5 lower order Test batsmen that deserve genuine appreciation

Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson misses out on the list, but not by much

Cricket is one of those games, where you might be pathetic in one or two disciplines of the three and still make it to the team. And yet, you’ve to face the ignominy of going out and doing that job when the team needs it, however, bad you are at it.

Fast bowlers have been mortified in the past, batting as sitting ducks at No.11. Bowlers generally dish out special stuff to their opponent bowlers. No.8 to No.11 are, therefore, embarrassingly enough, referred to as tail-enders.

But, when the tails 'wag,' teams win big time because it demotivates and deflates the opponents. Over the years, in Test cricket, the No.8 batsmen have been a very, very valuable player. He does his job with the ball and anything that he adds with the bat seems to be a bonus.

Thus, the No.8 spot is generally reserved for bowlers who can handle the bat pretty well. So, what defines a No.8 batsman? A good No.8 ensures the batting line-up is lengthened and the opponent bowlers have to fight just when they think they’ve gotten the job done.

So, what are the qualities a No.8 batsman must possess?

Mostly two. When he is batting with a proper batsman from higher up the order, he should show the maturity to last and support the man at the other end, while rotating the strike. It needs the batsman to be smart and sensible.

Secondly, if the No.8 is playing with No.9 to No.11, he or she would do well to get some quick runs while farming the strike. If a tail regularly contributes more than 50-75 runs to the total, teams almost always find themselves in a comfortable position.

Here, we take a look at some of the best No.8 (or lower) Test batsmen in the history of the game. The factors we have considered are:

#1 Runs with a qualification of at least 1000 runs which rules out some good No.8 (or lower) batsmen amongst the current crop like Matt Craig (589 runs at an impressive 36.81) from New Zealand, Jason Holder from West Indies (567 runs at 33.35).

#2 Balls faced. Some good No.11 and No.10 batsmen have a reasonably good average, but that is largely because of the number of not-outs they have. A good measure of a good batsman is how many balls he has faced in tight situations, making the opposition sweat for his wicket. We are looking at No.8 (or lower) batsmen here who have faced at least 2000 deliveries, which is a reasonably good amount of time spent out in the middle.

#3 Milestone scores like half-centuries and centuries, something not expected from bowlers but always a huge incentive.

#4 We are also leaving out genuine batsmen who have batted at No.8 (or lower) because of a night-watchman batting up the order, or wicket-keepers who have batted at No.8 (or lower) like Mark Boucher.

#5 Shane Warne, despite being the second highest run-getter at No.8 or lower with 3008 runs is left out for his lower average – 17.79, especially when the list has at least a dozen No.8 (or lower) batsmen with averages over 20. Similarly, Kapil Dev, despite scoring 1967 runs at 32.78 at No.8 or lower position is left out as he was a genuine all-rounder who qualifies more for No.6 or No.7 than for the tail.

Here are some No.8 (or lower) batsmen who have excelled at frustrating the opposition from a position of weakness but not in any order. (Stats Courtesy: Cricinfo)

#5 Shaun Pollock

Shaun Pollock
Shaun Pollock was handy with the bat as well

Pollock’s cricketing genes were unquestionable. One of Cricket’s most upright characters, taking South Africa through the match-fixing turmoil, Pollock was a genuine all-rounder in the making with lovely timing and great hands.

He was a pure batsman who never gave batting much thought because he was always the lead bowler. However, Pollock went on to score 2330 runs in 99 innings at No.8 or lower at an incredibly impressive average of 32.81, the highest for any batsman with more than 1000 runs at No.8 or lower. Only Boucher, his teammate has a better average at No.8 or lower – 35 – with 1577 runs. Boucher shouldn’t be considered a No.8 batsman as he was a wicket-keeper sometimes playing down the order.

He also has 2 centuries and 7 half-centuries at No.8 or lower and just 4 ducks. Pollock faced 4454 balls, fifth highest for any No.8 (or lower) batsmen. His strike-rate was also an impressive 52.31, considering most of his innings were played on the seamer-friendly, bouncy tracks of South Africa, his home nation. Pollock has the fourth most runs at No.8 – 1796.

#4 Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori
Daniel Vettori was always a dependable choice down the order

Vettori holds the record for the most Test runs at No.8 (or lower) – 3502 runs at 30.71. At one point, he was on track to challenge Kapil’s near-impossible double of 5000 Test runs and 400 wickets. But, injuries laid waste of him. Nevertheless, Vettori for several years ensured New Zealand had someone sensible and mature at No.8 if not always the most technically sound.

Vettori has 5 centuries and 18 half-centuries at 8 or further down, which shows how handy he has been with the bat for New Zealand across 137 innings. With 23 not-outs and a highest of 140, Vettori faced 5974 balls, next only to Chaminda Vaas’ 6337 at No.8 (or lower). Vettori also scored quickly, with a strike-rate of 58.62. Vettori also has the most runs by a batsman at No.8 – 2227 at a whopping average of 39.76.

#3 Chaminda Vaas

Chaminda Vaas
Chaminda Vaas made the Sri Lankan tail wag

For the greater part of his cricketing career, Vaas was the No.8 batsman in a mediocre Test side. It was only after Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Muttiah Muralitharan matured that he found himself part of a solid team that was extremely competent at the Test level.

This reflects in his facing 6337 deliveries, the most for any No.8 (or lower) batsman. He also has 2785 runs at 25.55, the third most runs at No.8 (or lower) with 12 half-centuries and a century. His 35 not-outs is second highest amongst all lower order batsmen (8-11) with more than 1000 runs. Only Muralitharan has more with 56.

Vaas batted in 144 innings at 8 or lower which makes his 6337 deliveries sound even more impressive. He had only ten ducks, and that shows how competent he was with the bat for a lower order batsman. Vaas has the third most runs at No.8 – 1913.

#2 Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is one of the few in the world to have a double century batting 8 or lower

The greatest left-arm fast bowler is one of the few cricketers to score a double century – 257* batting 8 or lower. He scored 1353 runs at No.8 in 63 innings at 23.73. Akram scored 2160 runs from 110 innings at No.8 or lower at 22.26 with 2 centuries and 6 half-centuries.

Akram faced 3877 runs at 8 or lower in his career with 13 not-outs. He was an attacking southpaw known for his blitzkrieg innings which reflects in his strike-rate of 54, despite playing through the 90s when Test cricket was much slower than what it is now.

#1 Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad has an impressive highest score of 169

Broad just edges Mitchell Johnson out from the list. The southpaw for a while looked like a genuine all-rounder in the making but got plenty of trouble from the short ball from Johnson. That dented his confidence a little bit, but he is still your above average No.8. Broad has faced 3927 deliveries at No.8 or lower down the order.

He has scored 1128 runs at No.8 at an average of 24. Overall, Broad has 2574 runs at an average of 21.63 with a century and 10 half-centuries, the fourth highest for any batsman at No.8 or lower. Those runs have come in 136 innings.

Broad has 17 not-outs to his credit. Apart from his impressive highest score of 169, Broad also boasts of a strike-rate of 65.54, the highest for any batsman who has more than 2000 Test runs at No.8 or lower. His enterprising batsmanship down the order has helped England win many a match and in climbing to the top of the rankings briefly.

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Edited by Staff Editor