Cricket

[captainfog]

Imran does have the slight edge, but I bet Beefy throws a better party and so that gets him into my team

[captainfog]

What the stats do show is that Kallis is one of the all time greats

[Tee]

Both amazing players, never liked Botham because of his anti-Pakistan comments....but that is in the past and I appreciate he was a great cricketer. Just reckon Imran was better, it's close but he just nicks it for me.

Botham was explosive with the bat whilst Imran devastating and so damn graceful with the ball.

Maybe if Botham and England won the WC against Imran's Pakistan in 1992 he would have edged it.

[Tee]

What the stats do show is that Kallis is one of the all time greats

Yep , forgot all about him.

[Shaggy]

Kallis' numbers are unreal, there could be no arguments with him in a world XI.

[Chazza]

England's Winter Of Cricket Against AUSTRALIA!!!!!

Some brilliant players in that list and those mentioned who haven't made it.

Must say watching Ambrose and Walsh, Wasim and Waqar in the early 90's were some of my earliest cricket memories.

Fantastic bowling.

[destinydude]

Glad that they haven't picked that cunt McGrath in that list.

I'm Indian but I too would put Viv over Sachin and Lara.

[destinydude]

And yes, Wasim Akram is unreal. Just a pity that despite playing on the sub continent pitches, he took so many wickets at a very good average.

I always wish, a little jealously that too, that we had the kind of bowlers that Pakistan has had during the 90's.

I love our fast bowlers but they are wank when you compare them to truly great fast bowlers.

[Tee]

And yes, Wasim Akram is unreal. Just a pity that despite playing on the sub continent pitches, he took so many wickets at a very good average.

I always wish, a little jealously that too, that we had the kind of bowlers that Pakistan has had during the 90's.

I love our fast bowlers but they are wank when you compare them to truly great fast bowlers.

And as a Pakistan supporter I have always looked across at the unreal batsmen India have had in the past/present and wished we had them. Pakistan always seem to be able to do spectacular things with the ball, but the batting has been atrocious since Inzy retired.

Fair play on the Viv Richards call as well mate.



One player who hasn't been mentioned but I think deserved to be considered.....Murali.

[captainfog]

Murali was a great bowler, but I think Warne was a better cricketer. Yes, Murali has more wickets, but he played on a lot of turning wickets which I think has skewed his figures slightly. Not as important, but Warne was also handyish with the bat and excellent in the slips.

[Shaggy]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R48wPr1K6LA"]THE WORST two-ball innings of all time... - YouTube[/ame]

The man behind the worst two-ball innings of all time

Mark Armitage has become a YouTube sensation for the worst innings of all time but his love for cricket remains as strong as ever

Toby Chasseaud

theguardian.com, Friday 25 October 2013 10.35 BST

Cricket can be a cruel game. Remember Steve Harmison bowling the first delivery of the 2006-7 Ashes straight to second slip, or Scott Boswell's 14-ball over in the 2001 C&G Trophy final. Professionals are used to having their every mistake scrutinised in slow motion replays, but the agony of amateurs is usually quickly forgotten after some gentle banter in the pub after the game. So spare a thought for club cricketer Mark Armitage whose knock – dubbed "the worst two-ball innings of all time" – will haunt him for ever after becoming a YouTube sensation.

Armitage strode out to open the batting for Essex team Eastwood CC in their tour match against Bradfield CC in Berkshire. What happens next is painful to watch. Armitage doesn't worry about playing himself in, trying to pull his first ball for four. He fails to get bat on ball, is hit in the box, and tumbles to the ground. After shaking off his discomfort, he attempts to smash his second delivery – with even worse consequences. He makes a mess of his shot, falls over backwards, and is out hitting his own wicket. This would have been bad enough if witnessed only by those present, but unfortunately for Armitage, his antics have since been viewed by thousands.

"I've played cricket for 25 years – always at the very lowest level," he says. "I love the game and clearly have never been a star. But it's the first time I have been out in such a fashion, though I have had other strange dismissals."

Armitage has been playing for Eastwood since 1987, and sometimes captains the 5th XI. "It was an end-of-season tour game. The touring side contained a mixture of all abilities from the 1st XI to the 5th XI. We were in and around Oxford for the weekend. I was sent in to bat far too early but that is part of being on tour. I was told to get on with it as it was a Twenty20 match and there were far better batsmen below me. Normally I am a Boycott/Tavaré-style batsman. I was thinking I must get more runs than Nigel, my opening partner, and I must get on with it or be booed for not scoring."

The incident was videoed by Graham Fletcher, the club chairman, who was umpiring at square leg. "I thought at the time it was just a laugh," says Armitage. "I never thought it would have such an impact."

What does his wife make of it? "She just shakes her head and accepts I am who I am. I enjoy life, have fun and daft things happen to me."

Watching a longer clip of the incident reveals that Armitage is almost run out before he has even faced his first ball. And his short-lived innings was not his only comedy incident of the match. "I kept wicket – again a tour tradition. I'm not the worst keeper ever seen, but not proficient either. I'm actually a hockey goalkeeper and use more of a stopping technique. Funnily enough, there was another 'moment'. Standing up to our captain Rick Wade, who is a notorious slow bowler who slips in a quicker one, I was caught out by a quicker one down the leg side that hit me in the stomach with my hands nowhere near. Again, I fell backwards with everyone laughing."

In the end, Eastwood won the match by four runs. "If I recall, there were 20 needed off the last over and they got 16. It was a great game – helped by me not slowing down the innings at the start!"

Armitage has been dismissed before in comical fashion. "This year, when on 29 in a tight match, I managed to again completely pirouette trying to heave the ball away. I rotated twice and fell out of my crease – finally being stumped. I have been run out twice by dozily walking out of my crease after the ball is in the keeper's hands. And I hold the club record for a 50-ball duck a few years ago.

"Ask any club member, people leave the bar to watch me bat. I don't deliberately try to be bad or do comical things – they just follow me around. Falling over is a speciality – once an innings at least. But this was the first time I have ever hit the wicket. I'm quite renowned for backing away to square leg and squealing if there is a faster bowler.

"The highlight of my 'career' was probably my first 50 – against 10 men – when the whole of the club invaded the pitch to congratulate me. I was 40 at the time. It was like Tendulkar in India. I just love my cricket – despite being so bad at it."

Armitage, 44, is a technician at the Bank of New York Mellon but sport does run in the family as he is the grandson of a professional footballer, Tommy Tebb. "He was on the books of Tottenham Hotspur but never made a first team appearance," says Armitage. "I only found out a few years ago when I was going through some paperwork of my mum's and found my nan and granddad's wedding certificate. His claim to fame was that he scored the last ever Football League goal for Nelson FC before they were refused re-election to the league in 1931."

In the video clip, Armitage is wearing a hockey goalkeeping mask. "I play for the Old Southendian Hockey Club. I am by far a better hockey player than cricketer. Although I will be ribbed by the hockey club now who will say I must be a terrible cricketer."

So, although Armitage is unlikely to ever turn professional, he deserves plaudits as one of the many usually unsung heroes who make amateur sport such a joy. And as for going viral, "I don't mind," he says. "It will die down one day, though we'll enjoy a beer at the bar over it for many years to come."

[Sarb]

Get on the chase of 350 by India against Aussies.

What an innings by Kohli so far. Can he finish it off? The guy is unreal in the short formats

[Sarb]

And India win with 3 balls to spare and 6 wickets in hand

[Shaggy]

That was ****ing unbelievable.

[Sarb]

India must have the ****test bowling line-up and best batting line-up in the world in ODI cricket