1.2.3.4.5.The Fabulous Five..5.4.3.2.1. Review on Five Best Cricketers

*Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.'' -Henry Ward Beecher

Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms. - Samuel Johnson *

Introduction

To choose a needle in haystack is quite a task. All the players who represented their countries are themselves best cricketers of some sorts (Well! except for some really bad players who got through due to prejudices of the selectors and bad policies). If there has to be only 5 players to be chosen out of a 100s and thousands of great players, it will be quite a task for the reviewer to do justice to all the greats.

My list of best cricketers does not reflect in anyway that the others are bad or incapable. They are great and exceptional but failed to register in my mind as much as these five did. In addition, I haven't seen many players play but have read a lot of articles since my childhood. I was a major fan, like many others and was able to kick out the bad habit to the level of quoting the great quote by ''George Bernard Shaw'' about this game. No not really!. I loved this game and will remain a fan, albeit being a dormant one..

I always wanted to avoid a topic that has been haunted large part of my life for so long, until recently. I just wanted to mention that this just a review and these cricketers are my favorite and it does not mean anyway that your idol is not given the due credit. As I said, it is quite a task to pick just a few out of so many wonderful cricketers. Now let me go on with my selections.

THE FAMOUS FIVE

~ The Don of the Game - Sir Donald Bradman - There is no doubt in my mind that he is the greatest one to have ever graced this game. I have seen very little of his game, thanks largely due to the great ''Bodyline'' series and other video clippings in sports specials. I have read his records so many times and not a great innings in contemporary cricket goes by without his name being uttered in a manner. He owned a lot of records in the game. Rightfully named the ''Wisden Cricketer of the Century'', he is truly a legend by himself. The beautiful ball by Eric Hollies that trapped him for duck in his very last innings tells you how mortal he was and it makes all his records and games all the more wonderful. Some great records by the master are

~ The unbeatable test average of 99.94 ( I sincerely doubt it will ever be broken by a player playing at least 20 tests)

~ First to hit 300 odd runs in a single day of cricket

~ First to hit two 300s in an innings (BC Lara is the second one!)

~ Only batsmen who tore the bodyline attack to pieces

~ First one to hit a century in North America (in Ontario, Canada!)

The Don will be remembered as long as the game is played. I could only wish I watch the great 334 he made against the English

~ The Style King - Sir Issac Vivian Alexander Richards - He is a great stroke maker. Stylish player. Great Slip catcher. Wonderful captain. Master Stroke maker. Helpful Spinner. You can go on and on and on. If the first ODI world cup finals belonged to the legendary Clive Lloyd, the second world cup belonged to Viv. It was only after Viv got out due to a great catch that India won the world cup in 1983. One great innings I saw of Sir Vivian is the great 183* against the English. It is quite a piece of stroke-making. He is the legendary path breaker to stroke making.

All the stroke making of the latest stalwarts are more or less moulded by the great Richards in the 80s. He was a legend and will always be. Rightfully Knighted, Sir IVA Richards has played the game to perfection. The WINDIES were in full blossom under his stewardship.The unparalleled master of stroke making, he gave style to the game. His chewing of gum while hits a paceman out of ground for two successive balls is a treat to watch. No bowler was spared and no one else played the game in a better manner than him. The one and only Richards preceded the Gilchrists, Sehwags and Tendulkars. Sir IVA Richards hats off to you!!

~ Mr. Consistency - Sir Richard Hadlee - Not many bowlers get the due credit for their wonderful efforts. There was one person in the NZ team of the eighties who was a solo match winner in many games. His name is Sir Richard Hadlee. He was the highest wicket taker before the Haryana Hurricane over took him. Hadlee is known for his beautiful strides and wonderful bowling action. He was a perfectionist and never gave too many loose balls for the batsmen. He didn't have the advantage of the reverse swings and all but still managed to get 431 wickets on all surfaces. I could remember his 9/52 against the aussies in their home turf.

~Most of the matches won by NZ in the 80s and early 90s were mainly due to him. Though age showed its effects during his last few years, Hadlee was at the forefront and is a dramatic bowler. He was a very useful allrounder too. He was the greatest allrounder of the kiwis, long before Chris Cairns. Hadlee was the record holder of the maximum number of 5-wicket hauls before Murali and was also having a deadly strike rate and economy. He was a sort of one man army in the toothless NZ of the eighties. A great treat to watch and he is rightfully knighted as well. He will be remembered by me for the nice memories he gave me.

~ The Little Genius - Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar - I will not get into his biography as many of you may know more about him than me. Let me tell you why he belongs here any other list for that matter. As a very young boy the way he smashed a veteran Abdul Qadir for 4 consecutive sixes in Pak is a classic start for this stalwart. Nothing matches him, when he is on a flow. He can singlehandedly tear any attack in the world apart. While there are questions about his endurance for a big score like 400+, he is a genius in his own might. When a legendary leg spinner says he has nightmares about him, he is darn well right. While he is the modern day version of the Don, one has to take the time, technique and multiple facilities and benefits the little genius has, to make out who is the real Don.

~There can be no doubt about his love for the game. He is a cricketer who is not ashamed of crying when his team loses and a person who dedicates a beautiful hundred to his father after his untimely death. No one can deny that. He is the ICON and stalwart of India. Being down-to-earth is another beautiful characteristic of this genius and every country will be proud to have a Sachin. All the controversies surrounding the Ferrari and all are total crap and he has proven time and again about his worth. There can be thousand star cricketers on earth but there is only one Sachin. ''Ten''dulkar is makes the Indian team strength as 20. It is a great pleasure to see him drive everyone mad. He is a classic example of how mortal a genius can be, when he gets out cheaply. Hey, not everyone can be that consistent. He is a man. a machine. a genius. a gem of a person.

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