Best all time XI for each country

[Jager]

The 'Unfortunate Names' XI

1. Salman Butt
2. Arthur Fagg
3. Jack Crapp
4. Julien Wiener
5. Peter Willey
6. Richard Daft
7. Napoleon Einstein
8. Luke Woodcock
9. Peter Sleep
10. Love Ablish
11. Ryan Sidebottom

Started to struggle a little bit with finding bowlers..

 

[fredfertang]

The 'Unfortunate Names' XI

1. Salman Butt
2. Arthur Fagg
3. Jack Crapp
4. Julien Wiener
5. Peter Willey
6. Richard Daft
7. Napoleon Einstein
8. Luke Woodcock
9. Peter Sleep
10. Love Ablish
11. Ryan Sidebottom

Started to struggle a little bit with finding bowlers..

Destined no doubt to play on a wicket prepared by Mike Hunt

 

[fredfertang]

..... ably assisted by his brother Warwick

 

[Dan]

Destined no doubt to play on a wicket prepared by Mike Hunt

Of course, he's the logical groundsman to employ.

Dickie Bird to umpire, IMO.

 

[watson]

That line-up has just reminded me of that immortal piece of commentary;

"The bowlers Holding, the batsmans Willey"

Can't quite remember the name of the commentator though.

 

[watson]

Or the comment about the New Zealand bowler Bob Cunis;

"I'm afraid his bowling was rather like his name. Neither one thing nor the other."

 

[smash84]

Or the comment about the New Zealand bowler Bob Cunis;

"I'm afraid his bowling was rather like his name. Neither one thing nor the other."

 

[SteveNZ]

Or the comment about the New Zealand bowler Bob Cunis;

"I'm afraid his bowling was rather like his name. Neither one thing nor the other."

That is absolutely brilliant, and sad thing is whoever said it now a) wouldn't probably pull it off b) would get in a lot of trouble

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Or the comment about the New Zealand bowler Bob Cunis;

"I'm afraid his bowling was rather like his name. Neither one thing nor the other."

Haha, quality line.

 

[kyear2]

It'll be interesting to see combined teams for:

1. Australia and Bangladesh
2. England and Zimbabwe
3. West Indies and New Zealand
4. South Africa and Sri Lanka
5. India and Pakistan

Will make 5 competitive teams IMO.

How about an Ashes XI vs S/C XI vs the Rest of the World?

Three equally strong teams.

 

[kyear2]

Had it between Walcott, Alexander and Dujon TBH. Walcott I don't rate that highly as a wicketkeeper, he's more a batsman IMO. Then I just preferred Alexander to Dujon.

Don't know why Walcott's keeping is so under rated here, he kept more than ablely to Ramadin and Valentine with nary a bye in 1950 and kept doing so until a back injury forced him to give up the gloves. He made both the Barbados and West Indies teams initially and primarily as a wicket keeper batsman. He was exceptional to spin and good enough to pace.

 

[ankitj]

Good idea!

Ashes XI

Hobbs, Hutton, Bradman, Hammond, G. Chappell, Gilchrist +, Miller, Warne, Trueman, Barnes, McGrath

SC XI

Gavaskar, Merchant, Dravid, Tendulkar, Miandad, Sangakkar +, Imran, Dev, Akram, Younis, Muralitharan

ROW XI

B. Richards, Greenidge, V. Richards, G. Pollock, Lara, Sobers,Walcott +, Hadlee, Marshall, Ambrose, Donald

 

[Flametree]

Good idea!

Ashes XI

Hobbs, Hutton, Bradman, Hammond, G. Chappell, Gilchrist +, Miller, Warne, Trueman, Barnes, McGrath

SC XI

Gavaskar, Merchant, Dravid, Tendulkar, Miandad, Sangakkar +, Imran, Dev, Akram, Younis, Muralitharan

ROW XI

B. Richards, Greenidge, V. Richards, G. Pollock, Sobers,Walcott +, Hadlee, Marshall, Ambrose, Donald

Only 10 players in the last one... a spinner to add maybe? Tayfield. (I'd have included Andy Flower as keeper, and maybe Shakib for Dev in the sub-continent xi, just to
keep it representatitve of all nations...)

 

[watson]

How about an Ashes XI vs S/C XI vs the Rest of the World?

Three equally strong teams.

ASHES XI
Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman
G.Chappell
Hammond
Miller
Gilchrist
Warne
Lillee
Snow
McGrath


SUBCONTINENT XI
Gavaskar
Sehwag
Tendulkar
Hazare
Miandad
Sangakkara
Dev
Imran
Akram
Younis
Muralitharan


REST OF WORLD XI
B. Richards
Greenidge
IVA. Richards
Lara
G. Pollock
Sobers
Flower
Hadlee
Marshall
Garner
Ambrose

(Incidently, Marshall and Garner have the best strike rate and the best average of any combination of opening bowlers you care to mention. They claimed 108 wickets between them.
Stats from the Past: The best new-ball pairs in Test cricket | Highlights | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo)

 

[kyear2]

Barnes or Trueman instead of Snow for the Ashes and would bat Lara at 3 to break up the lefties for the ROW team.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

SC XI

Gavaskar
Sehwag/Anwar
Dravid
Tendulkar
Miandad
Inzy
Sangakarra +
Imran (c)
Wasim
Waqar
Murali

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Rest of the World XI

Barry Richards
Gordon Greenidge
Viv
Lara/Kallis
Pollock
Sobers
Flower
Hadlee
Marshall
Ambrose
Donald/Steyn

Sobers can be used as the spinner.

 

[watson]

Barnes or Trueman instead of Snow for the Ashes and would bat Lara at 3 to break up the lefties for the ROW team.

Freddie was certainly a fine bowler and it is difficult to leave him out. But he did not have the same strike power that Alec Bedser, in his prime, and John Snow had......Snow had that rare capacity to make the ball rise sharply off a good length, and for all Freddie's fire and fury, Snow was simply a better bowler.

Alan McGilvray: 'The Game Goes On' page 217

As for Barnes or Snow? I'd just like to see Lillee and Snow take the new ball together. That's all. Although Barnes and Warne working in tandem as the spinning duo is appetising as well.

Here is some excellent footage of John Snow in action (past his prime) lest we forget how good he was. Chappell brothers? No problem at all. First the perfect leg-cutter to get rid of Ian, then the inswinger to Greg;

Eng vs Aus, 2nd Test, Lord's 1975 - Aus 1st innings - YouTube

 

[wpdavid]

That is absolutely brilliant, and sad thing is whoever said it (re. Cunis) now a) wouldn't probably pull it off b) would get in a lot of trouble

John Arlott iirc.

 

[wpdavid]

The 'Unfortunate Names' XI

1. Salman Butt
2. Arthur Fagg
3. Jack Crapp
4. Julien Wiener
5. Peter Willey
6. Richard Daft
7. Napoleon Einstein
8. Luke Woodcock
9. Peter Sleep
10. Love Ablish
11. Ryan Sidebottom

Started to struggle a little bit with finding bowlers..

No idea if they bowled, but there a couple of Pratts played for Surrey in the 1950s.

And, of course, Ryan's dad Arnie also bowled for Yorkshire.