The difference between a big hitter like Afridi and a big hitter like Gilchrist is talent, yes Afridi will score a little quicker but a batsman like Gilchrist will be more devistating because he will be able to make bigger scores. The same with Ponting, Tendulkar, Jayasuriya and even Dhoni.

Top strike rate list (current players)

1. Cameron White (Aus) 113.38, ave 24.00, 0 centuries
2. John Davidson (Can) 110.14, ave 31.42, 1 century
3. Shahid Afridi (Pak) 108.58, ave 23.17, 4 centuries
4. Mashrafe Mortaza (Ban) 101.83, ave 16.35, 0 centuries
5. Andre Adams (NZ) 100.47, ave 17.45, 0 centuries
6. Dwayne Smith (Win) 98.76, ave 15.58, 1 century
7. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind) 98.49, ave 46.61, 2 centuries
8. Ricardo Powell (Win) 96.66, ave 24.82, 0 centuries
9. Adam Gilchrist (Aus) 96.29, ave 35.62, 14 centuries
10. Virender Sehwag (Ind) 96.04, ave 31.18, 7 centuries

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

Matthew Hayden can be added 181* off 166 balls against New Zealand today, with an injured foot. 11 fours and 10 sixes not a bad effort.

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

With his injured foot, I am not sure he will be available for the WC.

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My computer can beat me at chess.....but its no match for me at kick boxing.

An undisplaced toe fracture might not be as big a handicap as one assumes for a pure batsman 4 weeks after the event. It might handicap his running a bit, but Hayden is usually a close-in fileder and should cope. If Oz are batting first, he can be replaced for fielding later; if batting second, Hayden can come in and out intermittently to field just enough to be allowed to open as usual.

he will n0ot be aloud a susitute feilder to play forr himas the rule is the only time you are a aloud a subsitute feilder for a long period of time it is for an injury picked up in that match otherwise it is not aloud, its like the rule or a runner they are only aloud it if they picked up the injury in the match, in addition hayden feilds on the boundry in the last 15 overs so that may affect him, but why were newzeland not making him move his feet in that match after his toe was hit if they would of bowled 6 inches outside off stump they would have had him alot earlier

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Finally England have risen from the ashes.

OK agreed. But even so, an undisplaced toe fracture is less of a handicap than a finger one. With nearly 4 weeks to go, some healing would have taken place, plus appropriate padded footwear. There is also the mental thing. In the 1932-3 Ashes series, Bill Ponsford played on for almost 2 hours against Larwood & Voce with a cracked rib and no chest padding.

I would be very surpised if a cracked toe hadnt healed in 4 weeks. As he doesnt bowl there will be no problem.

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Mark.

Why don't batsmen have metal toecaps in the trainers?

Thats a good point, are they illegal because I could see the ball comming off the foot quickly.

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

You can have reinforced toecaps though, i'm sure i've seen them around.

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Mark.