**Official** 'My Current World XI' Thread

[Burgey]

Just wondering (and it's always a matter of opinion of ocurse) why so many people are putting Asif, Lee etc. in ahead of S Clark, given what he's done in his test career so far.

 

[Jono]

What has Stuart Clark done that Asif hasn't?

They both make my current XI by the way.

 

[Manee]

This would be my Test World XI with a few contreversial selections, each is justified though.

Hayden opening, he can take the attack to the bowlers, averages 53 in Tests and is a good batsman.

Karthik to be number two, he has not yet failed opening. He favours the full ball and is very cautious against the new ball but punishes the half volley. They say opposites attract and these two can make a good parnership. On his day, a good fielder too, ignoring his 4 dropped catches against Bangladesh.

Ponting will be number three and captain. He is a classy batsman and a brilliant number three batsman. No question about any other position considering in 67 matches he averages 67.95! A strong leader and a great batsman

Kevin Pietersen at number 4, he is, just an amazing batsman.

At five you can have the inspirational and classy if not a little slow in the field, Mohammed Yousuf. Since his conversion, he is a changed man and an amazingly consistant batsman.

Bravo in at six. He seems to love the game of cricket. More importantly, he can bat with an average of 32 and is a solid bowler and a top fielder to match.

Adam Gilchrist at number 7 and playing the role of wicket keeper. Two fifties and a hundred in the recent Ashes series as well as some proficient wicket keeping makes him the perfect wicket keeper batsman.

Number eight will be the firy, 90mph Andrew Flintoff. He is down the order because of my theory that he cannot bat and bowl well at the same time (he even said that in his autobiography) and I would rather his bowling.and maybe the odd fifty down the order. Duncan Fletcher would be proud, batting down to 8. He is also an exceptionally fast runner, great throw and safe pair of hands who can go anywhere in the field.

Number nine will go to the spinning option. I have sided with Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka. He spins the ball on any surface and a wicket is never far away. Sinply a fantastic bowler and now with the Doosra added to his repetoir, can take wickets against those who can fathom his massive amount of spin. I am not even going to look at current form because this man is the most consistant bowler there is.

Number 10 will go to the forgotten one of the 2007 Aussie Ashes win; Stuart Clark. A nippy medium pacer who can move the ball both ways off the pitch and is on the back of averaging 16 with the ball in the Ashes series and having taken 47 wickets in his 9 test matches so far. As an Aussie, he probably can field too

Number 11 can go to Mohammad Asif who for a long time I have rated as the best fast bowling prospect for the next 5-10 years. He averages 20 with the ball in his four test series and in the last took 19 wickets at just 18 against South Africa.

For all you lazy people who can't be bothered to read all that.

1. Hayden (Aus)
2. Karthik (Ind)
3. Ponting* (Aus)
4. Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
5. Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
6. Dwayne Bravo (WI)
7. Gilchrist+ (Aus)
8. Flintoff (Eng)
9. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri)
10. Stuart Clark (Aus)
11. Mohammad Asif (Pak)

 

[pasag]

Monty over Murali?

 

[Manee]

No

 

[ramkumar_gr]

This would be my Test World XI with a few contreversial selections, each is justified though.

Hayden opening, he can take the attack to the bowlers, averages 53 in Tests and is a good batsman.

Karthik to be number two, he has not yet failed opening. He favours the full ball and is very cautious against the new ball but punishes the half volley. They say opposites attract and these two can make a good parnership. On his day, a good fielder too, ignoring his 4 dropped catches against Bangladesh.

Ponting will be number three and captain. He is a classy batsman and a brilliant number three batsman. No question about any other position considering in 67 matches he averages 67.95! A strong leader and a great batsman

Kevin Pietersen at number 4, he is, just an amazing batsman.

At five you can have the inspirational and classy if not a little slow in the field, Mohammed Yousuf. Since his conversion, he is a changed man and an amazingly consistant batsman.

Bravo in at six. He seems to love the game of cricket. More importantly, he can bat with an average of 32 and is a solid bowler and a top fielder to match.

Adam Gilchrist at number 7 and playing the role of wicket keeper. Two fifties and a hundred in the recent Ashes series as well as some proficient wicket keeping makes him the perfect wicket keeper batsman.

Number eight will be the firy, 90mph Andrew Flintoff. He is down the order because of my theory that he cannot bat and bowl well at the same time (he even said that in his autobiography) and I would rather his bowling.and maybe the odd fifty down the order. Duncan Fletcher would be proud, batting down to 8. He is also an exceptionally fast runner, great throw and safe pair of hands who can go anywhere in the field.

Number nine will go to the spinning option. I have sided with Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka. He spins the ball on any surface and a wicket is never far away. Sinply a fantastic bowler and now with the Doosra added to his repetoir, can take wickets against those who can fathom his massive amount of spin. I am not even going to look at current form because this man is the most consistant bowler there is.

Number 10 will go to the forgotten one of the 2007 Aussie Ashes win; Stuart Clark. A nippy medium pacer who can move the ball both ways off the pitch and is on the back of averaging 16 with the ball in the Ashes series and having taken 47 wickets in his 9 test matches so far. As an Aussie, he probably can field too

Number 11 can go to Mohammad Asif who for a long time I have rated as the best fast bowling prospect for the next 5-10 years. He averages 20 with the ball in his four test series and in the last took 19 wickets at just 18 against South Africa.

For all you lazy people who can't be bothered to read all that.

1. Hayden (Aus)
2. Karthik (Ind)
3. Ponting* (Aus)
4. Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
5. Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
6. Dwayne Bravo (WI)
7. Gilchrist+ (Aus)
8. Flintoff (Eng)
9. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri)
10. Stuart Clark (Aus)
11. Mohammad Asif (Pak)

That is the best XI of this thread.

 

[Manee]

That is the best XI of this thread.

Thanks

 

[The_Bunny]

This would be my Test World XI with a few contreversial selections, each is justified though.

Hayden opening, he can take the attack to the bowlers, averages 53 in Tests and is a good batsman.

Karthik to be number two, he has not yet failed opening. He favours the full ball and is very cautious against the new ball but punishes the half volley. They say opposites attract and these two can make a good parnership. On his day, a good fielder too, ignoring his 4 dropped catches against Bangladesh.

Ponting will be number three and captain. He is a classy batsman and a brilliant number three batsman. No question about any other position considering in 67 matches he averages 67.95! A strong leader and a great batsman

Kevin Pietersen at number 4, he is, just an amazing batsman.

At five you can have the inspirational and classy if not a little slow in the field, Mohammed Yousuf. Since his conversion, he is a changed man and an amazingly consistant batsman.

Bravo in at six. He seems to love the game of cricket. More importantly, he can bat with an average of 32 and is a solid bowler and a top fielder to match.

Adam Gilchrist at number 7 and playing the role of wicket keeper. Two fifties and a hundred in the recent Ashes series as well as some proficient wicket keeping makes him the perfect wicket keeper batsman.

Number eight will be the firy, 90mph Andrew Flintoff. He is down the order because of my theory that he cannot bat and bowl well at the same time (he even said that in his autobiography) and I would rather his bowling.and maybe the odd fifty down the order. Duncan Fletcher would be proud, batting down to 8. He is also an exceptionally fast runner, great throw and safe pair of hands who can go anywhere in the field.

Number nine will go to the spinning option. I have sided with Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka. He spins the ball on any surface and a wicket is never far away. Sinply a fantastic bowler and now with the Doosra added to his repetoir, can take wickets against those who can fathom his massive amount of spin. I am not even going to look at current form because this man is the most consistant bowler there is.

Number 10 will go to the forgotten one of the 2007 Aussie Ashes win; Stuart Clark. A nippy medium pacer who can move the ball both ways off the pitch and is on the back of averaging 16 with the ball in the Ashes series and having taken 47 wickets in his 9 test matches so far. As an Aussie, he probably can field too

Number 11 can go to Mohammad Asif who for a long time I have rated as the best fast bowling prospect for the next 5-10 years. He averages 20 with the ball in his four test series and in the last took 19 wickets at just 18 against South Africa.

For all you lazy people who can't be bothered to read all that.

1. Hayden (Aus)
2. Karthik (Ind)
3. Ponting* (Aus)
4. Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
5. Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
6. Dwayne Bravo (WI)
7. Gilchrist+ (Aus)
8. Flintoff (Eng)
9. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri)
10. Stuart Clark (Aus)
11. Mohammad Asif (Pak)

No Hussey?

 

[Manee]

I considered him very much but...

Even though I understand he is a great batsman and player. He is not in for three reasons:

1. I did not want too many Australians
2. His recent form has not been magnificent
3. There is no viable room for him.

I know you will say to three, put him in instead of Bravo, but I feel that Bravo's fielding and bowling make up for his batting which is constantly improving. I see some real talent in Bravo, I used to be one of his critics saying he was not great but seeing him bat, he is a shining light in a bleak West Indian line up.

 

[pasag]

His most recent Test form has been pretty darn good tbh. Averaged 91.60 in the most recent Test series. You can't judge him on the WC/ODIs because it's a totally different format, end of story imo.

 

[Manee]

No end of story. Tell me who you would have him in for and I'll argue the case.

 

[silentstriker]

1. Hayden (Aus)
2. Karthik (Ind)
3. Ponting* (Aus)
4. Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
5. Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
6. Dwayne Bravo (WI)
7. Gilchrist+ (Aus)
8. Flintoff (Eng)
9. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri)
10. Stuart Clark (Aus)
11. Mohammad Asif (Pak)

There is a severe lack of talent in the world if a guy who has played like three innings is the second best opener in the world.

I'd go with:

1. Hayden
2. Hussey
3. Ponting
4. Dravid
5. Pieterson
6. Kallis
7. Gilchrist
8. Flintoff
9. Clark
10. Muralitharan
11. Ntini

I'd throw Asif in there, but I am not sure what his status is atm. My side bats very very well down to eight, which is important but still has three great fast bowlers (Clark, Ntini, Flintoff), one very good fast bowler (Kallis) and a very good spinner (Murali).

 

[pasag]

No end of story. Tell me who you would have him in for and I'll argue the case.

End of story about his recent form I meant, that his WC shouldn't be factored in as Test form. Reasons 1 and 3 you gave are perfectly fine.

 

[Manee]

There is a severe lack of talent in the world if a guy who has played like three innings is the second best opener in the world.

I'd go with:

1. Hayden
2. Hussey
3. Ponting
4. Dravid
5. Pieterson
6. Kallis
7. Gilchrist
8. Flintoff
9. Clark
10. Muralitharan
11. Ntini

I'd throw Asif in there, but I am not sure what his status is atm. My side bats very very well down to eight, which is important but still has three great fast bowlers (Clark, Ntini, Flintoff), one very good fast bowler (Kallis) and a very good spinner (Murali).

There is a severe lack of talent in the world if a guy who has played like three innings is the second best opener in the world.

Well, I believe that Karthik has something very special in the way he bats. Check the paragraph used to justify him. I also feel that Karthik will become a very good opener in the international game in the future.

As the saying goes, two good apples don't make a good pair. As the previous Super Series showed, partnerships mean everything. Langer and Hayden are fantastic together, one takes the attack to the bowlers, and the other waits for the bad ball to hit. I feel Karthik can be the latter. Hussey has a variable temperament which is good when finishing an ODI but I don't think it is great when starting a Test match with an attacking batsman. Hussey would likely instictavely attack (to take Hayden's lead) or shut up to balance things out, neither are ideal.

 

[Manee]

End of story about his recent form I meant, that his WC shouldn't be factored in as Test form. Reasons 1 and 3 you gave are perfectly fine.

Fair enough, we were just learning in English how groups of three make things more persuasive, but I guess with a cricket expert like you (still can't get over you spotting Flintoff's foot), you can't just chuck in one bogus reason.

 

[pasag]

Fair enough, we were just learning in English how groups of three make things more persuasive, but I guess with a cricket expert like you (still can't get over you spotting Flintoff's foot), you can't just chuck in one bogus reason.

Haha, I'm no expert and I think that was Goughy with Flintoff's foot. He is an expert on these things though.

 

[Manee]

Haha, I'm no expert and I think that was Goughy with Flintoff's foot. He is an expert on these things though.

My mistake, but you are quite the cricket expert yourself.

 

[pasag]

My mistake, but you are quite the cricket expert yourself.

Nah, I know a heap more than all my mates and I'd be an expert compared to them but some of the people here are brilliant when it comes to cricket and alot of the stuff I know I probably would have learnt from them tbh.

 

[GIMH]

I always end up sticking to many England players in these things, still I'll have a crack

Hayden
Cook
Ponting*
Yousuf
Pietersen
Hussey
Gilchrist
Flintoff
Clark
Ntini
Muralitharan

Haven't really looked at any sides so far, I'd imagine mine's pretty samey though

 

[Pup Clarke]

Why Gilchrist?. Sangakkara is the obvious choice.