Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Many of the world's top cricketers were born in December: Two were born on Christmas Day, and another on New Year’s Eve.
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Many of the world's top cricketers were born in December: Two were born on Christmas Day, and another on New Year’s Eve.
This is the most watchable team in the entire series, and one of the strongest. I’d travel far, and pay a lot, to see…
This team is stronger than the one for September, and arguably one of the best in the entire series. Whether batting or fielding, the…
While this month’s team might lack the batting strength of the August-born team of the month, a superb five-man bowling attack and outstanding captain…
Keen cricket followers will already know what this article is about, simply by its title. Seventy-five years ago, on Saturday 14 August 1948, the…
Following on from last month’s July-born World Cricket XI we move on to August. While arguably not as strong asJuly, it does boast one…
Another month, another team. This one is arguably stronger than the June-born Team of the month. Some all-time greats have again missed out on…
A few years ago I named twelve pairs of Australian and English teams, with each player eligible only for the side representing the month…
"He was relentless, a chill wind of antagonism blew from him on the sunniest day." Neville Cardus Sydney Francis Barnes was born 150 years…
Next week will mark the 50th anniversary of a memorable Ashes series. A soon-to-be-great Australian team was led by one their best ever captains,…
We armchair historians love picking fantasy teams. The best pre-WWI side, the greatest post-2000 eleven, and everything in between. The eras that we nominate…
Each player listed below has earned his place in this composite Australian team, with an outstanding Ashes performance at the Sydney Cricket Ground during…
Australia’s Colosseum has hosted many wonderful games against England. Each player listed below has earned his place in this composite Australian team, with an…
Adelaide Oval has hosted many wonderful Ashes matches - from 'Amazing Adelaide' in the 2006-07 series, all the way back to spinner Chuck Fleetwood-Smith's…
Adelaide Oval has hosted many wonderful Ashes matches - from 'Amazing Adelaide' in the 2006-07 series, all the way back to spinner Chuck Fleetwood-Smith's…
The Gabba has been Australia’s happy hunting ground since 1946, including 12 wins in Ashes contests. It has also been the location for four…
Seventy-five years ago this month, a historic series began. It included one of the most controversial incidents in Ashes history. That event occurred during…
This summer will mark the fiftieth anniversary of a significant tour, where the international matches were not granted Test and One-Day International status. Nonetheless…
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Playing all first-class and List A games exclusively at the WACA Ground, because the WACA owned it, developed a certain type of player and gave WA a huge home-ground advantage.
In contrast, the Government-owned SCG was unaffordable and often unavailable to the NSWCA, so it took its teams on the road, and during the past 40 years has hosted games at more than a dozen different grounds across metropolitan Sydney, regional NSW, and in Canberra.
Australia’s best domestic 50-over players – Western Australia
I was going to mention Brendan Julian also. Plus other domestic high-performers like Mike Veletta, Ian Brayshaw, Murray Goodwin, Simon Katich, Graeme Wood…
Australia’s best domestic 50-over players – Western Australia
Having an aggressive batsman-keeper from 1994/95 onwards, first Adam Gilchrist then Ryan Campbell, was a game-changer.
It took years for everyone else to catch up. Haddin had to wait in Canberra for Emery to retire at NSW. Berry, Seccombe, Hartley, Pilon, Crosthwaite, Ludeman etc couldn’t quite compare.
Australia’s best domestic 50-over players – Western Australia
Sunday 2 July- The Spirit of Cricket allegedly died, at Lord’s.
In memoriam: Notable sporting deaths of 2023 - saying goodbye to legends who’ve left us
Reflecting further on other early playing conditions that might have impacted individual statistics, even slightly-
60 overs per innings, 12 overs per bowler
red balls
more bouncers allowed ?
no fielding restrictions, and subsequently a minimum number of fielders in catching positions
no play under lights, and as a result predominantly 10am starts
greener pitches, compounded by 10am starts on pitches that had sweated under covers
no flat drop-in pitches
often poor lighting, when it was introduced
Paper giants? - how to rank the best ever ODI batsmen
Wars interrupted a few careers, extended careers partly due to much less demanding schedules as well-
Ironmonger- f/c debut 1909/10 aged 27, last match aged 53
Grimmett- f/c debut 1911/2 aged 20, last match aged 49
Mailey- f/c debut 1912/13 aged 26, last match aged 44
Don Blackie- f/c debut 1924/25 aged 42, last match aged 51
Bill O’Reilly- played until 1945/46
Ian Johnson- f/c debut 1935/36, played until mid-1950s
Doug Ring- f/c debut 1938/39
Colin McCool- f/c debut 1939/40
George Tribe- f/c debut 1945/46
Jack Iverson- old when made f/c debut 1949/50
Why Lyon should keep playing Tests into his roaring 40s - and Maxwell can keep white-ball berths as long as he wants
Getting a bit Ashes-centric, but-
Root’s Ashes record was 2 wins-10 losses. So no.
Ponting’s might have been 8 wins-6 losses, but take away the 2006/07 whitewash and it becomes 3-6. That’s ok, just a matter of personal preference.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
That’s a shame. There’s a market for the types of articles that matth, Tigerbill, you and I like to write. Niche admittedly, but it does exist.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Bumrah’s definitely in the touring party, and maybe by the end of his career he’ll be recognised as a great ?
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Agreed, I’d have at least 2 of them in my touring party.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Agreed matth,
But so random that 5 of the top 6 are Poms and in the side on merit, while Maclaren or Cowdrey wouldn’t have been out of place either.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
A great month for the birth of slow bowlers, as well as English batsmen. The different months are really random like that.
I have a soft spot for Doshi, as the first Test that I ever saw live was at the SCG in 1980/81. Unfortunately it was over in 3 days, he took 0/103 in an innings loss, and Patil got cleaned up by a Pascoe bouncer. But Patil bounced back with a magnificent ton in Adelaide, then Doshi took 5 wickets in a nail-biting win at the MCG.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Just ask Kerry O’Keeffe in NZ in 1976/77 ?
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Cheers Jammel,
Once the 12th and last one in the series drops next May, I’ll have to find another new theme.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
England’s record under May, and his own batting average when captain, were pretty good.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
3,140 Test cricketers, so on average 8 born each day of the year. The 29 Dec ones included-
David Boon
Travis Head
Brad Hodge
Bill Howell
David Gilbert
Saqlain Mushtaq
Syed Kirmani
Rodney Redmond
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Bee Gees were easier to boogie to ?
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Oct- published the day after submission, snuck it in just before WC started.
Nov- submitted it the day after the WC ended, published 3 days later.
Dec- published today, after submission yesterday, got it in before home Tests start.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Thanks, Rowdy.
Dougie of course had his career interrupted by National Service.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Ashes anniversaries: Chappelli’s Aussies and 16 wickets on debut
My piece on Chappelli’s first official Test series as captain
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
Fifty years on: Australia versus the Rest of the World, 1971-72
My piece on the Aussies of the early 1970s.
Team of the Month: A December-born World Cricket XI
If only we could objectively measure the value of fielding, running between wickets, and other less-tangible qualities.
Paper giants: Measuring ODI impact - bowlers, all-rounders and a best XI