That's a relief - was beginning to think I'd spent a summer in a coma while Gatt was being BradmanesqueThat is wrong. Gatting averaged a peak of 44.36 over 50 matches from 1981-1987 as far as I can tell. Averaged 22 either side of that.
I think removing Kapil from the Asia XI and putting a batsman in there would make asia strongerWas thinking of 3 sides. Australasia, Asia and the rest of the world. Probably missed a couple obvious people but here they are.
Australasia
Ponsford
Morris
Bradman*
Ponting
Chappell
Miller
Gilchrist+
Hadlee
Warne
Lillee
McGrath
Blasphemy right here, but I could probably drop Miller and put Border in... but that weakens the bowling somewhat.
Asia
Gavaskar
Anwar
Dravid
Tendulkar
Sangakkara+
Miandad
Kapil
Imran*
Wasim
Murali
Waqar
Not much to say here. Could put in a specialist keeper, but, Sanga's batting is excellent.
Rest of the World
Hobbs
Sutcliffe
Kallis
Pollock
Hammond*
Sobers
Knott+
Marshall
Jim Laker
Curtly Ambrose
Joel Garner
Wasn't comfortable putting Barnes in over Laker. Obviously controversial middle order, Headley, Richards and Lara unlucky to miss out.
Would be some interesting matchups imo. What do you guys think? Pretty hard to separate them but I think Australasia has the slightest of edges.
AustralasiaWas thinking of 3 sides. Australasia, Asia and the rest of the world. Probably missed a couple obvious people but here they are.
Australasia
Ponsford
Morris
Bradman*
Ponting
Chappell
Miller
Gilchrist+
Hadlee
Warne
Lillee
McGrath
Blasphemy right here, but I could probably drop Miller and put Border in... but that weakens the bowling somewhat.
Asia
Gavaskar
Anwar
Dravid
Tendulkar
Sangakkara+
Miandad
Kapil
Imran*
Wasim
Murali
Waqar
Not much to say here. Could put in a specialist keeper, but, Sanga's batting is excellent.
Rest of the World
Hobbs
Sutcliffe
Kallis
Pollock
Hammond*
Sobers
Knott+
Marshall
Jim Laker
Curtly Ambrose
Joel Garner
Wasn't comfortable putting Barnes in over Laker. Obviously controversial middle order, Headley, Richards and Lara unlucky to miss out.
Would be some interesting matchups imo. What do you guys think? Pretty hard to separate them but I think Australasia has the slightest of edges.
Top Asia team, the only thing i'd do is put imran at #7 and Kapil at #8.Was thinking of 3 sides. Australasia, Asia and the rest of the world. Probably missed a couple obvious people but here they are.
Australasia
Ponsford
Morris
Bradman*
Ponting
Chappell
Miller
Gilchrist+
Hadlee
Warne
Lillee
McGrath
Blasphemy right here, but I could probably drop Miller and put Border in... but that weakens the bowling somewhat.
Asia
Gavaskar
Anwar
Dravid
Tendulkar
Sangakkara+
Miandad
Kapil
Imran*
Wasim
Murali
Waqar
Not much to say here. Could put in a specialist keeper, but, Sanga's batting is excellent.
Rest of the World
Hobbs
Sutcliffe
Kallis
Pollock
Hammond*
Sobers
Knott+
Marshall
Jim Laker
Curtly Ambrose
Joel Garner
Wasn't comfortable putting Barnes in over Laker. Obviously controversial middle order, Headley, Richards and Lara unlucky to miss out.
Would be some interesting matchups imo. What do you guys think? Pretty hard to separate them but I think Australasia has the slightest of edges.
Hutton V Richards - Richards (rate him as the 2nd best opener after Hobbs, and his slip catching is a bonus)Is this team better than the one in my sig?
Jack Hobbs
Barry Richards ^
Don Bradman *
Viv Richards ^
Sachin Tendulkar
Garry Sobers (5) ^
Allan Knott *
Imran Khan (3)
Malcolm Marshall (1)
Muttiah Muralitharan (4)
Glenn McGrath (2)
Was thining this better suited to playing all over the world including the SC. Richards over Hutton because with Warne ommitted, a third specialist slip is needed, plus all who say him said he was the best and brings imputus to the top order. Hobbs and the middle order are just a class above for me, so no need for change there. Gilchrist is the best keeper batsman, and he mastered keeping to Warne, hence he was an automatic, Murali is a totally different proposition and feel Knott would be better suited, plus he was no mugg with the bat either and batted in a more difficult era to Gilly. Still can't fathom a better pace attack that Marshall, McGrath and Imran and only Amby and probably Lillee would challenge.
Thoughts?
'Gilly's batting is just ridiculous' until an accurate right-arm fast bowler (like Flintoff) goes around the wicket and aims to hit the off bail. Then he looks more average.Hutton V Richards - Richards (rate him as the 2nd best opener after Hobbs, and his slip catching is a bonus)
Knott V Gilchrist - Gilchrist (Knott might be a little better with the gloves, but Gilly's batting is just ridiculous and i doubt he'll miss many opportunities with the gloves)
Murali V Warne - Warne (reckon they're pretty much equal only bowling but warne's extra ability with the bat and fielding is what puts him over)
I just think Richards, Gilly and Warne are slighty better cricketers than their counterparts and that their 2nd/3rd strengths are what make them the better picks as i don't believe there is much between each of them when it comes to their #1 role (biggest would be between Knott and Gilly but still, Gilchrist was a quality keeper who played in an all time great team and was still one of the stand outs).
I think the team in your sig is slightly better, Gilchrist's batting being the main difference and Murali's lack of batting being a minor difference compared to Warne, Richards slipping makes up for Warne's that has gone missing.
This came about as the more I looked at Warne and Murali, the more it was obvious that there isn't anything at all between them as bowlers. The difference however is that Warne is the much better cricketer and would be more valuable to any team than Murali would be with his batting and catching. Of course this only comes in as they are more or less equals, if Murali was clarly better, then the rest really wouldn't matter.Hutton V Richards - Richards (rate him as the 2nd best opener after Hobbs, and his slip catching is a bonus)
Knott V Gilchrist - Gilchrist (Knott might be a little better with the gloves, but Gilly's batting is just ridiculous and i doubt he'll miss many opportunities with the gloves)
Murali V Warne - Warne (reckon they're pretty much equal only bowling but warne's extra ability with the bat and fielding is what puts him over)
I just think Richards, Gilly and Warne are slighty better cricketers than their counterparts and that their 2nd/3rd strengths are what make them the better picks as i don't believe there is much between each of them when it comes to their #1 role (biggest would be between Knott and Gilly but still, Gilchrist was a quality keeper who played in an all time great team and was still one of the stand outs).
I think the team in your sig is slightly better, Gilchrist's batting being the main difference and Murali's lack of batting being a minor difference compared to Warne, Richards slipping makes up for Warne's that has gone missing.