Mike Atherton  England opener (88 tests since 1989) and longest-serving captain (52 Tests, 1993 to 1997–98)

 1
•  Ian Botham
  2
•  Wasim Akram
  3
•  Shane Warne

 1
•  Richard Hadlee
• Fantastic strike rate (bowling) in Test cricket. Great contribution to Notts. Could be very effective when batting – a real professional.
 2
•  Malcolm Marshall
 3
•  Allan Border

 1
•  Viv Richards
• There has never been a better player, in my opinion.
 2
•  Shane Warne
 3
•  Allan Border

 1
•  I. V. A. Richards
• As a batsman and fielder he was awesome. As a Gloucestershire player I watched, at close quarters, some brilliant Somerset performances.
 2
•  R. J. Hadlee
• An excellent allrounder.
 3
•  Derek Randall
• Greatest character of my time.

 1
•  Dennis Lillee
• Because of his ability to get the best batsman out under all conditions. He was quick, accurate, intelligent and adaptable. He was a matchwinner.
 2
•  Shane Warne
 3
•  Sachin Tendulkar

 1
•  Shane Warne
• He has brought back the art of legspin bowling. He has shaped and led a new culture. Who would have believed four spin bowlers would have been involved in Test matches in the West Indies in 1999? All thanks to Warne bringing back the dying art of spin.
 2
•  Ian Botham
 3
•  Kapil Dev

 1
•  Ian Botham
• A massive talent who brought the game to life.
 2
•  Vivian Richards
• An awesome, intimidating inspiring player. It was a privilege to play with him.
 3
•  Kapil Dev
• Another brilliant talent and an entertainer. To keep going as long as he did on subcontinental pitches was an amazing effort.

 1
•  Malcolm Marshall
• In an era when the Windies dominated, he led the way. A complete freak, short in stature, tall in knowledge. In every game, first-class or international, he had something to prove and he proved he was a champion
 2
•  Vivian Richards
 3
•  Allan Border

 1
•  Viv Richards
• His influence over a very volatile group of cricketers helped them maintain their dominance of the world game. His mere presence and influence as a player himself was immense. He led the side by example.
 2
•  Richard Hadlee
•  Richard was a lone force in the New Zealand attack and on many occasions kept them in the game. Maintaining his fitness and high standards over many years places him just behind Viv.
 3
•  Ian Botham
• I have to have an Englishman though there are many great players not mentioned. Ian's performances for England in the early'80s were memorable. He was not only idolised by the public but those that played with him also.

 1
•  Ian Botham
• He was the reason I wanted to play cricket and he almost singlehandedly saved English cricket in the late 1970s and early'80s when it was struggling.
 2
•  Viv Richards
 3
•  Shane Warne

 1
•  Kapil Dev Nikhanj
• Because he could change the course of the match and win it for his team with either the bat or the ball. He was also an excellent fielder. More importantly he was instrumental in inspiring budding Indian fast bowlers and showed them that even on lifeless pitches there was life for bowlers who could move the ball and pace was not everything.
 2
•  Vivian Richards
• He destroyed bowlers mentally with his aggressive powerful batting. He was the best batsman of my generation by far.
 3
•  Ian Botham
• He could win matches with either bat or ball, but his burden at least was shared by some good bowlers in the English team, unlike Kapil Dev who had to plough a lone furrow and therefore scores over him.

 1
•  Ian Botham
• Not just a great player but also an entertainer.
 2
•  Steve Waugh
• Always the Aussie wicket we want most. His concentration and mental strength are unbelievable.
 3
•  Shane Warne
• My mate, but also another fabulous entertainer who's revolutionised the game.

 1
•  Allan Border
• He nearly always played to his given talent. You always knew you were in a fight when he walked to the wicket. A great competitor.
 2
•  Wasim Akram
 3
•  Richard Hadlee

 1
•  Sachin Tendulkar
• Because of his ability to destroy high-class bowling.
 2
•  Shane Warne
 3
•  Courtney Walsh

 1
•  Shane Warne
• Biggest impact on game.Changed the view that pace is best. Superb entertainer. Main player in Aussies' rise to No.1.
 2
•  Malcolm Marshall
 3
•  Ian Botham

 1
•  Richard Hadlee
• He was an unbelievable matchwinner. And without him on board at Notts I wouldn't have all those trophies in my cabinet. An incredible professional – even though he did tell me I couldn't bowl in one-day cricket.
 2
•  Ian Botham
• For his sheer stature in the game: an unbelievable presence. I dead to think how good he could have been if he had kept himself fitter and not burnt the candle at both ends. He brought excitement, whether it was bouncing people out or cracking hundreds at Headingley when we were in trouble.
 3
•  David Gower
• Until Gooch took over, he had more Test runs for England than anyone else. He was very relaxed, laid back, and I did enjoy playing with him and under his captaincy. He was a pleasure to play for and with, and to watch.

 1
•  Viv Richards
• He was a great player, who could take any attack apart.
 2
•  Ian Botham
• Full of self-belief, a great will to win, plus natural ability.
 3
•  Allan Border
• Dragged Australia up and still managed to remain a world-class player.

 1
•  Imran Khan
• He was more than just a cricketer and ended up playing for a higher reason than success.
 2
•  Allan Border
• Almost singlehandedly transformed Australia from losers to definite winners when he handed over to Mark Taylor.
 3
•  Viv Richards
• Power and intimidation, plus he took on the world with a cap.

 1
•  Graham Gooch
• He is my cricketing mentor and his record and attitude speaks for itself.
 2
•  Viv Richards
• Faced the fastest bowlers in a cap, hit the ball where he wanted whatever the bowling, and never lost a series as captain – enough said.
 3
•  Shane Warne
• Facing him at his best has been the biggest test in my international career – and scoring runs off him has been the biggest thrill.

 1=
•  Viv Richards, Allan Border
• Viv, for power hitting and brilliance in the field. He did things great cricketers dream of! AB, for a cricketer who had to work, and turned every opportunity his way. So mentally tough.
 3
•  Shane Warne

 1
•  Allan Border
• Because of his fighting qualities, his batsmanship and his leadership.
 2
•  Ian Botham
• For the pure inspiration he gives others by the way he played. I loved the way he could take a game by the scruff of the neck, and his amazing self-belief.
 3
•  Viv Richards
• A legend. His ability to make the game look so easy was inspirational.

 1
•  Gordon Greenidge
• A superlative match-winning opener. Dominated from the first ball, in Test or county cricket, against the quicks or spin. No challenge was too great
 2
•  Graham Gooch
 3
•  Steve Waugh

 1
• 1 Viv Richards
• Able to demolish any attack in the world. Intimidating batsman, superb fieldsman in any position, useful bowler.
 2
•  Dennis Lillee
 3
•  Wasim Akram

 1
•  Sachin Tendulkar
• Just look at his record. The ability to tear any attack apart. He is still a young man as well.
 2
•  Shane Warne
 3
• Viv or Barry Richards

 1
•  Ian Botham
• He really captured the imagination and hearts of cricket people with his heroics. He is British and proud of it. A super-hero.
 2
•  Bob Willis
• British – bloody minded – dedicated – made the most of what he had.
 3
•  Viv Richards
• Awesome.

 1
•  Ian Botham
• Outstanding performances and contribution to English Cricket.
 2
•  Sir Richard Hadlee
 3
•  Sir Viv Richards

 1=
•  Malcolm Marshall, Wasim Akram, Richard Hadlee, Ian Botham, Imran Khan, Kapil Dev Because they were GREAT allrounders; with the exception of Marshall they all scored Test hundreds, and they won many Test matches on their own. I cannot – will not – separate them.

 1
•  Richard Hadlee
• A match winner at the highest level with bat or ball.
 2
•  Viv Richards
 3
•  Malcolm Marshall

 1
•  Ian Botham
• He is a giant in this era. His record is phenomenal and speaks for itself.
 2
• –
 3
• –

 1
•  Ian Botham
• Because his contribution to English cricket has been unique and because of the sheer enjoyment he brought to many millions around the world.
 2
•  Viv Richards
 3
•  Shane Warne

 1
•  Graham Gooch
• He got runs against the world's best and his ability to lead by example was a real inspiration.
 2
•  Shane Warne
• A phenomenal bowler.
 3
•  Allan Donald
• A truly great fast bowler. Just pips Lara, Tendulkar, Waqar, and many others.

 1
•  Malcolm Marshall
 2
•  Shane Warne
 3
•  Ian Botham

 1
•  Shane Warne
• Considering only players I played with or against at Test level (1989–99), he stood out for re-inventing the art of spin bowling. It was a facet of the game that had been dying; Shane Warne through his efforts, and his momentous success, triggered an overall reappraisal in the value of spin. Suddenly a spin bowler was a potential matchwinner.
 2
•  Sachin Tendulkar
 3
•  Wasim Akram

 1
•  Viv Richards
• He had talent, charisma and the ability to intimidate opponents before he had even faced a ball.
 2
•  Ian Botham
• An inspiration as I grew up.
 3
•  Shane Warne
• Quite simply a genius. Getting runs against him means real satisfaction.

 1
•  Ian Botham
• He dominated Test cricket with bat and ball, producing exceptional performances that captured the attention of millions worldwide.
 2
•  Sir Vivian Richards
 3
•  Sir Richard Hadlee

 1
•  Michael Holding
• He epitomises every thing about a fast bowler – athleticism and balance in approach and delivery, genuine pace and consistency.
 2
•  Gordon Greenidge
 3
•  Sachin Tendulkar

 1
•  Viv Richards
 (a)
• He had his own style of batting and was very exciting to watch.
 (b)
• He was also a very good fielder in any position.
 (c)
• He did his best for the team and enjoyed playing the game of cricket.
 2
•  Sir Richard Hadlee
 3
•  Sunil Gavaskar

 1
•  Ian Botham
• Because of his allround skills and has ability to change the game with bat or ball. Throw in 100 catches and his ability to perform under pressure – that's why he's my choice.
 2
•  Viv Richards
• For his explosiveness.
 3
•  Dennis Lillee
• I thought he was the complete (fast) bowler.

 1=
•  Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee
 3
• –

 1
•  Viv Richards
• He performed consistently for the longest period against all types of bowlers and on varying wickets. He also had one of the highest strike rates in one-day cricket. He was a brilliant fielder in any position and a very useful bowler. He had an incredible capacity to charge the complexion of the game.
 2
•  Imran Khan
 3
•  Kapil Dev

 1
•  Courtney Walsh
• He has given 100% every game he has played. Hasn't changed attitude since the day he started playing. Never big-headed.
 2
•  Ian Botham
 3
•  Shane Warne

 1
•  Vivian Richards
• He hit my good balls for four and my bad ones for six.
 2
•  Ian Botham
 3
•  Allan Border

 1
•  Richard Hadlee
• I was just pleased to play with him. He won us a lot of games! He gave us the firepower to win. Amazing.
 2
•  Allan Border
• Great competitor, took over when Australia were struggling. Got runs when it counted – my type of player, if you know what I mean.
 3
•  Javed Miandad
• A unique competitor and a brilliant talent. His improvement was second to none, in both types of the game. A player your team-mates loved to hate, but he came from the back streets of Lahore, so he'd probably played that way from the age of five or six.

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