Best strikers of a cricket ball you've seen
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:23 pmWho are the best strikers of a cricket ball you’ve seen?
Here, I’m talking in terms of power and timing and the ability to hit the ball sweetly out of the middle of the bat, not necessarily just the physical power to hit the ball huge distances.
The best 5 I’ve seen are:-
1. Adam Gilchrist – I reckon the key was his ability to hold the bat high up on the handle and thus gain more leverage and hence power. It takes great strength in the hands and forearms to do this because the bat is heaps heavier to hold higher up on the handle. Most players grip the bat much lower than he does.
2. David Hookes – He had deficiencies with footwork but his eye was so good that he could pick up the length of a ball and strike it so cleanly. His 43-minute century against Victoria in 1982/83 contained some cracking ball striking. Imagine how hard he’d have hit the ball if he could have used some of the thick-edged power bats that are around today!
3. Kris Srikkanth (India) – Not a big bloke but he could swing the bat with great speed. Often a reckless opening batsman, he holed out a few too many times to fielders but when it came together he was awesome to watch. An example is his century against Australia at the MCG in the 1985/86 summer.
4. Mark Waugh – Effortless power, not powerless effort. Has there ever been a better timer of the ball? He could also hit the ball a long way, as evidenced by when he tonked one of Daniel Vettori’s deliveries onto the top of the Lillee-Marsh Stand at the WACA in Perth a few years back.
5. David Warner – That 20/20 innings against South Africa in January proved his extraordinary hitting power.
Here, I’m talking in terms of power and timing and the ability to hit the ball sweetly out of the middle of the bat, not necessarily just the physical power to hit the ball huge distances.
The best 5 I’ve seen are:-
1. Adam Gilchrist – I reckon the key was his ability to hold the bat high up on the handle and thus gain more leverage and hence power. It takes great strength in the hands and forearms to do this because the bat is heaps heavier to hold higher up on the handle. Most players grip the bat much lower than he does.
2. David Hookes – He had deficiencies with footwork but his eye was so good that he could pick up the length of a ball and strike it so cleanly. His 43-minute century against Victoria in 1982/83 contained some cracking ball striking. Imagine how hard he’d have hit the ball if he could have used some of the thick-edged power bats that are around today!
3. Kris Srikkanth (India) – Not a big bloke but he could swing the bat with great speed. Often a reckless opening batsman, he holed out a few too many times to fielders but when it came together he was awesome to watch. An example is his century against Australia at the MCG in the 1985/86 summer.
4. Mark Waugh – Effortless power, not powerless effort. Has there ever been a better timer of the ball? He could also hit the ball a long way, as evidenced by when he tonked one of Daniel Vettori’s deliveries onto the top of the Lillee-Marsh Stand at the WACA in Perth a few years back.
5. David Warner – That 20/20 innings against South Africa in January proved his extraordinary hitting power.