The [New Zealand] cricket season is upon us, and while the Black Caps may be struggling for form at the moment (the same could be said for the Aussies, too...) there's nothing better than spending your summer watching cricket in the sun.

What else are you going to do during the rugby off-season?

So, we thought we'd turn this week's Top 5 into a Top 10, and count down the greatest Test batsmen off all time. We tried limiting it to only five, but when you see our list, you'll know why we couldn't leave anyone off it...


10. Michael Hussey (Australia): 26 Tests, 2502 runs, 69.50 average, 9 100s/9 50s (and counting...)

This may be a surprise pick for some people, but Hussey is a batting master. He became the fastest player to reach 1000 Test runs (166 days), and he sits in second place behind Sir Don Bradman with the second highest Test average - 69.50. He may have started his international career late, but he's certainly making up for lost time.


9. Ricky Ponting (Australia): 120 Tests, 10239 runs, 58.50 average, 36 100s/40 50s (and counting...)

Like Hussey, Ponting is one of the best batsmen of the modern game, and could quite easily go on to score the most Tests runs of all time (if Sachin Tendulkar's impending retirement is to be believed...). Ponting makes batting look easy, and does it with the added pressure of captaining the side as well - which not all batsmen can cope with.


8. Sunil Gavaskar (India): 125 Tests, 10122 runs, 51.12 average, 34 100s/45 50s

While not exactly known for his batting flair, Gavaskar is considered one of the greatest opening batsmen in Test history. Gavaskar had the ability to keep the score ticking along beautifully, and would go on to hold the record for the most centuries in Tests for 20 years, with 34 centuries. His ability against pace attacks is believed to be amongst the best of all time.


7. Sir Viv Richards (West Indies): 121 Tests, 8540 runs, 50.23 average, 24 100s/45 50s

Richards is widely regarded as one of the greatest attacking batsmen ever, and he did it all without wearing a helmet - scary, when you consider who he was facing (Lillee and Thomson, to name a couple...). He has the record for the fastest ever century in Tests, coming of just 56 balls. Basically - he set the standard for all big-hitting players today.


6. Steve Waugh (Australia): 169 Tests, 10927 runs, 51.06 average, 32 100s/50 50s

Another of Australia's legendary batsmen. Waugh had a fantastic ability to stay calm when things weren't going so well, and this helped him go on to score 32 centuries throughout his career. Like Ponting, he also bore the responsibility of captaincy for much of his career - something he excelled at. He was the cornerstone of the Australian team throughout his time in charge.


5. Sir Garfield Sobers (West Indies): 93 Tests, 8032 runs, 57.78 average, 26 100s/30 50s

At the young age of 22, Sobers scored a then world record 365 runs in a Test against Pakistan - a record that would last for 36 years until Lara surpassed it. Sobers is regarded as one of the best all-rounders in cricket history - he was very handy with the ball in hand, bowling either left-hand spin or fast-medium. There's not to many players around today that can say they can do that...


4. Allan Border (Australia): 156 Tests, 11174 runs, 50.56 average, 34 100s/63 50s

Border is considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time, and for good reason. Border's total of 11,174 Test runs stood as a record for 11 years, until Lara surpassed him in 2005. Border also holds the record for the most Tests in a row, with 153. He is widely regarded as Australia's greatest captain.


3. Brian Lara (West Indies): 131 Tests, 11953 runs, 52.88 average, 34 100s/48 50s

Lara has twice held the world record for the highest individual score in Test cricket. First with 375, and then again with 400 after Matthew Hayden briefly took over with 380. Scoring the highest score isn't an easy task, but to do it twice means you've got to be a class above everyone else - and Lara was just that. He held the record for the most Test runs until just recently, when Tendulkar took over. Full of West Indian flair, Lara truly is something special.


2. Sir Don Bradman (Australia): 52 Tests, 6996 runs, 99.94 average, 29 100s/13 50s

We already know most people won't agree with this, because he is widely regarded as the greatest batsman of all time - but we think that award has to go to Tendulkar. Bradman's record speaks for itself, but we think Tendulkar has achieved more, and, more importantly, against much tougher opposition. Plus, the Don choked - he only had to score four runs to bring his average to 100, and he got nothing. You can say he would have got more had he played longer, but the fact is he didn't - and you can't take 'could'ves' into account.

We're just saying.....

1. Sachin Tendulkar (India): 152 Tests, 12037 runs, 54.22 average, 39 100s/50 50s (and counting...)

He is the best in the business, and his record shows it. He is now the highest run scorer of all time, has the most centuries in Test cricket, and has set the standard for every person who ever picks up a cricket bat. We know Bradman's record is phenomenal, but we think the fact that Tendulkar has gone on to score over 12,000 Test runs cements his place as the greatest of all time.

We fully expect people to disagree with our Top 10, but we're more than happy to hear your thoughts on our list - let us know what you think in our forum.

Photo credit (Flickr) - vighi