Composite XI's and hypothetical match-ups ...

[Zinzan]

Obviously a purely hypothetical thread, but I thought it would be interesting to look at and get opinion on combined sides and match-ups.

To start with, I'd like to get thoughts on a hypothetical Test series between a current composite England/NZ Vs composite SL/WI, firstly your combined teams & then the likely outcome. Lets assume its a 3 test series played at Perth, Sydney & Adelaide.

 

[Uppercut]

Strauss
Cook
Taylor
Pietersen
Collingwood
Oram
McCullum
Flintoff
Vettori
Sidebottom
Anderson

plays

Gayle
Warnapura
Sangakarra
M Jayawardene
Chanderpaul
Sarwan
P Jayawardene
Vaas
J Taylor
Murali
Mendis

I'd take SL-WI to win for sure. Two more solid batsmen and an aggressive opener to complement the top-class Sri Lankan bowling attack makes them the better team there IMO.

 

[_Ed_]

Never thought I'd say this, but O'Brien ahead of Anderson IMO.

 

[Uppercut]

On those particular pitches you may actually have a point.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Thought England and sheep would win, but looking at it SL/WI do have a fine middle order.

NZ/Eng:

Cook
Strauss (sorry, don't rate the NZ openers)
Flynn (for grit and no one has a no 3)
Pietersen (obv)
Collingwood
Taylor R
+McCullum (for wicketkeeping)
Vettori (for batting)
Flintoff
Anderson
O'Brien

picked the three best seamers. No pressure on Fred to perform with the bat.

SL/WI:

Gayle
Warnapura
Sangakkara
M Jayawardene
Chanderpaul
Sarwan
+P Jayawardene (neither side has a keeper who can bat)
Vaas (for batting mainly)
Taylor J
Muralitharan
Mendis

Would pick NZ/Eng as they have nine batsmen to SL/WI's four.

Edit: ROTFLMAO at Taylor at three.

 

[Uppercut]

Thought England and sheep would win, but looking at it SL/WI do have a fine middle order.

NZ/Eng:

Cook
Strauss (sorry, don't rate the NZ openers)
Flynn (for grit and no one has a no 3)
Pietersen (obv)
Collingwood
Taylor R
+McCullum (for wicketkeeping)
Vettori (for batting)
Flintoff
Anderson
O'Brien

picked the three best seamers. No pressure on Fred to perform with the bat.

SL/WI:

Gayle
Warnapura
Sangakkara
M Jayawardene
Chanderpaul
Sarwan
+P Jayawardene (neither side has a keeper who can bat)
Vaas (for batting mainly)
Taylor J
Muralitharan
Mendis

Would pick NZ/Eng as they have nine batsmen to SL/WI's four.

Edit: ROTFLMAO at Taylor at three.

*shrugs* better selection decision than Anderson ahead of Sidebottom itbt

 

[Magrat Garlick]

*shrugs* better selection decision than Anderson ahead of Sidebottom itbt

SB = Kasprowicz. Has no obvious weapon, has been lucky.

 

[Uppercut]

SB = Kasprowicz. Has no obvious weapon, has been lucky.

I struggle to think of an unluckier bowler in the history of the game...

 

[Goughy]

I struggle to think of an unluckier bowler in the history of the game...

Based on what? catches dropped or somerhing else? I hope going past the edge isnt factored into that statement.

 

[Uppercut]

Based on what? catches dropped or somerhing else? I hope going past the edge isnt factored into that statement.

Based mainly on having to play at a time when Matt Prior was behind the stumps in his prank-keeping phase during the India/Sri Lanka series. Why wouldn't you factor in beating the bat, out of interest?

 

[Goughy]

Why wouldn't you factor in beating the bat, out of interest?

I wouldnt for Sidebottom as he bowls the wrong length by about 2 feet too short. The balls do a little too much as they are pitched further away from the batsman.

Beating the bat when pitching nearly a yard further up is far more dangerous than what Sidebottom does. He gives the ball further distance to travel to the batsman and it appears to do more but in fact just goes earlier, as well as the chance for the batsman to make the tiniest adjustments.

Hope that makes sense. Im very tired at the moment. Basically Sidebottom often bowls the wrong length that flatters and makes the movement look considerable but isnt that dangerous.

 

[Uppercut]

I wouldnt for Sidebottom as he bowls the wrong length by about 2 feet too short. The balls do a little too much as they are pitched further away from the batsman.

Beating the bat when pitching nearly a yard further up is far more dangerous than what Sidebottom does. He gives the ball further distance to travel to the batsman and it appears to do more but in fact just goes earlier, as well as the chance for the batsman to make the tiniest adjustments.

Hope that makes sense. Im very tired at the moment. Basically Sidebottom often bowls the wrong length that flatters and makes the movement look considerable but isnt that dangerous.

Ah, yeah that's true. But he normally bowls inswingers to RHBs so too much swing doesn't come into beating the bat too much. The balls that beat the bat are generally either straight-on ones (his change-up delivery) or batsmen playing for more swing than there is (which sometimes happens when he does hit the perfect length, ironically).

What you say is more relevant for his bowling to lefties. I remember one spell in particular to Fleming in NZ where the ball was moving everywhere for him and he never found the edge.

 

[Athlai]

Strauss
Cook
Flynn
Pietersen
Taylor
Oram
McCullum + (keeper who thinks hes captain)
Flintoff (vc)
Vettori (c)
Sidebottom
O'Brien

12th man
Ryder

vs.

Gayle (vc)
Warnapura
Sarwan
Sangakkara +
M Jayawardene (c)
Chanderpaul
Bravo
J Taylor
Edwards
Murali
Mendis

12th man
Sarwan

Made Sanga's keep due to the fact the batting is strong enough to have him keep and bat.

 

[Matt79]

So the consensus seems to be Taylor > Bell, despite Bell having scored 2000 more runs, at a 9 run better average?

 

[BoyBrumby]

So the consensus seems to be Taylor > Bell, despite Bell having scored 2000 more runs, at a 9 run better average?

It's often not just the "how many", the "how" matters too.

Bell's maddeningly infuriating.

 

[Matt79]

Sure, and I understand these are people's personal selections, but its interesting that no-one apperas to agree with me that a decent but often infuriating is better than a player who flatters to deceive by appearing quality but rarely delivering. And for mine, the how many does matter when its difference between an average of 34 and 42....

 

[Matt79]

That said, maybe I should put my money where my mouth is an name a team, rather than simply throwing stones:

Strauss
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Oram
McCullum+
Flintoff
Vettori*
Sidebottom
O'Brien

vs

Gayle
Wanupura I guess
Sangakkara
Chanderpaul
Jayawardena
Sarwan
Bravo
P Jayawardene+
Taylor
Murali
Mendis

 

[Michaelf7777777]

England/ New Zealand XI

Strauss
Cook
Flynn
Pieterson
Collingwood
Oram
Flintoff
McCullum (+)
Vettori (*)
Southee
Sidebottom

West Indies/ Sri Lanka XI

Gayle
Jayasuria (Is his still around I don't know of any other Sri Lankan openners that haven't retired and Chattergoon is not up to the standard imo)
Sangakarra (+)
Chanderpaul
Jayawardena (*)
Sarwan
Bravo
J. Taylor
Malinga
Murali
Mendis

 

[Uppercut]

Sure, and I understand these are people's personal selections, but its interesting that no-one apperas to agree with me that a decent but often infuriating is better than a player who flatters to deceive by appearing quality but rarely delivering. And for mine, the how many does matter when its difference between an average of 34 and 42....

You're probably right, but i refused to have Bell anywhere my team. He's almost at the level of becoming one of the few players whose names i **** out. More puzzling for me was the selection of both Taylor and Flynn over Collingwood in some teams.

 

[Evermind]

Murai/Mendis + Chanderpaul/Sanga/Jayawar = TEH WIN for sure