Selecting any all time cricket XI is a very difficult task.
The way the game has changed and evolved over its time, makes comparing players of different eras a tough but exciting challenge.
Australia is one of the oldest and most successful cricketing nations, and has produced hundreds of Test cricketers dating all the way back to 1877. After a lot of research, statistics and judgement, I’ve come up with the eleven men that I believe make up the greatest ever Australian Test team.
Without further ado, here’s the side:
1. Victor Trumper (1899-1912)
48 matches, 3163 runs at 39.05
There are only two true legends in Australian cricket. There’s Don Bradman; and there’s Victor Trumper. One of the great batsmen before the Second World War, producing many majestic, match winning innings’, Trumper revolutionised the sport of cricket.
The first truly aggressive and elegant batsman capable of playing every shot in the book, Trumper was an easy selection to open the batting.
Australian cricketer Victor Trumper “jumping out for a straight drive” (George Bedlam, National Portrait Gallery)
2. Bob Simpson (1957-1978)
62 matches, 4869 runs at 46.81
Selecting between Simpson and Matthew Hayden to open with Trumper was not an easy task. Bob Simpson started out as a young leg-spinning all rounder, but quickly became a solid opening batsman in the early 1960s with an excellent technique.
As an opener, Simpson averaged over 55 in Test cricket, and over 60 as Australian captain. He was arguably the best opener of his generation, in a struggling Australian team and was successful in every country he played in.
Hayden on the other hand often struggled away in England and South Africa, and always had great players around him.
3. (C) Sir Donald Bradman (1928-1948)
52 matches, 6996 runs at 99.94
Not only the greatest Australian batsman of all time, but the greatest cricketer period. A batting record that is so far ahead of anyone before his time, but also everyone in the 72 years since his retirement, is almost unbelievable.
Possessing excellent footwork and the ability to judge line and length instantly, Bradman made scores with absolute ease, even on pitches where no one else could. He is a certainty for any all time side and it is a privilege for Australia to have had such a player.
(Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)
4. Greg Chappell (1970-1984)
87 matches, 7110 runs at 53.86
One of the most exciting and elegant Australian players in history. Greg Chappell scored a century in both his first and last Test matches and was undoubtedly the most dominant and stylish middle order batsman in world cricket throughout the 70s and early 80s, a golden era of fast bowling.
Chappell played every stroke in the book with class and is arguably the greatest Australian batsman since Bradman.
5. Steve Smith (2010-Present)
73 matches, 7227 runs at 62.84
Steve Smith is a quirky character, who, like Simpson and others, came onto the scene a decade ago as a young leg spinning all rounder, who struggled to make an impact for Australia early on.
However, his mental toughness and determination enabled him to transform himself into a genuine middle order batsman, who’s greatness in the sport has become undeniable.
Smith regained the Ashes in 2017-18 as captain, scoring 687 runs at an average of 137.40, and helped retain them in Paine’s touring side in 2019, scoring 774 runs at an average of 110.57.
While it can be tough selecting a player before the end of his career, Smith’s record and the obstacles he’s overcome as a player and person, warrant him a place in this side.
(Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
6. Keith Miller (1946-1956)
55 matches, 2958 runs at 36.98, 170 wickets at 22.98
An Australian cricketing hero to thousands after the second war, Keith Miller is undoubtedly the greatest all-rounder to play for Australia.
Miller was a world-class bowler in his era, and was said by those who played against him to be extremely unpredictable, and very fast at times. In terms of batting, Miller was exciting, hard hitting and often batted up the order; a man who still would’ve made the team on his batting alone.
A case could be made to select another genuine batsman at 6, but I believe that what Miller adds to the bowling attack would vastly outweigh a slight improvement in the batting order that someone like Allan Border or Steve Waugh would bring.
7. (WK) Adam Gilchrist (1999-2008)
96 matches, 5570 runs at 47.61, 379 catches and 37 stumpings
Australia’s first great wicketkeeper batsman, Adam Gilchrist was a special player and another who revolutionised the game with his incredible athleticism behind the stumps and thrilling strokeplay with the bat.
‘Gilly’ played several match winning innings’ over his career and has the record number of Test dismissals by an Australian keeper. He was a natural entertainer and perhaps the finest keeper batsman to grace the game.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
8. Shane Warne (1992-2007)
145 matches, 708 wickets at 25.42
My favourite ever Australian cricketer, Shane Warne was often a controversial character who had his troubles off the pitch.
On it though, he changed the face of the game by re-igniting the dying art of leg spin. In the words of the great Richie Benaud, Shane Warne was “the greatest leg spinner who’s ever lived”.
He had the ability to spin Australia to victory no matter what the circumstances, and one the undervalued qualities that set him apart from other spin bowlers of his time, was his consistency, he rarely bowled a bad delivery. Few players in history have had the impact on the game, that Shane Warne did.
9. Dennis Lillee (1971-1984)
70 matches, 355 wickets at 23.92
One of the great and most iconic bowlers of the last 50 years, Dennis Lillee turned cricket around in Australia. Came into the setup in a time where Australia were in a slump, and quickly formed one of the all-time bowling partnerships with Jeff Thomson.
Lillee quickly became a pivotal figure in bringing Australia to the top again in the 70s. An role-model for many that came after him, Lillee overcame what should have been a career ending back injury in the mid 70s, and although he lost some of his pace, turned into a bowler of great skill and elevated himself to another level.
There haven’t been many better in Lillee’s trade.
10. Fred Spofforth (1877-1887)
18 matches, 94 wickets at 18.41
The first great modern bowler and certainly the bowler of the 19th century. Nicknamed ‘The Demon’, Spofforth was a bowler with a killer instinct, capable of bowling faster than anyone in his era, but also cutting and turning the ball to a great degree of accuracy.
He was one of the most significant figures in cricket history, famous for taking 14-90 and single-handedly beating a much stronger English team at The Oval in 1882, which created The Ashes.
11. Glenn McGrath (1993-2007)
124 matches, 563 wickets at 21.64
Glenn McGrath is one of the most skilful bowlers of the modern era. Not particularly fast, McGrath was a master of swing and seam movement, with pinpoint accuracy. He relentlessly wore down the best of batsmen, with ultra consistency and on any wicket.
McGrath spear-headed the Australian attack for many years and earns himself a place among his country’s greatest ever.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Well said. And nice work on the book. From what I know of Vic, he was miles ahead of his contemporaries. His average might have been like the Sydney Thunder total, but so was WG Grave and the minnows forever pick that bearded pelican in their best test XI.
Luke
Guest
What about David Warner??one of the best openers ever to play to game for a slogger t20 batter as every one thought,to score a Century in the first session of a test match,a triple hundred and average of over 48 for some 80 tests,
Warren Bullock
Guest
Any thoughts on having Bill O'Reilly in the side and having a 3 seam 2 spinner split. Miller would be my 3rd seamer which could leave one of the other legends out. Smith or Ponting is a difficult choice for me at five. Personally I'd have Ponting.
Sidharth Das
Guest
Everything is ok about the team..The only exception is that Jeff Thomson should have been added in place of Fred Spofforth.Look you are excluding the fastest bowler in the history of cricket for little known 19 test wonder Fred Spofforth.Had Thomson not met that unfortunate color bone fracture accident, he would have been like Lilee a 350 -- 400 wicket bowler.Lets not forget like Lilee, Thomson too took his first 100 wickets in 22 tests.By not taking Thomson, you are breaking what Wisdon described as " the greatest ever fast bowling pair in cricket history".Lilee is incomplete without Thomson. Lilee -- Thomson --MaGrath would have been a most unplayable combination..somewhat like Andy Robert's--Michel Holding --Jeol Garner or spinners like Bedi --Chandra --Prasanna . It is an incredible team..only Jeff Thomson needed to be included..
Vraty Sanu
Roar Rookie
Why didn't you chose Arthur Morris instead of Bob Simpson? Arthur Morris will provide a left Right combination as well.And why didn't you considered Ray Lindwall instead of Fred Spofforth ? Although I like your team but want to know about your opinion on Arthur Morris and Ray Lindwall instead of Bob Simpson and Fred Spofforth.
stephen wright
Guest
Hi Christian Great team with a nice spread of inclusions from era to era. All great players. There is a dominant paradigm with Bradman that has become a bandwagon. As our most consistent batsman he is without peer, here or anywhere else. However.... "cricketer"... is drawing a long bow... compared to Grace, Sobers and even in Australia, Miller. He wasn't our most successful captain and his averages were not on top every season. And when he did fail (as he did sometimes) there was someone else in the team who could fill the void, like Posford, or McCabe, Miller. Always great teams except for '28 and then it was Jackson! Finally, if you remember Bill O'Reilly (whom Bradman said was his greatest adversary-he should have said, Verity or Bedser) he joked once that if he could "come back" (reincarnate) he would come back as......(not Bradman).... but McCabe! Says a lot!
stephen wright
Guest
Hi Sheek HNY! I was wondering, were you a statistician, considering the way you toss numbers around? It would seem that by your logic (based on numbers) that Bradman would be the ONLY certainty in YOUR test team. 99.94 aside just how many years (when he actually played, of course) was he considered THE BEST. You (and many other experts like you) would be surprised. The same logic can be applied (in reverse) to Trumper. It is so easy for armchair observers to wax lyrical about our predictions but reality is so removed from these narratives. He played in a vastly different manner from even Bradman where ultimately stats are irrelevant Don't forget, the reality of 2020 is vastly different from 1880, 1900, 1920, 1940 and so on. We can probably agree that in 143 years there have been 2x Australian batting geniuses only, with Smith coming close to a third-and we can probably agree as to who they were. Cheers.
sheek
Roar Guru
Thanks Micko, I trust you had a nice day also.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Merry Christmas Sheek! :thumbup: :happy:
sheek
Roar Guru
Spruce Goose - very, very oopsy!
sheek
Roar Guru
Stephen Wright, I genuinely have no idea what you're upset about here.
sheek
Roar Guru
Trev, Why would you replace an outstanding opener with an outstanding #3. All that achieves is weaken both positions.The best 4 performed openers in test history are - Simpson 55, Ponsford 54, Woodfull & Hayden both 50. Nothing, absolutely nothing, wrong with Simpson as an opener.
stephen wright
Guest
You won't forget them, will you?
stephen wright
Guest
Hi Sheek- it's taken me months to calm down.... whew!... Now Bradman wasn't thinking anything because he copied the "idea" of L-R opening combination from Armstrong. Remember him? 5-0 against the poms after WW1 when Bradman could only manage 4. Does it cost anything to be a Bradmanophile? whew....whew. Must calm down!
sheek
Roar Guru
Spruce moose, Yes, that left-right combo theory is really stupid, isn't it. What on earth was Bradman thinking, when he put the idea forward? BTW, his caveat to the suggestion was, "when all other things are equal". When Langer & Hayden demolished the logic, so you say, it was because they were the two best openers in the country, despite being both left-handers. So the caveat didn't apply, since there was no right hander good enough to apply "when all other things are equal". If you're going to demolish Bradman's logic, at least understand what he was saying in the first place.
sheek
Roar Guru
For what it's also worth, there's an observation by Bradman that I use to appraise players in all the sports I like. Bradman said: "A champion in one era, is a champion in an any era". So by that observation, yes indeed, Trumper was the best of his era. His contemporaries certainly thought so. And his genius continues to tease us today.
sheek
Roar Guru
Stephen, Or Mailey? Mailey had a strike rate of 61.81, better than Grimmett (67.19) or O'Reilly (69.61). And MacGill (54.02) had a better strike rate than Warne (57.49). Hordern comes in at a whopping 46.70, but he only played 7 tests, too few for an informed appraisal. Then of course, there's the economy rates, which is often, but not always, in inverse to the strike rate. Which is interesting in itself, don't you think? I really don't know what you're getting so agitated about. We probably have more in common than we disagree. I think Trumper was a truly terrific player, for what it's worth. My initial point was, lost in all the argy-bargy, that those "eyes" you talk about, in praising Trumper, aren't as plentiful now as they were 100 years ago. The counterpoint being that modern players get promoted when often they don't deserve to be. But because they play so much more tests & we see them so often on TV, we get caught up in their supposed exceptionalism. I certainly don't think numbers are everything, & certainly argue against that point often enough. Anyway, I trust you will get over your huffy. When you calm down, you might realise we agree more than we disagree.
stephen wright
Guest
Hi Sheek -you obviously prefer numbers to other people’s’ observations. In my 130 years I have been content to rely on others’ eyes. So if we run with your stats why Warne and not Hordern or Grimmett? Statistically superior, same with Turner. Can’t have it both ways., Sleek. Bradman was the best of his generation, same with Trumper 30 years before. Not so Hayden, Simpson, Ponsford, Langer, Lawry- all also rans. Cheers big ears.
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Stephen, I forgot to enquire about your age. You speak so positively about Trumper, you must have seen him bat as a youngster. So, I'm guessing you must be around 120-130 years old. How do you remain so well preserved? And please, you don't have to defend Trumper to me, I think he was a truely great legend.
sheek
Roar Guru
Thanks Stephen, I don't disagree with anything you say. And no, I haven't forgotten tests were played over 3 days in England only, & until decided (often) in Australia. That's why in the early years there were fewer draws in Australia. The wickets & outfield were certainly rougher (& uncovered) & a guy like Trumper only hung around long enough to give his team a sound start. Anyway, the champions defending Trumper have receded further & further into the past, & there are fewer & fewer people to support him with any authenticity. As will happen with Ponting, Warne, Gilchrist, McGrath, etc in another 100 plus years from now.