Test Cricket 1970s and 1980s - Top Batsmen

 (27 November 1970 to 16 April 1990)

Sunil Gavaskar led the charge in the 1970s with a tremendous series in the West Indies, 774 runs in four Test matches, including a double century and century in the same Test. He never looked back, becoming the first to scale the Everest of 10,000 Test runs, earlier going past the inimitable Don Bradman’s 35-year-old record of 29 hundreds, setting a new benchmark for Sachin Tendulkar to surpass.

Greg Chappell made his Test debut just before Gavaskar, an upright, elegant player who overhauled Bradman’s Australian record aggregate of 6996 runs. The supercilious marauder Vivian Richards arrived a few years later, followed by the impish, street-smart Javed Mianded. The left-handed gritty fighter Allan Border followed suit, and went on to top Gavaskar’s aggregate, becoming the first to post 11,000 Test runs. Meanwhile, the copybook opener Geoff Boycott carried over his broad blade from the 1960s. All of them scored over 5000 Test runs and averaged above 50 in this golden age of the 1970s and 1980s.

Two other Australians, Ian Redpath and Dean Jones, averaged over 50, hitting up more than 2500 Test runs. Even in the evening of his brilliant career, the great Gary Sobers crashed 1256 runs in 17 Tests in the 1970s, at an average of 52.33 with a highest of 178 not out with 5 hundreds and 4 fifties. Two openers Charlie Davis of the West Indies, and Mark Taylor of Australia, averaged in the mid-60s while notching up over 1000 runs. Davis averaged 66.56 for his 1065 runs, and Taylor averaged 64.72 as he scored 1618 runs.

David Gower, Gordon Greenidge, Dilip Vengsarkar, Clive Lloyd, Gundappa Viswanath, Desmond Haynes, Ian Botham and Zaheer Abbas crafted over 5000 runs in this period. All of them averaged in the 40s, except allrounder Botham who scored 34.35 runs per innings. Several other batsmen scored over 2000 runs and averaged above 40.

Top Rungetters (minimum 5000 runs)

Sunil Gavaskar (India), Tests 125, Highest Score 236*, Runs 10122, Average 51.12, Hundreds 34, Fifties 45

Allan Border (Australia), Tests 115, Highest Score 205, Runs 8701, Average 53.38, Hundreds 23, Fifties 48

Vivian Richards (West Indies), Tests 111, Highest Score 291, Runs 7990, Average 51.21, Hundreds 24, Fifties 38

Javed Miandad (Pakistan), Tests 104, Highest Score 280*, Runs 7891, Average 56.36, Hundreds 22, Fifties 38

David Gower (England), Tests 106, Highest Score 215, Runs 7383, Average 43.42, Hundreds 15, Fifties 37

Gordon Greenidge (West Indies), Tests 100, Highest Score 223, Runs 7134, Average 46.02, Hundreds 18, Fifties 34

Greg Chappell (Australia), Tests 87, Highest Score 247*, Runs 7110, Average 53.86, Hundreds 24, Fifties 31

Dilip Vengsarkar (India), Tests 107, Highest Score 166, Runs 6545, Average 44.22, Hundreds 17, Fifties 32

Clive Lloyd (West Indies), Tests 92, Highest Score 242*, Runs 6356, Average 48.51, Hundreds 16, Fifties 34

Gundappa Viswanath (India), Tests 87, Highest Score 222, Runs 5746, Average 41.63, Hundreds 13, Fifties 33

Desmond Haynes (West Indies), Tests 89, Highest Score 184, Runs 5711, Average 41.99, Hundreds 14, Fifties 31

Geoff Boycott (England), Tests 67, Highest Score 191, Runs 5505, Average 50.50, Hundreds 16, Fifties 29

Ian Botham (England), Tests 97, Highest Score 208, Runs 5119, Average 34.35, Hundreds 14, Fifties 22

Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan), Tests 77, Highest Score 274, Runs 5023, Average 45.25, Hundreds 12, Fifties 20

 

Best Averages (minimum 2000 runs and average of 50 and above)

Javed Miandad (Pakistan), Tests 104, Highest Score 280*, Runs 7891, Average 56.36, Hundreds 22, Fifties 38

Greg Chappell (Australia), Tests 87, Highest Score 247*, Runs 7110, Average 53.86, Hundreds 24, Fifties 31

Allan Border (Australia), Tests 115, Highest Score 205, Runs 8701, Average 53.38, Hundreds 23, Fifties 48

Dean Jones (Australia), Tests 34, Highest Score 216, Runs 2637, Average 51.70, Hundreds 9, Fifties 9

Vivian Richards (West Indies), Tests 111, Highest Score 291, Runs 7990, Average 51.21, Hundreds 24, Fifties 38

Sunil Gavaskar (India), Tests 125, Highest Score 236*, Runs 10122, Average 51.12, Hundreds 34, Fifties 45

Ian Redpath (Australia), Tests 29, Highest Score 171, Runs 2578, Average 50.54, Hundreds 7, Fifties 15

Geoff Boycott (England), Tests 67, Highest Score 191, Runs 5505, Average 50.50, Hundreds 16, Fifties 29

 

Best Averages (minimum 1000 runs but below 2000 runs, and average of 50 and above)

Charlie Davis (West Indies), Tests 11, Highest Score 183, Runs 1065, Average 66.56, Hundreds 3, Fifties 4

Mark Taylor (Australia), Tests 15, Highest Score 219, Runs 1618, Average 64.72, Hundreds 6, Fifties 8

Gary Sobers (West Indies), Tests 17, Highest Score 178*, Runs 1256, Average 52.33, Hundreds 5, Fifties 4

 

Best Averages (minimum 2000 runs and average of 40 and above, but below 50)

Dennis Amiss (England), Tests 45, Highest Score 262*, Runs 3487, Average 49.11, Hundreds 11, Fifties 11

Mohammad Azharuddin (India), Tests 37, Highest Score 199, Runs 2527, Average 48.59, Hundreds 8, Fifties 9

Clive Lloyd (West Indies), Tests 92, Highest Score 242*, Runs 6356, Average 48.51, Hundreds 16, Fifties 34

Glenn Turner (New Zealand), Tests 32, Highest Score 259, Runs 2441, Average 47.86, Hundreds 6, Fifties 11

Ian Chappell (Australia), Tests 44, Highest Score 196, Runs 3578, Average 47.07, Hundreds 10, Fifties 18

Richie Richardson (West Indies), Tests 49, Highest Score 194, Runs 3515, Average 46.25, Hundreds 10, Fifties 13

Gordon Greenidge (West Indies), Tests 100, Highest Score 223, Runs 7134, Average 46.02, Hundreds 18, Fifties 34

Roy Fredericks (West Indies), Tests 49, Highest Score 169, Runs 3809, Average 45.89, Hundreds 8, Fifties 22

Martin Crowe (New Zealand), Tests 48, Highest Score 188, Runs 3288, Average 45.66, Hundreds 11, Fifties 11

Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan), Tests 77, Highest Score 274, Runs 5023, Average 45.25, Hundreds 12, Fifties 20

Alvin Kallicharran (West Indies), Tests 66, Highest Score 187, Runs 4399, Average 44.43, Hundreds 12, Fifties 21

Dilip Vengsarkar (India), Tests 107, Highest Score 166, Runs 6545, Average 44.22, Hundreds 17, Fifties 32

Lawrence Rowe (West Indies), Tests 30, Highest Score 302, Runs 2047, Average 43.55, Hundreds 7, Fifties 7

David Gower (England), Tests 106, Highest Score 215, Runs 7383, Average 43.42, Hundreds 15, Fifties 37

Mohinder Amarnath (India), Tests 68, Highest Score 138, Runs 4362, Average 42.76, Hundreds 11, Fifties 24

Doug Walters (Australia), Tests 49, Highest Score 250, Runs 3107, Average 42.56, Hundreds 8, Fifties 19

Asif Iqbal (Pakistan), Tests 41, Highest Score 175, Runs 2703, Average 42.23, Hundreds 10, Fifties 7

Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), Tests 35, Highest Score 201, Runs 2449, Average 42.22, Hundreds 8, Fifties 12

Desmond Haynes (West Indies), Tests 89, Highest Score 184, Runs 5711, Average 41.99, Hundreds 14, Fifties 31

Salim Malik (Pakistan), Tests 57, Highest Score 119*, Runs 2718, Average 41.81, Hundreds 7, Fifties 15

Gundappa Viswanath (India), Tests 87, Highest Score 222, Runs 5746, Average 41.63, Hundreds 13, Fifties 33

Majid Khan (Pakistan), Tests 53, Highest Score 167, Runs 3584, Average 41.19, Hundreds 8, Fifties 17

Keith Fletcher (England), Tests 53, Highest Score 216, Runs 3045, Average 41.14, Hundreds 7, Fifties 18

Graham Yallop (Australia), Tests 39, Highest Score 268, Runs 2756, Average 41.13, Hundreds 8, Fifties 9

John Edrich (England), Tests 37, Highest Score 175, Runs 2427, Average 41.13, Hundreds 4, Fifties 14

Tony Greig (England), Tests 58, Highest Score 148, Runs 3599, Average 40.43, Hundreds 8, Fifties 20

 

Full Career of those who also played in eras before or after

Allan Border (Australia, 1978-94), Tests 156, Highest Score 205, Runs 11174, Average 50.56, Hundreds 27, Fifties 63

Graham Gooch (England, 1975-95), Tests 118, Highest Score 333, Runs 8900, Average 42.58, Hundreds 20, Fifties 46

Javed Miandad (Pakistan, 1976-93), Tests 124, Highest Score 280*, Runs 8832, Average 52.57, Hundreds 23, Fifties 43

Vivian Richards (West Indies, 1975-91), Tests 121, Highest Score 291, Runs 8540, Average 50.23, Hundreds 24, Fifties 45

David Gower (England, 1978-92), Tests 117, Highest Score 215, Runs 8231, Average 44.25, Hundreds 18, Fifties 39

Geoff Boycott (England, 1964-82), Tests 108, Highest Score 246*, Runs 8114, Average 47.72, Hundreds 22, Fifties 42

Gary Sobers (West Indies, 1954-74), Tests 93, Highest Score 365*, Runs 8032, Average 57.78, Hundreds 26, Fifties 30

Gordon Greenidge (West Indies, 1974-91), Tests 108, Highest Score 226, Runs 7558, Average 44.72, Hundreds 19, Fifties 34

Mark Taylor (Australia, 1989-99), Tests 104, Highest Score 186, Runs 7525, Average 43.49, Hundreds 19, Fifties 40

Clive Lloyd (West Indies, 1966-85), Tests 110, Highest Score 242*, Runs 7515, Average 46.67, Hundreds 19, Fifties 39

Desmond Haynes (West Indies, 1978-94), Tests 116, Highest Score 184, Runs 7487, Average 42.29, Hundreds 18, Fifties 39

David Boon (Australia, 1984-96), Tests 107, Highest Score 200, Runs 7422, Average 43.65, Hundreds 21, Fifties 32

Dilip Vengsarkar (India, 1976-92), Tests 116, Highest Score 166, Runs 6868, Average 42.13, Hundreds 17, Fifties 35

Rohan Kanhai (West Indies, 1957-74), Tests 79, Highest Score 256, Runs 6227, Average 47.53, Hundreds 15, Fifties 28

Mohammad Azharuddin (India, 1984-2000), Tests 99, Highest Score 199, Runs 6215, Average 45.03, Hundreds 22 Fifties 21

Gundappa Viswanath (India, 1969-83), Tests 91, Highest Score 222, Runs 6080, Average 41.93, Hundreds 14, Fifties 35

Richie Richardson (West Indies, 1983-95), Tests 86, Highest Score 194, Runs 5949, Average 44.39, Hundreds 16, Fifties 27

Salim Malik (Pakistan, 1982-99), Tests 103, Highest Score 237, Runs 5768, Average 43.69, Hundreds 15, Fifties 29

Martin Crowe (New Zealand, 1982-95), Tests 77, Highest Score 299, Runs 5444, Average 45.36, Hundreds 17, Fifties 18

Doug Walters (Australia, 1965-81), Tests 74, Highest Score 250, Runs 5357, Average 48.26, Hundreds 15, Fifties 33

Ian Chappell (Australia, 1964-80), Tests 75, Highest Score 196, Runs 5345, Average 42.42, Hundreds 14, Fifties 26

Ian Botham (England, 1977-92), Tests 102, Highest Score 208, Runs 5200, Average 33.54, Hundreds 14, Fifties 22

John Edrich (England, 1963-76), Tests 77, Highest Score 310*, Runs 5138, Average 43.54, Hundreds 12, Fifties 24

Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan, 1969-85), Tests 78, Highest Score 274, Runs 5062, Average 44.79, Hundreds 12, Fifties 20

Ian Redpath (Australia, 1964-76), Tests 66, Highest Score 171, Runs 4737, Average 43.45, Hundreds 8, Fifties 31

Mohinder Amarnath (India, 1969-88), Tests 69, Highest Score 138, Runs 4378, Average 42.50, Hundreds 11, Fifties 24

Roy Fredericks (West Indies, 1968-77, Tests 59, Highest Score 169, Runs 4334, Average 42.49, Hundreds 8, Fifties 26

Majid Khan (Pakistan, 1964-83), Tests 63, Highest Score 167, Runs 3931, Average 38.92, Hundreds 8, Fifties 19

Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan, 1959-79), Tests 57, Highest Score 201, Runs 3643, Average 39.17, Hundreds 10, Fifties 19

Dean Jones (Australia, 1984-92), Tests 52, Highest Score 216, Runs 3631, Average 46.55, Hundreds 11, Fifties 14

Dennis Amiss (England, 1966-77), Tests 50, Highest Score 262*, Runs 3612, Average 46.30, Hundreds 11, Fifties 11

Asif Iqbal (Pakistan, 1964-80), Tests 58, Highest Score 175, Runs 3575, Average 38.85, Hundreds 11, Fifties 12

Keith Fletcher (England, 1968-82), Tests 59, Highest Score 216, Runs 3272, Average 39.90, Hundreds 7, Fifties 19

Glenn Turner (New Zealand, 1969-83), Tests 41, Highest Score 259, Runs 2991, Average 44.64, Hundreds 7, Fifties 14

Graham Yallop (Australia, 1976-84), Tests 39, Highest Score 268, Runs 2756, Average 41.13, Hundreds 8, Fifties 9

The elegant and consistent Greg Chappell. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

Greg Chappell had class stamped all over him. Tall, upright, elegant with a high backlift, he was one of the finest on-drivers the game has seen. Consistent and unyielding, he has been a serious student of the game. Chappell scored a hundred on Test debut at Perth. He impressed with the amount of time he had to play his strokes even on that fast track against a hostile English pace attack of John Snow, Peter Lever and Ken Shuttleworth. He reached his century amid a flurry of strokes before he was dismissed for 108.

A decade-and-a-half later, in his final Test against Pakistan at Sydney, Greg Chappell needed 68 runs to equal Bradman’s Australian record aggregate of 6996 runs. Chappell passed The Don’s mark, became the first from his country to log up 7000 Test runs, and notched up a century, the only batsman to score hundreds in his first and last innings. He bid adieu to the game with a magnificent 182. Two other greats retired along with him after this Test - Dennis Lillee and Rodney Marsh. They came together and they went together. Call it destiny if you will, but things have a way of unfolding in amazing fashion. Nobody could have planned it that way. The plot is always scripted elsewhere.

When the Rest of the World, replacing South Africa, visited Australia in 1971-72, Greg Chappell was in commanding form, hitting up 425 runs in three matches at an average of 106.25. In the Wellington Test of 1973-74 against New Zealand, Greg Chappell emulated compatriot Doug Walters, Lawrence Rowe and Sunil Gavaskar by scoring a double century and century. Brian Lara emulated the feat in 2001-02. Chappell’s 247 not out and 133, totalling 380 runs, was the highest scored in a Test match until Graham Gooch hit up 333 and 123 against India at Lord’s in 1990. In that Wellington game, elder brother Ian Chappell scored 145 and 121.   

In 1975-76 Greg Chappell took over the Australian captaincy from Ian. It was a keenly-awaited six-Test series between the 1975 One-day World Cup champions West Indies and runners-up Australia, a terrific match-up between classy batting line-ups and fearsome pace attacks. The Aussies prevailed and how; they walloped Clive Lloyd’s side 5-1, the only defeat being at Perth where Roy Fredericks blazed to that scintillating 169. Greg Chappell hit a hundred in each innings again, 123 and 109 not out at Brisbane. In the Sydney Test he hit up an unbeaten 182. 

Kerry Packer intervened for two seasons between 1977-79 and Chappell was lost to the international game, like so many other stalwarts. He returned to captain Australia, later only in home series. A useful medium-pace change bowler, Chappell was a composed fielder, particularly in the slips. If his grandfather, former Australian captain and Bradman contemporary, Victor Richardson, was the first fielder to take five catches in a Test, against South Africa at Durban in 1935-36, Greg Chappell was the first to pouch seven in the same Test, against England at Perth in 1974-75. He finished with 122 Test catches, surpassing Colin Cowdrey’s record of 120. Later several others held more, with Rahul Dravid being the current record-holder with 207 catches in 157 Tests. 

The one faux pas in his career was when as captain he asked the bowler, his younger brother Trevor, to underarm the last delivery of the third One-day final of the World Series Cup against New Zealand on February 1, 1981. There was massive public outrage and the New Zealand prime minister shot off a telegram to his Australian counterpart, accusing the Aussie team of cowardice. The fallout was that underarm bowling, eclipsed since the days of a young W.G. Grace, was finally consigned to the pages of history. Chappell was crucified. This singular mindless act has sometimes returned to haunt Greg Chappell, but was really an aberration in the career of a dignified batsman. He finished with 7110 runs in 87 Tests, 24 hundreds and an average of 53.86. Greg Chappell was a class act.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

188 pages

Available on Amazon at an attractive price  

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 21 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (26. Greg Chappell)

In the 1950s and 1960s, England possessed an array of top-class batsmen, the classic Peter May, the podgy timer Colin Cowdrey, the cheerful and reliable Ken Barrington, the dashing and aristocratic Ted Dexter, and one of the most graceful strokeplayers ever Tom Graveney. Australia had the famous opening pair Bobby Simpson and Bill Lawry, and the stylish Norman O’Neil.

Cricket was now entering a new epoch. The 1970s and 1980s should be regarded as the Modern Golden Age of Cricket for the sheer quality of players, and the sweeping changes that took place in the game. The process began during the 1970-71 Ashes series. From Australia emerged three players who were to become true greats, fast bowler Dennis Lillee, wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh and middle-order batsman Greg Chappell. Quite by accident, the first One-day International was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the course of this series, just as the first-ever Test match had been in 1877. A few months later in the Caribbean, a diminutive Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar astounded the world by his copious rungetting.

Greg Chappell had class stamped all over him. Tall, upright, elegant with a high backlift, he was one of the finest on-drivers the game has seen. Consistent and unyielding, he has been a serious student of the game. Chappell scored a hundred on Test debut at Perth. He impressed with the amount of time he had to play his strokes even on that fast track against a hostile English pace attack of John Snow, Peter Lever and Ken Shuttleworth. He reached his century amid a flurry of strokes before he was dismissed for 108.

A decade-and-a-half later, in his final Test against Pakistan at Sydney, Greg Chappell needed 68 runs to equal Bradman’s Australian record aggregate of 6996 runs. Chappell passed The Don’s mark, became the first from his country to log up 7000 Test runs, and notched up a century, the only batsman to score hundreds in his first and last innings. He bid adieu to the game with a magnificent 182. Two other greats retired along with him after this Test - Dennis Lillee and Rodney Marsh. They came together and they went together. Call it destiny if you will, but things have a way of unfolding in amazing fashion. Nobody could have planned it that way. The plot is always scripted elsewhere.

When the Rest of the World, replacing South Africa, visited Australia in 1971-72, Greg Chappell was in commanding form, hitting up 425 runs in three matches at an average of 106.25. In the Wellington Test of 1973-74 against New Zealand, Greg Chappell emulated compatriot Doug Walters, Lawrence Rowe and Sunil Gavaskar by scoring a double century and century. Brian Lara emulated the feat in 2001-02. Chappell’s 247 not out and 133, totalling 380 runs, was the highest scored in a Test match until Graham Gooch hit up 333 and 123 against India at Lord’s in 1990. In that Wellington game, elder brother Ian Chappell scored 145 and 121.

In 1975-76 Greg Chappell took over the Australian captaincy from Ian. It was a keenly-awaited six-Test series between the 1975 One-day World Cup champions West Indies and runners-up Australia, a terrific match-up between classy batting line-ups and fearsome pace attacks. The Aussies prevailed and how; they walloped Clive Lloyd’s side 5-1, the only defeat being at Perth where Roy Fredericks blazed to that scintillating 169. Greg Chappell hit a hundred in each innings again, 123 and 109 not out at Brisbane. In the Sydney Test he hit up an unbeaten 182.

Kerry Packer intervened for two seasons between 1977-79 and Chappell was lost to the international game, like so many other stalwarts. He returned to captain Australia, later only in home series. A useful medium-pace change bowler, Chappell was a composed fielder, particularly in the slips. If his grandfather, former Australian captain and Bradman contemporary, Victor Richardson, was the first fielder to take five catches in a Test, against South Africa at Durban in 1935-36, Greg Chappell was the first to pouch seven in the same Test, against England at Perth in 1974-75. He finished with 122 Test catches, surpassing Colin Cowdrey’s record of 120. Later several others held more, with Rahul Dravid being the current record-holder with 207 catches in 157 Tests.

The one faux pas in his career was when as captain he asked the bowler, his younger brother Trevor, to underarm the last delivery of the third One-day final of the World Series Cup against New Zealand on February 1, 1981. There was massive public outrage and the New Zealand prime minister shot off a telegram to his Australian counterpart, accusing the Aussie team of cowardice. The fallout was that underarm bowling, eclipsed since the days of a young W.G. Grace, was finally consigned to the pages of history. Chappell was crucified. This singular mindless act has sometimes returned to haunt Greg Chappell, but was really an aberration in the career of a dignified batsman. He finished with 7110 runs in 87 Tests, 24 hundreds and an average of 53.86. Greg Chappell was a class act.

The statistics in the book are updated till 27^th August 2011.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).