By Jason Cave
November 25th 2008 @ 1:41am
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An Australia vs World XI 1975-2008 Test match
With the international cricket season in full swing, I thought it’d be a good idea to select an Australian side to play against a World XI from the period 1975-2008 in a hypothetical Test match, which would be played at the MCG.
The teams are:
AUSTRALIA
Matthew Hayden (Qld)
David Boon (Tas)
Greg Chappell (Qld)
Allan Border (NSW/Qld-capt)
Mark Waugh (NSW)
Steve Waugh (NSW)
Adam Gilchrist (WA)
Shane Warne (Vic)
Dennis Lillee (WA)
Brett Lee (NSW)
Glenn McGrath (NSW)
Ricky Ponting (Tas) (12th man)
WORLD XI
Sunil Gavaskar (India)
Desmond Haynes (West Indies)
Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies)
Michael Vaughan (England-capt)
Martin Crowe (New Zealand)
Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)
Alan Knott (England)
Bishan Bedi (India)
Michael Holding (West Indies)
Joel Garner (West Indies)
Courtney Walsh (West Indies)
Sachin Tendulkar (India) (12th man)
Do you agree with these selections? And who would win the test match if it was played?
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(6)
Wallythefly said | November 25th 2008 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Nice idea but I’d definitely have Ponting in there somewhere for either Boon or M Waugh. And a World XI without Sachin or Lara is a big call!
formeropenside said | November 25th 2008 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
Brett Lee? Surely you jest. Try Thomsen or McDermott first. And what about Ian Chappell and Doug Walters?
sheek said | November 26th 2008 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Jason,
You definitely rushed through your selections. There’s no way Mark Waugh can hold down a batting position ahead of Ponting. And Douggie Walters would pip M.Waugh for 12th man. I can accept Boon ahead of either M.Taylor or Langer, giving the top of the order & right & left hand combo.
Brett Lee is horribly overrated. He might have taken 300 test wickets, but that’s because he had the opportunity to do so. I would have Jeff Thomson in the team. Easily the fastest bowler I’ve ever seen, & far better than his overall stats might suggest. And then there’s Craig McDermott, who is also better than Lee.
With the World team, you’ve really gone loco. South Africans Barry Richards & Graeme Pollock might have been in isolation during this period but they would be automatic selections in this team. IMHO. Along with Lara & Tendulkar.
I think, arguably, Malcolm Marshall is the best performed fast bowler of the period mentioned, & should join Ambrose & Imran Khan, who would captain this team. How can you leave out Muralitharan, unless you consider him a cheat?
My World team would be: Sunil Gavaskar, Barry Richards, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Graeme Pollock, Viv Richards, Imran Khan (c), Alan Knott (k), Malcolm Marshall, Curtley Ambrose, Mutiah Muralitharan, Richard Hadlee (12th).
There is a strong argument Hadlee should come in for one of the middle order batsmen, But damned if I know which one??? Statistically, V.Richards has the lowest test average of the four, but he was pure menace at the crease. G.Pollock has the best average of the four, so difficult to shaft him either.
sheek said | November 26th 2008 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
formeropenside,
Ian Chappell & Doug Walters are 2 of my favourite all-time cricketers. Chappelli would captain my all-time favourite Aussie XI, based on who I liked rather than absolute stats. But alas, statistically both fall short of a best team for the period, although I’ve nominated Walters for 12th man.
sheek said | November 27th 2008 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Jason,
Not much interest shown by other Roarers in this thread, so I thought I would take the opportunity to share my other country team XIs from the period 1975-2008.
ENGLAND: Graham Gooch(c), Geoff Boycott, David Gower, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Thorpe, Ian Botham, Alan Knott(k), Andy Flintoff, Derek Underwood, Bob Willis, Monty Panesar, Alec Stewart(12).
Can’t find a place for Michael Vaughan. Gooch good alternate captain. Plenty of depth in batting & bowling. Considered Darren Gough as 3rd paceman.
WINDIES: Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Viv Richards, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Clive LLoyd(c), Jeff Dujon(k), Malcolm Marshall, Curtley Ambrose, Mike Holding, Joel Garner, Richie Richardson(12).
Pretty well picks itself, this team. Awesome bowling depth means no place for Andy Roberts or Courtney Walsh.
SAFFIES: Barry Richards, Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Graeme Pollock, Jaco Kallis, Mike Procter(c), Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher(k), Paul Harris, Matia Ntini, Allan Donald, Darryl Cullinan(12).
Difficulty knowing how good guys like Clive Rice, Garth le Roux & Vincent van der Bijl were, none of whom played official test cricket, but are totally top class players. Also, will Dale Steyn continue to be this good? Harris is lone spinner in team of batting & bowling depth.
INDIA: Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rhahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Kapil Dev, Mohendra Dhoni(k), Anil Kumble(c), Habarjan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Bishen Bedi, Irfan Pathan(12).
Kumble is such a thoughful captain its amazing it took so long for him to become a leader. Dhoni is the real deal. Pathan would come in as 3rd paceman overseas, probably for Habarjan.
PAKISTAN: Saeed Anwar, Majid Khan, Mohammad Yousef, Javed Miandad, Inzamum-Ul-Huq, Imran khan(c), Moin Khan(k), Wasim Akram, Abdul Qadir, Danesh Kaneria, Waqar Youins, Youins Khan(12).
Good depth batting & bowling. No place for Zaheer Abbas, Mustaq Mohammed, Asif Iqbal, Saqlain Mustaq or Shoaib Akhtar.
KIWIS: Glen Turner, John Wright, Adrian Jones, Martin Crowe, Steve Fleming(c), Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum(k), Richard Hadlee, Danny Vettori, Shane Bond, Bevan Congdon(12).
Perhaps a bit rushed with the kiwi team. Again, plenty of batting & bowling depth. Not too many options I’m afraid. I’ve left the Sri Lankans for another day. i would need to analyse their form a bit more than for the others.
Drewster said | November 27th 2008 @ 7:58pm | Report comment
With all the Players left out you could probably get another World and Australian side from this era. What a great era of cricket we have been fortunate to witness, Anyway here goes
AUSTRALIA
Mark Taylor, Justin Langer, Ian Chappell (Capt.), Dean Jones, Damien Martin, Doug Walters, Rod Marsh (WK), Gary Gilmour, Max Walker, Jeff Thompson, Ashley Mallett, Keppler Wessels(12th man)
WORLD XI
Gordon Greenidge(WI), Barry Richards (SA), Brian Lara (WI), David Gower (ENG), Clive LLoyd (WI Capt),
MS Dohni (IND WK), Imran Khan (PAK), Ian Botham (ENG), Mike Proctor (SA), Andy Roberts (WI), Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)
Chris Cairns (NZ 12th man).
could probably name another world side with who i didn’t name on both sides. Ahh! what a dilema for a selector to have.