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Your most aesthetically appealing XI
- Thread starter Outswinger@Pace
- Start date
1. Michael Slater - The ability to go out and attack everything, whilst not looking like he was slogging. Really rated him, and the perfect foil to the next man.
2. Alastair Cook - It does seem strange, picking Cook in a side of stroke makers. He's a guy who I want to watch bat all day.
3. Ricky Ponting - Say what you want about him, but a full-flowing Ponting, be it driving on the up or pulling anything short is a magnificent sight.
4. Brian Lara - Never got to see a whole lot of Lara (I was just getting in to cricket during the 2000/01 series, have no memory of the 04/05 season (that was the WI and Pakistan one, right?) and didn't see the overseas tours. But from the highlights I have seen, fantastic batsman that could play all the shots.
5. Mahela Jayawardene - This series has reaffirmed my love for Jaya. He's a brilliant batsman that doesn't seem to be rated as highly as his contemporaries. Beautiful driver of the ball.
6. AB de Villiers (k) - Just has this aura around him. Brilliant batsman that doesn't get the plaudits he deserves here on CW IMO. Or I have terrible taste in batsmen. Probably the latter TBH.
7. Greg Blewett - Left-field selection. Little bit before my time (sadly), but I've always rated him as a batsman. Additionally, I love bowlers who can hoop it around corners, and he had the action to do it very well. Underrated bowler IMO.
8. Wasim Akram - Could hoop it around and blast anybody out when he wanted to. Masterful bowler, wish I could have seen him at his peak, not just through highlights.
9. Graeme Swann (c) - Classical off spinner's action, bowls beautifully, can bat reasonably well, good for entertainment and video diaries and, honestly, who wouldn't want to hear a post-match press conference from Swann? Him setting a field would be interesting though.
10. Brett Lee - Not the greatest test bowler ever, but there's something awesome about seeing him charging in and bowling 150k repeatedly. The action is just incredible.
11. Shane Bond - Didn't see much of him 'coz he was kinda always injured, but the 2002/03 Tri-Series was him near his peak. Spearing it in, at pace, swinging it for good measure. Was the one bowler I was completely scared of watching the Australians play against.
Close calls: VVS Laxman, Shane Warne, Michael Clarke, Mark Waugh, Dale Steyn.
Couldn't really think of a modern day 'keeper though..
2. Alastair Cook - It does seem strange, picking Cook in a side of stroke makers. He's a guy who I want to watch bat all day.
3. Ricky Ponting - Say what you want about him, but a full-flowing Ponting, be it driving on the up or pulling anything short is a magnificent sight.
4. Brian Lara - Never got to see a whole lot of Lara (I was just getting in to cricket during the 2000/01 series, have no memory of the 04/05 season (that was the WI and Pakistan one, right?) and didn't see the overseas tours. But from the highlights I have seen, fantastic batsman that could play all the shots.
5. Mahela Jayawardene - This series has reaffirmed my love for Jaya. He's a brilliant batsman that doesn't seem to be rated as highly as his contemporaries. Beautiful driver of the ball.
6. AB de Villiers (k) - Just has this aura around him. Brilliant batsman that doesn't get the plaudits he deserves here on CW IMO. Or I have terrible taste in batsmen. Probably the latter TBH.
7. Greg Blewett - Left-field selection. Little bit before my time (sadly), but I've always rated him as a batsman. Additionally, I love bowlers who can hoop it around corners, and he had the action to do it very well. Underrated bowler IMO.
8. Wasim Akram - Could hoop it around and blast anybody out when he wanted to. Masterful bowler, wish I could have seen him at his peak, not just through highlights.
9. Graeme Swann (c) - Classical off spinner's action, bowls beautifully, can bat reasonably well, good for entertainment and video diaries and, honestly, who wouldn't want to hear a post-match press conference from Swann? Him setting a field would be interesting though.
10. Brett Lee - Not the greatest test bowler ever, but there's something awesome about seeing him charging in and bowling 150k repeatedly. The action is just incredible.
11. Shane Bond - Didn't see much of him 'coz he was kinda always injured, but the 2002/03 Tri-Series was him near his peak. Spearing it in, at pace, swinging it for good measure. Was the one bowler I was completely scared of watching the Australians play against.
Close calls: VVS Laxman, Shane Warne, Michael Clarke, Mark Waugh, Dale Steyn.
Couldn't really think of a modern day 'keeper though..
zaremba
Cricketer Of The Year
1. Vaughan
2. Dravid (c)
3. Bell
4. Gower
5. Waugh M
6. Martyn
7. Sangakkara (w)
8. Botham
9. Wasim
10. Holding
11. Donald
Based on players I've seen, and focussing primarily on aesthetics rather than watchability. For watchability, you might think about Slater, Lara, KP, Warne etc.
I found it quite difficult to pick the bowlers after Donald and Holding. Akram gets in because he had a certain elegance, and Botham gets in because he was pretty classical as both batsman and bowler. Both also weren't harmed by their enormous watchability.
I can't think of many aesthetically pleasing spinners. Emburey had quite a good action but gets massive negative marks for his batting which I remember a commentator once describe as "embureyonic".
2. Dravid (c)
3. Bell
4. Gower
5. Waugh M
6. Martyn
7. Sangakkara (w)
8. Botham
9. Wasim
10. Holding
11. Donald
Based on players I've seen, and focussing primarily on aesthetics rather than watchability. For watchability, you might think about Slater, Lara, KP, Warne etc.
I found it quite difficult to pick the bowlers after Donald and Holding. Akram gets in because he had a certain elegance, and Botham gets in because he was pretty classical as both batsman and bowler. Both also weren't harmed by their enormous watchability.
I can't think of many aesthetically pleasing spinners. Emburey had quite a good action but gets massive negative marks for his batting which I remember a commentator once describe as "embureyonic".
weldone
Hall of Fame Member
I haven't watched Greenidge live, I didn't like watching Slater bat that much. Mark Waugh was definitely better than both, but I primarily consider him a middle-order batsman.
Mark Taylor wouldn't be a bad shout either.
SamSawnoff
U19 Vice-Captain
That's a really elegant team.
I think Shahid Afridia has a really pleasing action for a spin bowler. Lovely high arm.
Himannv
Hall of Fame Member
The curves on this one are pretty nice
Back with a bang Daemon.
Furball
Evil Scotsman
1. Simon Katich's shuffle across the stumps before working the ball on the leg side. Maybe not classically beautiful but I loved watching the fact that he repeatedly fooled opposition bowlers into constantly bowling onto the stumps.
2. Sehwag's batting. I just love watching him bat and I love his "I don't give a ****" mindset to batting. Particularly enjoyable against spinners, and when he's edging Anderson to slip for a king pair.
3. Ricky Ponting's pull shot. A thing of beauty when he gets it going. Also a source of hilarity for the last couple of years.
4. Rahul Dravid. Everything about him, the handsome bastard. Particularly his treatment of Swann this summer.
5. Brian Lara - see Dravid. Cut shot was a thing of beauty, as was his backlift.
6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul's technique. Part fascination, as in "how the **** does this guy score any runs batting like that?". Also love the guy's temperament, particularly when he seems to occasionaly just lose it and thrash the bowling all over the place. Shouldn't be watchable, but is.
7. Matt Prior. Love that gap between bat and pad.
8. Shane Warne. I miss the theatre and sense of occasion when he came on to bowl. The Ashes in 2005 was part watching through fingers stuff, part just in awe at watching a genius at work.
9. Brett Lee. Wonderful action and who doesn't enjoy watching a fast bowler come in and wang it down at 90mph? Bonus points for having a terrific pair of fast bowler's buttocks.
10. James Anderson when the ball is really talking. Just seems to have the ball on a string and seems to be able to do whatever he wants to.
11. Glenn McGrath. I like the way he kept his bowling nice and simple with no obvious thrills or tricks, except that pretty annoying one of constantly dismissing the best batsmen he faced time and time again.
12th man: VVS Laxman. Those wrists. Was my first Indian batting icon.
2. Sehwag's batting. I just love watching him bat and I love his "I don't give a ****" mindset to batting. Particularly enjoyable against spinners, and when he's edging Anderson to slip for a king pair.
3. Ricky Ponting's pull shot. A thing of beauty when he gets it going. Also a source of hilarity for the last couple of years.
4. Rahul Dravid. Everything about him, the handsome bastard. Particularly his treatment of Swann this summer.
5. Brian Lara - see Dravid. Cut shot was a thing of beauty, as was his backlift.
6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul's technique. Part fascination, as in "how the **** does this guy score any runs batting like that?". Also love the guy's temperament, particularly when he seems to occasionaly just lose it and thrash the bowling all over the place. Shouldn't be watchable, but is.
7. Matt Prior. Love that gap between bat and pad.
8. Shane Warne. I miss the theatre and sense of occasion when he came on to bowl. The Ashes in 2005 was part watching through fingers stuff, part just in awe at watching a genius at work.
9. Brett Lee. Wonderful action and who doesn't enjoy watching a fast bowler come in and wang it down at 90mph? Bonus points for having a terrific pair of fast bowler's buttocks.
10. James Anderson when the ball is really talking. Just seems to have the ball on a string and seems to be able to do whatever he wants to.
11. Glenn McGrath. I like the way he kept his bowling nice and simple with no obvious thrills or tricks, except that pretty annoying one of constantly dismissing the best batsmen he faced time and time again.
12th man: VVS Laxman. Those wrists. Was my first Indian batting icon.
adub
International Captain
Viv - I can't believe no one else has named the coolest dude to ever drag his bat along behind him whilst swaggering out to the centre with a mouthful of gum. The Master Blaster is god - that is all. I'd open with him even though he was a 3-4 cause he was good enough and loved to take apart fast bowlers. And anyway, who wants to wait to see King Viv?
Martyn - my left field pick. Loved his off side work especially. It could be his achilles heel, but when he was on song he could just pepper the boundary from cover to third man. Just shaded Junior Waugh. Again picked him as an opener even though he wasn't, mainly because I can't imagine moving any of my middle order.
Greg Chappell - smooth as silk.
Gower - made it look so easy
Azharuddin - his bat looked so small but he wielded it like a wand
Gilchrist - batting Gilly at 6 in this line up because I needed to make room for the 5 to follow. That high grip of his just used to send good balls flying.
Imran - that final leap into the delivery stride! The Lion of Lahore was an inspiration with ball or bat.
Richard Hadlee - as Chappell is to batting, Paddles was to fast bowling. Just made it look so easy.
Akram - Just Magic when he had it hooping.
Holding - Whispering Death. Just Magnificent
Lillee - The fast bowler other fast bowlers wanted to be.
Martyn - my left field pick. Loved his off side work especially. It could be his achilles heel, but when he was on song he could just pepper the boundary from cover to third man. Just shaded Junior Waugh. Again picked him as an opener even though he wasn't, mainly because I can't imagine moving any of my middle order.
Greg Chappell - smooth as silk.
Gower - made it look so easy
Azharuddin - his bat looked so small but he wielded it like a wand
Gilchrist - batting Gilly at 6 in this line up because I needed to make room for the 5 to follow. That high grip of his just used to send good balls flying.
Imran - that final leap into the delivery stride! The Lion of Lahore was an inspiration with ball or bat.
Richard Hadlee - as Chappell is to batting, Paddles was to fast bowling. Just made it look so easy.
Akram - Just Magic when he had it hooping.
Holding - Whispering Death. Just Magnificent
Lillee - The fast bowler other fast bowlers wanted to be.
Last edited:
AlwaysProteas
U19 12th Man
lol for a second, I thought the thread title was talking about who appeals most aesthetically.
adub
International Captain
Oh that was Lillee, no debate.
Cruxdude
International Debutant
Burgey
Request Your Custom Title Now!
That's actually a cloned Lillee appeal.No way. No one can beat Sreesanth.
With one or two chromosomes missing, obviously.