Cricket X

[Stubby]

I'll play. Can't sleep up late at Con....

In batting order:

David Boon

Justin Langer

Greg Chappell

Allan Border

Steve Waugh

David Hookes

Adam Gilchrist

Shane Warne

Terry Alderman

Dennis Lillee

Glenn McGrath

I've tried to pick the best player for the position, not necessarily the best players. At no 3 GC gets the nod over Ponting because I rated Chappell as a better no 3 (and I can't stand Ponting. It was a tough choice between Boony and Hayden but I love Boony so he gets the nod. No 6 was interesting, as there has been little consistency there.

I'm probably not giving this enough thought but it is late and I have had beers. ;)

[Hereward]

What, no Hilditch?

Impressive team, good blend of complete nutcases and drinkers. Should be a great series, though I fear my lot would have a long, hard summer. But are you sure it's wise to have Hookes in there? I can just picture him rocking backwards and forwards and whimpering after a while in that company.

[ljkeane]

I think I'm at a bit of a disadvantage having started watching cricket in the 90's so it's basically going to be a combination of the 2005 and 2009 teams. I really couldn't come up a decent option at three so Trott gets in on the basis that he's not wilted under the pressure so far.

Trescothick

Vaughan (edges it because he's a good captain)

Trott

Pietersen

Thorpe

Prior

Flintoff

Swann

Jones

Anderson (this is picking a team to play in England right?)

Harmison (good Harmison not shit Harmison)

[williamjm]

I think I'm at a bit of a disadvantage having started watching cricket in the 90's so it's basically going to be a combination of the 2005 and 2009 teams.

I'm in a similar situation, first Test series I really remember watching on TV was in 1990 so I miss out on a lot of Hereward's selections, and although I did see Botham and Gower play that was some time after they were at their best (particularly in Botham's case).

Trescothick

Gooch

*Vaughan

Pietersen

Thorpe

Prior

Flintoff

Swann

Gough

Jones

Fraser

[Jeor]

Oooh, I also only began watching cricket from about early 90s so my Aussie teams will be rather modern.

Matthew Hayden

Mark Taylor

David Boon

Allan Border

Steve Waugh

Ricky Ponting

Adam Gilchrist

Shane Warne

Brett Lee

Damien Fleming

Glenn McGrath

I'd probably pick Taylor to captain. His captaincy added value to the team (even if at times his batting didn't) whereas Waugh was basically handed a dream team, and Border was a leader by example rather than having any particular tactical nous.

I just missed out on seeing Terry Alderman, so Fleming gets the nod for McGrath's opening partner. He was a 'purer' swing bowler than Gillespie so just gets ahead of him. Lee is in mainly for the pace / intimidation factor even if I think he is generally overrated as a wicket-taker and all-round bowler. I wanted to include Boon so Ponting gets shifted down to No. 6 (where he started his Test career).

Quite a bit of batting depth in the lineup with Warnie at 8, Lee at 9 and Fleming at 10. Fielding would be pretty good too. Taylor and Warnie at slip, Boon at short-leg, Border and Ponting were also good close-in fielders who could reliably throw down the stumps in key situations. Waugh (mostly cover early on) and Hayden in the gully were generally pretty safe catchers too.

Honourable mentions to Dean Jones, his Test record was actually quite good (averages 46+) although he's known for the ODIs. Justin Langer also just missed out (was trying to think of who to include, him or Hayden, which meant there was absolutely no room for Slater). I would have liked to have found a spot for Mark Waugh but there was no room, and Healy and MacGill would make it in if Gilchrist and Warne weren't there respectively. Thought about possibly including Merv Hughes instead of Brett Lee but I can't remember being entirely impressed by him (I only saw him when he was older and perhaps a bit more rotund!).

EDITED:

In response to the English teams...no Alec Stewart? I would have been tempted to put him in as 'keeper.

[delete this account pls]

Mark Taylor ©

Matt Hayden

David Boon

Mark Waugh

Steve Waugh

Adam Gilchrist

Ian Healey

Brett Lee

Shane Warne

Merv Hughes

Glenn McGrath

I went with personal favourites more than the outright best players, but it still looks good to me. I dont see any reason to exclude Healey - Gilchrist can easily make the team on the strength of his batting, IMO, and Healey is probably the best wicketkeeper I've seen. Threw in Mark Waugh because he was also a joy to watch, his strokeplay always looked effortless. And do I really need to justify Big Merv? I didn't pick Border because ... well, because he's a prick, basically.

[Stubby]

I didn't pick Border because ... well, because he's a prick, basically.

If such a qualification existed we couldn't field a team.;)

[Hereward]

:lol:

I've cast my net far and wide to be able to match you on that score, but despite my advanced age, I just don't have the material to work with. :P

[Slick Mongoose]

Anyone buy that they could have been framed? I wouldn't put it past the News of the World, but it still seems unlikely.

[williamjm]

Anyone buy that they could have been framed? I wouldn't put it past the News of the World, but it still seems unlikely.

It does seem unlikely, the person who was arrested would have had to take part if the video was faked and if was then arrested for involvement in match fixing I imagine he'd quickly come clean about the fake video.

[Hereward]

Well, I listened to an interview with the Pakistani High Commissioner this morning and he has already conducted a forensic examination and proved their innocence, and what's more it's all India's fault. So now that's all sorted out we can move on. Bad Indians, bad.

[Jeor]

Well, at least the three are removed from the ODI series, although the fact that the series is still going ahead is a bit of a concern. If they haven't got through a full investigation and come to some conclusions before the series starts, they're going to be in a bit of strife. I wonder if people will still show up to the games. New Zealand according to Cricinfo are now worrying a bit about their upcoming home series against Pakistan and how the crowds will be affected for that. Pretty awful all around really.

The PCB probably needs to be cleaned out but given the question marks and innuendo around Pakistani cricket I'm not sure you'd find a bunch of administrators who have perfect reputations as well as business/management acumen.

[ljkeane]

Well, at least the three are removed from the ODI series, although the fact that the series is still going ahead is a bit of a concern.

I can't imagine the atmosphere at the games is going to be great as even most Pakistani fans don't seem to be well inclined towards the team at the moment but it seems like neither board are will to give up to revenue from this series.

On a more positive note all the England batsmen that went back to county cricket did well today, Pietersen getting 116 and Bell getting 50 on his return to cricket are particularly encouraging.

[Jeor]

I can't imagine the atmosphere at the games is going to be great as even most Pakistani fans don't seem to be well inclined towards the team at the moment but it seems like neither board are will to give up to revenue from this series.

Like a true tragic I'll still be watching, I think. I've always liked Afridi (crazy as his cricketing is on the field, he has a lot of charisma and calm off the field). Although they've lost their two best bowlers that probably isn't so much of a problem in Twenty20, with Umar Gul back as well.

I suppose one way Pakistan can put this series in the right light is if they win everything, then at least the matches themselves couldn't have been fixed. ;)

[Rimmer]

I don't even have most of the 90s to go on, I think my team loses this competition :)

Richardson

Fleming

Taylor

Astle

Ryder

Cairns

McCullum

Vettori

Nash

Bond/O'Brien (even in a dream team I feel I should have an injury bracket for him)

Martin

Twose, Harris and Larson in the ODI team for Richardson, Ryder and Martin.

[Zoë Sumra]

I suppose one way Pakistan can put this series in the right light is if they win everything, then at least the matches themselves couldn't have been fixed. ;)

Well, first step towards that aim fell rather short. And every time there's a spectacular error - such as Shoaib dropping Morgan - you do wonder...

[Jeor]

Well, first step towards that aim fell rather short. And every time there's a spectacular error - such as Shoaib dropping Morgan - you do wonder...

I don't hold great hope that Pakistan will win everything but if they at least win the ODI series (when it was reported that two matches had already been fixed that they would lose) then that would help dispel a small bit of the speculation, at least. I'm sure that the ICC and anti-corruption unit will be heavily monitoring the games and betting on those games so there's a chance that everything might still be 'clean'. Mind you, I'm sure a lot of the betting that goes on can't be monitored because it probably happens in private gambling rings etc rather than betting companies that can be easily tracked.

I watched the first half of the match (at 1:30am I felt that I should probably get some sleep for work on a Monday morning) and it looked like the Pakistani batsmen were incompetent rather than deliberately playing badly. Lots of big swings but very few that properly connected. As someone who wanted to see lots of runs from Afridi and co it was an excruciatingly painful innings to watch.

Didn't get to see the drop of Morgan which sounds interesting, but hey, England themselves dropped at least two sitters (Bresnan at midwicket, and then Yardy I think running in on a straightforward skier) so I'm prepared to give Pakistan the benefit of the doubt on that count.

[williamjm]

I'm sure that the ICC and anti-corruption unit will be heavily monitoring the games and betting on those games so there's a chance that everything might still be 'clean'. Mind you, I'm sure a lot of the betting that goes on can't be monitored because it probably happens in private gambling rings etc rather than betting companies that can be easily tracked.

I've heard that part of the problem is that since betting is illegal in India and Pakistan, all the betting that goes on there inevitably happens underground so it can't be easily tracked.

Didn't get to see the drop of Morgan which sounds interesting, but hey, England themselves dropped at least two sitters (Bresnan at midwicket, and then Yardy I think running in on a straightforward skier) so I'm prepared to give Pakistan the benefit of the doubt on that count.

It is unfortunate for any of the Pakistan players that are honest that any mistake they make will now be scrutinised. On the one hand, catches are dropped every match by every team and in particular they're particularly likely to be dropped by 35-year old players who haven't had any match practise recently. On the other hand, if the match was fixed it would be the perfect time for a dropped catch since Morgan's dismissal would have left England in huge trouble and on the brink of defeat so there will inevitably be some suspicions.

[Paxter]

I'd probably go for the following in seaming conditions, with the change at No. 10 if the wicket is taking some turn.

J Langer

M Hayden

R Ponting

S Waugh*

M Hussey

D Martyn

A Gilchrist (wk)

J Gillespie

S Warne

S Clark (S MacGill)

G McGrath

Notable exclusions are probably Lee and Mark Waugh - both whom I consider to be overrated at the test level. I can't stand Steve Waugh as captain TBH, but he's the only regular Aussie captain I've seen apart from Punter (who is even worse than Waugh).

The ODI team would be similar, but M Waugh, Lee and Bevan would have to come into the side in the place of Langer, Clark and Martyn.

Just for fun - using the same rules to compile a Worst XI:

M Slater*

C Rogers

G Blewett

S Watson

M Love

C White

A McDonald

G Manou (wk)

C Miller

N Bracken

B Williams

Slater is probably a bit unlucky to get in, but I only saw him during the twilight of his career, so on that basis he's included. TBH, the batting is still relatively strong even with this team, but the bowling is dire.

[Jeor]

Notable exclusions are probably Lee and Mark Waugh - both whom I consider to be overrated at the test level. I can't stand Steve Waugh as captain TBH, but he's the only regular Aussie captain I've seen apart from Punter (who is even worse than Waugh).

On the captaincy front I might have even considered Warnie (who did captain for a few ODIs before his off-field dramas brought all of those ambitions to an end). In the end though I think Taylor was probably the best pick that I knew of. The four permanent captains I've seen are Border, Taylor, Waugh and Ponting, plus the occasional stand-in (eg Warne, Healy, Gilchrist, Hussey, Clarke...probably one or two more in the 90s but I can't remember).

Waugh I find it hard to rate because he had an extremely good team (anyone who captains a side with McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist all at the same time will look like a genius). On a number of occasions he led by example (eg some Ashes innings that saved Australia and other good knocks from No. 5, the 1999 World Cup Super 8s 'quarterfinal' century against South Africa). He was supposedly a master intimidator with indirect sledging as well, but it's hard to compare him with other captains. I guess the only conclusion that can be safely drawn is that he certainly didn't make his team any worse - after all, they did win often and by a large margin, and he was respected by his team considering all of the experienced and talented stars in it.