Punter or Chappellg best Aussie batsman since Bradman?

Great article here on the elegant younger Chappell by Gideon Haigh.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/489402.html

Many see Punter as the better of the two because he now has weight of stats and runs to support him.

IMHO though Chappell averaged almost 54 in an era when it was rare to average above fifty.

Had his stats from the game against the World XI and his World Series Cricket records been counted, his resume would even better. He batted on at times very tough pitches, against some pretty good attacks. He was a gun in SS playing for Qld in an era when the best players played most games.

He was non pareil as a slips fieldsman. Punter has played most of his career at #3, while Chappell played many innings there but was mainly a #4 batsman behind his brother.

Punter has a lot to recommend him but I would vote Chappell ahead.

What do others think in this debate which engages many cricket fans. Most seem to nominate this pair as Australia's best after Bradman, certainly vying for the best after the Second World War.

punter didndt even make it to cricinfo's all time aussie xi

Chappell. He faced better bowlers than Ponting has done. All without a helmet.

I'm not even sure Ponting is better than Allan Border and Steve Waugh, to be honest.

What does "best" mean?

What about Neil Harvey?

Neil Harvey will tell you he's the best, and that modern players aren't a patch on him. Just ask him.

10 batsmen have averaged over 50 since Bradman retired. Sorted by best average these are:

1) Jeff Moss
2) Brad Hodge
3) Ricky Ponting
4) Stuart Law (though technically his average is infinity)
5) Greg Chappell
6) Mike Hussey
7) Phil Hughes
Steve Waugh
9) Matt Hayden
10) Allan Border

Its Brad Hodge for mine.

Just ran te same query for England - there's only 3 players!

They would all beat Hodge but be just below Jeff Moss (60) - Jon Trott (59.95), Len Hutton (59.56), Kenny Barrington (58.67)

If I had to nominate the Aussie batsman I least wanted to see walking down the pavilion steps, it would have to be AB

Ponting's ATG peak period in his career really only lasted 6 years from early 2002 to end 2007. Chappell's was far longer than that (incl WSC) - with his only blip being that short period in the early 80s.

Basil wrote:If I had to nominate the Aussie batsman I least wanted to see walking down the pavilion steps, it would have to be AB

Mine would be Marcus North

The stats prove without a shadow of a doubt that Podge, Slaw and Fuse should be recalled IMMEDIATELY.

Reinstate the great Qld skipper's passport NOW.

GSC - no contest.

JGK wrote:Ponting's ATG peak period in his career really only lasted 6 years from early 2002 to end 2007.

5 years - 2002 to 2006

he had a poor 2007. 192 runs at 38

probably one of the most prolific 5 year periods though. over 6000 runs and 24 hundreds. thats more than any englishman has ever gotten. in his entire career

Didn't he have his 99+101 against the Saffies in 07?

saffies toured in 08-09

india toured in 07-08

Ah. That's right.

Henry wrote:Chappell. He faced better bowlers than Ponting has done. All without a helmet.
I'm not even sure Ponting is better than Allan Border and Steve Waugh, to be honest.

Ponting v GSC! No contest. And didn't Allan Border score a few centuries aganist the most lethal bowling attack in the games history in the same series?

Aye qmy. I'd have the grouse little genius in front of 'em all bar DGB. One of my all-time fave live days was when I stood with 39,999 others at the SCG to applaud AB's 10,000th run.

In the early days of his captaincy in a crap team, AB stood out like white on black.

In the latter days of Ponting's stint as Akela of a crap team, he is only standing out like a fairly murky grey on black.