Only four places remain up for grabs in our greatest Ashes XI of all time. Today, we’ll decide who the side’s spinner is.
An overwhelming majority of you voted to play a single spinner and three quicks – to go along with a pace-bowling all-rounder – so there’s just a sole spot for a tweaker in this side.
Unsurprisingly, it was Shane Warne who was the most popular of all the spinners in our initial poll a couple of weeks ago. Indeed, not only was Warney also the most popular overall bowler, but he was also the most-selected player in any position, picked in 95 per cent of all sides.
He’s pitted against England off-spinner Jim Laker, who came in second amongst all spinners with 12 per cent of the vote.
Warne’s record against England was, to put it mildly, phenomenal. From his first ball in Ashes cricket which bamboozled Mike Gatting to helping the Aussies to a clean sweep in his final series in 2006-07, the Victorian often produced his best performances against the Old Enemy.
In 36 Ashes Tests, he took 195 wickets, almost 30 more than the next-best Dennis Lillee, and all at the excellent average of 23.25. His strike rate – 55.1 – wasn’t too shabby either.
Jim Laker’s record against Australia was impressive as well. The Englishman only played 15 Ashes Tests, but in those he took 79 wickets at 18.27, to go with a strike rate of 50.7. Of course, his numbers are skewed by his world-record performance at Old Trafford in 1956, when he returned match figures of 19 for 90. But that in itself perhaps only makes his record even more impressive.
Alas, only one of these two can make the side, so who’s it going to be? The Australian leg-spinner who claimed more Ashes scalps than anyone else, or the English off-spinner who took the most wickets in a single match? Cast your vote, then let us know in the comments below whether you picked Shane Warne or Jim Laker.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't trust their leader. He once took 7 Hat Tricks in a 3 Test Series.
Marty
Roar Rookie
I don’t disagree however the article was about choosing a spin bowler.
Spanner
Roar Rookie
He's the greatest BOWLER of all time, Marty
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Probably. Lots of the best weren't available around the war years. We were left with the next tier. Bradman wasn't one of them. The 1920s to the 1950s provided lots of exciting numbers...and uncomparative myths. Enjoy the stories...but we have more confirmable stories from more confirmable sources these days. We have even playing fields now.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
So all the other batsmen of the time must have been epically rubbish to post stats so far below him? Really? It is hard to compare across era's but you can get some relativity by comparing to their peers of the time. The idea that there were no good players in those years is ridiculous.
jameswm
Roar Guru
You need me to spell it out?
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Your point is?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Bradman never faced a good bowler, hence his record.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I'll never forget how when he came on to bowl, everyone would stop what they were doing and watch. Esp spells against SA a couple of times - they had no idea.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I've seen it before
jameswm
Roar Guru
How many times did Bradman face Warnie? Or captain him?
jameswm
Roar Guru
It's like deja vu all over again...
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I get it quite regularly
Micko
Roar Rookie
Apparently there's lots of words that triggers it! I've had comments never appear, and once they edited out a whole sentence! :shocked:
Nick
Roar Guru
I challenge North Korea to run this voting process between these two. Not even they would be able to fix it so that Laker would win.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I do like to get a rise out of posters.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Flintoff won that match for Australia with his ill considered declaration.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
4.4 W/T for Laker which is very good but Warne a smidge under 6.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Is my dogmacisity showing?
badmanners
Roar Rookie
In Bradman's mind he was the best bowler he ever faced. He'd be a reasonable judge. And O'Reilly missed more than a few years for WW2, but played on uncovered pitches..... Warne had to play in a wider variety of host nations and only West Indies and India were a problem to him. I'm Warne on this one but Tiger was pretty good.