"Best ever" teams selected by former players or experts- whose is best?

[Red]

Pretty basic really. Of all the experts and former players who have included "best ever" teams in their books/biographies, whose team do you consider the greatest, and why?

Would be ripping if a few of the guys who have a lot of cricket books could post a few sides in here for discussion.

I'll start it off with Benaud's Greatest XI (selected in 2004):

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
V.Richards
Tendulkar
Sobers
Imran
Gilchrist
Warne
Lillee
SF Barnes
12th- Miller

 

[kyear2]

Some that I have seen, ex players, journalist and web sites

Geoff Armstrong
Grace, Hobbs, Bradman, Tendulkar, Pollock, Sobers, Gilchrist, Imran, Marshall, Warne, Barnes

Cricinfo
Hutton, Hobbs, Bradman, Tendulkar, Richards, Sobers, Gilchrist, Marshall, Akram, Warne, Lillee

Geoffrey Boycott
Hobbs, Hutton, Bradman, Headley, Richards, Sobers, Knott, Marshall, Warne, Lillee, Barnes

Bleacher
Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Bradman, Tendulkar, Sobers, Gilchrist, Miller, Imran, Warne, Marshall, Barnes

Benaud
Hobbs, Gavaskar, Bradman, Richards, Tendulkar, Sobers, Imran, Gilchrist, Warne, Lillee, Barnes

CricketWeb
Hobbs, Hutton, Bradman, Richards, Tendulkar, Sobers, Gilchrist, Imran, Marshall, Warne, Mcgrath

Christopher Martin-Jenkins
Grace, Hobbs, Bradman, Richards, Hammond, Sobers, Gilchrist, Marshall, Warne, Barnes, Mcgrath

Would have to go with Boycott's, additionally he did say that Tendulkar would automatically get a place in the team once he retires, over Headley I pressume.

 

[Coronis]

"shortly before his death"
Don Bradman
Richards, Morris, Bradman, Tendulkar, Sobers, Tallon, Lindwall, Lillee, Bedser, O'Reilly, Grimmett.
12 Man: Hammond

7 Aussies, unsurprising. Only has 4 batsmen, plus Sobers, with a reasoning of "If they can't make 500, who can?" Also heavily biased toward his own career, with 7 of the players (8 including Hammond) having played with or against him.

 

[Kapil]

David Frith:

A Stoddart (capt)
A Jackson
D Bradman
W Hammond
G Sobers
M Procter
G Evans (wk)
R Lindwall
B O'Reilly
S Barnes
B Chandrasekhar

 

[watson]

I quite like Boycott's effort. Knott and Barnes would make a fantastic combination;

01. Hobbs
02. Hutton
03. Bradman
04. Headley
05. Richards
06. Sobers
07. Knott
08. Marshall
09. Warne
10. Lillee
11. Barnes

David Frith's team is mega-unbalanced and just plain silly tbh.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

CWs team is the best.

 

[Satyanash89]

CWs team is the best.

Yep

 

[kyear2]

CWs team is the best.

And by some distance. Next is Cricinfo's, though still don't understand the Akran selection.

 

[kyear2]

"shortly before his death"
Don Bradman
Richards, Morris, Bradman, Tendulkar, Sobers, Tallon, Lindwall, Lillee, Bedser, O'Reilly, Grimmett.
12 Man: Hammond

7 Aussies, unsurprising. Only has 4 batsmen, plus Sobers, with a reasoning of "If they can't make 500, who can?" Also heavily biased toward his own career, with 7 of the players (8 including Hammond) having played with or against him.

Was never proven to be Bradman's actual selections as it was suspiciously released after his death.

 

[Coronis]

Was never proven to be Bradman's actual selections as it was suspiciously released after his death.

Ah ok, didn't know that. Wouldn't be surprised if his wasn't similar.

 

[Satyanash89]

Just noticed that Benaud and Bradman (allegedly) both don't have Marshall in their team, or none of the other great West Indian pacers... strange... did they not rate them as highly as others?

 

[kyear2]

Just noticed that Benaud and Bradman (allegedly) both don't have Marshall in their team, or none of the other great West Indian pacers... strange... did they not rate them as highly as others?

When Benaud was making his ATG XI he first created a short list of three players at each position, thats six (6) fast bowlers, namely Lillee, Mcgrath, Lindwall, Larwood, Trueman and Barnes, Marshall didn't even make the short list. Similarily Murali didn't make his three man short list for spinners and all three of his keepers were Australian (Gilchrist, Healy and Marsh) and even Knott couldn't make the short list.

Some biases in some of his selections, but really all of the batting lists were just just spot on IMHO.

 

[Cabinet96]

CW's is my favourite, followed by CMJ.

David Frith:

A Stoddart (capt)
A Jackson
D Bradman
W Hammond
G Sobers
M Procter
G Evans (wk)
R Lindwall
B O'Reilly
S Barnes
B Chandrasekhar

What is this? 7 bowling options and 2.5 leg spinners. Wouldn't even be that bad if he brought a batsman in for Chandrasekhar.

 

[Slifer]

Just noticed that Benaud and Bradman (allegedly) both don't have Marshall in their team, or none of the other great West Indian pacers... strange... did they not rate them as highly as others?

Neither men were particularly fond of the WI pace battery and their agressive nature (bouncers) which IMO is highly hypocritical considering they both selected Lillee. Also they might have been from the school of thought that thinks that the WI operated as a unit and therefore couldnt thrive as individuals which is ridiculous IMO.

 

[NUFAN]

Who is Bleacher? I like his team.

I don't really rate the teams which pick only 2 genuine pace bowlers, even if they include Barnes and Sobers.

 

[kyear2]

The Bleacher report. Would have to look for the name of the writer. Agree about your point about only two genuine fast bowlers, eliminated all of those teams out of hand.

 

[watson]

Who is Bleacher? I like his team.

I don't really rate the teams which pick only 2 genuine pace bowlers, even if they include Barnes and Sobers.

Which is odd because since the 1920s two quicks plus a medium pacer and spinner have been the mainstay of some of the best attacks (eg Lindwall, Miller, Johnston, Johnson, or Lillee. Thomson, Gilmour, Mallett)

It wasn't till Clive Lloyd came along that it was decided that 3-4 fast-bowlers was necessary. Indeed, it could be argued that a medium paced bowler should be included in an ATG team because some ATG batsman do poorly against such bowling. Bradman himself remarked that he much less preferred O'Reilly's fast leg-breaks, or Farnes' movement off the pitch, than he did Larwood's straight-out pace. Hayden, Gooch, and Border all had poor innings against swing bowlers.

Here is an example of Richard Ellison taking apart Border and his side in 1985;

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63407.html

 

[_Ed_]

David Frith:

A Stoddart (capt)

Am I the only one who actually had to look him up?

 

[NUFAN]

When I said genuine pace bowlers, I include swing bowlers in that category. What I don't want is a Barnes or Sobers or Warne coming on to bowl in the 10th over of a Test match so therefore personally I won't consider the experts teams where that could be an issue.

 

[watson]

When I said genuine pace bowlers, I include swing bowlers in that category. What I don't want is a Barnes or Sobers or Warne coming on to bowl in the 10th over of a Test match so therefore personally I won't consider the experts teams where that could be an issue.

Why not Sydney Barnes? Warne or Sobers I can understand, but I think that Barne's is a different matter. If Barnes was choosing to swing the ball it would be like Terry Alderman coming on to bowl after Lillee/Marshall. Maybe that's bad, dunno?