The ATG World XI's game

[NUFAN]

Due to kyears polls that he's been conducting, I started thinking that on CW we always discuss the best XI's of all time or the players who just miss out. I want to spread the love and increase the list somewhat, well actually a lot. I've been mentioning in the All-Time XI openers thread, how it could be fun to create an exercise where we keep going after naming the All Time XI, we go onto the All Time A XI and B XI, C XI so forth until we have say 16 teams to create a simmed Test competition.

It could be run like the Euros, who have (for those who aren't familiar) groups of 4x4 2 teams progress per group and then quarters, semi and final. I don't have the capability of simming, but I'm sure someone will be keen for it.

We could have a few volunteers doing the 'battles' but for instance I might conduct the World A voting and ask for two opening bowlers first and would name a consistent list that kyear provided, plus a few additions suggested by others or myself.

Each category could run for an arbitrary time in this thread, where whoever wants to take part just nominates the players and discussion of the teams can take place in this thread, or perhaps another.

Sound okay or what? Joe already agrees and he's like worth 4 people so if a couple of others like the idea, lets do it..

 

[Jager]

I can't wait to see the simming results. Still not fully understanding the format though

 

[NUFAN]

I can't wait to see the simming results. Still not fully understanding the format though

Yeah its a little confusing but will be cool once we get the hang of it.

Basically kyear has done the World team for us. His team is currently hutton hobbs bradman tendulkar richards sobers gilchrist imran warne marshall mcgrath.

Then we would be onto the A team. I then conduct voting periods for people to Enter in there picks.

I would say: Name 2 opening batsman from the shortlist:
Geoffrey Bocott, Sunil Gavaskar, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Hanif Mohammad, Virender Sehwag, Herbert Sutcliffe, Victor Trumper, Barry Richards, Arthur Morris.

And I might include Hayden, Simpson, Anwar etc if I like.

I might also decide to conduct my two opening bowlers at the same time. People vote on those picks and the winners are now into the A team. After getting 11 players we move onto the b team and we continue to do this until we have all the teams and we add names to the shortlist when people suggest names or when the person conducting the rounds feel like it.

 

[Jager]

Yeah its a little confusing but will be cool once we get the hang of it.

Basically kyear has done the World team for us. His team is currently hutton hobbs bradman tendulkar richards sobers gilchrist imran warne marshall mcgrath.

Then we would be onto the A team. I then conduct voting periods for people to Enter in there picks.

Okay, so basically we pick our teams in the same format and style of kyear's poll, and as more and more players get selected, we exclude the previously picked players and continue from the remaining pool?

 

[NUFAN]

Okay, so basically we pick our teams in the same format and style of kyear's poll, and as more and more players get selected, we exclude the previously picked players and continue from the remaining pool?

Yeah basically. I would suggest if we have our 'shortlists' of about 15-20 for each category and we add a few whenever we take out selected players. Participants will let us know when we've overlooked some players, I am sure.

It could be a lengthy exercise, but I think we could get a team completed every 4 or 5 days and the SIM would be fun. Are there any categories where the winners are clear on Kyear's? I don't want to start one where the voting could change..

 

[smash84]

hmmm NUFAN I thought that we would nominate a pool of 200 players or so and then people vote for each team?

 

[NUFAN]

hmmm NUFAN I thought that we would nominate a pool of 200 players or so and then people vote for each team?

I feel as though some players will be overlooked if we just stick to a certain number for the entire game. I would suggest that we have a shortlist, but when people nominate there picks they advise me or whoever is running it to next round include x or y to the shortlist. No player will be completely overlooked this way.

I might start yeah? Perhaps do openers, batsman from 3 to 5 and wicket keepers all at the same time as they have clear winners in the ATG first XI.

 

[Jager]

hmmm NUFAN I thought that we would nominate a pool of 200 players or so and then people vote for each team?

Maybe we should create a google doc and us three add to it? We would probably need 20 openers, 60 middle order batsmen, 20 all rounders, 15 spinners (I am a huge fan of having two spinners in a side, they just aren't used in attacking ways like back in the days now...) and a 40+ pacemen... that sounds like a lot, but if we are to make a decent amount of teams, we'd need those numbers. I can do it by myself (I already have a decent list sorted into categories that I did during a lecture) if you want, too.

 

[NUFAN]

Maybe we should create a google doc and us three add to it? We would probably need 20 openers, 60 middle order batsmen, 20 all rounders, 15 spinners (I am a huge fan of having two spinners in a side, they just aren't used in attacking ways like back in the days now...) and a 40+ pacemen... that sounds like a lot, but if we are to make a decent amount of teams, we'd need those numbers. I can do it by myself (I already have a decent list sorted into categories that I did during a lecture) if you want, too.

I aim for 16 teams, so we need more than 20 openers overall. I am definitely happy for you both to add suggestions on players to add, but I feel having a shortlist of around 20 at a time for each category will be good, but like I said before, add new names to the list by popular demand when players get picked.

BTW, I said I would do batsman 3 to 5 at the same time as openers, I will NOT do this as people might want more aggressive middle order or defensive depending on the openers and vice versa.

 

[Hurricane]

Will it turn into 64 different poll threads though

A team opening batsman
A team middle order batsman
d team opening batsman thread
f team opening batsman thread
g team spin bowlers thread

Also - that aside - what will the simming do - the top teams should win?
is it to show the talents of under rated players.

Perhaps this needs its own forum.

 

[NUFAN]

Will it turn into 64 different poll threads though

A team opening batsman
A team middle order batsman
d team opening batsman thread
f team opening batsman thread
g team spin bowlers thread

Also - that aside - what will the simming do - the top teams should win?
is it to show the talents of under rated players.

Perhaps this needs its own forum.

It would have, but I think it's better to run it all in this thread similar to how battle of the members is run (perhaps have a team discussion thread too) to not clog up the voting.

The simming will just be for fun. Will any of the lower teams actually go well? I think people will start rooting for particular teams and having a knockout tournament will just add to it. If simming isn't your thing, it wont be interesting. I guess the aim is to acknowledge more cricketers instead of the same players over and over.

 

[Noble One]

Good idea. Will need a sub-forum as the volume of threads will choke CC.

 

[NUFAN]

Its not going to be a voting via polls though, this thread is going to be huge and one other thread needed for discussion and then a sim later on, so we don't particularly need a sub forum. I'll start it soon and I think it will work out well once people understand it fully.

 

[Jager]

Will it turn into 64 different poll threads though

A team opening batsman
A team middle order batsman
d team opening batsman thread
f team opening batsman thread
g team spin bowlers thread

Also - that aside - what will the simming do - the top teams should win?
is it to show the talents of under rated players.

Perhaps this needs its own forum.

We were discussing the use of standardised averages for the sims (not sure if that's possible, but I am hoping that it is). This should mean that the classics feature a little more prominently.

 

[NUFAN]

Okay so the first two categories I'm going to include this time are opening batsman and the wicket keeper as it seems clear who has made the world XI team from kyears' polls.

The World XI opening batsman: Jack Hobbs and Len Hutton
The World XI wicket keeper: Adam Gilchrist

The World A XI opening batsman shortlist (select two)
Dennis Amiss, Saeed Anwar, Geoff Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, WG Grace, Gordon Greenidge, Matthew Hayden, Desmond Haynes, Conrad Hunte, Sanath Jayasuriya, Archie McLaren, Bruce Mitchell, Hanif Mohammad, Arthur Morris, Bill Ponsford, Barry Richards, Virender Sehwag, Graeme Smith, Herbert Sutcliffe, Glenn Turner, Victor Trumper

The World A XI wicket keeper shortlist (select one)
Les Ames, Wasim Bari, Mark Boucher, Jeffrey Dujon, Farokh Engineer, Godfrey Evans, Andy Flower, Wally Grout, Ian Healy, Jackie Hendriks, Allan Knott, Rashid Latif, Rodney Marsh, Jack Russell, Kumar Sangakkara, Alec Stewart, Don Tallon, Clyde Walcott.

Please select two opening batsman and one wicket keeper. If you like, kindly mention some names that you feel deserve to be in the list when you make your selections. I don't necessarily agree that they are all of the best players in those positions, but I am certain that the 'World A XI' players should come from the lists above. I will keep this open for 48 hours at this stage and yes some players can feature in more than the one category.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Opening Batsmen

Greenidge

Gavaskar

Think these guys work well as a combination, Gavaskar allowed to bat at his own pace while Greenidge is more confrontational, and I'd expect to see Gavaskar score freely because of the pressure put on by the openers having to bowl to Greenidge, a la the Hayden/Langer partnership.


Wicketkeeper

Knott

I want my keeper in my teams, for as long as possible, to have been proper wicketkeepers. I'd have Knott ahead of Sangakkara or Flower because of this reason.

 

[Jager]

Openers:
Trumper
Gavaskar

Wicketkeeper:
Alan Knott

Gavaskar's dogged determination pairs well with Trumper's flamboyance. Gavaskar can handle extreme pace and Trumper's ability to score freely off all bowling on even the most difficult wickets is legendary. Knott because keeping in the most important thing for a wicketkeeper.

 

[NUFAN]

Love the explanations guys, keep them coming!

I forgot to mention if there is a clear winner, the voting might not go for the entire 48 hours.

 

[smash84]

I thought you didn't want it to rain on Kyear2's parade

@Jager.....I like your ideas....how old are you btw? I always get the feeling that you are in JBMAC's age group for some reason

 

[Blakus]

Sunil Gavaskar and Herbert Sutcliffe for the openers. Can call themselves the 'Unbreakables'

Alan Knott for keeper. I prefer Walcott, Flower and Sangakkara to play as batsmen so that's what I'll be picking them as.