The Greatest British Sportspeople 160-151
160. Beth Tweddle (Gymnastics, 2000s)
Another reality TV-winning gymnast, and the very first British gymnast to be a serious force. She may only have got one Olympic bronze, but is a three time world champion, and the first to win European and World medals. Obviously, that kind of pioneering success means money and support for the others that came after her.
159. James Braid (Golf, 1900s-1920s)
This splendid fellow, one of the Great Triumvirate who established modern golf, they say, seems to follow me around. Born in Fife, five times winner of the Open Championship, he then became the professional of Walton Heath golf club (which is right by where my grandmother's house was). Hell, he even won something called the Tooting Bec cup.
158. Denis Law (Football, 1960s-1970s)
Alex Ferguson's favourite player, the least celebrated now of the great Manchester United threesome of the 60s, Denis Law admirably maintains the look and manner of a jaunty end-of-the-pier comedian, but he was European Footballer of the Year and anyone who saw him play says he was one of the best they ever saw.
157. Herbert Sutcliffe (Cricket, 1920s-1930s)
I've spent my life trying to find meaning in the endless numbers of cricket. The most famous is 99.94, the test batting average of Sir Donald Bradman which, to avoid argument, makes him by a long way, and whatever your preference might be, the best person at any sport ever. Just so we're clear.
Whatever you think of Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice, Maradona, Jack Nicklaus, Navratilova, you must understand that in numerical terms, they do not even compare to Bradman. His 99.94 is 60-odd % higher than anyone else. It would be like Usain Bolt running the 100m in 7 seconds, Jordan averaging 50 points per game over his career, that kind of thing. Bradman's figures are like an alien came to Earth and played the game.
For everyone else, there is basically a glass ceiling of 60, all the greatest players of all time stack up somewhere between 50 and 60, Tendulkar, Lara, Hutton, whoever. Apart from three who have just crept over 60 - Ron Headley ("The Black Bradman"), South African Graeme Pollock and Englishman Herbert Sutcliffe. But Headley and Pollock, for different reasons, only played 20 tests each, so it's not really a fit comparison. Herbert Sutcliffe is the only man apart from Bradman who has played over 50 test matches and averages over 60. So, if Bradman didn't exist, he'd basically have the greatest test record ever, he'd be first among equals. But because Bradman does exist, his stats become normalised, just blending into "et al".
Yet he's rarely mentioned in terms of the absolute iconic greats of the game - he's somewhat in the shadow even of his England opening partner Jack Hobbs, who made the most ever 100s and averaged 56 in tests.
So here am I, sticking up for Herbert Sutcliffe, a gentrified Yorkshireman, who, had it not been for Bradman, might be seen as the greatest test batsman of all.
156. Graeme Swann (Cricket, 2000s)
And what an insult to Herbert Sutcliffe that this joker goes above him. But let me explain. Graeme Swann's test career has been remarkably brief, far too brief, only making his debut in December 2008. And basically, as soon as he joined the picture, a struggling England team began their ascent to being the best in the world. That a jobbing county offspinner should rapidly become the most effective international cricketer in the world late in his career is remarkable.
He has remained high in the rankings for Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 (as England have done very well in all three) and, I think, almost as important as his bowling has been his batting. For a Number 9 to average 25 with the bat (it was 30 for a while) is incredible, and, to me, one of the keys to modern cricket. England at their peak had such a strong tail that they need never have feared collapse or inability to recover. Swann instilled that confidence.
But, of course, the bowling is his trump card, and he has rattled to 212 test wickets, with several match-winning performances, with no particular magic tricks, just skill and flight and genuine spin. Swann's high ranking is all about context. An underachieving team suddenly overachieved. Swann came into the team at the same time. Is it coincidence? I don't think so.
155. Colin Jackson (Athletics, 1980s-2000ss)
One of the things to consider when comparing the relative achievements of sportspeople is the pool of top class participants they have to defeat, whether this is really a discipline that the very, very best people do. The hurdles is one of my favourite athletics events, but I've never escaped the suspicion that it's something that very fast people who know that they're not quite the fastest do because that'll give them a better chance of glory. I'm sure that's not always the case, but surely, the running comes first, the learned discipline of hurdling second.
So Colin Jackson was an awesome athlete, a fast spinter full stop and a good long jumper - he was world champion twice, six years apart, and world record holder for a considerable time in the 110m hurdles and very unlucky not to win gold at the Olympics.But does that have as much clout as achieving all that in the 100m? Not quite for me, I'm afraid.
154. Naseem Hamed (Boxing, 1990s)
Boxing critics are a harsh bunch, and the career of Prince Naseem is seen by many as a failure, the reason being that he didn't come back. He didn't take defeat and show he had the heart of a champion by avenging it or going on to bigger things. After his one defeat, to Marco Antonio Barrera, he only had one more fight and that was it.
To say he would no longer make featherweight now is a bit of an understatement.
There are others, and I fall into this camp, that simply say he was the most amazing, exciting, talented British boxer they'd ever seen, and he beat some damn good boxers, went to America and won, and won them over, was world champion for ages, and the guy he lost (fairly narrowly) to, was befuddled by, who took away his air of invincibility, is himself a modern legend of boxing. So, no disgrace. Nas talked like he was going to be the greatest of all time, and once he wasn't that, he didn't want to be anything, but if you want to see why boxing is a thrilling sport, watch his fight with Kevin Kelley from 1997.
153. Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon, 2000s)
This one's going to run and run. The youthful-looking older Brownlee is a phenomenon. Triathlon is apparently one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and you can see why. I'd love to do one but i doubt i can swim 15m, let alone 1500m. But this guy is taking it to a different level, removing the element of doubt from it. He looks like he's the strongest in all three disciplines, but mainly the running. He's started looking at running track 10,000s and in his first one ran 28.30, which already puts him among Britain's best. If he stays fit, he is going to achieve phenomenal things. The only one who might threaten his dominance is his brother.
152. Rachael Heyhoe-Flint (Cricket, 1960s-1980s)
This may be the time when women's cricket begins to find its place in the world, with plenty of TV and well organised competitions, but the inaugural World Cup was in 1973 and it was won by England, and by far the best player was Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, who is now a baroness, no less. The statistics are exceedingly impressive, as is the fact that she was also goalkeeper for the Great Britain hockey team.
151. John Curry (Figure Skating, 1970s)
There are times I suppose I surprise myself with this list. Do I really think this skater is a greater sportsman than Naseem Hamed? I don't know, to be honest. Boxing is everything i love in sport - impact, competition, brute strength and technique, and above all purity in intent and understanding. You beat the other guy. You win.
And yet, both boxing and skating have that thing which is the very bane of good sport - judging discretion. A boxing fight is just as unlikely to have an unjust winner as a skating competition.
But I suppose I wonder if Figure Skating should be a competition at all. John Curry was hugely influential, I gather, in making artistic impression an important part of skating competition, but surely anything judged on "artistic impression" isn't a sport, it's an art.
Straight after the Olympics, John Curry turned professional and put on skating shows with choreography by great ballet choreographers. Grace, power, strength, speed, incredible, unworldly talent, they're all there, but is it sport? Do they really beat each other?
Anyway, he won Olympic gold for Britain in the Winter Olympics, where successes are few and far between. He was an out sportsman when even fewer sportsmen were out than now. He is about as far away on the sporting scale as it's possible to be from the man who will be Number 150.
159. James Braid (Golf, 1900s-1920s)
158. Denis Law (Football, 1960s-1970s)
157. Herbert Sutcliffe (Cricket, 1920s-1930s)
Whatever you think of Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice, Maradona, Jack Nicklaus, Navratilova, you must understand that in numerical terms, they do not even compare to Bradman. His 99.94 is 60-odd % higher than anyone else. It would be like Usain Bolt running the 100m in 7 seconds, Jordan averaging 50 points per game over his career, that kind of thing. Bradman's figures are like an alien came to Earth and played the game.
For everyone else, there is basically a glass ceiling of 60, all the greatest players of all time stack up somewhere between 50 and 60, Tendulkar, Lara, Hutton, whoever. Apart from three who have just crept over 60 - Ron Headley ("The Black Bradman"), South African Graeme Pollock and Englishman Herbert Sutcliffe. But Headley and Pollock, for different reasons, only played 20 tests each, so it's not really a fit comparison. Herbert Sutcliffe is the only man apart from Bradman who has played over 50 test matches and averages over 60. So, if Bradman didn't exist, he'd basically have the greatest test record ever, he'd be first among equals. But because Bradman does exist, his stats become normalised, just blending into "et al".
Yet he's rarely mentioned in terms of the absolute iconic greats of the game - he's somewhat in the shadow even of his England opening partner Jack Hobbs, who made the most ever 100s and averaged 56 in tests.
So here am I, sticking up for Herbert Sutcliffe, a gentrified Yorkshireman, who, had it not been for Bradman, might be seen as the greatest test batsman of all.
156. Graeme Swann (Cricket, 2000s)
He has remained high in the rankings for Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 (as England have done very well in all three) and, I think, almost as important as his bowling has been his batting. For a Number 9 to average 25 with the bat (it was 30 for a while) is incredible, and, to me, one of the keys to modern cricket. England at their peak had such a strong tail that they need never have feared collapse or inability to recover. Swann instilled that confidence.
But, of course, the bowling is his trump card, and he has rattled to 212 test wickets, with several match-winning performances, with no particular magic tricks, just skill and flight and genuine spin. Swann's high ranking is all about context. An underachieving team suddenly overachieved. Swann came into the team at the same time. Is it coincidence? I don't think so.
155. Colin Jackson (Athletics, 1980s-2000ss)
So Colin Jackson was an awesome athlete, a fast spinter full stop and a good long jumper - he was world champion twice, six years apart, and world record holder for a considerable time in the 110m hurdles and very unlucky not to win gold at the Olympics.But does that have as much clout as achieving all that in the 100m? Not quite for me, I'm afraid.
154. Naseem Hamed (Boxing, 1990s)
To say he would no longer make featherweight now is a bit of an understatement.
There are others, and I fall into this camp, that simply say he was the most amazing, exciting, talented British boxer they'd ever seen, and he beat some damn good boxers, went to America and won, and won them over, was world champion for ages, and the guy he lost (fairly narrowly) to, was befuddled by, who took away his air of invincibility, is himself a modern legend of boxing. So, no disgrace. Nas talked like he was going to be the greatest of all time, and once he wasn't that, he didn't want to be anything, but if you want to see why boxing is a thrilling sport, watch his fight with Kevin Kelley from 1997.
153. Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon, 2000s)
152. Rachael Heyhoe-Flint (Cricket, 1960s-1980s)
151. John Curry (Figure Skating, 1970s)
And yet, both boxing and skating have that thing which is the very bane of good sport - judging discretion. A boxing fight is just as unlikely to have an unjust winner as a skating competition.
But I suppose I wonder if Figure Skating should be a competition at all. John Curry was hugely influential, I gather, in making artistic impression an important part of skating competition, but surely anything judged on "artistic impression" isn't a sport, it's an art.
Straight after the Olympics, John Curry turned professional and put on skating shows with choreography by great ballet choreographers. Grace, power, strength, speed, incredible, unworldly talent, they're all there, but is it sport? Do they really beat each other?
Anyway, he won Olympic gold for Britain in the Winter Olympics, where successes are few and far between. He was an out sportsman when even fewer sportsmen were out than now. He is about as far away on the sporting scale as it's possible to be from the man who will be Number 150.
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