I quite agree if you mean "does he merit comparison with such complete batsmen as Bradman, Hutton, Tendulkar, Lara, Ponting"... but Flanflinger has rather skewed his poll in the phrasing... and what's really being asked is whether he belongs alongside the best openers of his generation.

So... instead of comparing him with Bradman and Lara we need to compare him with the likes of Atherton, Langer, Smith and Trescothick: whilst he may have "overachieved"... I don't see a problem rating him alongside those guys.

Let's face it... Gooch "overachieved" in the sense of managing, through sheer hard work, to contribute hugely more than many more talented players and yet if you looked post Hutton..... he'd be a front runner to bat alongside Boycott in a fantasy England XI!!!