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Having offered Roarers my Socceroos first and second XIs I now turn my attention to cricket. Here I will present not only my baggy greens (Test) first and second XIs but my gold caps (ODI) first and second XIs.
The Australian One Day cricket team doesn’t have an official nickname, but gold caps is my suggestion. Bearing in mind also that baggy greens is the unofficial moniker for the Test team.
In making these selections in various sports, I have been presented with several dilemmas where I have entered the sport just as a legend of the game was bowing out.
Kangaroos legend Reg Gasnier is one example and Wallabies legend Ken Catchpole another. Both Gasnier and Catchpole were forced out of their respective codes while in their prime at the age of 28, from injury.
I cannot help but feel under normal circumstances I could have enjoyed watching and following both players for another two or four years.
Bob Simpson provided me with a similar dilemma. He was captain and opener of the first two Tests I ever saw (on TV), against India in 1967-68. Simpson did everything asked of him, winning both Tests, and peeling off scores of 55, 103 and 109.
He then informed the selectors, of which Don Bradman was chairman, that he was retiring from Test cricket. Instead, he would tour England for the 1968 Ashes tour as a journalist rather than player, earning roughly 10 times as much money. After all, he had a young family to feed.
Simpson was sacked without hesitation and his fellow opener Bill Lawry named as replacement skipper. Following a public outcry Simpson was recalled for the final Test in which he batted at number seven and captured eight wickets with his dangerous leg breaks.
Fortunately, I got another look at Simpson a decade later during the WSC crisis of 1977-79, when he returned to captain the official Australian team in a further 10 Tests.
For now, the best Test cricket team of the past 50 years is fairly straight forward. However, that luxury of selection could change in 12 months’ time if Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and David Warner all maintain their current dynamic form.
My Test cricket first XI (1967-present)
Bob Simpson, Matt Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Greg Chappell, Allan Border (vc), Steve Waugh (c), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath.
Coach: Darren Lehmann (Simpson would be coach if he wasn’t in the team).
I’m sure most Roarers would agree this is a fabulous team. It bats deep to number nine and has plenty of variety and depth in the bowling, with four frontline bowlers and four support bowlers.
It is also an outstanding fielding side led by Simpson, who is arguably the best slips fielder in history.
My Test cricket second XI (1967-present)
Bill Lawry, Justin Langer, Ian Chappell (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Michael Hussey, Doug Walters, Ian Healy (wk), Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Jeff Thomson, Stuart MacGill.
Coach: Geoff Marsh.
Obviously, the second XI selection will create far more debate. I am holding my opinion on Warner and Smith. If they continue their marvellous form over the next 12 months they will be contenders for either the first or second XI.
But it’s wait and see. There are two many examples from cricket history of players reaching a peak before plateauing.
The selection of both Chappell and Thomson might raise eyebrows with a younger generation. Chappelli averaged 50 at number three, the most technically demanding and therefore most specialist of all the batting positions.
Thomson was without doubt the fastest bowler I have seen over 50 years. Faster than Lee, faster than Shaun Tait, faster than Shoaib Akhtar, faster than Waqar Younis, faster than Dale Steyn or Allan Donald. He was faster than any of the Windies brigade. At his best, he was a fearsome sight and often unplayable.
Now for the ODI team. Prior to the 2007 World Cup, ESPN selected the following all-time Australian ODI team:
Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Ricky Ponting (vc), Dean Jones, Steve Waugh (c), Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, Greg Chappell (12th man).
In the intervening eight years, what changes, what improvements can we make to this team, if any?
I believe three changes are required. Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Shane Watson must come into the best XI. The men to go (along with Chappell) are Steve Waugh, Jones and Bevan.
I know some people will be shocked, especially at the demotion of Bevan. That’s a mighty quartet of players to demote. But the answer is simple – surfeit of riches.
Australia can afford to relegate Bevan et al to the second XI. The bar of excellence has been raised higher.
My ODI first XI (1967-present)
Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath.
Although Hayden has a better batting average and strike rate to Mark Waugh, the latter has an invaluable all-round game that gives him the edge.
This is a tremendous team, combining powerful batting to number nine, six frontline bowlers, plus two backups, and a magnificent all-round fielding side.
My ODI second XI (1967-present)
Matt Hayden, Brad Haddin (wk), Dean Jones, Greg Chappell (vc), Steve Waugh (c), Michael Bevan, Simon O’Donnell, Mitchell Johnson, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken, Craig McDermott.
Of course, the upcoming 2015 edition of the World Cup could see some changes to these selections in a further 12 months’ time. Will the likes of Smith, James Faulkner, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch become heroes in 2015?
Wouldn’t you love to see these two teams (Australian ODI first and second XIs) take each other on? It would be something to see!
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