Selecting my all time cricket world XI

I don't think any team with Miandad in it has any credibility as an all time World XI. Same has to be said for C.A. Smith. I think the Wisden XI would beat the author's XI probably 8 times out of 10. I'd go with the following. I think this might be similar to the ESPN Cricinfo all time XI chosen recently: Hobbs Hutton Bradman Tendulkar Richards Sobers Gilchrist Akram Marshall Warne Lillee

By including some of the names in your XI, you automatically discredit your efforts, and Miandad was definitely one of those names. My XI starts with the 5 Wisden cricketers of the century. Bradman and Sobers and two of the automatics and beyond dispute, Hobbs is the greatest opener ever and Richards and Warne just had that winning X factor and domination they brought to any team. My next two players are also automatic selections for me and probably should be included in the top 5. Malcolm Marshall is the greatest fast bowler to have played the game and greatest match winner and is my third automatic choice while Gilchrist was the greatest wicket keeper batsman who was superb keeping to the magician behind the stumps and brutal in front of them. He changed the position forever. After that it gets tricky, Tendulkar edges out Lara due to his flawless technique, unmatched consistency and sheer weight of numbers. He is also the perfect buffer between Bradman and Richards and Sobers and Gilchrist. Sydney Barnes edges the consistency and metronomic career of McGrath, but his career numbers and first class career is difficult to over look. Seven wickets per match is special. McGrath unlucky, as was the case with Lara earlier. At number eight and silling the spot of the bowling all rounder would be Imran Khan. He was a superb bowler (especially at home) early in his career and after his injury became a handy lower order batsman. He was a inspiring captain and more importantly perfect reverse swing, though how he effected it was a lingering question. An ATG XI should have at least one sub continent bowler and so he edges Hadlee for that spot. The final spot is the most difficult, Len Hutton was a magnificent batsman and captain for England, what he over came was phenomenal, especially his horrendous arm injury during the war. His feat of breaking Bradman's world record with the great man in the field and facing Tiger O'Reilly was as amazing as anything in the history of the game and taking on Lindwall and Miller and Ramdin and Valentine was pretty close as well. But there was one batsman who bridged the gap between the era's of Sobers and Richards as the greatest batsman in the world and he was said to be at least the equal of not the better of either, especially his name sake. Barry Richards was seen as most who saw him as the best they have seen and they would have seen some special ones including the aforementioned and his own team mate Pollock. He was also a superb slip fielder who would fit in at first along side Sobers at second and Warne at third. He pips Hutton for the final spot. The team will be captained by the Don with Imran serving as his deputy. ATG XI 01. Sir Jack Hobbs 02. Barry Richards^ 03. Sir Donald Bradman* 04. Sir I.V.A. Richards 05. Sachin Tendulkar 06. Sir Garfield Sobers^ (5) 07. Adam Gilchrist+ 08. Imran Khan (3) 09. Malcolm Marshall (1) 10. Shane Warne^ (4) 11. Sydney Barnes (2) Brian Lara Glenn McGrath Len Hutton Allan Knott Honorable mention goes to Dennis Lillee, Sunil Gavaskar, George Headley, Walter Hammond, Richard Hadlee and Muttiah Muralitharan

This is the team to beat: Len Hutton Sachin Tendulkar Don Bradman Brian Lara Jacques Kallis Gary Sobers Adam Gilchrist Imran Khan Shane Warne Malcolm Marshall Glenn McGrath

you,ll have viv richards as an opener? are u serious?

warne had a lot of problem against Indian batsmen. Just 1 5 wicket haul in so many tests

Agree with Sharjeel about Viv Richards. I think it's perception. Classic example, Gavaskar and Richards do have very similar averages in you include Viv's packer series stats. For all Gavaskar's records and his passion to pursue records and accumulcate centuries regardess of the match situation and opponent, he did not average significantly higher than Richards. Players look at batting greats differently from you and me. Imran Khan, Mike Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall and Dennis Lillee have all said he was the best batsman they bowled to. If he is good enough for them, he is good enough for me.

For Wato

Pollock's probably the 2nd best batsman ever, but he used to get bored too much and just throw it away. Headley for me. But it terms of no brainers, Sobers has to be there with Bradman

A misleading stat that Warney's shield record. Warney when he was very young struggled in his early days for Victoria so that contributes to an ordinary average, had a lot of competition from Peter Mcyntire,Craig Howard, and Bryce Mcgain. Warne at 1 stage was the 4th ranked spinner in Victoria in 1990. Warney's other matches for the Vics were , always early season dust the cob webs out, and when he was returning from injury. So I wouldn't read into it his shield record. Ask yourself , do you really think Warney if he had a whole pre-seaosn with the Vics was at full fittness, not returning from injury, do you really think Warney would have been a run of the mill sheffield shield spinner, no. I'd still take Warney any day over shield stars Greg Matthews or David Freedman.

Mid 30's back then is about 40 today, no ropes etc, smaller bats, and less pads. He probably did well at home vs them. Well he did vs Australia. Miandad averages a whopping 69.90 at home vs Australia, and away vs Australia he averages 38. So hardly bad figures, i'd take a batting average of 38 on the road away in the 1980's, and 90's any day of the week(no ropes, less pads, tougher batting wickets) be about 45 in today's time. Guys like Dave Warner would love to average 38 in India or pakistan, or 45 which is today's time, so Miandad was fine, he struggled vs windies but many did, but did well vs aussies (lillee,thommo) and kiwis Hadlee. Miandad was right up there he was damn good. Any aussie batter in today's game would do anything to average 38 on the road away from home, and as i said it was the 80's 38 is like 45 today.

Another consideration is that Warnie never bowled to Australia's greatest batsmen in test cricket but his shield bowling average was 35. Against NSW, who had Taylor, Slater, M.Waugh, S.Waugh and Matthews, all who averaged 40+with the bat in in test cricket, he averaged 44.

They also changed the rules so McGrath, Lee, Gillespie and virtually every other international bowler's action became legal, that's why they allow 10-15% bending and straightening of the arm.

Wisden! Javed Miandad, great street fighter, very very good batsmen, not in the top 6 batsmen of all time, not even close. Rodney Marsh, love Rod, but Gilchrist better batsmen/keeper, Healy better keeper/batsmen, Wally Grout, better keeper & that only Australia. Aubrey Smith, great amateur bowler, but greatest 3-4 fast bowlers in the world ever, no!!!!!

Wisden.