With the 12th Cricket World Cup starting in England within eight weeks, cricket lovers and experts are busy selecting their World Cup XIs, either of each participating country or one composite XI.
Rather than following this line, I have come up with a novel concept. Why not select the two best World Cup squads of 15; one from the Southern Hemisphere and one from the Northern Hemisphere?
The Southern Hemisphere team will include players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa with selection based on statistics in World Cup matches.
The Northern Hemisphere team will include players from England, the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan with selection based on statistics in World Cup matches.
Statistical criteria: A player should have scored 900 runs or more or taken 30 wickets or more in World Cup matches. For all-rounders the criteria are not applied rigidly.
Today’s Part 1 will select the Southern Hemisphere World Cup XI. Part II, to be published tomorrow, will select the Northern Hemisphere World Cup XI.
The Southern Hemisphere World Cup XI
World Cup batsmen
| Batsman | Matches | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100s | 50s | 6s | Ct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Ponting (Aus) | 46 | 1743 | 140* | 45.86 | 79.95 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 28 |
| AB de Villiers (SA) | 23 | 1207 | 162* | 63.52 | 117.29 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 12 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 36 | 1148 | 128* | 45.92 | 74.40 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 13 |
| Adam Gilchrist (Aus) | 31 | 1085 | 149 | 36.16 | 98.01 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 45^ |
| Stephen Fleming (NZ) | 33 | 1075 | 134* | 35.83 | 76.89 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 12 |
| Herschelle Gibbs (SA) | 25 | 1067 | 143 | 56.15 | 87.38 | 2 | 8 | 28 | 10 |
| Mark Waugh (Aus) | 22 | 1004 | 130 | 52.84 | 83.73 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| Matthew Hayden (Aus) | 22 | 987 | 158 | 51.94 | 92.93 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 12 |
| Steve Waugh (Aus) | 33 | 978 | 120* | 48.90 | 81.02 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 14 |
| Scott Styris (NZ) | 26 | 909 | 141 | 53.47 | 88.59 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 13 |
Gilchrist also stumped 7.
World Cup bowlers
| Bowler | Matches | Wickets | BB | Ave | ER | SR | 5w/i | 4 w/i | Ct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn McGrath (Aus) | 39 | 71 | 7-15 | 18.19 | 3.96 | 27.5 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Allan Donald (SA) | 25 | 38 | 4-17 | 24.02 | 4.17 | 34.5 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Jacob Oram (NZ) | 23 | 36 | 4-39 | 21.33 | 4.21 | 30.3 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Daniel Vettori (NZ) | 32 | 36 | 4-18 | 32.44 | 4.14 | 46.9 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| Brett Lee (Aus) | 17 | 35 | 5-42 | 17.97 | 4.57 | 23.5 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Brad Hogg (Aus) | 21 | 34 | 4-27 | 19.23 | 4.12 | 27.9 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Shaun Tait (Aus) | 18 | 34 | 4-39 | 21.50 | 5.35 | 24.0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Tim Southee (NZ) | 17 | 33 | 7-33 | 23.75 | 5.11 | 27.8 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Shane Warne (Aus) | 17 | 32 | 4-29 | 19.50 | 3.83 | 30.5 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Chris Harris (NZ) | 28 | 32 | 4-7 | 26.90 | 4.43 | 36.4 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Shaun Pollock (SA) | 31 | 31 | 5-36 | 31.29 | 3.60 | 52.0 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Shane Bond (NZ) | 16 | 30 | 6-23 | 17.26 | 3.50 | 29.5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
Australians have a lion’s share in the Southern Hemisphere team. The first three batsmen will be Aussies: Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting.
Dynamic openers Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist will give the Southern Hemisphere team an awe-inspiring start. Popularly known as Haydo and Gilly, they have been associated in five century partnerships for the first wicket in the World Cup, the highest being 172 against Sri Lanka at Bridgetown on 28 April 2007.
Gilchrist will keep wickets, having made 52 dismissals – a record number of catches, 45 and seven stumpings.
Ricky Ponting walks in at No. 3. He has played most number of World Cup matches (46) and took most catches for a non-wicket (28). South Africa’s AB de Villiers will bat at No. 4. He lifted 37 sixes, a record he shares with Chris Gayle of the West Indies.
Australia’s elegant stroke player Mark Waugh comes in next, followed by South Africa’s all-rounder Jacques Kallis. Australia’s Michael Clarke (888 runs) and New Zealand’s Martin Crowe (880 runs) narrowly miss out as they did not reach our qualification of 900 runs.
The Southern Hemisphere is rich in batting as Australia’s never-say-die Steve Waugh bats at No. 7. He also took 27 wickets (best: three for 36) at 30.14. He bowled at his best in the death overs, getting vital wickets in over numbers 49 and 50, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Having led Australia to many victories, he will captain this team.
Shane Warne, Steve Waugh and Mark Waugh (Neal Simpson/EMPICS via Getty Images)
We need two fast bowlers and two spinners – a leg spinner and an off spinner. Who will spearhead the attack?
The selection is easy: Australia’s Glenn McGrath and South Africa’s Allan Donald.
McGrath took the most number of wickets in the World Cup, 71 in 39 matches, with the best bowling figures of seven for 15, a record in the World Cup. Kallis will be the first change bowler and Steve Waugh will bowl the mid-overs and at the death.
Australia’s legendary Shane Warne is the obvious choice as the leg-break googly bowler.
The second spinner is New Zealand’s slow left-arm orthodox Daniel Vettori. He will bat at No. 8, followed by Warne, Donald and McGrath.
Twelfth man
My choice is South Africa’s attacking batsman and excellent fielder Herschelle Gibbs. A ‘six-o-maniac’, he belted 28 sixes. On 16 March 2007 in the 2006-07 World Cup match against Netherland at Basseterre in the West Indies he dispatched Daan van Bunge for six successive sixes in one over, becoming the first cricketer to do so in an international over. During this innings he raised US$1 million for the Habitat of Humanity housing project.
We need three reserves from six candidates below to select the Best XV.
Left-handed New Zealand batsman Stephen Fleming, graceful and determined, scored 1075 runs at 35.83 in 33 matches, smashing 11 sixes. He also took 12 catches.
New Zealand’s fast-medium bowler Tim Southee took 33 wickets at 23.75 in 17 matches. Against England at Wellington on 20 February 2015 he captured seven for 33.
Another New Zealand fast-medium bowler, Jacob Oram, took 36 wickets at 21.33 in 23 matches. Kiwi fast bowler Shane Bond, described by Brydon Coverdale in ESPNcricinfo as “fast, fearsome and fragile”, took 30 wickets at 17.26 in 16 matches.
Australia’s express fast bowler Brett Lee captured 35 scalps at 17.97 in 17 matches.
In 31 matches South Africa’s all-rounder Shaun Pollock scored 279 runs (high score: 52) at 17.43 with a strike rate 75.60, hitting four sixes. As a fast-medium bowler he took 31 wickets at 31.29 and 12 catches.
It is difficult to select three reserves from the above six. My personal choice is Fleming, Southee and Lee.
World Cup Southern Hemisphere XI
- Matthew Hayden (Australia)
- Adam Gilchrist (Australia, wicketkeeper)
- Ricky Ponting (Australia)
- AB de Villiers (South Africa)
- Mark Waugh (Australia)
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
- Steve Waugh (Australia, captain)
- Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)
- Shane Warne (Australia)
- Allan Donald (South Africa)
- Glenn McGrath (Australia)
Twelfth man: Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa).
Reserves: New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming and Tim Southee, and Australia’s Brett Lee.
Part 2 will select the World Cup XI from the Northern Hemisphere.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Mark Waugh was a terrible middle order player in large part when he first came to the crease he was full of energy and his running between the wickets was erratic. By moving to opener that was fixed because he would hit boundaries when the field was up and then he was too tired to do any stupid running later on. If you look at his batting by position his average lower in the order was terrible. BY world cup figures Gibbs should be in there over Ponting or Kallis.Vettoris figures are average. Shane Bond was a great bowler he just happened to be fit for the world cup and injured at other times so why he is excluded is beyond me should be in over Donald.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
You are correct, Paul. Australia has won most World Cups, five times out of 11. The remaining six World Cups have been won by countries from Northern Hemisphere; West Indies and India twice each, Pakistan and Sri Lanka once each. West Indies won the first two WCs. Australia is the reigning champ, having won in 2015. Surprisingly, South Africa has failed to even enter the Final once.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Paul, you are correct, Australia has won five out of 11 World Cups. West Indies and India have won two each. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won one each. Thus North leads South 6-5.
Paul
Roar Guru
What's not to be cocky about? One team in the southern hemisphere has won almost as many World Cups as the whole of the northern hemisphere teams combined!!
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I kind of forgot that Klusener bowled a bit too. I remember him for his explosive batting more than his bowling but yes he was a pretty handy bowl at times. That's a duh for me.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
I’m talking more about his bowling. The team listed is a bowler short. I’m also sticking to the lists supplied and Klusener isn’t on either of them. .. Some late mail: I completely forgot about Kluseners bowling somehow. My bad.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
Watto trumps Styris in my humble opinion.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
Let’s not mix Tests with ODI’s. Kallis was a plodder.
JamesH
Roar Guru
They would have Kluesner as the 5th bowler! Of course, he doesn’t qualify so it’s a moot point… Besides, I’m sure the idea is to assume each player is at their peak, in which the Waughs would make very handy 5th and 6th bowling options. Better than Maxwell and Stoinis, who Australia is currently relying on.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I’m not holding Styris out to be some kind of cricketing legend. I’m just saying that his numbers don’t lie – he was an elite World Cup performer. His 2007 WC was phenomenal, with 499 runs at an average of 83. 2003 was excellent too. In fact, if he had retired before the 2011 Cup (where he was 35) he would have had a WC batting average better than anyone else on this list, albeit without enough runs to qualify for it. And he didn’t just beat up on minnows, either. His two tons were against Sri Lanka in 2003 and 2007 when the Lankans were strong and made the semis and the final respectively. Also made 50s against SA, WI, Eng and SL.
Bazza200
Guest
I think you need an allrounder stats to pick the best allrounder. I do wonder how bevan was on the list ?
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Seriously? Styris isn't fit to be the boot sprigger in a team like this! Very few New Zealanders are.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
Thanks all you Roarers for your comments.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
Thank you Anindya. Await tomorrow for the Northern Hemisphere team. More difficult to select it as seven countries are involved in it against only three in the Southern Hemisphere team.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
Peter, Shane Watson does not qualify by my criteria as he did not score 900 runs nor took 30 wickets in World Cup matches. In 22 matches he scored 643 runs at 53.58 and a SR of 108.06, highest score 94. He took less than 25 wickets. I may add that his SR is very impressive and higher than those selected (except AB de Vilier's SR of 117.29). You have raised a good point.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
No mate, not missing the point at all. Just trying to pick the best team from the options available. If you pick a team on dry stats alone you're playing moneyball and the guy who invented it openly admits it only works up to a point. It might get you into the finals but is quite likely to fail miserably in the face of some sheer brilliance from the opposition.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Excellent selections Kersi! I actually wouldn’t change anyone in this team. I guess people are missing the point that this team is not necessarily meant to be playing in WC 2019. It’s just the best XI statistically speaking from performance in the past WCs. McGrath and Donald opening the attack, relentless in their accuracy and movement with speed, would tie up most top orders. Warne and Vettori to beguile them with spin. Kallol to frustrate them in the middle overs. Then you have Haydos and Gilchrist to destroy the opposition at the top followed by some truly awesome batsmen. I can’t wait for the opposition to arrive tomorrow! I do get the feeling however that once they see the opposition, the Souther Hemisphere supporters will be a little Less cocky !
Paul
Roar Guru
Kersi, this side looks unbalanced for ODI cricket as it's played in 2019. You've got a relatively steady player to open (Hayden) with a hitter (Gilchrist), then guys who can hit at 3, 4 and even 5. After that, you have steady players who are not really renowned for hitting a lot, followed by a tail that would struggle to hit at all. They would be very reliant on getting away to a flying start and having their top 5 make 90% of the runs ( similar to India), as I can't see that bottom order getting more than 7 or 8 an over. This side reflects another era, when ABdeV last played in 2018, Vettori in 2015 and others well before that.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
This might be seen as sacrilege by some but I wouldn’t have both the Waughs in my team. For balance I’d just bat one of them (probably Steve) at 5 and put the big hitting Kiwi Scott Styris at 7. That also adds a bit more flexibility to the bowling. I’d also seriously consider swapping Donald for Lee. Lee’s average is a full 7 less than Donalds and he had that extreme pace. He was also a far better bat than Donald.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Sorry Viv but this teams needs Kallis for his bowling. Without him they would have to get 10 overs out of the Waugh twins which is just a bit risky imo.