Best International Captain?

[Leafy Seadragon]

Originally Posted by acker

I will swallow my words Ponting has greatness attached to him.

I think so as well, although wouldn't attribute this to a galant gesture in a mickey mouse match. However, I still agree with your earlier comment - I think Gillie and Lehman are better captains or even, god forbid, Warnie.

Punter has occasionally let matches drift for far too long, possibly expecting his batsmen or bowlers to get the team over the line, without pushing the buttons himself. He's also a little too willing to rely on the tactic developed by earlier captains to post such a large total that you can attack at all times, possibly prolonging matches beyond the time needed to get the result (It'll be interesting to see whether this line is pursued in England where day five may be a weather lottery).

Gillie has shown he is willing to lose to win, is unwilling to let matches drift and makes things happen. Lehman and Warne are aggressive and original in their thinking and I think would probably achieve even more with the current side.

[The229club]

Fleming is the leader here a total professional, from Ponting an inspiring leader, and have a lot of time for young Taibu, what a job to take on being captain, keeper and you might even have to say there best bat.

[bevo]

ponting is the best captain , taibu will be a great captain because he is their best player in every category except bowling

[Paoli]

I dont think Ponting is the best captain.

His tactics against Jacob Oram in the first test in Brisbane were a little 1D and allowed Oram to score 125 not out. I am not impressed with Punters captaincy. Gilchrist should be leading the side.

I did vote for Lara...only because he is the best player in the side and HAS to lead from the front with runs and is the only one in the team who can inspire team mates.

If it was on the captaincy stakes, Steven Fleming would be a shoe in.

[Leafy Seadragon]

I'm not impressed with Punter's captaincy either, although I can understand the reluctance to put Gilchrist under even more pressure; still he revelled in it in India. Even without the captaincy, team management saw the need to rest Gilchrist during the summer. Warne is probably still considered too controversial, Lehman not even good enough for the team and its not the done thing to give it to a bowler. Options limited.

[Chuck Palumbo]

I'm going for Vaughan because of the way he has transformed this England team from a somewhat dull and unattractive team that had a draw first mentality to a team that plays positive cricket and more importantly..winning cricket. His field places are also imaginitive and his bowling changes are inspired...you can also contribute his relaxed captaincy for the rise of players such as Flintoff,Harmison and Hoggard who have all improved ten fold since Vaughan's appointment.

Honourable mentions to Ganguly,Ponting and Fleming but Vaughan is the man for me.

[Pinky]

Why does the best test captain of all test playing nations have to be a male? I think the best test captain of all time is belinda clark- the test and one day captain of the Australian womens team

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Pinky

Why does the best test captain of all test playing nations have to be a male? I think the best test captain of all time is belinda clark- the test and one day captain of the Australian womens team

Hi Pinky,
Welcome to the board, you have answered your own question really, amd your answer was "belinda clark", I don't think it was stipulated that the captain had to be male, but with the ammount of cricket on TV and radio, I ecpect "one assumes".

I used to watch ladies cricket on the BBC, was quite good, but a bit eerie because of lack of people at the grounds, maybe once every two years we could do it tennis like, and have a mixed tounament, Hmm wonder which lady batsmen would like to face up to A Brett Lee at full pace?.

[Pinky]

Lol I dont think there would be many lady batters that would want to face Brett Lee! I know i certainly wouldnt I guess it would be because there are probly no women in the world who face anything faster than 120km/h cause that is currently the speed of the fastest women bowler. I would also love to watch the 2005 womens world cup but i dont think it is being televised It would be great if it was but i think whoever televised it would get alot of interested viewers and maybe womens cricekt might get a bigger profile.

[acker]

I thought Adam Gilchrists acheivment of joining the other great un-heralded Australian captain "Bill Lawry" as winning a test series against India in India might of deserved mention