Best International Captain?

[Kirsty Harris]

I'd agree with your assessment, Mike - it's between Vaughan and Ganguley, but I'll let my own natural English bias allow me to select Vaughan!!


Until last summer, I'd have included Flemming as well, but having seen his approach to playing England and Austrailia in the last year, I'd say he isn't a great captin against the best teams.

[Seamer]

Ponting for sure. Vaughan is too conservitive. A good captain would have won the second test in the recent Sth Africa tour but he batted too long and ran out of time. He almost blew the forth test as well for making the same mistake. Ponting goes for the kill and backs his bowlers. Also, his good win/loss record has been at the expense of weak teams. Tours to the subcontinent and Australia will put his captaincy abilities into perspective. I admire the faith the English fan,s have put in him at this time but i must remind them that at times during the recent tour there were many in this forum that were calling for his head when things turned pear shaped. Once he starts playing the tougher tours, the calls for his head will no doubt return.

[Pete]

To be fair though, as much as Hoggard and that try.. They ain't no McGrath or Warne.

[Seamer]

That is not what many of the English fans in this forum have said though. Their line of thinking is that Australia is dad,s army and that Hoggard, Harmison and co are going to tear the poor old Aussies to shreds

[Pete]

Many? I can think of one or two people who have said that.

[Milo]

It's a difficult question to answer, because you really do not know what is the captain's impact. Take the tour to India. Australia did not need Ponting as a captain or a player. Gilchrist led the team and the team won (losing hte last test when Ponting returned).

One day cricket probably gives the chances for the skippers to showcase their talents. Here you see field placings and rotation of bowlers playing their part. Hussain showed his ineptitude in the World Cup when he decided to have four different bowlers bowl the last four overs against Australia to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Vaughan seems to have the same afflication from the series in South Africa.

Then there is the ability to lead from the front. Both Ponting and Vaughan's form has been poor as captain.

Therefore, for their performance in one day cricket and his own batting displays.....I think Fleming gets it. At Test level, NZ just don't have the players so there really is nothing he can do about it. None of these captains could turn NZ into a test winning side and all of the captains could throw the ball to McGrath, Warne and Gillespie at test level and see Australia wipe the floor with everyone else.

[acker]

I couldnt vote for Ponting because I dont think he is the best captain in Australia (Gilly the Indian slayer is)

[bevo]

i am saying ricky ponting , but with little test experience as captain , i would normally sya lara but ponting will bring the best out of the aussies.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Pete

To be fair though, as much as Hoggard and that try.. They ain't no McGrath or Warne.

Regardless of the quality of the bowlers, a good captain will risk defeat in the persuit of victory. Vaughan will will ensure he cannot lose before he goes for the victory. Big difference. Consevitive captaincy does not equate to good captaincy. The fact that over 50% of voters in this thread have gone for Vaughan is laughable. He has,nt captained against the big boys of world cricket yet!

[bevo]

vaughan doesnt get the best out of his players , unlike ponting , ponting and waugh have kept the best in warne and mcgrath , now symonds