Lets play selector-selector !!

[SJS]

Here is another problem.

I have an al time Test side in batting order as under.

1. Hobbs (opener)
2. Hutton (opener)
3. Bradman (middle order bat)
4. Richards (middle order bat)
5. Sobers (Batting all rounder)
6. Miller (Batting all rounder)
7. Imran (Bowling all rounder)
8. Mankad (Bowling all rounder)
9. Hadlee (Bowling all rounder)
10. Benaud (Bowling all rounder)
11. Bob Taylor/Duckworth/Tallon/Healy (keeper)

IMPORTANT NOTE:- The four specialist keepers are mentioned at number eleven because people do not agree on who is the best specialist keeper of all time. I could have made the list larger. You must assume that they arent much of batsmen (hence the number eleven spot) and that the best among them 'behind the stumps' is the one you will be replacing if you want to bring in a batting keeper.

Great side of course. Very deep in batting and plenty of bowling options.

Here is the list of reserves...
Openers :-

• Barry Richards
• Sunil Gavaskar
• Herbert Sutcliffe
• Victor Trumper

Middle Order :-

• George Headley
• Sachin Tendulkar
• Hammond
• Brian Lara

Pacers :-

• SF Barnes
• Malcolm Marshall
• Glen McGrath
• Dennis Lillee

Spinners :-

• Shane Warne
• Murali
• Grimmett
• Oreilly

Plus all the wicket keepers in the world except those named at number 11 in the side above.

You are allowed to make just one change in the side. What change will you make?

Name the person you will remove and the player you will put in his place and give reasons why.

 

[Fusion]

Since I’m only limited to one replacement, I just know that I would want to get Viv Richards in the side. So the question becomes whom do I replace to make that possible? The obvious option would be to replace someone from the middle order. Bradman is untouchable, so that would leave Sobers and Hammond. Since Sobers is, IMO, the most complete player to ever put on the whites he can’t be axed either. So that leaves Hammond. I’m debating whether to truly axe him or go another rout. For example, I can keep both Hammond and Viv and take out Miller. Leaves me light on bowling, but I have plenty of all-rounders to compensate. Actually that sounds good. I’m taking out Miller and putting in Sir Viv.

 

[Ikki]

I reckon the biggest improvements to be made are in the batsman/WK role or a specialist spinner. I'd pick Warne for Mankad who is probably the weakest all-rounder.

 

[SJS]

Since I’m only limited to one replacement, I just know that I would want to get Viv Richards in the side. So the question becomes whom do I replace to make that possible? The obvious option would be to replace someone from the middle order. Bradman is untouchable, so that would leave Sobers and Hammond. Since Sobers is, IMO, the most complete player to ever put on the whites he can’t be axed either. So that leaves Hammond. I’m debating whether to truly axe him or go another rout. For example, I can keep both Hammond and Viv and take out Miller. Leaves me light on bowling, but I have plenty of all-rounders to compensate. Actually that sounds good. I’m taking out Miller and putting in Sir Viv.

Good.

Tell me if Viv was already in the side (lets say in place of Hammond), what would you have done?

 

[The Sean]

IMO Mankad is the one who has to go - a wonderful cricketer, no doubt, but for mine he comes a clear 11th in that list. Furthermore he's not essential to the balance or the quality of the side - the team bats more than deep enough as it is and his bowling, while good, isn't All Time material. The strength in depth of the batting means that it's a bowler who has to come in, and I'm still deciding on whether it would be Marshall or Warne. I guess it would depend on the opposition and conditions as to which way I went on that one.

 

[The Sean]

Since I’m only limited to one replacement, I just know that I would want to get Viv Richards in the side. So the question becomes whom do I replace to make that possible? The obvious option would be to replace someone from the middle order. Bradman is untouchable, so that would leave Sobers and Hammond. Since Sobers is, IMO, the most complete player to ever put on the whites he can’t be axed either. So that leaves Hammond. I’m debating whether to truly axe him or go another rout. For example, I can keep both Hammond and Viv and take out Miller. Leaves me light on bowling, but I have plenty of all-rounders to compensate. Actually that sounds good. I’m taking out Miller and putting in Sir Viv.

Without wishing to sound too much like the Miller fan-boy that I am, why would you take out Miller instead of Mankad?

 

[SJS]

I reckon the biggest improvements to be made are in the batsman/WK role or a specialist spinner. I'd pick Warne for Mankad who is probably the weakest all-rounder.

Interesting.

You have considered two options. Replace the specialist keeper with a batsman keeper or Specialist spinner (Warne's batting being limited in a way) to replace spinner all rounder. The first option looks to strengthen the batting at the cost of a specialist while the second looks to add a specialist at the cost of batting.

Why this contradiction?

 

[Fusion]

Good.

Tell me if Viv was already in the side (lets say in place of Hammond), what would you have done?

Probably sub in Marshall for Mankad. Gives me the lethal bowling pace battery of Marshall/Imran/Hadlee with great spin options as well.

 

[SJS]

I reckon the biggest improvements to be made are in the batsman/WK role or a specialist spinner. I'd pick Warne for Mankad who is probably the weakest all-rounder.

By the way, you have to pick your choice in the poll.

 

[Fusion]

Withouth wishing to sound too much like the Miller fan-boy that I am, why would you take out Miller instead of Mankad?

Didn't want to weaken the bowling further. I know the difference may not be that great, but I looked at Mankad as a bowling all-rounder and Miller as a batting one.

 

[SJS]

IMO Mankad is the one who has to go - a wonderful cricketer, no doubt, but for mine he comes a clear 11th in that list. Furthermore he's not essential to the balance or the quality of the side - the team bats more than deep enough as it is and his bowling, while good, isn't All Time material. The strength in depth of the batting means that it's a bowler who has to come in, and I'm still deciding on whether it would be Marshall or Warne. I guess it would depend on the opposition and conditions as to which way I went on that one.

By the way, you have to pick your choice in the poll.

PS. If Marshall (or Warne) were already in the side (in place of Mankad) would you have let the side remain or still gone for another change?

 

[SJS]

Didn't want to weaken the bowling further. I know the difference may not be that great, but I looked at Mankad as a bowling all-rounder and Miller as a batting one.

If the original side had no Mankad and Botham was in the eleven, what would you have done?

 

[The Sean]

Didn't want to weaken the bowling further. I know the difference may not be that great, but I looked at Mankad as a bowling all-rounder and Miller as a batting one.

Fair enough if that's your thinking, but personally I think you're doing the opposite there. Miller IMO is a better bowler than Mankad, so unless you specifically wanted the extra spin option I can't see the side being strengthened in batting, bowling or fielding by choosing Mankad over Miller.

 

[The Sean]

By the way, you have to pick your choice in the poll.

PS. If Marshall (or Warne) were already in the side (in place of Mankad) would you have let the side remain or still gone for another change?

Hmmm, tempted to leave as is - but I think I'd lose Benaud and pick whichever of Marshall or Warne wasn't already there. And play Healy as the keeper. So the batting would have been weakened slightly but you'd have an 8-11 of Hadlee-Healy-Marshall-Warne so it's still barely a tail, and the bowling is strengthened significantly.

 

[Fusion]

If the original side had no Mankad and Botham was in the eleven, what would you have done?

Replaced Botham with Viv. I have enough all-rounders (and better ones IMO) in Sobers/Imran/Miller.

 

[Fusion]

Fair enough if that's your thinking, but personally I think you're doing the opposite there. Miller IMO is a better bowler than Mankad, so unless you specifically wanted the extra spin option I can't see the side being strengthened in batting, bowling or fielding by choosing Mankad over Miller.

I will admit that I’m not an expert on either Miller or Mankad. If Miller is the better bowler, then I would take out Mankad and vice versa. I was not going for an extra spin option. Please not that I chose "batting all-rounder" in the poll. Meaning my preference is to take out the extra batting all-rounder instead of a bowling one.

 

[SJS]

Replaced Botham with Viv. I have enough all-rounders (and better ones IMO) in Sobers/Imran/Miller.

So basically you are inclined to strengthen the batting at the cost of bowling (since you have talked of replacing Mankad, or Miller or Botham).

Why? Do you think it is not strong enough? When you look at the original side does batting look more deficient than bowling?

 

[Sanz]

Replace Benaud with Oreilly

 

[The Sean]

I will admit that I’m not an expert on either Miller or Mankad. If Miller is the better bowler, then I would take out Mankad and vice versa. I was not going for an extra spin option. Please not that I chose "batting all-rounder" in the poll. Meaning my preference is to take out the extra batting all-rounder instead of a bowling one.

Fair enough mate, was curious as to your thinking but get where you were coming from now.

 

[SJS]

Replace Benaud with Oreilly

Thats a clearly stated preference; a specialist for an allrounder. Clearly you think the batting is good enough and we could do with a batsman less to bring in higher quality in the form of a specialist spinner.