By Kersi Meher-Homji
June 23rd 2009 @ 1:37am
Related coverage
Why are rule changes always unfair to bowlers?
Pakistan's Shahid Afridi makes a run against Australia during the one day international cricket match between Pakistan and Australia in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, April 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Andrew Parsons)
“Be Afridi, Very Afridi”, read a poster at Lord’s during the World Twenty20 final on Sunday. And the in-form Sri Lankans understood its full demonic meaning as Pakistan’s dynamic all-rounder Shahid Afridi slammed 54 not out, leading Pakistan to an easy eight wicket win to lift the Trophy.
He was the Man of the Final just as he was the Man of the Semi-Final against South Africa on Thursday.
It was a magnificent victory for Pakistan against all odds.
Watching cricket the last few months has been like going to the movies. First, there are the advertisements (equivalent to IPL). Then there are fast moving and ear-shattering previews from future movies (equivalent to World T20).
And now we await the main feature, The Ashes.
My sentiment in writing this post is, Why do changes in rules always favour the batsmen?
Formerly a batsman at the bowler’s end could be given out as run out if he stepped outside the crease before the bowler delivered the ball and broke the stumps.
According to a recent rule, a bowler cannot do that.
The batsmen get a distinct advantage during a tense finish when singles taken as above may win a match.
During the semi-final on Thursday at Trent Bridge, Pakistan’s fast-medium pacer Umar Gul did not deliver the ball twice when South Africa’s Albie Morkel at the bowler’s end left the crease.
It happened in the 19th do-or-die over.
Perhaps Gul pulled out because of heavy wind, but I suspect it was to stop Morkel stealing a single. As Pakistan won by seven runs, every run was vital.
It is an old chestnut.
Let’s go back to the 1947-48 season, when India toured Australia.
In the match against an Australian XI in Sydney in November 1947, India’s all-rounder Vinoo Mankad noticed that the Australian opening batsman Bill Brown at the bowler’s end was leaving the crease before he delivered the ball.
He warned Brown once but next time he ran him out by whipping off the bails in the act of delivering the ball.
Mankad did the same in the second Test in Sydney a month later.
And hell broke loose.
This gained him some notoriety and a new word was coined for such dismissal: “to be Mankaded.”
For example, Australia’s Ian Redpath was “Mankaded” by the West Indies pace bowler Charlie Griffith in the Adelaide Test of January 1969.
Mankad got a bad name despite his world class left-arm spin bowling and centuries in two Melbourne Tests against the fury of Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller that summer.
Sir Don Bradman, in his autobiography Farewell to Cricket, defended Mankad:
“In some quarters Mankad’s sportsmanship was questioned. For the life of me I can’t understand why. By backing up too far or too early, the non-striker is very obviously gaining an unfair advantage.”
When the team departed for India, the Don presented Mankad with an autographed photograph with the words “Well bowled, Mankad” inscribed on it.
“Mankading” a non-striking batsman is a debatable issue.
My compromise: If the bowler breaks the stumps after he has finished his bowling action, the non-striking batsman out of the crease should be ruled not out.
But if the non-striker leaves the crease before the bowler has finished his delivery action and breaks the stumps, he should be judged as run out.
Howzat?
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Michael C said | June 23rd 2009 @ 5:41am | Report comment
Simple reason might be the traditional ‘amateur’ vs ‘professional’ culture of cricket dating right back, the professionals were tending to be bowlers who were effectively employed as human bowling machines. One might imagine it’ll take another 50-100 years to change attitudes!!!
vinay verma said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
Kersi- It would appear a lot of the Laws were written by batsmen. Even today a batsman,and a very fine batsman,Martin Crowe sits on thew Rules committee advising the Icc and The MCC.
Law 42 (section 15) titled Fair and Unfair Play says ” the bowler is permitted,before entering his delivery stride,to run a batsman out….” It goes further to say “…it is unfair for the batsman to attempt to steal a run…”
Like in life it becomes a blurred line between legal and illegal. It is also a reality that coaches and players will push the boundaries at times. Remember Hansi Cronje with earphones on the field and receiving messages from the coach? This is where the Spirit is so important. Adam Gilchrist was a renowned walker. Semifinal of a World Cup,I think against SA.
I know that Vinoo Mankad was a fair and decent man and the Don acknowledged that.
It is time that batsmen were put in their popping crease.
Spiro Zavos said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Kersi, I think the psychology behind the laws favoring the batsmen rather than the bowlers is that the batsman only has to make one mistake Bowlers can make many mistakes and still succeed. There are, I think, nine different ways a batsman can be dismissed. I would suggest that the hazardous nature of trying to be a successful batsman is the underlying zen of the game favouring them.
Remember the old joke, which was valid until Sir Richard Hadlee and Sir Ian Botham (both bowling all-rounders) were made Sirs that the only bowler knighted was Sir Francis Drake, boom! boom!
sheek said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:22am | Report comment
Kersi,
Batsmen are Lions of the Coliseum, bowlers the Christians!
And what Spiro said…..
Brett McKay said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Kersi, as a batsman, let me answer your “Why are rule changes always unfair to bowlers?” question stereotypically: Because they deserve it!!
An old club team-mate of mine (and not so much old as in age, but more that I’ve wished him well in retirement at the end of every season for the past 13) always says “take the pads off ‘em, that’ll even things up.” I often think he’s right, but I wait until I put him back over long-on before I tell him that.
Spiro has it on the spot. A bowler gets 24/60/unlimited opportunities (depending on which form is being played) to take a wicket, but a batsman only has to make one mistake. It’s the same reason why I’m happy to walk when obviously out, but stand my ground when doubt exists: it all evens up in the end. For every time a bowler thinks he could have run out the non-striker, he’s probably been on the fortunate end of a dubious LBW or caught behind.
The only other way to answer your question Kersi is with popular cliche: it’s a funny old game, cricket…
onside said | June 23rd 2009 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Kersi,
Fred Tyson was very successful because apart from his athletic brilliance the then rules
allowed him to put his front foot a long way down the pitch.How should history judge his
performance compared with bowlers that were subjected to the current front foot rule.
As a matter of interest were slow bowlers at all aided by the old lack of a front foot rule.
Was the change of the number of balls in an over from eight to six in Australia seen as
an advantage or disadvantage to the bowler.
How would cricketers fare these days if they played on uncovered pitches ,and would
you see the advantage being with the bowlers or the batsman.
re Mankad its a professional v amature thing.In amature times a batsman caught creeping
over the line would by virtue of inaction by the bowler be shown as not playing in the spirit
of the game,gently humiliated, which is quite unsettling in that the total runs made are due
to the gracious decision of an opponent. WC Feilds would relate very well to todays game,
“never give a sucker an even break”
One rule I would like to see changed is the bat pad rule for an LBW decision.Surely if the
batsman is ‘plum’ ,but has knicked the ball onto his pads that would have uprooted the
middle stump he should be given out.No knick,hits pads ,out LBW.Knick,hits pads ,not out.
Doesn’t make sense.
vinay verma said | June 23rd 2009 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Kersi – Do you think Kamahl was a frustrated bowler “Why are they so Unkind?”
Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 23rd 2009 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
You have a point, Onside.
But the LBW decision at times is so difficult that it’s more of an interpretation than a decision. Once a batsman nicks the ball which hits the pad, the umpire would have to decide about the angle of deflection due to the nick. However, an experiment in grade cricket should be interesting.
Spiro,
In a light-hearted vein: Hadlee and Botham were knighted because they could also bat (although they were better bowlers). Has a bowler who is a rabbit with the bat, ever been knighted?
Brett McKay said | June 23rd 2009 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
Kersi, I would hope an LBW experiment like you’ve suggested is not allowed anywhere near Grade cricket – smashing the ball onto your pads often isn’t enough to survive LBW appeals as it is!! I’d hate to add the variable of angle of deflection as well!!
Rich_daddy said | June 23rd 2009 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
Another problem which probably resulted in the Mankad rule is being removed was the fact there was no limit to the amount of times a bowler could attempt to run out a batsman I remember when India was playing Pakistan in an Australian Tri Series match in 1997/98, the pakistan bowler stopped his run up in successive deliveries to make sure the batsman on the non stikers end was not out of his crease. At the death this could really unsettle the batsman at the strikers end and really get under the skin of the crowd watching it.
To add to Kersi’s compromise, I think a “3 challenge system” similiar to that currently used in tennis could be used. Each bowler gets 3 mankad attempts for their 10 overs (maybe less for 20/20). If they are right, then they keep trying to run batsman out til the cows come home. If they are wrong they only have a certain amount of times they can do it.
beaver fever said | June 23rd 2009 @ 5:25pm | Report comment
Quite clearly big hitting (in fact all sorts of hitting)sells seats, gets eyes watching screens and thats gets advertisers excited, i like baseball but there is so much downtime that i start drifting off after awhile.
Surely you dont have to be told why batsmen nearly always get all the advantages and why the 50/50 descisions go there way.
sheek said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:41pm | Report comment
Kersi & Vinay,
As an keen amateur historian, I’ve often wondered how good Vijay Merchant would have been given the opportunities of today’s players. Merchant played only 10 official tests either side of WW2.
Yet he captained India in amy unofficial tests, beginning with the 5 unofficial tests against England in 1937-38. Then he captained India against Australian Services in 1945-46 & India again in several series against the Commonwealth in the late 40s & early 50s.
Perhaps in another time & place, not only would Merchant be a contender for the all-time Indian XI, but also its captain. Fortunately, I don’t hold myself back against such conventions. Until Virender Sehwag came along, I would have had Merchant opening with Sunil Gavaskar. he would also have been my Indian captain.
May I ask you, as perhaps (former/current) Indians, who would be your all-time Indian XI?
My team – Gavaskar, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Hazare(c), Azharuddin, Vinoo Mankad, Kapil Dev, Kirmani (c), Kumble, Srinath, Bedi, Lala Amarnath (12th). I think eventually Mahendra Dhoni will replace Kirmani, but perhaps too early to be certain.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:34pm | Report comment
Sheek,
Vijay Merchant was India’s finest batsman before Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. He was perhaps among the best opening batsmen in the world in his time, along with Len Hutton of England and Australia’s Arthur Morris. Merchant’s first-class batting average (71.22 in 229 innigs) is second only to Don Bradman’s (95.14 in 338 innings).
Merchant impressed critics with his batting when he toured England in 1936 and 1946, both abnormally wet summers. And pitches were uncovered those days. When England needed an opening partner for Hutton in 1946-47, an English writer sighed, “Wish we could paint Merchant white and take him with us to Australia.” Wisden 1947 commented, “No praise can be too high for Merchant who, on any reckoning must be counted one of the world’s greatest batsmen.”
His 128 in The Oval 1946 Test on a treacherous pitch against Alec Bedser at his best inspired EW Swanton to describe it as “a model of precision, quick sighting and easy accurate footwork.” Neville Cardus called Merchant “India’s good European.” Although his late cuts were elegant, Merchant was never an Eastern cricketer like Ranji and Duleep.
Appointed as India’s captain for the tour of Australia in 1947-48, he pulled out because of groin injury. Bradman said in 1950s, “We were denied the sight of Vijay Merchant, who must have claims to be the greatest of all Indian players.”
Yes Sheek, Merchant will certainly be in my All-time great Indian team. In batting order:
Merchant, Gavaskar, GR Viswanath, Vijay Hazare, Tendulkar, Vinoo Mankad, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni (capt., wk), Mohammad Nissar, EAS Prasanna and Bishan Bedi. 12th man: Rahul Dravid. Nissar (Test span 1932-36) was the fastest bowler India ever produced. He will open the attack with Kapil, with Hazare coming at first change. Prasanna, Bedi and Mankad will do the spinning.
I regret leaving out CK Nayudu, SP Gupte, BS Chandrasekhar, Amar Singh, Vijay Manjrekar, Md. Azharuddin, Anil Kumble, Syed Kirmani, Farokh Engineer, Virender Sehwag and Polly Umrigar.
sheek said | June 23rd 2009 @ 9:02pm | Report comment
Thankyou Kersi,
You obviously haven’t been swayed by the helter-skelter batting of Sehwag. I am a great admirer of merchant, so I might put him back in my Indian XI! I also understand CK Nayudu was a giant of Indian cricket in its formative years. But he was already 35 when India played its first test in 1930.
I had quite forgotten Mohammad Nissar momentarily, & his opening fellow paceman, Amar Singh. Ironic that at its test dawn, India had its two fastest pacemen for a very long time.
I of course saw Viswanath play, Sonny’s brother-in-law. Very gutsy, but his test batting average is a bit low. The great Gary Sobers rated Gupte the best spinner he played, while Ian Chappell said likewise of Prasanna. You made the call on Dhoni, & fair enough.
I thank you for your input. It helps clarify my own thoughts on different players.
vinay verma said | June 23rd 2009 @ 10:10pm | Report comment
Hi Sheek
My XI : Sehwag,Gavaskar,Dravid,Tendulkar,Dilip Sardesai,Manur Ali Khan,Kapil Dev,Farookh Engineer,Amar Singh,Chandrashekar,Subhas Gupte.
I rate Dilip SArdesai higher than Gavaskar and believe it was his influence that moulded Sunny on the 1970 tour of the Windies. Sardesai score a couple of hundreds and Sunny prospered. I think all the Tests were drawn, Sardesai had a fantastic flick off his pads much like Greg Chappell.Also his straight driving had the checked follow through employed by Tendulkar.
I have picked MAK(Pataudi) over VVS and Ganguly because he was an exceptional fielder and would also be my Captain. He had lost an eye in a car accident while studying at Oxford but remained a brilliant fielder (in the Colin Bland,Clive Lloyd class) all his life. He like Kapil could play through the pain barrier. I think 1968 in Sydney scored a 70 with a torn hammy. One eye and one leg.Not bad!
Beid and Prasanna miss out because they were woeful fielders. And I also think good leggies are match winners. Subhash Gupte had the drift and turn of Warne and would have been greater if not for his ill treatment by the selectors and administrators. That is another story altogether.
Amar Singh,I did not see but my father said he had the snarl and pace of Lillee.
Dravid,along with ian Chappell,is the batsman I would want to bat for my life. Laxman and Ganguly miss out because of their average fielding.Farookh was a batsman who loved to pull and hook and scored quickly. His work standing up was superior to Dhoni and Dhoni has to play another four years before I could put him ahead of Engineer or even Budhi Kunderan. Kunderan opened for india in the Mid 1960’s and was a clean hitter.
I have looked at batsmen who scored quickly and could also field. With the bowlers I have gone for attackers and game breakers.
Notable ommissions are Salim Durani,a left handed Afridi,and hanumant Singh,who was one of the most elegant batsmen i have seen.
CK Naydu had a cover drive,I am told by people that saw him,that was like Trumper’s.
I hope I have given you a quick insight.
vinay verma said | June 23rd 2009 @ 10:15pm | Report comment
Sorry,Sheek,I left out Azzurudhin even though he was a good bat and fielder. The cloud over his involvement and banning by the BCCI excludes him from my book. I remember seeing him as a Nineteen year old in the 1981 tour and he was humble and devout. The greed,like with hansie,got to him.
sheek said | June 23rd 2009 @ 11:08pm | Report comment
Thankyou Vinay,
Like Kersi you have given me yet another perspective on Indian cricket. The first test series I ever saw was the 1967-68 Indian tour of Australian. But I have next to no memory of the black & white TV images. It was another 12 months before I really started to follow cricket!
My father was a big fan of Engineer, he loved the way he played the game. And also Pataudi. I understand your reluctance to choose Azharuddin.
We are as one on Ian Chappell. There may have been better talented batsmen, but few gutsier. It’s interesting that when the Windies toured Australia in 1975-76, at the beginning of the series they put more value on Ian’s wicket than Greg’s. Even though Greg was a 10 points average better batsman.
Anyway, if picking my best Aussie XI of the past 40 years, Chappelli would be my captain, with brother Greg at 4 or 5. Ponting, Border & the Waugh twins can fight all they like for the remaining two middle order batting spots!!! Douggie Walters is my special 12th man.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 24th 2009 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Vinay,
Dilip Sardesai was my favourite batsman. But he can’t get in my Best Indian XI.
Sheek,
My Best Australian XI based on reputation (in batting order):
Vic Trumper Bill Ponsford, Don Bradman (capt), Greg Chappell, Neil Harvey, Keith Miller, Adam Gilchrist (WK), Ray Lindwall, Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Bill O’Reilly. 12th Man: Richie Benaud. Lindwall and Lillee will open the attack with Miller as first change. Warne and O’Reilly will be the spinners. I pity the opposition team!
I regret excluding Clarrie Grimmett, Ian Chappell, Alan Davidson, Ricky Ponting, Arthur Morris, Steve and Mark Waugh, Doug Walters, Glenn McGrath, Jeff Thomson, Matthew Hayden, Bert Oldfield and Rod Marsh.
sheek said | June 24th 2009 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Thanks Kersi,
You’re not a fan of the modern batsmen Hayden & Ponting? I think I would have them in for Ponsford & Harvey. Stats can be deceiving, of course!
Anyway, using your first XI template, the 2nd XI is pretty awesome also -
Matt Hayden, Arthur Morris, Ricky Ponting, Charlie Macartney, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ian Healy(k), Richie Benaud(c), Alan Davidson, Clarrie Grimmett, Glenn McGrath.
A 3rd XI?
Bob Simpson, Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell (c), Steve Waugh, Doug Walters, Warwick Armstrong, Jack Gregory, Don Tallon (k), Hugh Trumble, Jeff Thomson, Fred Spofforth.
Gee, it’s tough. Still no place for Hill, Noble, Mailey, Blackham, Turner, etc.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 24th 2009 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
That’s a terrific 3rd XI, Sheek.
Trumble, Spofforth, Tallon and others would give my 1st XI and your 2nd XI value for money.
How about this 4th XI with Mark Taylor, Hill, Slater, Langer, Mailey, Terror Turner, O’Neill, McKenzie, George Giffen, Noble, Kim and Merv Hughes, Redpath, Mallett, Gleeson (not in batting order)?
I am a fan of modern players but Haydo cannot replace either Trumper or Ponsford in my opinion. Perhaps I am wrong. It was a toss up between Greg Chappell and Ponting but I went for Chappell G. Same between Harvey and Border. On stats Ricky and AB would walk in , especially as AB had to face the most ferocious attack.
It’s hard being a selector!
Gulu said | June 24th 2009 @ 2:30pm | Report comment
Kersi is correct, ridiculous rule. Is there anything in that case to prevent the non-striker from standing halfway down the pitch before the bowler delivers?
Mankad was quite right in running out Brown after warning him. Even Brown admitted as much. Yet Mankad’s action is considered unfair in some quarters even today. Wonder why? Was it not unfair of Brown to try to steal a run?
And Kersi, there is one pure bowler who has been knighted. That is Sir Alec Bedser. All the rest are indeed batsmen or all-rounders. Why not a knighthood for Courtney Walsh since a whole bunch of West Indian batsmen have already received the honour?
Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 24th 2009 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
Sir Alec Bedser indeed! How could I forget him? Thanks Gulu, for nudging my memory.
Incidentally, Australia since I think 1960s does not accept Queen’s Honours. Else it could have been other bowlers, notably Arise Sir Dennis, Sir Shane, Sir Glenn …
sheek said | June 24th 2009 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
Actually, another bowler we’ve forgotten, although he was another all-rounder, was West Indian Learie Constantine, who rose higher than anyone else in the noble ranks, receiving a baronetcy. Constantine was nicknamed ‘electric eel’ for his quicksilver ground running & fielding.
Kersi,
I think we’re a pair of romantics. BTW, when I fist started following cricket (late 60s), my Aussie heroes were Ian Chappell, Doug Walters, Garth McKenzie & Brian Taber. It broke my heart when both Chappell & McKenzie had shockers against South Africa in early 1970.
Mankad running out Brown w/o warning, was way before my time. Yet….. what a very Australian thing to do!!!
vinay verma said | June 24th 2009 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
Good to hear from you,Gulu. What about an all time Indian ODI side.?
In batting order: C.K.Nayudu,Tendulkar,Mohinder Amarnath,Sardesai,Russi Surti,Abid Ali,Kapil Dev,Farookh Engineer,Bapu Nadkarni,Ramakant Desai,Kumble. with the 12th Man Polly Umrigar.
CK nayudu was a prolific six hitter and in 1926 against Gilligan’s MCC hit 153 in 116 minutes. He hit 11 sixes and it is not recorded how many balls he faced. I would think about 70. Wisden cricketer of the Year in 1932.
I have good allrounders in Surti,Abid Ali,Kapil Dev and Mohinder Amarnath. All good fielders. Nadkarni was a tight left arm spinner and once bowled 28 maiden overs in a row. I think a world record. He would have been great in Twenty/20.
Desai was only five foot nothing but he had zip and hit the right areas as they say in modern speak.
Over to you Kersi and Sheek. You have to have mobile fielders so no roly poly’s please.
vinay verma said | June 24th 2009 @ 6:04pm | Report comment
Kersi,before you jump on me I clarify that Nadkarni in fact bowled 21 successive maiden overs in one innings. Tayfielfd bowled 16 by 8 ball overs across two innings. So Bapu does have the record in a single innings of a Test and that too in one spell.
sheek said | June 24th 2009 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
Vinay,
You’ll have to excuse me. I can give you 3 ‘elevens’ for each of the traditional eight cricket nations without much trouble (well, Sri Lanka might bother after the 1st XI & Pakistan after the 2nd XI).
But I’m a dinosaur when it comes to one day cricket. I just don’t care so much about it. And even less for T20.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 24th 2009 @ 10:01pm | Report comment
Hi Vinay,
My ODI Indian XI in bating order:
Mushtaq Ali, Sehwag, Tendulkar, CK Nayudu (capt), Yuvraj, Umrigar, Kapil Dev, Engineer (WK), Nadkarni, Kumble and Zaheer Khan.
12th man: Surti. Extras: Durani, Dhoni, Lala and Mohinder Amarnath.
Kapil and Zaheer to open the attack with Umrigar at first change. Nadkarni and Kumble to do the spinning.
vinay verma said | June 25th 2009 @ 12:06am | Report comment
Kersi
Good choice in Mushtaq Ali and Durani as extras. Yuvraj would not make any of my Test or ODI teams. Like Shane Watson he is talented but under achieves and both are injury prone. Pretty boys with brittle physiques.
Zaheer Khan is more of a Test match bowler and bowls well with the old ball when the reverse kicks in. But not entirely unacceptable.
Just digressing but haven’t the tailenders in the top four teams become all the more proficient now that Mc Grath and Walsh are not around. Even Mortaza from B’desh can bat. Interesting choice of a fast bowler as Captain(announced yesterday)
Chris martin seems the only genuine rabbit remaining.
sheek said | June 25th 2009 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
well, okay…..
My alltime Aussie one day cricket XI -
Adam Gichrist (k), Victor Trumper, Don Bradman (c), Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Keith Miller, Mick Bevan, Alan Davidson, Ray Lindwall, Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee/Glenn McGrath (can’t separate!). Head says McGrath, heart says Lillee.+
2nd XI – Billy Murdoch (k), Matt Hayden, Charlie Macartney, Greg Chappell, Neil Harvey, Steve Waugh, Jack Gregory, Monty Noble, Richie Benaud(c), Charles Turner, Dennis Lillee/Glenn McGrath.
Notable omissions – Arthur Morris, Bob Simpson, Clem Hill, Ian Chappell, Stan McCabe, Doug Walters, George Giffin, Ian Healy, Rod Marsh, Hugh Trumble, Tibby Cotter, Jeff Thomson, Simon O’Donnell, Craig McDermott, Bruce Reid, Fred Spofforth.
The Windies are pretty awesome!
Frank Worrell (c), Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Everton Weekes, Viv Richards, Gary Sobers, Clyde Walcott (k), Learie Constantine, Malcolm Marshall, Curtley Ambrose, Mike Holding,
2nd XI – Seymour Nurse, Gordon Greenidge, George Headley, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd (c), Jeff Dujon (k), Gerry Gomez, Andy Roberts, Wes Hall, Joel Garner, Lance Gibbs.
Apologies – Chris Gayle, Conrad Hunte, Jeff Stollmeyer, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ollie Smith, Gerry Alexander, Charlie Griffith, Courtney Walsh.
vinay verma said | June 26th 2009 @ 5:32pm | Report comment
Sheek- With the Windies what about Carl Hooper and Roger harper ?Surely they would make the ODI side. I like the look of your first choice Windies. Great allrounders in Sobers and Malcolm Marshall. FW was handy and Viv could tease with the ball.
I saw Gary Sobers play in 1960’s at the Eden Gardens and he bowled orthodox spin and chinamen,Switched to medium fast. Took a catch at slip and later substituted as keeper. I have an 8mm film of all this and it is priceless.
I met Gary at a bank In Sydney where the manager was friends with him and had a cup of coffee. He signed me a bat I had in the boot of the car and would you believe it ,it was the only thing nicked from my car.
sheek said | June 26th 2009 @ 9:13pm | Report comment
Vinay,
I was working from memory & was bound to forget somebody. Yes, perhaps Harper could replace Constantine, but he was also a brilliant fielder & late order hitter. While Sobers would be my one-day spinner.
Hooper is a possibility for 2nd XI in place of Gomez, but again, Gibbs has the role of spinner. However, hooper for Gibbs would give the 2nd XI enormous batting depth.
Vinay, there wouldn’t be much film around of Sobers keeping wicket. priceless indeed!