Cricinfo All-time series "Eleven of the best"

[Athlai]

If we are talking a fully fit Chris Cairns at his prime he'd be one of the first names on my XI, probably straight after Hadlee.

 

[aussie]

I'm not selecting in terms of the options cricinfo give us, I was just picking a team.

And Cowie>>>>Taylor, even though he can bat.

Based on what i've read of them both i dont think i can agree with that TBF. Given NZ's vulnerability in the batting department compared to other ATXIs, i'd say Taylor>>Cowie as an overall package for the balance of the NZ ATXI.

If we are talking a fully fit Chris Cairns at his prime he'd be one of the first names on my XI, probably straight after Hadlee.

Yea. That for me is the usual hypotetical criteria is chose & i think most should when picking players for ATXIs. Same thing Botham for England, i imagine the 25 year old version of Ashes 81 in the Englan set-up...

 

[aussie]

Men of many parts

Very confusing by these selectors. Dont understand why one all-rounder can alone be chosen. All three of Reid, Cairns & Taylor should start IMO.

 

[aussie]

Never heard of Tom Burtt before today..

 

[aussie]

South Africa All-Time XI

I thought the boys & cricinfo had abandoned this. Barry, Biff, Bruce and Bunter

Richards & Mitchell for me to open.

Overall XI would be:

Mitchell
Richards
Kallis
G Pollock
Nourse
Rice (c)
Lindsay
Procter
Tayfield
P Pollock
Donald

 

[bagapath]

i went for kirsten and smith. (and winked at barry richards)

thinking of the following line up from hereon..

a.d. nourse (jr)
g.pollock
j.h.kallis
g.a.faulkner
m.boucher +
s.m.pollock
peter pollock
h.j.tayfield
a.a.donald

 

[The Sean]

i went for kirsten and smith. (and winked at barry richards)

thinking of the following line up from hereon..

a.d. nourse (jr)
g.pollock
j.h.kallis
g.a.faulkner
m.boucher +
s.m.pollock
peter pollock
h.j.tayfield
a.a.donald

Hard to argue with that - I'd personally have Cameron behind the stumps but picking 'keepers is notoriously subjective. The only other name there that I'd change would be Peter Pollock - outstanding as he was, I'd reckon both Adcock and Steyn (and Ntini for that matter) have stronger claims. Procter of course can claim to be a greater cricketer than any of them but I'd assume you haven't picked him for the same reasons you haven't picked Barry Richards.

EDIT - didn't really address your openers, but what do you think of Mitchell and/or Taylor?

 

[aussie]

The players who where missed cricket during the aparthied era need to considered IMO. Picking them clearly makes the SA ATXI stronger.

 

[bagapath]

EDIT - didn't really address your openers, but what do you think of Mitchell and/or Taylor?

wasnt mitchell a stone-waller? i love defensive opening batsmen of the gavaskar/hutton types. but dont want to go near the boycotts and sutcliffes. one gear slower than solid defense puts me to sleep. mitchell might be too slow for my taste.

taylor's career is one of extraordinary stats. but he was not a full time opener. spent more that 70% of his career in the middle order, IMO.

I hope cricinfo makes sure faulkner gets due respect in the polls. dont know how many younger fans would care to look up on his records.

 

[aussie]

The dependables

Peter Kirsten should have been considered in this short list.

 

[bagapath]

The dependables

Peter Kirsten should have been considered in this short list.

i dont think so. there are some serious heavy weights in that list right now. peter kirsten was good but not that good.

 

[JBMAC]

Nourse
G.Pollock
Kallis
Faulkner
Cameron
S.Pollock
P.Pollock
Tayfield
Le Roux

 

[aussie]

i dont think so. there are some serious heavy weights in that list right now. peter kirsten was good but not that good.

Underating Kirsten there. He was the best SA batsman in apartheid after Pollock & Richards left the scene. Robin Jackman in this article speaks very highly of him.

 

[aussie]

Plenty to pick from | All-time XIs | Cricinfo Magazine | Cricinfo.com

Never heard of Sinclair, but respect to old stars. Disappointed of course that Rice wasn't considered.

 

[bagapath]

Went for Faulkner and Pollock

 

[Blakus]

Went for Faulkner and Pollock

Yeah, same. Although my SA all time XI has proctor as well.

B.Richards
G.Smith
G.Pollock
J.Kallis
A.Nourse
G.Faulkner
J.Waite
M.Proctor
S.Pollock
H.Tayfield
A.Donald

4 seamers, 2 spinners and bats down to 10

 

[aussie]

Can keep can score

Lindsay. Cool wisden description on Cameron haha:

Wisden eulogised him as a "very fine personality". For those who knew him less well, his stumpings were akin to a single beat of a hummingbird's wing, and he hit the ball as if it had insulted his mother.

 

[bagapath]

Can keep can score

Lindsay. Cool wisden description on Cameron haha:

Wisden eulogised him as a "very fine personality". For those who knew him less well, his stumpings were akin to a single beat of a hummingbird's wing, and he hit the ball as if it had insulted his mother.

thats funny. CMJ has compared his stumpings with flicking of cigarette ash. i went for boucher though. but any of cameron, lindsay or waite would be as good.

 

[aussie]

All you need is speed | All-time XIs | Cricinfo Magazine | Cricinfo.com

Donald & P Pollock by a whisker over Adcock.

Blokes who played test like Heine & JJ Kotze should have been considered. Along with the aparthied greats Le Roux, Van der Bijl & Jefferies.

 

[andyc]

Up to Pakistan now, the middle order picks itself fairly easily IMO.