Top 5 cricket players of all time

Whilst cricket may be one of the oldest sports out there, there has been no slowing down in terms of interest in it. So much so that even websites such as powerplay.com offering cricket betting odds. There have been some real greats in the cricketing world. Whether with the bat or ball or as an all-rounder, those with talent seem to stand head and above the others. It would be easy to look to modern players such as Steve Smith or James Anderson, as the game has moved on and tools and techniques have improved. Yet, the real greats lie in history, and these are the ones that make our list.

Sir Don Bradman

Bradman made his debut in 1928, probably the greatest of all time, playing for Australia against England. Named "The Don", he featured in 52 test matches with 6996 runs. He also played 234 first-class matches for Australia and scored over 28 thousand runs, including a top score of 452 and 117 centuries.

The stats speak for themselves, and Australians have long adored him as a man and a cricketer.

Muttiah Muralitharan

It is normal for a batsman to dominate the leading cricket players, but there is no doubting this bowler deserves his place amongst the greats.

The Sri Lankan bowler took 10 wickets in a test match 22 times and five wickets, the stat of mortals, 67 times. He is a right-arm off-break bowler who would terrorise the best batsman on any pitch, especially those of the Asian subcontinent. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2017 and remains one of the best bowlers of all time.

Brian Lara

Nothing was more heartbreaking for a bowler than seeing Brian Lara walk out to the middle, and he was impossible to get out with anything other than the most extraordinary delivery. He played in 131 test matches for the Windies and scored 11953 runs with an average of 52.8.

His most famous innings broke the spirits of the English when he scored 400 not out in Antigua in 2004.

He played with a smile on his face and will always be part of the legacy of great West Indian players to grace the cricket pitch. He also happens to be one of the few cricketers to have his own computer game made with him as the star.

Viv Richards

Viv Richards is an iconic name in the cricketing world. Another West Indies legend represented his nation between 1974 and 1991, scoring at an average of 50.23, including 23 centuries. It is not just his prestige with the bat that earns him his place in the greatest of all time list but also his captaining skills. He won 27 test matches and only lost 8 in his 50 test matches, which is an extraordinary level of success.

Richards was called the Master Blaster, as he could quickly change the game and take it out of your hands. He is most certainly one of the greatest players ever.

Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar is undoubtedly the superstar of Indian cricket and an absolute sporting legend. He made his debut at the age of 16 years old in 1989 and scored over 30000 runs on the international stage. He hit a hundred centuries for India, bettering Ricky Ponting by 29, who came in second. This is the surest sign that Tendulkar was head and shoulders above any other player ever to grace the pitch.