Australia is the most successful nation in Test match history with more wins and a higher winning percentage than any other established nation in the history of Test cricket.
Selecting a side from almost 150 years of Test match cricket is no easy feat with many all-time greats not making the cut.
I’m assuming that this side will play a Test match at either the MCG or SCG so I’ve gone with a three-to-one fast bowler to spinner mix.
1. Matthew Hayden
Of the 30 Test match centuries scored by Hayden (the third most for an Australian), over half came during the three-year span between 2001-2003, when a more dominant, intimidating force at the top of the order has probably never been seen in the history of the game.
He put the fear of God into bowlers and laid the platform for the great Australian side of the late ’90s and early to mid 2000s. He is the only Australian opener to finish with a Test match average above 50. This was a relatively straightforward pick.
2. Bill Ponsford
The second opener’s spot is a coin flip between Ponsford and Arthur Morris, neither of whom I saw play. In the end I went with Ponsford as the right-hander to form a right hand-left hand opening combination.
All the literature about Ponsford describes him as a run machine with an appetite for massive scores. Only Brian Lara has the distinction of scoring 400-plus more than once in first-class cricket and Ponsford is the only man in history to break the world record for the highest first-class score twice.
He made a decent fist of Test match cricket too, averaging over 48, often playing on uncovered pitches in an era when the Australia’s top-order batting with Ponsford, Bill Woodfull and a young Don Bradman at three was its strength.
3. Don Bradman
He is probably the easiest pick in an all-time world XI let alone an all-time Australian XI. He is the greatest batsman in the history of the game and an icon for a generation of Australians struggling to get through the Great Depression of the late ’20s and early ’30s. He is probably the greatest Australian sportsperson or athlete that’s ever lived and is in the discussion for the greatest in any sport across any era. He is a true legend.
(PA Images via Getty Images)
4. Ricky Ponting
Only the incomparable Don Bradman can relegate Ricky Ponting, Australia’s greatest Test match run-scorer and century-maker, to the number four position. Most people remember the dropping of Michael Slater during the 2001 Ashes as the start of the great Hayden-Justin Langer opening partnership but forget that it also signified a permanent move to three in the batting order for the Tasmanian.
Up until that stage the man they call Punter was averaging in the early 40s and was forging a solid but not otherworldly career. Five 1000-run calendar years in the next seven years would see Ponting become one of the all-time great first drops and go on to be the key batsman in one of the greatest sides in Test history.
5. Steve Smith
Sometimes I still sit back and wonder if this bloke is the same guy that came onto the scene as a chubby leg spinner and lower-order batsman. I have no idea how a guy who bats like he does averages 62.84 after 73 Test matches but Steven Peter Devereux Smith is already one of the all-time greats and some believe second only to Bradman as a Test batsman.
There are many highlights of an incredible career – the twin hundreds in his comeback Test at Edgbaston in 2019, an insane ton on a crumbling pitch at Pune in 2017 and the three Ashes double hundreds. They all take a back seat to his 92 at Lord’s in the second Test of the 2019 Ashes series. I thought Steve Waugh was the gold standard for toughness but that day I was proven wrong. He is a special player. He keeps Greg Chappell, Neil Harvey, Allan Border and Waugh out of this side.
6. Keith Miller
He is the greatest all-rounder in the history of Australian cricket by the length of the straight.
(Photo by Topical Press/Getty Images)
Miller opened the bowling with the great Ray Lindwall on the famous 1948 Invincibles tour and spent most of his Test career batting at number five, averaging 37 in Test match cricket with seven centuries. Probably a more accurate reflection of Miller’s batting prowess was his first-class average of a shade under 49, predominantly batting at number three for Victoria and New South Wales. He was good enough to command a spot in the side purely as a batsman or a bowler at his peak, something very few cricketers in the history of the game could claim. He is an easy pick for this side.
7. Adam Gilchrist
Like the man before him, he was miles ahead of the next wicketkeeper-batsman to play Test cricket for Australia and is another relatively straightforward pick. Revolutionised the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman and turned the prototype of the specialist keeper who couldn’t bat into a relic.
Gilchrist’s belligerent, aggressive batting coming in at five-down was a difference-maker for the great Australian side of the 2000s, perhaps never better encapsulated than by his 57-ball hundred in Perth against the Poms during the 2006-07 Ashes. Often forgotten is the fact that throughout the first five years and 50 Tests of his career, Gilchrist averaged a remarkable 57 with the bat. He was for the better part of his career an underrated and safe pair of hands behind the stumps too.
8. Alan Davidson
He is the greatest left-arm bowler in Australian cricket history and second perhaps only to Wasim Akram overall. He was a seriously underrated cricketer who led the Australian attack in the 1950s and early ’60s. The most accurate depiction of his greatness was the esteem that Richie Benaud, who captained Davidson for New South Wales and Australia, had for the man.
He was an underrated batsman who was an excellent lower-order hitter. He is perhaps a controversial pick as the third seamer. Some might argue that Ray Lindwall was a better bowler but Davidson gets the nod due to his ability to add another dimension to the attack as a left-armer.
9. Shane Warne
He is the greatest leg spinner of all time and possibly the greatest bowler that’s ever lived.
(Photo by Rui Vieira/EMPICS via Getty Images)
He burst onto the scene in 1992, amid the latter part of the dominant West Indies era, when the thought that playing a battery of four fast bowlers was perhaps the way forward. Over the next few years, Warne would almost single-handedly drag back into relevance the dying art of leg-spin bowling and turn it into the biggest strike weapon the Aussie side of the late ’90s and 2000s had.
Not talked about nearly as much was his intelligence as a bowler, when despite shoulder injuries compromising the delivery of his flipper and wrong’un plus his ability to spin the ball at right angles, he remained a force to be reckoned with. Nobody before or since has come close.
10. Dennis Lillee
I wish I’d seen him bowl. He was the outstanding fast bowler of his generation and among the very best ever. He began as a fiery tearaway before stress fractures in the back forced him to remodel his bowling action. He remained among the best in the world when his pace fell away due to his intelligence and guile. Once again, having never seen him bowl, I defer to those that did, almost all of whom rate him the greatest they ever faced.
11. Glenn McGrath
He was the metronomic gold standard for consistency. He took wickets everywhere and decimated top orders by bowling line and length. He cemented himself as the leader of the Australian attack on the famous 1995 tour of the West Indies and held that role for the next decade, finishing as the world’s leading wicket-taker among fast bowlers until he was recently surpassed by James Anderson. He saved his best for the old enemy England, averaging under 21 with ten five-wicket hauls. He is an automatic pick for this side.
Renato CARINI
Roar Rookie
A side that omits Victor Trumper can never be called 'the best' anything. Do some research on this phenomenal cricketer and then try again.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Pretty close their micko not sure I’d have two spinners in a side in warne and o’reilly unless spin wicket , scg doesn’t even spin enough as we’ve just seen yet again against india . Maybe mcg . It’s really hard to pick per ground and conditions but not too much difference besides three bats ponting was almost our second best batsman especially before he took Captaincy . Most chappel centuries on home soil or england from memory which gave border the edge for me who played in a poor side at times and had gritty innings all over the world and stressful Captaincy period on top of it . I think seeing what smith did in the last ashes sealed it for me over chappel there but chappel and Steve waugh are there . Morris and trumper just superb batsmen and could easily make the side but very hard to compare trumpers era there’s been any articles on him on roar and why he’s there or isn’t . Impossible to leave bradman out and the innings played alongside ponsford seal that run machine scoring they had together with different styles being perfect and hence I’d have them in opening in front of morris and trumper . All very interesting . They’d be little dispute naming our best squad of all time of say 20 players that’s for sure
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I think you'd have to select bradman up front given his huge average and missing years during the war but its no absolute given hed master india's spin wickets Matt. His average is so far in front of others he would be selected bit you raise an interesting point o. India and nz
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
For all the pot I smoked as a young adult and all the alcohol I have consumed over the last 30 years or so, and all the banging of my head against brick walls as a school teacher trying to guide contemporary teenagers back towards acceptable social behaviour, my memory really is quite astounding.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Yes. That's why occasionally someone on here trips me up only ever so slightly with a researched/googled website link.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Do you honest to god remember all this stuff off the top of your head Bernie?!! :stoked:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
You mean in the domestic one day comp (Mercantile Mutual Cup I think it was at that time)? Yeah I know. In one day cricket for WA, Gilly batted at 7. What drew the attention of the national selectors was an innings in the final of the 1995-96 domestic one day comp. Chasing about 210, WA had slumped to 7 for about 100 with still plenty of overs remaining. Gilly hit out, and got them home with many overs to spare. His first outings in national one day colours were in a triangular tournament in India just before the 1996-97 Aussie summer and again just after on the early 1997 tour of Saffie Land. He got a small number of games batting at number 5 and 6 with Healy still in the team keeping. One of those games in Saffieland, Gilly made 77 off 88. In the 1997-98 Aussie summer the selectors made two tough calls for the one day side: 1. Mark Taylor had to go and we needed our own version of Sanath Jayasuriah at the top of the order to leave scorch marks across the turf in the first 15 overs. Gilly wasn’t the chosen one – Michael Di Venutu was as he had played in a similar vein for Tasmania at the top of the order in recent seasons. 2. Even though he was doing absolutely nothing wrong, Ian Healy was going to be replaced by Gilly as keeper to add tremendous firepower at number 7 in the last 10 overs of an innings i.e. his standard role for WA in one day cricket. In the 1997-98 summer, in the one dayers, Di venutu didn’t come off as planned and by the finals against the saffies Tom Moody was opening with Mark Waugh, who had been opening for two years. Australia lost the first final chasing around 220. In the second final the saffies again batted first but this time totalled over 240. It was only during the 45 minute innings break, barely 10 minutes before Australia’s innings was to commence that Steve Waugh, the new one day captain, suddenly had a brain wave: he approached Gilly and asked him how he would feel about opening and Gilly agreed. Gilly scored a run a ball century, Australia won in a canter, then won the 3rd and deciding final, and the rest, as is commonly said, ‘is history’.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Gilly wasn't a successful batter up the order in the Shield. Became a successful batsman when he moved to WA to replace Tim Zoehrer as the keeper and bat at #7.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I never said O'Donnell was a great player. He never came close to cementing a place in the test side in what was a weak era. But we stayed competitive at one day cricket and dominated that form after the 1987 world cup in which O'Donnell played a part. O'Donnell was a handy bowler who put the clamps on the middle of an opposition's innings and was a handy hard hitting number 7. But even though he never played one day cricket i would pick Miller as the all rounder batting at 7 in an all time Australian one day team. O'Donnell was good at one day cricket in his era but he doesn't stand out among those we've had since.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Gilly did a great job in India! :thumbup: :happy:
Micko
Roar Rookie
It's probably why we need to be more specific, and pick "greatest" teams to tour a selected country. Does Bradman make the Australia side tour India or NZ though?
Micko
Roar Rookie
O'Donnell was a mediocre player in a mediocre era of Australian cricket. Nothing like Miller at all. Testimony regarding Miller's greatness suffices in the same way it does for Trumper, who is the greatest opener Australia had.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Simpson & Hayden the back up opening batters.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Mine would be: Trumper Morris Bradman G. Chappell Border Miller Healy (best W/K: not considering batting) Warne Lillee McGrath O'Reilly *Steve Smith to potentially replace Chappell or Border at the end of his career. *Davidson & Lindwall as back up pacemen (and very handy lower order batsmen too!) *Grimmett the back up spin bowler *Gilly the backup keeper
Micko
Roar Rookie
And don't forget Steve Smith came in as a leg spinning allrounder. Although obviously never to the standard of Warne or O'Reilly.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Mr Rright .... I agree completely regarding Miller – the only difference between you and I is that I do not merely question his automatic selection but rather call it out completely as a case of the emperors’ new clothes for precisely the same reasons you cite. Miller came to be a great allrounder because in his own era he was consistently one of the best 6 batsmen in the country and simultaneously one of the best 4 bowlers. However, in the all-time scheme of things, he is neither and in this all-time scheme of things effectively becomes a bits and pieces player. As you say, it is farcical to leave out any of McCabe, Harvey, Walters, the Chappells, the Waughs, Border, Boon, Jones, Ponting, Martyn, Smith, Clarke, Hussey, (on potential based on early performance) Labuschagne and one or two others in favour of Miller who averaged 36. And we could list at least as many bowlers down the ages who would get picked ahead of him as bowlers. With the kind of attack we will have, we do not need a 5th bowler, and Gilly at number 7 averages more than 10 runs more than him as a batsman anyway. If Miller is going to be an automatic selection in an all-time test XI, then why didn’t Simon O’Donnell forge out a long test career? Because O’Donnell didn’t have the same run accumulation powers as the Waugh twins, both of whom could bowl, nor did his bowling have enough edge to displace the likes of McDermott, Reid and Hughes, none of whom could bat as well as O’Donnell. Like O’Donnell in his own era, if we were picking an all-time one day Aussie XI then Miller could be included as a very capable 5th bowler to bat at 7 with Gilly obviously opening. This makes sense for the balance and needs of a one day side where ‘bits and pieces’ players have more of a role to play. Obviously, I am not knocking the genuine greatness of Miller in his own era as a genuine all-rounder.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Not at all JGK, this assumed automatic inclusion of Keith Miller in an all time test XI is a classic case of the emperor’s new clothes: he is neither in contention for one of the six batting spots nor one of the four bowling spots, even though in his own era he was both. However, in the all-time greats scheme of things, he is effectively a bits and pieces player, behind (in terms of batting) Bradman, McCabe, Harvey, both Chappell’s, both Waugh’s, Doug Walters, Allan Border, Ricky Ponting, David Boon, Michael Clarke, Damian Martyn, Mike Hussey, Steve Smith, and yes probably even Dean Jones, and no doubt Marnus Labuschange by the end of his career. Need I list the bowlers down the ages that would be picked before him? If one was picking an all time World (test) XI, the only great allrounder that would get picked purely on his batting would be Gary Sobers, while Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee would be the only ones that would come anywhere near contention purely on their bowling, given I regard both Malcom Marshall and Wasim Akram as useful, even capable lower order batsmen rather than genuine allrounders. If we were picking an all time Aussie one day team, even allowing the inclusion of those that never played one day cricket, then Keith Miller would get picked to bat at 7 and would be an excellent 5th bowler, especially with Gilchrist, the keeper, opening the batting.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
— COMMENT DELETED —
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Not at all JGK, this assumed automatic inclusion of Keith Miller in an all time test XI is a classic case of the emperor’s new clothes: he is neither in contention for one of the six batting spots nor one of the four bowling spots, even though in his own era he was both. However, in the all-time greats scheme of things, he is effectively a bits and pieces player, behind (in terms of batting) Bradman, McCabe, Harvey, both Chappell’s, both Waugh’s, Doug Walters, Allan Border, Ricky Ponting, David Boon, Michael Clarke, Damian Martyn, Mike Hussey, Steve Smith, and yes probably even Dean Jones, and no doubt Marnus Labuschange by the end of his career. Need I list the bowlers down the ages that would be picked before him? If one was picking an all time World (test) XI, the only great allrounder that would get picked purely on his batting would be Gary Sobers, while Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee would be the only ones that would come anywhere near contention purely on their bowling, given I regard both Malcom Marshall and Wasim Akram as useful, even capable lower order batsmen rather than genuine allrounders. If we were picking an all time Aussie one day team, even allowing the inclusion of those that never played one day cricket, then Keith Miller would get picked to bat at 7 and would be an excellent 5th bowler, especially with Gilchrist, the keeper, opening the batting.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Interesting comments jeff (and from rowdy) . As far as captains go its probably steve waugh for me but he had a great team built by borders hard work in reality . Waugh Just gets the nod as he was probably more astute tactically and better people skills yet Waugh probably doesn’t make my side despite him being brilliant like border at getting the team out of so much trouble time after time. Border makes the team for his batting. It is true that chapelli was an excellent captain . Theres no way bradman doesn’t make the team although its true he didn’t get on with so many of the players (religion is said to have played a part in some of the angst back in those days , protestant v catholics clashed a bit from what I’ve been told it was always in the background) . I tend to think Ponsford and Bradman would almost be the openers in my side as they were such an amazing partnership that countered each other in style/technique and the ability to stay at the crease. Ponting bat first drop. Smith at 4 then AB (or chappell) at 5. then Keith Miller at 6 (Shading steve waugh who’s brilliant early bowling got marginalized by early and consecutive shoulder injuries) , then GIllichrist. Thats a formidable batting line up that could probably handle pitches and conditions all over the planet . My captain in that line up is probably Border in front of Bradman . That said in reality I’m not sure any would be brave enough to want to take the captaincy off bradman due to his record and the terror it would instill in the opposition. The truth is the side wouldn’t need much captaining with all of them out there and border would just get on with it . I like that that team is full of dogged fighters as well as high skill levels and many could play spin pretty well (needs further analysis though on that front and outside the realms of this thread) . One could name specific teams for melbourne and sydney pitches pre and post drop in pitches so I’m thinking of our best xv for all conditions really notwithstanding you’d have to think carefully about who would tour subcontinent in reality. Basically Indian spinners/batsman on subcontinent and West Indian pace attack of the late 70s/ early 80s is the only two situations that could trouble this australian XV and that batting line up is one that could cope with the west indian bowling in all likelihood, Indian spin and batsman in India would be the outlier in a result for me if the pitches were spinning rampantly