Playing selector: Lets pick the best test XI of different eras

[oz_fan]

1877-1940 Test XI

Here is the final XI.
1. Jack Hobbs
2. Herbert Sutcliffe
3. Don Bradman*
4. Wally Hammond
5. George Headley
6. Aubrey Faulkner
7. Les Ames+
8. Harold Larwood
9. Bill O'Reilly
10. Fred Spofforth
11. Sydney Barnes

12th man: Victor Trumper (he got a large number of votes for several positions and was unlucky to miss out on the team)
Coach: Douglas Jardine
Manager WG Grace
I've given Bradman the captaincy but I'm happy to change it someone makes a case for Hammond or someone else in the team.

Thanks to everyone who voted. I'll start the all-time XI (using both this team and the 1940 onwards team) over the weekend.

 

[neville cardus]

Awesome side, that.

 

[Perm]

Here is the final XI.
1. Jack Hobbs
2. Herbert Sutcliffe
3. Don Bradman*
4. Wally Hammond
5. George Headley
6. Aubrey Faulkner
7. Les Ames+
8. Harold Larwood
9. Bill O'Reilly
10. Fred Spofforth
11. Sydney Barnes

12th man: Victor Trumper (he got a large number of votes for several positions and was unlucky to miss out on the team)
Coach: Douglas Jardine
Manager WG Grace
I've given Bradman the captaincy but I'm happy to change it someone makes a case for Hammond or someone else in the team.

Thanks to everyone who voted. I'll start the all-time XI (using both this team and the 1940 onwards team) over the weekend.

Excellent side.

 

[archie mac]

Like they say, it is easy to argue who is not in the side, but it is hard to argue who to leave out

 

[pasag]

Awesome XI, top stuff oz_fan.

 

[Matt79]

Looks to be an awesome, really well balanced side.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Yeah, the best side so far imo. Although I would change the captaincy from Bradman to Hammond for reasons I explained earlier.

 

[Goughy]

Nah, I wouldnt have Hammond as captain. Far too moody and difficult for guys to get along with. Apart from being aloof and having an ever changing personality his lifestye choices may also not endear him to certain teammates either. He was a rumoured to be womaniser, a heavy drinker and reputed (but unproven) to have had syphilis.

Not the right man for the job for a number of reasons and thats before you take into account his overall poor record as England captain (only won 4 out of 20 tests and 3 of them were againt the 'weaker' teams).

 

[PhoenixFire]

Bradman was supposedly a poor man-manager as well. Many players who played under his rule said that they couldn't care less how good he was, and that he was a bad captain.

 

[Goughy]

Bradman was supposedly a poor man-manager as well. Many players who played under his rule said that they couldn't care less how good he was, and that he was a bad captain.

At least the Don was consistent and wasn't a 'bit funny'. Hammond was up one min and down the next and all over the place emotionally.

Good or bad, like him or loathe him, you knew where you stood with Bradman and you respected him as a player. Call it officer mentality but the troops dont have to like you, they just have to follow you.

Bradmans record was also exceptional though it did help that he had Bradman in the team.

Bradman may not have been the most popular guy but Hammod was a wildcard.

 

[oz_fan]

Here is a list of contenders for the greatest All Time Test XI based on the selections for the 1877-1940 and 1946-Present teams. I have used the cricketer's career stats and not just their stats for the time period they were selected in.

Openers
Batsman Mat Inn NO Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50
Jack Hobbs - 61 102 7 5410 211 187 187 56.94 15 28
Herb Sutcliffe - 54 84 9 4555 194 176 161 60.73 16 23
Sunil Gavaskar - 125 214 16 10122 236* 221 220 51.12 34 45
Len Hutton - 79 138 15 6971 364 206 205 56.67 19 33

Batsmen
Batsman Mat Inn NO Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50
Don Bradman - 52 80 10 6996 334 304 299* 99.94 29 13
Wally Hammond - 85 140 16 7249 336* 251 240 58.45 22 24
George Headley - 22 40 4 2190 270* 223 176 60.83 10 5
Viv Richards - 121 182 12 8540 291 232 208 50.23 24 45
Sachin Tendulkar - 137 220 23 10922 248* 241* 217 55.44 37 43
Brian Lara - 131 232 6 11953 400* 375 277 52.88 34 48
Gary Sobers - 93 160 21 8032 365* 226 198 57.78 26 30

Wicketkeepers
W/Keeper Matches Runs HS Average 100 50 Ct St Dis/T
Les Ames - 47 2434 149 40.56 8 7 6 74 23 2.06
Adam Gilchrist - 90 5353 204* 48.66 17 24 344 37 4.23

Allrounders
All Rounder Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50 W BB BowlAv 5w
Aubrey Faulkner - 24 2180 204 40.74 4 8 82 7/84 26.58 4
Gary Sobers - 93 8032 365* 57.78 26 30 235 6/73 34.03 6

Bowlers
Bowler mat wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 5w 10w Wkt/Test
Harold Larwood - 21 78 6/32 10/124 28.35 2.67 63.7 4 1 3.715
Bill O'Reilly - 27 144 7/54 11/129 22.59 1.94 79.6 11 3 5.333
Fred Spofforth - 18 94 7/44 14/90 18.41 2.48 44.52 7 4 5.222
Sydney Barnes - 27 189 9/103 17/159 16.43 2.36 41.65 24 7 7
Malcom Marshall - 81 376 7/22 11/89 20.94 2.68 46.76 22 4 4.64
Shane Warne - 145 708 8/71 12/128 25.41 2.65 57.49 37 10 4.88
Muttiah Muralitharan -110 674 9/51 16/220 21.73 2.39 54.45 57 19 6.1272
Glenn McGrath -124 563 8/24 10/27 21.64 2.49 51.95 29 3 4.54

 

[Perm]

I already have the majority of my All Time XI sorted, just a few contentious spots amongst the bowlers and middle order. When are we going to start selecting?

 

[oz_fan]

I already have the majority of my All Time XI sorted, just a few contentious spots amongst the bowlers and middle order. When are we going to start selecting?

Later today I'll start the voting for the opening batsmen and opening bowlers.

 

[Perm]

Excellent mate.

 

[adharcric]

Great work oz_fan.

 

[bagapath]

Great work oz_fan.

yeah oz-fan. good job mate. nice to see the team shaping up so well whenever i manage to log in these days. i am sure the all time xi is going to have some interesting debates.

 

[JBH001]

Here is the final XI.
1. Jack Hobbs
2. Herbert Sutcliffe
3. Don Bradman*
4. Wally Hammond
5. George Headley
6. Aubrey Faulkner
7. Les Ames+
8. Harold Larwood
9. Bill O'Reilly
10. Fred Spofforth
11. Sydney Barnes

12th man: Victor Trumper (he got a large number of votes for several positions and was unlucky to miss out on the team)
Coach: Douglas Jardine
Manager WG Grace
I've given Bradman the captaincy but I'm happy to change it someone makes a case for Hammond or someone else in the team.

Thanks to everyone who voted. I'll start the all-time XI (using both this team and the 1940 onwards team) over the weekend.

Whoa! Thats a great side!
(even though Rhodes didnt make it, ah well )

A powerful side indeed, especially the batting!

Great work Oz_Fan, muchos gracias.

Btw, DB is the best choice for skipper.

 

[JBH001]

46 - 06

1. Sunil Gavaskar
2. Len Hutton
3. Viv Richards
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Brian Lara
6. Gary Sobers
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Malcom Marshall
9. Shane Warne
10. Muttiah Muralitharan
11. Glenn McGrath

vs

77 - 39

1. Jack Hobbs
2. Herbert Sutcliffe
3. Don Bradman*
4. Wally Hammond
5. George Headley
6. Aubrey Faulkner
7. Les Ames+
8. Harold Larwood
9. Bill O'Reilly
10. Fred Spofforth
11. Sydney Barnes

---

Who do you reckon would win? I think the 77 - 39 side might just shade it...

 

[Perm]

The 77-39's batting lineup takes the cake for me.

 

[silentstriker]

Dunno, I like the bowling lineup of 46-06 better. And I think they would win the match fairly comfortably if it werent for Bradman. As it is, they would still win but it would be closer.