*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[Prince EWS]

Maybe top 10-12 or at worst 15. Who's in your top 10?

Well du Plessis, Alviro, Rudolph, Duminy and Elgar definitely aren't in it, that's for sure. I don't know who your fifth player is - I'm going to assume it's Faf? - and that's absurd IMO.

In no real order my top ten would be

Cook
Smith
Amla
Sangakkara
Kallis
Clarke
Chanderpaul
Pietersen
Jayawardene
de Villiers

So I'll give you four, although I could've easily named a couple of others in ahead of de Villiers if I felt like being an argumentative ****, but five? Really?

EDIT: Ahh, KP, of course.

 

[Spark]

Well du Plessis, Alviro, Rudolph, Duminy and Elgar definitely aren't in it, that's for sure. I don't know who your fifth player is - I'm going to assume it's Faf? - and that's absurd IMO.

In no real order my top ten would be

Cook
Smith
Amla
Sangakkara
Kallis
Clarke
Chanderpaul
Pietersen
Jayawardene
de Villiers

So I'll give you four, although I could've easily named a couple of others in ahead of de Villiers if I felt like being an argumentative ****, but five? Really?

You made the same mistake I did. Hint: it's Daemon

 

[Prince EWS]

You made the same mistake I did. Hint: it's Daemon

Yeah, already edited.

 

[benchmark00]

Clarke is literally the very first name I'd put down in my world XI atm, given he's captain, and then Amla.

 

[Daemon]

Yeah it was KP. But it wasn't really a joke, It was just a 'woah' moment at the fact that the SA have produced so many of the world class talents that we view today.

 

[Pup Clarke]

.

In no real order my top ten would be

Cook
Smith
Amla
Sangakkara
Kallis
Clarke
Chanderpaul
Pietersen
Jayawardene
de Villiers

What's your reasoning for Sanga ahead of not just KP and Chanderpaul - but Kallis?. I get your Clarke ranking as I think he's the most vulnerable out of that lot to go through a real bad patch in the near future, but Sanga is definitely a player that alot of members have massive faith in.

 

[benchmark00]

What's your reasoning for Sanga ahead of not just KP and Chanderpaul - but Kallis?. I get your Clarke ranking as I think he's the most vulnerable out of that lot to go through a real bad patch in the near future, but Sanga is definitely a player that alot of members have massive faith in.

It's in no real order, ****.

 

[Spark]

Are you including KP as a South African or are you referring to players playing for SA? Who's your fifth SA (if not inc. KP) Faf?



Don't think Smith is a gun captain at all. He has been a brilliant fit for SA and leads from the front superbly but tactically I don't consider him anything but reasonable/adequate in the captaincy stakes.

I'd see his man management and leading-from-the-front qualities as extra valuable in a side like this compared to usual, because I'm assuming he has a gun attack. Clarke's Midas touch (I'm assuming it's Clarke) isn't quite so valuable when you have the resources I'm assuming he has at his disposal, though it's obviously extremely useful.

Having said that, I'd still give Clarke the captaincy. But Smith's leadership qualities would still be very handy.

 

[NUFAN]

I used to be a big fan of AB, especially due to his lack of ducks, but Burgey's opinion of him has probably sunk in a bit and I do consider him a bit of a downhill skier. Not that there is anything wrong with that, much more fun than skiing cross country (Hashim Amla) or skiing uphill (Michael Clarke).

 

[Prince EWS]

What's your reasoning for Sanga ahead of not just KP and Chanderpaul - but Kallis?. I get your Clarke ranking as I think he's the most vulnerable out of that lot to go through a real bad patch in the near future, but Sanga is definitely a player that alot of members have massive faith in.

Guess you missed "In no real order"...

I listed him first because he bats #3 and that was my process. No other reason.

 

[Spark]

re: ABdV: Yeah I've been coming around to that opinion lately too (independently, I might add) - but to an extent that would just make him the perfect #6 or #7 (if he keeps)

 

[Pup Clarke]

My XI

Smith
Cook
Azhar Ali
Amla
Kallis
Chanderpaul
Prior
Swann
Herath
Steyn
Anderson

 

[Spark]

Azhar Ali? Really?

 

[Howe_zat]

Bet it's been a while since there were no Indians in the top 10 bats in the world

 

[NUFAN]

What's your reasoning for Sanga ahead of not just KP and Chanderpaul - but Kallis?. I get your Clarke ranking as I think he's the most vulnerable out of that lot to go through a real bad patch in the near future, but Sanga is definitely a player that alot of members have massivefaith in.

Its weird with Sanga. I don't have much faith for him in the shorter formats and I do think he is overrated. I was really surprised to see he won the ICC player of the year award* recently, but he is still a big wicket and rarely does he go a few Tests without producing a match winning knock, it was quite surprising that he did fail for the entire series against NZ.

Not exactly sure why Clarke is the most vulnerable, is it just because he is a nervous starter or something? We are ****ed if you are right!

I'd see his man management and leading-from-the-front qualities as extra valuable in a side like this compared to usual, because I'm assuming he has a gun attack. Clarke's Midas touch (I'm assuming it's Clarke) isn't quite so valuable when you have the resources I'm assuming he has at his disposal, though it's obviously extremely useful.

Having said that, I'd still give Clarke the captaincy. But Smith's leadership qualities would still be very handy.

Oh no doubt they would come in handy as they do for SA, I just mentioned his tactical decisions aren't brilliant or anything.


*Sanga did win the award, yeah?

 

[Pup Clarke]

Averages mid 40s and has a bit of experience - more of a personal choice obviously but he'a huge talent who's fallen under the radar a bit.

 

[Spark]

Bet it's been a while since there were no Indians in the top 10 bats in the world

You'd have to go a long way down before you'd find the first, I reckon.

Amla
Clarke
Cook
Kallis
Sanga
Chanders
ABdV
KP
Younis
Mahela
Smith
Hussey
Samuels
Pujara

Long way down, that.

 

[Daemon]

Bet it's been a while since there were no Indians in the top 10 bats in the world

Yeah, only a couple of years ago we'd have Sehwag, Sachin and Laxman all arguably in it.

Next few years will hopefully see Pujara in there.

 

[benchmark00]

Abul Hasan should be in everyones XI.

srsly though, I can't believe people are discussing the possibility of not having Clarke in their XI.

Am I the only one who saw him make 4 double centuries in a less than a year?

 

[benchmark00]

Yeah, only a couple of years ago we'd have Sehwag, Sachin and Laxman all arguably in it.

Next few years will hopefully see Pujara in there.

Dravid.