FaaipDeOiad
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah I know. I'm just saying the overall voting came out with a pretty good side, but I think Kapil should get the all-rounders spot ahead of those voted in.roseboy64 said:
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Greatest Ever One Day XI
- Thread starter roseboy64
- Start date
Swervy
International Captain
well too many great players for me to choose from...so deffos for me though are Garner, Richards,Gilchrist,Murali,Akram and Deano.....but I will have a try at choosing an unbeatable team
1. Gilchrist
2. Tendulkar
3. Richards
4. D.Jones
5. Zaheer Abbas
6. C.Lloyd (c)
7. Flintoff
8. Akram
9. Pollock
10. Murali
11. Garner
thought about Anwar as well..but just cant get passed Sachin
A player I would love to have in there though is Lance Cairns...used to love watching him bat in ODI's
no doubt people will raise an eyebrow at Flintoff..well i dont care, he is good to watch...and as much as it annoys people, I think he is a great player.
Another player worth a mention is Martin crowe, he always impressed me
1. Gilchrist
2. Tendulkar
3. Richards
4. D.Jones
5. Zaheer Abbas
6. C.Lloyd (c)
7. Flintoff
8. Akram
9. Pollock
10. Murali
11. Garner
thought about Anwar as well..but just cant get passed Sachin
A player I would love to have in there though is Lance Cairns...used to love watching him bat in ODI's
no doubt people will raise an eyebrow at Flintoff..well i dont care, he is good to watch...and as much as it annoys people, I think he is a great player.
Another player worth a mention is Martin crowe, he always impressed me
Last edited:
at tec and at Colin's old thing of putting "aussie" in the post title every time! This one's going to be hard since there's a billion different combinations I could have...
1. Sachin Tendulkar
The greatest one-day player ever for me. Aside from the many games he won for India, inparticular stands out his form in 1998 when the Aussies just couldn't get him out. The one game where they did get him out he took five wickets or so as well. But there was one game where Australia produced a massive score, beyond 300 I believe, on a tough wicket, and Tendulkar produced a great century when he it looked like India would lose. He was just sensational.
2. Mark Waugh
I talked about different combinations didn't I? Gilchrist needs to make the team as the best one-day wicket kepper... yet Mark Waugh was the better one-day batsman. I'm sure many will disagree, but Waugh is one of the true underrated one-day batsmen. I can remember as far back as 1995/96 when Australia won and lost ODI's on how Waugh opener - at the time the Aussie batting was very poor with Taylor and Slater not quite firing in the shorter version of the game. But Waugh was sensational during that period and won games off his bat. He'll always be insanely underrated when it comes to his one-day legacy. One of the five best ODI batsmen ever.
3. Viv Richards
Richards, Tendulkar, Bevan and Akram are the easy choices. Richards massive 170+ score stands as one of the best ODI innings ever and the definitive Viv Richards "I just stole the game from you when you were in a good position" innings. Words can't articulate the dominance of that innings.
4. Dean Jones
While people praise Ponting and Gilchrist, and rightly so... Australia has some forgotten and underrated ODI greats. Cricinfo summed him up perfectly when it says Dean Jones wrote the book on how ODI cricket is player. Bevan took it further with his pacing... but Jones was brilliant. My favourite Dean Jones innings? There's a lot of them. One that stands out is Australia needing about 100 off 10 overs, which in those days was impossible, and still today very unlikely. This innings showed why Jones is an ODI legend as he invented all the great ODI shots... sprinting down the pitches, delicate sweeps etc... he was run out just as Australia looked home and they lost by one run to New Zealand. I can't speak for any Australians, but I think they've forgotten that once upon a time their entire one-day fate relied on the excitment and flamboyance of Jones. That's why Jones and Waugh are better ODI players than Ponting and Gilchrist... the team entirely relied on them as certain stages and they delivered. Look up Jones' stats at cricinfo and read the results of some of his matches... he seriously played some of the greatest innings' ever, and yet people forget him.
NOTE: Writing this makes me realise how many underrated ODI players there are...
5. Adam Gilchrist
You can pontificate where to bat him. Maybe he should open and Mark Waugh bat down here. I put Waugh as opener because he was mroe consistent and less likely to go out, and yet still make a good century. Gilchrist really needs no explanation, it's just where to play him.
6. Michael Bevan
Do I really need to explain why Bevan was so exciting? My favourite Bevan innings was against New Zealand not long ago when he was forced to bat with Brett Lee and the tail... Lee held up, but Bevan steered Australia home by finding so many twos in unlikely places. It really was the impossible innings... in fact while it wasn't the fastest innings (though it was fast) and didn't have big sixes and random shots that come off that are associated with most people's choice for best innings ever, it did have other things. For one it was done under the highest amount of pressure (it was a must win game for Australia). Two it was done at a great pace, when a run and ball was needed and still 150 required or so. It was done with the tail. Oh I could go on forvever but I'll stop.
7. Imran Khan
And he'd captain the side too! Like I said, there's no consensus one-day side, and there's a billion things to consider when talking about ODI's. The side needed an all-rounder so I picked him. But Imran was also a brilliant death bowler who introduced the concept of bowling yorkers at the death and introducing slower balls at the death. Such thinking had a massive impact on ODI cricket. As far as the death bowler goes, I'd have Khan and Garner.
8. Wasim Akram
Best one-day bowler ever. Nobody took so many damaging wickets at the start, and he did a good job near the end as well. My Wasim memories involve unplayable balls to England in the world cup. Oh poor Alan Lamb... he got what I considered the best fast delivery I've ever seen. As a kid watching the world cup he was scary... to move the ball like that was just insane. It was most important because as great as guys like McGrath are, McGrath can't do much with the ball near the end of the innings. Wasim could.
9. Alan Donald
One of the most underrated player. It was either him or Waquar Younis... I picked Donald because he was the crucial bowler upon South Africa's return. Waquar had Wasim, Donald was a star by himself when South Africa returned. Did anybody question how South Africa just came back into cricket and were awesome while their rugby team tok time to get back into international competition? Donald was the main reason. South Africa could have won the '92 world cup if not for bad luck. My memories of Donald were of a complete bowler who could do anything... yet he's never talked about. He has the highest percentage of top order dismissals in Test cricket, yet he's rarely discussed. That's sad.
10. Muttiah Muralitharan
This was a close one. I think Warne showed more of a champion quality in the important matches, like the last two games of the 1999 world cup. Just look at Warne's world cup records and you'll see he was immense. But you can't deny Murali for his longevity and consistency. I always liked it how Murali could bowl one ball and it would always go to the fielder behind square leg, like it was the only shot batsmen could play against him. It dries up runs. That's the best way to think of Murali in one-day cricket - while batsman can only play three shots to one delivery, a glance, a hard shot, a nudge etc, they often only could play one to Murali and it dries up runs.
11. Joel Garner
He's in there so he can bang in yorkers at the death. Duh.
12th man. Lance Klusener
Seriously... this man, at his best, was the best one-day player I have ever seen. Problem was if you blinked you missed his great form. An average of 40. Did you know that? A handy bowler too... people need to remember how scary he was in the 1999 world cup. He won games when SA were in terrible positions. I thought they'd lost to Pakistan in one game, Klusener came in and like Viv Richards, the game turned so quickly you hardly knew. Yes he stuffed up that world cup, but did people realise he came in when Australia finally had the ascendancy? He got SA back into it and nearly stole the game.
Concerning McGrath
I think most people would have McGrath in their all-time team. I think McGrath was a great ODI bowler... one of the best and he certainly crossed my mind. But truth be told he's been found lacking every once in a while because he doesn't have a great slower ball like Donald... and he never swung the ball like Akram... and at the death seamers can only do so much. Of course he could be accurate at the death, but if he was off he could get slogged. He's one of the best, make no mistake... but I just think he needed more variety to be in the team. Other bowlers I picked excelled at the death, got that new white ball talking and were genrally handy players. I'll also add that I think the team could use one more experienced spinner, so Warne was unlucky to miss out, as was Saqlain... pity there hasn't been a great spinning all-rounder to make my team look complete.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
The greatest one-day player ever for me. Aside from the many games he won for India, inparticular stands out his form in 1998 when the Aussies just couldn't get him out. The one game where they did get him out he took five wickets or so as well. But there was one game where Australia produced a massive score, beyond 300 I believe, on a tough wicket, and Tendulkar produced a great century when he it looked like India would lose. He was just sensational.
2. Mark Waugh
I talked about different combinations didn't I? Gilchrist needs to make the team as the best one-day wicket kepper... yet Mark Waugh was the better one-day batsman. I'm sure many will disagree, but Waugh is one of the true underrated one-day batsmen. I can remember as far back as 1995/96 when Australia won and lost ODI's on how Waugh opener - at the time the Aussie batting was very poor with Taylor and Slater not quite firing in the shorter version of the game. But Waugh was sensational during that period and won games off his bat. He'll always be insanely underrated when it comes to his one-day legacy. One of the five best ODI batsmen ever.
3. Viv Richards
Richards, Tendulkar, Bevan and Akram are the easy choices. Richards massive 170+ score stands as one of the best ODI innings ever and the definitive Viv Richards "I just stole the game from you when you were in a good position" innings. Words can't articulate the dominance of that innings.
4. Dean Jones
While people praise Ponting and Gilchrist, and rightly so... Australia has some forgotten and underrated ODI greats. Cricinfo summed him up perfectly when it says Dean Jones wrote the book on how ODI cricket is player. Bevan took it further with his pacing... but Jones was brilliant. My favourite Dean Jones innings? There's a lot of them. One that stands out is Australia needing about 100 off 10 overs, which in those days was impossible, and still today very unlikely. This innings showed why Jones is an ODI legend as he invented all the great ODI shots... sprinting down the pitches, delicate sweeps etc... he was run out just as Australia looked home and they lost by one run to New Zealand. I can't speak for any Australians, but I think they've forgotten that once upon a time their entire one-day fate relied on the excitment and flamboyance of Jones. That's why Jones and Waugh are better ODI players than Ponting and Gilchrist... the team entirely relied on them as certain stages and they delivered. Look up Jones' stats at cricinfo and read the results of some of his matches... he seriously played some of the greatest innings' ever, and yet people forget him.
NOTE: Writing this makes me realise how many underrated ODI players there are...
5. Adam Gilchrist
You can pontificate where to bat him. Maybe he should open and Mark Waugh bat down here. I put Waugh as opener because he was mroe consistent and less likely to go out, and yet still make a good century. Gilchrist really needs no explanation, it's just where to play him.
6. Michael Bevan
Do I really need to explain why Bevan was so exciting? My favourite Bevan innings was against New Zealand not long ago when he was forced to bat with Brett Lee and the tail... Lee held up, but Bevan steered Australia home by finding so many twos in unlikely places. It really was the impossible innings... in fact while it wasn't the fastest innings (though it was fast) and didn't have big sixes and random shots that come off that are associated with most people's choice for best innings ever, it did have other things. For one it was done under the highest amount of pressure (it was a must win game for Australia). Two it was done at a great pace, when a run and ball was needed and still 150 required or so. It was done with the tail. Oh I could go on forvever but I'll stop.
7. Imran Khan
And he'd captain the side too! Like I said, there's no consensus one-day side, and there's a billion things to consider when talking about ODI's. The side needed an all-rounder so I picked him. But Imran was also a brilliant death bowler who introduced the concept of bowling yorkers at the death and introducing slower balls at the death. Such thinking had a massive impact on ODI cricket. As far as the death bowler goes, I'd have Khan and Garner.
8. Wasim Akram
Best one-day bowler ever. Nobody took so many damaging wickets at the start, and he did a good job near the end as well. My Wasim memories involve unplayable balls to England in the world cup. Oh poor Alan Lamb... he got what I considered the best fast delivery I've ever seen. As a kid watching the world cup he was scary... to move the ball like that was just insane. It was most important because as great as guys like McGrath are, McGrath can't do much with the ball near the end of the innings. Wasim could.
9. Alan Donald
One of the most underrated player. It was either him or Waquar Younis... I picked Donald because he was the crucial bowler upon South Africa's return. Waquar had Wasim, Donald was a star by himself when South Africa returned. Did anybody question how South Africa just came back into cricket and were awesome while their rugby team tok time to get back into international competition? Donald was the main reason. South Africa could have won the '92 world cup if not for bad luck. My memories of Donald were of a complete bowler who could do anything... yet he's never talked about. He has the highest percentage of top order dismissals in Test cricket, yet he's rarely discussed. That's sad.
10. Muttiah Muralitharan
This was a close one. I think Warne showed more of a champion quality in the important matches, like the last two games of the 1999 world cup. Just look at Warne's world cup records and you'll see he was immense. But you can't deny Murali for his longevity and consistency. I always liked it how Murali could bowl one ball and it would always go to the fielder behind square leg, like it was the only shot batsmen could play against him. It dries up runs. That's the best way to think of Murali in one-day cricket - while batsman can only play three shots to one delivery, a glance, a hard shot, a nudge etc, they often only could play one to Murali and it dries up runs.
11. Joel Garner
He's in there so he can bang in yorkers at the death. Duh.
12th man. Lance Klusener
Seriously... this man, at his best, was the best one-day player I have ever seen. Problem was if you blinked you missed his great form. An average of 40. Did you know that? A handy bowler too... people need to remember how scary he was in the 1999 world cup. He won games when SA were in terrible positions. I thought they'd lost to Pakistan in one game, Klusener came in and like Viv Richards, the game turned so quickly you hardly knew. Yes he stuffed up that world cup, but did people realise he came in when Australia finally had the ascendancy? He got SA back into it and nearly stole the game.
Concerning McGrath
I think most people would have McGrath in their all-time team. I think McGrath was a great ODI bowler... one of the best and he certainly crossed my mind. But truth be told he's been found lacking every once in a while because he doesn't have a great slower ball like Donald... and he never swung the ball like Akram... and at the death seamers can only do so much. Of course he could be accurate at the death, but if he was off he could get slogged. He's one of the best, make no mistake... but I just think he needed more variety to be in the team. Other bowlers I picked excelled at the death, got that new white ball talking and were genrally handy players. I'll also add that I think the team could use one more experienced spinner, so Warne was unlucky to miss out, as was Saqlain... pity there hasn't been a great spinning all-rounder to make my team look complete.
Ash_A55
U19 Captain
How could anyone leave this guy out of thier team? He is the best ODI I have ever seen
There's enough talent for a second ODI team...
My 2nd best all time XI...
1. Saeed Anwar
One of the great one day batsmen and actually pretty forgotten when great ODI players are talked about. Shane Warne himself rated Anwar one of the best he's ever bowled to. Pakistan's opening has been an issue since the day this man retired.
2. Sanath Jayasuria
I think Jayasuria is overrated personally. Currently he may be the best ODI batsman in the world... and there've been other periods when he'd been up there as well. But he's also had periods where he was well off. His tally of ODI centuries is impressive, although he has played the most ODI's for any cricketer. I have no problem putting him in here... but he's not one of the ten best ODI batsmen ever. I also want to give a shout out to the underrated de Silva... now there's an underrated ODI batsman! He's be in my third side if I made one.
3. Ricky Ponting
Pretty much the ideal one-day number three.
4. Brian Lara
Maybe he's a little underrated in ODI's. He's played quite a few great ODI innings that have mutilated teams. I don't think he's as great an ODI player as, say, Ponting though.
5. Inzamam ul Haq
One of the true greats of ODI cricket. Very composed and he seems to effortlessly find singles in moments of intense pressure.
6. Andy Flower
I always thought his keeping sucked... but I guess he deserves to be in the ODI team.
7. Lance Klusener
Both Kapil Dev and Ian Botham were underrated ODI players, but I can't deny the greatness of Klusener. People talk about Symonds, Pietersen etc but Klusener is the hardest hitter of the ball I have ever seen.
8. Shaun Pollock
I'd say he's underrated. I was a bit trepidatious putting him in the team as I like a team with variety, rather than having someone in the same mould as McGrath. However, Pollock was an amazing ODI player, especially around 1998-1999 when SA were as good as any ODI team in the world. Handy for some extra runs near the end as well.
9. Shane Warne
What a champion of the 1999 world cup. SA had the game won, Wanr ecomes on and after nine overs he's taken 3-13 off 9 overs. He went for 14 off his last over courtesy of Paul Riefel dropping a catch... but it was the best one-day bowling performance I've ever seen, even if the stats show 4-29. No bowler deserves the word "Champion" more than Warne.
10. Waquar Younis
One of my favourites as a kid. I used to love the insane amount of swing he'd get and his yorkers were a thing of majesty. Maybe the best bowler of a yorker I've ever seen.
11. Glenn McGrath
Meh, I don't have to justify McGrath. We all know his line and length etc.
My 2nd best all time XI...
1. Saeed Anwar
One of the great one day batsmen and actually pretty forgotten when great ODI players are talked about. Shane Warne himself rated Anwar one of the best he's ever bowled to. Pakistan's opening has been an issue since the day this man retired.
2. Sanath Jayasuria
I think Jayasuria is overrated personally. Currently he may be the best ODI batsman in the world... and there've been other periods when he'd been up there as well. But he's also had periods where he was well off. His tally of ODI centuries is impressive, although he has played the most ODI's for any cricketer. I have no problem putting him in here... but he's not one of the ten best ODI batsmen ever. I also want to give a shout out to the underrated de Silva... now there's an underrated ODI batsman! He's be in my third side if I made one.
3. Ricky Ponting
Pretty much the ideal one-day number three.
4. Brian Lara
Maybe he's a little underrated in ODI's. He's played quite a few great ODI innings that have mutilated teams. I don't think he's as great an ODI player as, say, Ponting though.
5. Inzamam ul Haq
One of the true greats of ODI cricket. Very composed and he seems to effortlessly find singles in moments of intense pressure.
6. Andy Flower
I always thought his keeping sucked... but I guess he deserves to be in the ODI team.
7. Lance Klusener
Both Kapil Dev and Ian Botham were underrated ODI players, but I can't deny the greatness of Klusener. People talk about Symonds, Pietersen etc but Klusener is the hardest hitter of the ball I have ever seen.
8. Shaun Pollock
I'd say he's underrated. I was a bit trepidatious putting him in the team as I like a team with variety, rather than having someone in the same mould as McGrath. However, Pollock was an amazing ODI player, especially around 1998-1999 when SA were as good as any ODI team in the world. Handy for some extra runs near the end as well.
9. Shane Warne
What a champion of the 1999 world cup. SA had the game won, Wanr ecomes on and after nine overs he's taken 3-13 off 9 overs. He went for 14 off his last over courtesy of Paul Riefel dropping a catch... but it was the best one-day bowling performance I've ever seen, even if the stats show 4-29. No bowler deserves the word "Champion" more than Warne.
10. Waquar Younis
One of my favourites as a kid. I used to love the insane amount of swing he'd get and his yorkers were a thing of majesty. Maybe the best bowler of a yorker I've ever seen.
11. Glenn McGrath
Meh, I don't have to justify McGrath. We all know his line and length etc.
Evermind
International Debutant
Murali: 293 2652.2 10195 444 7/30 5/9 22.96 3.84 35.8 11 8
Warne: 194 1773.4 7541 293 5/33 4/19 25.73 4.25 36.3 12 1
Murali's better in every department. He's clearly the superior ODI bowler: no idea why Warne is favoured by so many people here.
And the whole "Warne is greatest spinner to have ever lived" is such bull****.
Warne: 194 1773.4 7541 293 5/33 4/19 25.73 4.25 36.3 12 1
Murali's better in every department. He's clearly the superior ODI bowler: no idea why Warne is favoured by so many people here.
And the whole "Warne is greatest spinner to have ever lived" is such bull****.
please, please don't start that again....
Beleg
International Regular
My second XI will look something like this,
M. Waugh
Lara
Abbas
Inzamam
Flower
Chris Cairns
Kapil Dev
Lance Klusener
Saqlain
Ambrose
McGrath
my first XI:
Saeed Anwar
Adam Gilchrist
Viv Richard
Sachin Tendulkar
Ricky Ponting
Michael Bevan
Pollock
Wasim
Donald
Murali
Lee/Waqar/Shoaib/Bond
In my opinion Saeed Anwar is the best pure opening batsman I have ever seen in ODI cricket. His timing was exquisite, he scored at an amazing clip without taking any risks or going the aireal route and he could play spinners as well as he handled the quickies. While he did struggle occasionally against the away swinger, and his strength at cuts and drives would often turn out to be the cause of his unmaking, there isn't anybody I can think of who was as good at piercing the inner circle off a moving ball.
Adam Gilchrist - first choice batsman wicket-keeper, edges out Andy Flower because it's impossible to fit Flower into the middle order without destroying the balance, and Flower wasn't an opener while Gilchrist is and an amazingly destructive one at that.
Viv Richard - I never saw him live, unfortunately, I was too young. However, I have seen video recordings and clips and I can understand why some people consider him the greatest ODI batsman ever. I love the effortlessness and the arrogance with which he could batter the ball, his presence on the pitch alone was a huge intimidating factor - his reputation preceeded him and he almost always delivered on that.
Sachin Tendulkar - The best batsman I have ever seen. Tendulkar in his prime was majesty, rhythm, beauty and grace incarnate. He made you fall in love with the art of batting, and his effectiveness is unquestionable.
Ponting - I'll be honest, I have always been baised against Ponting mainly because of the tendency of some people to sing his praises to saturn and further - but as a batsman alone, his ability is unmatched, as a pulverizing force, he is second only to Viv Richards, as a destructive stroke-player with a full arsenal of cricketing shots his application is currently unmatched in the world. He also possesses that 'presence' which to me is the sign of a great player - as long as he is on the crease or in the dressing room yet to come, you always feel Australia is going to win, no matter how bad the position might be for them.
Bevan - Ugly player but he just didn't know when to give up and clung to his wicket the way a drowning man clings to the last piece of floating wood. He knew how to adapt to any situation, modify his batting accordingly to the quality of the bowling and mode of his batting partner, form partnership and most importantly - keep the strike turning over.
Pollock - awesome ODI bowler, very effective lower order batsman and hitter. I have always believe that Pollock could have been a better batsman and he never realized his true potential, even taking that into account, there are very few people I can think of who I'd want to be on the strike more with thirty balls to go and six wickets down, and none of them are consistent or as good a bowlers as him.
And he can hit stylish sixes over cow corner.
Wasim/Donald/Murali - Wasim was the first player I picked when I thought of the team. His bowling prowess aside, his contributions with the bat at the end, a quickfire 20, 30, 40 was often the difference between defeat and victory.
Donald has to be the most under-rated bowler of current era. Murali's bowling stats speak for themselves.
Bond, Waqar, Shoaib and Lee are all great ODI strike bowlers and I cannot really differentiate between them.
On a flat track, I can actually see my second XI succeeding against the first one, Dev/Cairns/Klusener is easily the most destructive lower order I can think of. If Razzaq hadn't lost it as a bowler after his first few years than I could see him justifying a place ahead of Dev.
I realize the teams I have posted are a bit different from what I posted two years ago but back then I wasn't really sold on Ponting, and was a bit one-eyed about Lara.
M. Waugh
Lara
Abbas
Inzamam
Flower
Chris Cairns
Kapil Dev
Lance Klusener
Saqlain
Ambrose
McGrath
my first XI:
Saeed Anwar
Adam Gilchrist
Viv Richard
Sachin Tendulkar
Ricky Ponting
Michael Bevan
Pollock
Wasim
Donald
Murali
Lee/Waqar/Shoaib/Bond
In my opinion Saeed Anwar is the best pure opening batsman I have ever seen in ODI cricket. His timing was exquisite, he scored at an amazing clip without taking any risks or going the aireal route and he could play spinners as well as he handled the quickies. While he did struggle occasionally against the away swinger, and his strength at cuts and drives would often turn out to be the cause of his unmaking, there isn't anybody I can think of who was as good at piercing the inner circle off a moving ball.
Adam Gilchrist - first choice batsman wicket-keeper, edges out Andy Flower because it's impossible to fit Flower into the middle order without destroying the balance, and Flower wasn't an opener while Gilchrist is and an amazingly destructive one at that.
Viv Richard - I never saw him live, unfortunately, I was too young. However, I have seen video recordings and clips and I can understand why some people consider him the greatest ODI batsman ever. I love the effortlessness and the arrogance with which he could batter the ball, his presence on the pitch alone was a huge intimidating factor - his reputation preceeded him and he almost always delivered on that.
Sachin Tendulkar - The best batsman I have ever seen. Tendulkar in his prime was majesty, rhythm, beauty and grace incarnate. He made you fall in love with the art of batting, and his effectiveness is unquestionable.
Ponting - I'll be honest, I have always been baised against Ponting mainly because of the tendency of some people to sing his praises to saturn and further - but as a batsman alone, his ability is unmatched, as a pulverizing force, he is second only to Viv Richards, as a destructive stroke-player with a full arsenal of cricketing shots his application is currently unmatched in the world. He also possesses that 'presence' which to me is the sign of a great player - as long as he is on the crease or in the dressing room yet to come, you always feel Australia is going to win, no matter how bad the position might be for them.
Bevan - Ugly player but he just didn't know when to give up and clung to his wicket the way a drowning man clings to the last piece of floating wood. He knew how to adapt to any situation, modify his batting accordingly to the quality of the bowling and mode of his batting partner, form partnership and most importantly - keep the strike turning over.
Pollock - awesome ODI bowler, very effective lower order batsman and hitter. I have always believe that Pollock could have been a better batsman and he never realized his true potential, even taking that into account, there are very few people I can think of who I'd want to be on the strike more with thirty balls to go and six wickets down, and none of them are consistent or as good a bowlers as him.
And he can hit stylish sixes over cow corner.
Wasim/Donald/Murali - Wasim was the first player I picked when I thought of the team. His bowling prowess aside, his contributions with the bat at the end, a quickfire 20, 30, 40 was often the difference between defeat and victory.
Donald has to be the most under-rated bowler of current era. Murali's bowling stats speak for themselves.
Bond, Waqar, Shoaib and Lee are all great ODI strike bowlers and I cannot really differentiate between them.
On a flat track, I can actually see my second XI succeeding against the first one, Dev/Cairns/Klusener is easily the most destructive lower order I can think of. If Razzaq hadn't lost it as a bowler after his first few years than I could see him justifying a place ahead of Dev.
I realize the teams I have posted are a bit different from what I posted two years ago but back then I wasn't really sold on Ponting, and was a bit one-eyed about Lara.
SpinnaInATurban
Cricket Spectator
Anybody who didn't put Jayasuria, Afridi and Dhoni in their sides as the first three names on the team sheet, is a turd of monumental proportions.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
