The online cricket site Cricinfo has so far selected four all-time XIs, the latest being South Africa, and the previous selections being from New Zealand, England and Australia.
While one might quibble with a few selections here and there, generally speaking, the site has done an outstanding job. Ten different selectors, mostly from the country in question, and with a varied background but with cricket as the common uniting factor, have done themselves proud.
Each selection is accompanied by a readers choice XI.
Generally, the choice of the experts has been far more knowledgeable, thoughtful, insightful and objective, and less biased than those of the readers.
The most recent selection was South Africa, as follows: Barry Richards, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Pollock, Dudley Nourse, Aubrey Faulkner, Mike Procter, John Waite (wk), Shaun Pollock, Hugh Tayfield, Allan Donald.
No 12th man was nominated, although I guess it would be a toss-up between Bruce Mitchell and Gary Kirsten.
There were 3 variations with the reader’s choice – AB de Villiers for Nourse; Dale Steyn for Faulkner and Mark Boucher for Waite.
Personally, I might have Mitchell in for Smith and Boucher for Waite, while de Villiers isn’t quite of this class.
But it’s a great team all the same. Massive batting depth down to Waite/S.Pollock at number eight and nine; 4 pacemen – Donald, Procter, S.Pollock and Kallis; complemented by the off-spin of Tayfield, and the legbreaks and googlies of Faulkner.
No captain or vice-captain are nominated in these selections, although I would have Procter as skipper and Richards his deputy. Graeme and Shaun Pollock are uncle and nephew.
Previous selections were as follows:
New Zealand: Glenn Turner, Stew Dempster, Bert Sutcliffe, Martin Crowe, Martin Donnelly, John Reid, Richard Hadlee, Dan Vettori, Ian Smith (wk), Jack Cowie, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns (12th man).
Reader’s choice variations were John Wright for Dempster; Steve Fleming for Donnelly; Cairns for Reid and Brendon McCullum for Smith. My thoughts: readers here have a poor knowledge base of the achievements of Dempster, Donnelly and Reid.
McCullum for Smith? Perhaps only.
England: Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Wally Hammond, Ken Barrington, Kevin Pietersen; Ian Botham; Alan Knott (wk), Harold Larwood, Fred Trueman, Derek Underwood, Sydney Barnes, Denis Compton (12th man).
Reader’s choice variations were David Gower for Barrington and Jim Laker for Underwood. My thoughts: Maybe Laker but Gower not quite good enough.
Otherwise, a pretty balanced selection.
Australia: Victor Trumper, Arthur Morris, Don Bradman, Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Keith Miller, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee, Bill O’Reilly, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting (12th man).
Reader’s choice variations were Bill Ponsford for Trumper; Matt Hayden for Morris; Ponting for Chappell; Steve Waugh for Border.
My thoughts: The many variations between the experts and readers reflected the riches of options.
I would have Ray Lindwall in for McGrath, if only because he gives the batting more depth. Not that this batting lineup really needs the help of numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11!
Nevertheless, all in all an excellent effort thus far by the experts from Cricinfo.
sheek
Guest
Ian, I suppose when you mentioned the Americans, you might have been thinking of the bowler J.B.King from Philadelphia, & when you mentioned the Aborigines, you might have been thinking of the brilliant fielder Johnny Mullagh. I guess in my team above - one player per country - King could replace Lillee & Mullagh would have to replace Hobbs.
sheek
Guest
Best XI - one player per decade. Hobbs(EN-10s), B.Richards(SA-70s), Bradman(AU-30s), Tendulkar(IN-90s), Macartney(AU-20s),Sobers(WI-60s), Gilchrist(AU-2000s-k), Lindwall(AU-40s), Marshall(WI-80s), Tayfield(SA-50s), Barnes(EN-1900s). Best XI - one player per country (Australia & England get two each, haven't considered Bangladesh, 9 countries used). Hobbs(EN), Richards(SA), Bradman(AU), Tendulkar(IN), Sobers(WI), Imran (PA), Fowler(ZI-k), Hadlee(NZ), Lillee(AU), Muralitharan(SL), Barnes(EN).
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Heres a challenge : Best X1, one player per decade,. Best XI, one player per country (USA, Holland and pre-Test Australian Aboriginal can count)
The clint
Guest
No eddie barlow mentioned for South Africa? Maybe a little harsh not to get a mention let alone not to be selected. Apart from than that, all selections and/or mentions were about spot on. Trumper hard to say because no one actually saw him play and there is no footage either.
sheek
Guest
Vinay, India played its first test match in 1930, & only 7 official tests before WW2, plus 5 unofficial tests in 1937/38. It began its post-war era with 3 further unofficial tests against the Australian Services XI. Perhaps up to the beginning of the 60s & even beyond, the 'big 4' players of Indian cricket were: Vijay Merchant (born 1911) - an opening batsman of stupendous ability & run accumulation, & would surely be the next opener in line for an all-time berth after Gavaskar & Sehwag. As far as my memory serves me, he never captained India in an official test, but was captain on the two occasions mentioned above as well as against the Commonwealth XI. He was born at an unfortunate time, cricketing-wise. Lala Amarnath (born 1911) - an all-rounder of extravagant gifts, perhaps compromised by a combative & dogmatic personality. He was a middle order rattling batsman & medium fast pace bowler. Father of test batsmen Mohinder & Surinder Amarnath. Like Merchant, born at an unfortunate time. Vijay Hazare (born 1915) - took over from Merchant the mantle of India's premier batsman. Outstanding middle order bat. Still worthy of a place in India's all-time XI. Also a useful medium pacer. Perhaps another born at an unfortunate time. Vinoo Mankad (born 1917) - perhaps the supreme Indian all-rounder before Kapil Dev came along. Batted anywhere in the order from one to about 8, & an excellent slow left-arm spinner. Father of test batsman Ashok Mankad, & gave the cricketing world the expression of a "Mankad" - dismissing a batsman run-out at the non-striker's end (batsman backing up too far).
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
I have left out Azharuddin for the very reason you suggest. In fact his name should be expunged from the record books. So too,Malik,Cronje,Jadeja et al. Players I haven't seen but are classed as the greats include Hazare,Nayadu,Amar Singh,Nissar and in their case the stastics may well be right. On Sardesai,his on and straight driving were the the amalgamation of timing and style. No flourish,just classic lines. And the three W's I agree and so too George H..Roy fredericks,Cammie Smit,Seymour Nurse,Lawrence Rowe Charlie Griffiths...
Akrael
Guest
Slightly obvious comment perhaps, but in all bar one instance the player the readers selected over the panel was a more recent player, with a noted lean towards those playing in the last couple of years (de Villiers, Steyn, Boucher, Fleming, Cairns, McCullum, Hayden, Ponting). The only one which wasn't was Laker for Underwood, probably due to name recognition.
sheek
Guest
Vinay, Re your Indian XI, probably easier to pick the top 6-7 than the bottom 4-5. I've heard you sing the praises of Sardesai before, although the stats (not that they're the be-all to end-all) don't support your own enthusiasm. Mohammed Azharuddin is most certainly worthy, although there is a dark cloud surrounding his off-field exploits (betting). I would go with Vijay Hazare at number 5. Apart from Kapil Dev, selecting both the pacemen & spinners is likely to cause many headaches. I think I will leave that for the moment! Re your Windies XI, I know you've only gone with players you've seen, but George Headley is a must. And by promoting Frank Worrell to opener (he played occasionally there, & had the temperament) he will also be captain. My Windies XI - Conrad Hunte, Frank Worrell(c), George Headley, Brian Lara, Viv Richards, Gary Sobers(vc), Jeff Dujon(k), Malcolm Marshall, Curtley Ambrose, Mike Holding, Lance Gibbs. To appreciate the strength of Windies cricket in the past, look at this all-time 2nd XI - Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Rohan Kanhai(vc), Everton Weekes, Clive Lloyd(c), Clyde Walcott, Ridley Jacobs(k), Andy Roberts, Wes Hall, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh. As for an entertainment XI, there are so many wonderful contenders, I would have to think some more about this.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Sheek,hard to dispute the four already picked by Cricinfo. I am going to rush in with my Indian all time XI and Windies XI I am going to limit it to people I have seen play. INDIA XI: Sehwag,Gavaskar,Dravid,Tendulkar,Sardesai,Dhoni,Kapil Dev,Zaheer Khan,Ishant sharma,Prasanna,SP Gupte. I have Sardesai at 5 because he showed the way forward for Gavaskar. Sardesai played the best of the Windies fast men of the late sixties and early 70's. I reluctantly leave out Mohinder Amarnath,who was fearless aginst pace. I have Pras as the consumate offie and Gupte as the leggie.Gupte was every bit as good as Warne but did not always see eye to eye with administrators. A good trait for a cricketer! Windies XI: Greenidge,Hunte,Viv Richards,Rohan Kanhai,Clive Lloyd,Garfield Sobers,Jeff Dujon,Holding,Roberts,Garner,Wes Hall. I never saw the Three W's live and I am sure they will figure prominently in the Cricinfo XI but I will back this side to take on all comers.Sobers adds the variety with left arm seam and spin. I believe this selection would beat any team from any country in any generation. Sheek,permit me to list my All Time Most Entertaining XI: Sehwag,Jayasurya,Richards,Greg Chappell,Doug Walters,Sobers,Gilchrist,Warne, Kapil Dev,Lillee,Holding. Purely on attacking and entertainment value. I am sure other roarers will have their own favourites and it will be interesting to hear from them.