record. Great player. And a very commanding innings, just dominated them.

I also reckon that de Villiers will be right up there with the best when he retires. Once he settles in, my god he makes batting look ridiculously easy.

 

[evdo1706]

Absolute legend of the game.

 

[Alexwce]

Ridiculously impressive record. As a batsman I still think Tendulkar and Ponting of 3 years are/where better, I'd prefer him to Lara though

 

[Partridge]

That and the view that, like Bevan in one dayers for us, there are a few occassions where he looked for the "red ink" - well not technically as we are talking test cricket but you know what I mean - ahead of what was in the teams interest.

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=1798

Classic example. SA need to win the last test to level the series. They come out looking for quick runs in the second innings to set Australia a target. Kallis with a nice 50* off 100 balls.

Compared to Steve Waugh, Kallis is the epitome of unselfishness.

 

[BarneyBent]

Ridiculously good player. I'm no Tendulkar hater, but I'd probably take Kallis as a Test batsman. Played on tougher pitches against fewer minnows, with a higher average, and although yes he does often struggle to lift the tempo, that's of far less importance in Test cricket. Tendulkar obviously gets points for longevity though.

 

[Lemma]

What is meant by "red ink"?

 

[Smoooothy]

What is meant by "red ink"?

red ink meants not out

refers to the score book, at the end of the innings, they used to write not out in red ink

 

[deledio7]

Amazing player. I'd still rather Ponting and Tendulkar but no one else in my time.

 

[Lemma]

red ink meants not out

refers to the score book, at the end of the innings, they used to write not out in red ink

So what is meant by "batting for red ink"? Does that mean batting defensively so as not to get out?
I've followed cricket for almost 10 years and never heard that term.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Kerry O'Keefe just praised Kallis as the most technically pure batsmen he's seen, up there with Barry Richards. He'd take Kallis over Tendulkar, if given the choice.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

So what is meant by "batting for red ink"? Does that mean batting defensively so as not to get out?
I've followed cricket for almost 10 years and never heard that term.

Pretty much that,with the implication that you are more interested in improving your batting average than doing what the team needs.

 

[Zeke]

Amazing player. I'd still rather Ponting and Tendulkar but no one else in my time.

I'd take Lara over both.

Imagine if Lara had played the majority of his cricket in a strong side.

 

[Ash Grant]

Kerry O'Keefe just praised Kallis as the most technically pure batsmen he's seen, up there with Barry Richards. He'd take Kallis over Tendulkar, if given the choice.

I disagree. I've always found Kallis difficult to watch. It's probably to do with the fact that he's a big guy and not as graceful as the smaller players. Tendulkar for instance has an extremely simple stance and style. His high elbow and balanced stance like Dravid is great to watch. Not really anything out of place at all. I respect Kallis but I can't watch him. Seems so ridgid at the crease.

 

[Ash Grant]

I'd take Lara over both.

Imagine if Lara had played the majority of his cricket in a strong side.

Yep, I think he was hurt by the captaincey. Mainly due to team mates jealousy and other issues like problems in his relationship with West Indies cricket officials. Simply superb player to watch. Bravo is a good copy and I'll enjoy watching him play.

 

[Tassieboy]

For whatever reason - and I'm critical of Kallis - I love watching him bat, like I do win Ponting, Lara and Tendulkar

 

[Santana]

In the top 3 best all rounders of all time along with Sobers & Khan IMO.

 

[Dorval6]

Yup, and it only stands to reason that most players will have less than their average against a side that's dominated for most of their careers. But I think it explains the apparent lack of kudos.

Agree. He played for most of his career with the Aussies as the world's No.1 so it's not surprising his figures have suffered.