GOLDEN PAIRS:Choose your favourite pairs to battle with each other

[bagapath]

Cricinfo magazine has this interesting section in which cricketers and journalists choose the "Golden pairs" they would like to watch play cricket forever. If you were to watch a pair of batsmen and a couple of bowlers engaged in a crickleting battle for eternity who would you choose?

Here is my take:

I want all four cricketers to be entertainers. But they should be of the classical mode - no brainless hitting or bouncing.

They should be stylish; aesthetically beautiful to watch. They should be attacking bowlers and fast scoring batsmen. Yet, they should be technically so strong to be able to revert to restrictive bowling and defensive batting if situation demanded.

All four should be able to dominate the game with their supreme talents. They should also be able to play in different conditions with success.

I am personally also looking for variety. Left Vs Right. Pace and Spin.

Finally, I want to see all the various cricketing styles coming together. West Indian flair, Asian magic, English orthodoxy and Aussie aggression.

I choose Wasim Akram and Shane Warne to bowl to Dennis Compton and Sir Garfield Sobers.

Though I haven't seen these two batsman play, reading about them makes me believe they would have played aggressive, stylish and intelligent cricket. The two bowlers I have chosen are masters of their art who could do anything with a cricket ball in hand. I can watch these four champions play cricket forever.

 

[Goughy]

Well as a kid I was obsessed by Bodyline so Bradman and Larwood would have to be 2. Then after that there is no one person that springs into mind.

The 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s period never really interested me that much compared to pre-war cricket and I watched cricket after that so Im not sure I would waste my pick on someone I saw play.

Ive never really been into hero worship, but the cricketer I liked the most growing up was Geoff Boycott so Id probably include him.

Also Verity took 10-10 and when I used to net there were pictures and profiles of him all over the walls.

Subject to Change

Larwood and Verity bowling to Boycott and Bradman.

Strange that given the whole of history I picked 3 that have played in the same game. T'was not planned that way.

 

[chooka_nick]

Imagine this: Jack Iverson and Bill O'Reilly bowling to Sachin Tendulkar and WG Grace.
Two VERY different spinners to two immortal batsmen. How good a day could you have?

 

[howardj]

Current Players - Warne and Flintoff bowling to Ponting and Kallis.

 

[FRAZ]

Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar bowling to Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (beat that)

 

[GIMH]

Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar bowling to Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (beat that)

Oh dear Franz. Why put the (beat that) because it can and will be so easily beaten. Do you honestly think Younis and Akhtar cannot be beaten? Or Dhoni?!?!?!?!?!

 

[FRAZ]

Ok then Shoaib Akhtar and Dennis (Offensives )
Michael Vaughn and Sir Viv Richards (Butchers of Offensives)

 

[Bob Bamber]

Warne and Lee to Afridi and Pietersen. See if the two batsmen can stand the pressure.

 

[Sanz]

Chandra & Murali Bowling to Ponting and Inzamam

 

[Fusion]

(This is not based on who I think the top two batsman/bowlers are, just who I would LIKE to see)

Dennis Lillee and Imran Khan bowling to Viv Richards and Sachchin Tendulkar

 

[Jono]

Oh dear Franz. Why put the (beat that) because it can and will be so easily beaten. Do you honestly think Younis and Akhtar cannot be beaten? Or Dhoni?!?!?!?!?!

Better question... why reply?

Anyway mine would be:

Shane Warne & Malcolm Marshall bowling to Viv Richards & Sir Don.

 

[GIMH]

Better question... why reply?

Anyway mine would be:

Shane Warne & Malcolm Marshall bowling to Viv Richards & Sir Don.

The (beat that) just wound me up a little teeny bit

 

[Jono]

You gotta take Fraz as he comes I guess.

 

[GIMH]

True, true. From what I understand, most of you are used to him, but he's all new to me

 

[Sanz]

He is like the Great Man Shoaib Akhtar. You can never get used to him, You never know when he will come up with a 100 mph one or a slower one ( ) .

 

[Fusion]

He is like the Great Man Shoaib Akhtar. You can never get used to him, You never know when he will come up with a 100 mph one or a slower one ( ) .

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'd be tempted to go with some of the greats of yore who had their salad days before moving pictures. WG Grace & SF Barnes would be the two I'd most like to see. Then I think I'd go for Waqar Younis & BC Lara as they're my favourite bowler & batter respectively.

 

[Swervy]

I'd be tempted to go with some of the greats of yore who had their salad days before moving pictures. WG Grace & SF Barnes would be the two I'd most like to see. Then I think I'd go for Waqar Younis & BC Lara as they're my favourite bowler & batter respectively.

thats twice today I have read the term 'salad days'

 

[Swervy]

Hadlee and Warne bowling at Richards and Pietersen

 

[Sanz]

Are we playing a Double Wicket Tournament or just two bowlers bowling their *** off all day to two batsmen ? I think at the end of the day we wont be able to differentiate between the bowlers and batsmen.