"My XI" on ESPNCricinfo

[ankitj]

ESPNCricinfo is doing a feature on cricketers picking their favourites. This thread is to watch and discuss this feature.

My XI | Cricket videos, MP3, podcasts, cricket audio at ESPN Cricinfo

Geoff Boycott is apparently the chosen one right now, and it's very interesting to hear him. Love what he says about Hadlee and Garner.

'The best of the corridor bowlers'
'No one hit Joel'

 

[Agent Nationaux]

He didn't mention his grandmother! Shocking tstl.

 

[ankitj]

On Lillee.

The tearaway who turned craftsman | Cricket videos, MP3, podcasts, cricket audio at ESPN Cricinfo

We had a thread on whether Lillee swung the ball. Boycott mentions swing more than once.

 

[smash84]

so his XI already has lillee, hadlee, and garner. Add Warne to it. Pretty fantastic bowling attack

 

[ankitj]

I think he is selecting eleven favourite bowlers, and not a fictional XI. He has Underwood, Trueman and Larwood too in the list.

 

[smash84]

ohhh......didn't know that

 

[Jager]

Boycott's real XI: Jack Hobbs (ENG), Len Hutton (ENG), Donald Bradman (AUS), George Headley (WI), Viv Richards (WI), Garry Sobers (WI), Alan Knott (ENG), Sydney Barnes (ENG), Malcolm Marshall (WI), Shane Warne (AUS), Dennis Lillee (AUS).

 

[smash84]

nobody from outside Eng, Aus, or WI breaks into his team?

Pretty good team though

 

[NUFAN]

nobody from outside Eng, Aus, or WI breaks into his team?

Pretty good team though

Yeah not bad. - It's an awesome team Smali, awesome.

 

[Jager]

I'm surprised he didn't pick Gilchrist like every other person alive... I'd argue against Headley and Lillee too. Headley because he feasted on weaker bowling attacks than the generations before and after his career, and Lillee because his entire career outside of Australia and England yielded only 28 wickets.

 

[NUFAN]

bomb, Headley never makes it into my all time XI's neither does Lillee (although he's close) but I can totally understand Boycott picking Lillee. He obviously found Lillee and Marshall to be the best bowlers he faced

 

[smash84]

Yeah not bad. - It's an awesome team Smali, awesome.

haha.....yeah it is an awesome team.......

can't be bothered looking up Richie's team but this looks similar....

Lillee and Headley in an ATXI are debatable but not like they don't stand a chance

 

[benchmark00]

bomb, Headley never makes it into my all time XI's neither does Lillee (although he's close) but I can totally understand Boycott picking Lillee. He obviously found Lillee and Marshall to be the best bowlers he faced

 

[weeman27bob]

Boycott's real XI: Jack Hobbs (ENG), Len Hutton (ENG), Donald Bradman (AUS), George Headley (WI), Viv Richards (WI), Garry Sobers (WI), Alan Knott (ENG), Sydney Barnes (ENG), Malcolm Marshall (WI), Shane Warne (AUS), Dennis Lillee (AUS).

Boycott's real XI: His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG), His Nan (ENG)

 

[weldone]

Boycott's real XI: Jack Hobbs (ENG), Len Hutton (ENG), Donald Bradman (AUS), George Headley (WI), Viv Richards (WI), Garry Sobers (WI), Alan Knott (ENG), Sydney Barnes (ENG), Malcolm Marshall (WI), Shane Warne (AUS), Dennis Lillee (AUS).

I think it's also important to mention that Boycott said that he intentionally left out all non-retired players, and mentioned that Tendulkar will surely be a part of this team when he retires.

He also said that Bradman and Warne are the only 2 automatic choices in any all-time XI (can't remember if he mentioned Sobers also, but he didn't AFAIR) - something with which I strongly disagree.

 

[smash84]

you disagree with Bradman being an automatic choice?

 

[weldone]

you disagree with Bradman being an automatic choice?

Haha no - the Warne part...

 

[smash84]

oh ok......makes sense now

 

[ankitj]

Excuse Smali for asking to be spoonfed. He is very busy at work, you know.

 

[weldone]

Can understand that from no. of smileys going down slightly recently...