Jason HeimLara better than Ponting
December 15th 2006 01:43
Category: No Category
There has been much hype over Ricky Ponting’s amazing run blitz since the last Ashes series in 2005. With 10 centuries in the 14 tests since, including back to back tons to kick off the Ashes series, the media has anointed Ponting as the best batsman since Sir Donald Bradman.
Sorry, but he isn’t even the best batsman in the world. No, that honour belongs to West Indian maestro Brian Lara. True, Ponting’s amazing run of scores has boosted his average to the unprecedented mark of 60 and now boasts an Australian record 33 hundreds from 107 Tests. Lara in comparison averages 53 with 34 hundreds from 131 Tests.
Yes by statistics, Ponting has the edge. But Lara has constantly been the lone battler in a team that is the weakest in the world, excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh who aren’t worth Test status. Lara has amazingly had 9 scores over 200, including the world record of 400 and the third highest of 375. Add to this his 501 in First class cricket, Lara has the ability to produce massive innings that no one has achieved since Bradman.
Ponting plays in a team that has been the most successful of all time and has the batting support of great players including Langer, Hayden and Gilchrist. In comparison the Windies have been a rabble since the days of Viv Richards and the only player who could be considered a world class player is Shiv Chanderpaul.
Ponting will break Lara’s world record runs tally and eventually score the most hundreds but he isn’t as good as Lara. Maybe he is Australia’s best since Bradman, I still favour Chappell, but Lara is still currently the best batsman in the world. Reading behind the statistics reveals the mastery that Brian Lara possesses and despite Ricky Ponting’s amazing run of form, Lara is the best.
Sorry, but he isn’t even the best batsman in the world. No, that honour belongs to West Indian maestro Brian Lara. True, Ponting’s amazing run of scores has boosted his average to the unprecedented mark of 60 and now boasts an Australian record 33 hundreds from 107 Tests. Lara in comparison averages 53 with 34 hundreds from 131 Tests.
Yes by statistics, Ponting has the edge. But Lara has constantly been the lone battler in a team that is the weakest in the world, excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh who aren’t worth Test status. Lara has amazingly had 9 scores over 200, including the world record of 400 and the third highest of 375. Add to this his 501 in First class cricket, Lara has the ability to produce massive innings that no one has achieved since Bradman.
Ponting plays in a team that has been the most successful of all time and has the batting support of great players including Langer, Hayden and Gilchrist. In comparison the Windies have been a rabble since the days of Viv Richards and the only player who could be considered a world class player is Shiv Chanderpaul.
Ponting will break Lara’s world record runs tally and eventually score the most hundreds but he isn’t as good as Lara. Maybe he is Australia’s best since Bradman, I still favour Chappell, but Lara is still currently the best batsman in the world. Reading behind the statistics reveals the mastery that Brian Lara possesses and despite Ricky Ponting’s amazing run of form, Lara is the best.
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