I am not keen on left handers being big hitters in the true sense of the word, simply because I fear they will get out earlier, t=rather than sooner in a bashing spree, because the ball is going accross them.
Well is he? - on his day yes, that's what maked this thread quirky, and impossible to answer.

Botham was a huge hitter, of todays one day players silly as it may sound, if it's he's day Mal Loye with hit the ball as hard, and as far as anyone.

__________________
Ern

Do you know, Ern, that description of right-handers bowling to left-hand bashers is exactly the problem that the right-handed Mal Loye has had with left-arm bowlers like James Franklin, Nathan Bracken and Mitchell Johnson.

Well I am resisiting saying he finaly worked them out Andy , But am taking into account the fact that there are many more Right hand pace bowlers than their left hand counterparts.

I used to watch Fowler at Lanc's, and always had that feeling he was going to nick one, with Clive lloyd it was different of course.

__________________
Ern

(imo) Gayle is a monster when he is going. What makes him so hard to bowl to is his range of shots, and his ability to decimate bowling attacks of almost every quality. But of course this is only when he is going, as with many of the other candidates. My vote went to him because he is a little more consistant.

__________________
- VVVRulz..

Symonds if fit. Record for most sixes in a first class innings and also match, his batting has improved so much in the last few years. He is Australias most important player and the hardest to replace, you can replace Gilchrist with Haddin you can replace Ponting with batsman like Hodge, there is not many cricketers who can replace Symonds hitting power and his allround fielding, bowling and presence. The closest would be Cameron White.

Look at this interesting statistics

When Australia wins Symonds averages 45.67, all his centures have been in winnings games, also 19 of his 21 fifties have been in winning games, 97 of his 121 wickets have been in winning games. In losing games he only averages 21.00 has only made 1 fifty and his bowling average is 44.95 with only 22 wickets. Shows how much his performances make a difference.

Symonds career average is only 38.38 from 161 ODI matches looks poor but looking form since his poor start.
Last 25 matches 49.06
Last 50 matches 44.02
Last 75 matches 45.25
Last 100 matches 43.42

__________________
Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

That's true - he would (or should) walk into ant team.
Yes and when you think Sir Garry Sobers hit 6X6 in an over of Malcolm Nash, that good going.

__________________
Ern

Where are other class batsman like Tendulkar and Ponting who can hit the ball as far as any big hitter in the world.

Just look at Afridi's career he has not been a top class batsman, his batting average in ODI's after 237 matches is 23.17 yes he might have a strick rate of 108.58 but he has only made 4 hundreds and his highest score is only 109. He may have the fastest hundred but that is only one innings. Comparing the scores varies massively if the game is in Asia or somewhere else in thw world.

This is a list of the highest individual scores by a batsman in an ODI match (Current players only)
Big hitters
Class
Class and Power

1. Jayasuriya 189 (in United Arab Emirates)
2. Tendulkar 186* (in India)
3. Dhoni 183* (in India)
4. Ganguly 183 (in England)
5. Gibbs 175 (in South Africa)
6. Gilchrist 172 (in Aus)
7. Vincent 172 (in Zimbabwe)
8. Lara 169 (in United Arab Emirates)
9. Ponting 164 (in Africa)
10. Mongia 159* (in India)
11. Jayasuriya 157 (in Netherlands)
12. Symonds 156 (in NZ)
13. Gilchrist 154 (in Aus)

__________________
Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

Kemp is mentioned, however i'm curious about the forum's views of Loots Bosman .

He is in the SA WC squad. However he doesn't seem to be in the 1st team based on the selection during the last series. He has on made 3 ODI apperances (i think) though hasn't really performed though i remember some 20s. However this man, is a huge clean hitter of the ball who knocks bowler's silly domestically. He is also seems to have plent of X-factor however he is rather unproven at an International Level. He is basically seems to be a second-choice opening batsmen for the SA WC Cup.

I would like to know what the rest of the forum think of him (particularly those who have seen him play at a domestic level). He seems to play good shots, maybe you could enlighten me about the finer points of his technique???

Quite the contrary. Considering the strategy & requirements of an ODI match, that equates to around 45 in tests, which is good. A consistent and long term batting average of over 40 for ODIs should be considered very good.

I am sorry but an strike rate of 108 is fantastic meaning he really is a constant big hitter, to be a big hitter you dnt have to be consistant, the strike rate i the only reason has contiue to play, when u discuss big hitting the first name every one thinks of boom boom afridi, it alsways comes in the same sentence, and on his day he really is the best big hitter by far

__________________
Finally England have risen from the ashes.