What ship would best hunt cruisers if the Alaska class did not exist?
Short answerHMS Renown would be the strongest choice, or a very large heavy cruiser if the ship must be classed as a cruiser.
NotesHMS Renown is the first choice for the cruiser-hunting role because it combines high speed with heavy firepower. A requirement to use a cruiser would point instead to a very large heavy cruiser. The classification changes, but the operational need remains a ship able to overtake and overpower enemy cruisers.