Roar Rookie
Joined April 2020
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Historical Cricket
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Selecting any all time cricket XI is a very difficult task. The way the game has changed and evolved over its time, makes comparing…
Not sure either of these 2 would make the 3rd XI let alone the 1st.
Pick The Roar's greatest Ashes XI of all time: James Anderson vs Mitchell Johnson
Would like to see Barnes and Spofforth, but I doubt it
Pick The Roar's greatest Ashes XI of all time: Glenn McGrath vs Pat Cummins
Indeed, Bardsley was past his prime and not the same player he was before the War – aside from that one magnificent innings. I’ve read that many of the people who saw him thought he was Morris’ superior. Although he had most of his successes against a weaker South African side.
Interesting stuff about Armstrong being much better after the War considering his age – 40 when the War ended.
All-time Australian Test XI
Gilchrist easiest choice so far, but I think its outrageous that Knott isn’t the other choice; the best gloveman we’ve ever seen.
Pick The Roar's greatest Ashes XI of all time: Adam Gilchrist vs Ian Healy
Sheek,
Trumper is very interesting. If we go off stats alone then obviously he has no right to be valued this highly as others in the great Australian side before the War averaged more then he did: Hill; Bardsley etc.
It’s also true that he was probably wasted opening the innings because of his style of play, by all accounts he just went out there and played aggressively to every ball they threw at him, which as we know is bound to have more success coming in down the order. But he always preferred opening and also opened for NSW I believe.
For me we have no choice but to believe the legend, all these great players who played with him like Monty Noble and Warwick Armstrong said he was ahead of his time and by far the greatest batsman they’d ever seen.
So I agree he could be picked anywhere in the batting order, but in terms of a greatest XI, I think he’s greater than Hayden, Simpson, Morris, Bardsley etc. But maybe not quite as great as Bradman and Chappell. But I agree, in my eyes he’s one of the great mysteries.
Interesting stats for the openers, I’d like to see Warren Bardsley’s stats before the War vs after it? I think he should be in the conversation.
Cheers
All-time Australian Test XI
Great read Paul,
as a young man I unfortunately never had the opportunity of watching the great quicks of the 20th century live. I always loved watching Shane Bond for the Kiwis, Flintoff tear through the Aussies on his day (pom fan) and of course Shoaib Akhtar. My view from everything I’ve read and seen from the past is that Marshall was the greatest of all the quicks, do you agree?
Overseas fast bowlers I could watch all day
Indeed, many calls for ‘Tiger’ but Spofforth was the first great bowler. If anything I’d drop McGrath, but it would depend on the wicket
All-time Australian Test XI
great team,
As with others on here I think Wasim Bari is a must. Far and away Pakistan’s greatest wicketkeeper and I think with today’s emphasis on keeper’s being able to bat, Bari would’ve worked a lot harder on his batting to be able to occupy the number 7 position. Hard to argue elsewhere, Fazal Mahmood is a touh omission though.
My all-time Pakistan Test XI
Thanks Bill,
good point about the right/left hand combinations, but I think its a luxury rather than a necessity, and wouldn’t play a left hander just for that reason. Very tough picking between Hayden and Simpson though, Simpson was also a brilliant slips catcher and captain.
All-time Australian Test XI
Thanks Sheek,
a forgotten fact about Spofforth was that he could either bowl very fast or turn the ball to great effect, said to be unplayable on the wet uncovered pitches, so for me he’s greater than O’Reilly and can provide the variation that O’Reilly would bring. I like your 2nd and 3rd XI’s however I’d pick Jack Blackham as keeper for the seconds, and perhaps Monty Noble in the 3rds?
All-time Australian Test XI
Thanks Paul,
Sid Barnes was no doubt a tremendous player hampered by the War, but in a second XI I’d go with Hayden and one of Arthur Morris or Warren Bardsley. Ponting, Border, Waugh, Macartney, Harvey, Stan McCabe and Clem Hill are all in the debate for the middle order, and Monty Noble as a potential all rounder. Behind the stumps I’d go for the first great wicketkeeper Jack Blackham. Davidson, O’Reilly and Lindwall would certainly make up 3 of the 4 bowlers, with Thommo or a spinner – Turner, Benaud or Grimmett. As you go deeper and deeper into teams the debates are endless
All-time Australian Test XI
I’d put sir Len above Sutcliffe
Pick The Roar's greatest Ashes XI of all time: James Anderson vs Mitchell Johnson