'GRAND FINAL': The Best of Each Decade Birthday Draft. VOTING THREAD.

[kyear2]

Really don't know who to vote for. Watson seems to have the stronger all round team, but how can one go against a team with Murali and Warne under the captaincy of Worrell and with Cameron and Hayden behind the stumps.

For me, Pothas's team would look better with Sir Frank at 3with Amla at 4. Just my opinion though.

 

[watson]

Another match report before voting concludes at 9pm tonight, Sydney Time.....


FIFTH TEST, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown: 'Freddo's Fireworks'

When Armstrong won the toss and sent Worrell's team into bat on a pitch with a light covering of green he hoped to quickly wreck Worrell's batting order. However, he didn't count on Roy Fredericks who had been reasonably quiet since his 1st innings 95 at the MCG. In an exhibition reminiscent of his encounter with Lillee and Thomson in 1975 he ignited a firework display that took him to 162 runs off only 135 balls. Worrell scored a more circumspect century to the delight of his home crowd, and in the end a total of 415 proved too much to chase for Armstrong's team on a lively wicket. After Botham had reeled in his best figures of the series to date Armstrong knew that his team were always fighting an uphill battle to save the Test match. Adcock dismissed Fredericks cheaply in the second innings, and then Hadlee bowled with his usual skill to skittle the lower order before Chappell and Armstrong provided some minor heroics with the bat. But it was clear by lunch on the 5th day that Miller, Botham, and Warne had simply bowled too well in the match after Fredericks emphatic innings on the 1st Day.

Worrell's XI 1st Innings: 415 all out
(Fredericks 162, Worrell 104, Hadlee 3-92, Mailey 3-77)
Armstrong's XI 1st Innings: 220 all out
(Dempster 77, Healy 54, Botham 5-58, Miller 4-40
Worrell's XI 2nd Innings: 210 all out
(Bardsley 59, Worrell 53, Hadlee 5-46, Steyn 3-49)
Armstrong's XI 2nd Innings: 291 all out
(Chappell 91, Armstrong 77, Miller 5-77, Warne 3-45)

Man of the Match: Roy Fredericks
Worrell's XI won by 81 runs.
Series tied at 2-2

 

[the big bambino]

Darrell Hare wasn't umpiring that particular Melbourne Test.

Murali's figures would have been a lot better here if Hair got to him before our batsmen did.

 

[watson]

I was about to post the final match report but have suddenly realised that the scores are tied 7-7! We need another vote to act as a tie breaker please.

 

[morgieb]

What's the official ITC website Morgieb?

CricketGames.com - Welcome

 

[kyear2]

Eventually went with Pothas's team. Very difficult decision, but eventually decided that there can be no tougher task that facing Warne and Murali on the last day of a Test.

 

[watson]

Eventually went with Pothas's team. Very difficult decision, but eventually decided that there can be no tougher task that facing Warne and Murali on the last day of a Test.

Thanks kyear. I will do the final write up this evening after work and post it then.

In the meantime here's why you probably made the correct decision - if the ICC 'Highest Career Rating' points are anything to go by;

POTHAS' XI
01. Roy Fredericks (753)
02. Warren Bardsley (769)
03. Hashim Amla (873)
04. Kumar Ranjitsinjhi (689)
05. Frank Worrell* (828/431)
06. Keith Miller (681/862)
07. Ian Botham (811/911)
08. Jock Cameron+ (565)
09. Shane Warne (348/905)
10. Frank Tyson (188/791)
11. Muttiah Muralitharan (180/920)
12th. Jack Carr

Opening Batsman = 1522
Middle Order Batsman (3-7) = 3882
Lower Order Batsman (8-11) = 1281
Fast Bowlers (x3) = 2564
Spin Bowlers (x2) = 1825
Part Time Bowler = 431
Total Batting = 6685
Total Bowling = 4823
Grand Total = 11508


WATSONs XI
01. Matthew Hayden (935).
02. Stewie Dempster (546)
03. Neil Harvey (921)
04. Greg Chappell (883/234)
05. Lindsay Hassett (854)
06. Warwick Armstrong* (703/566)
07. Ian Healy+ (597)
08. Richard Hadlee (562/909)
09. Dale Steyn (227/898)
10. Arthur Mailey (153/695)
11. Neil Adcock (90/840)
12th. Percy Fender

Opening Batsman = 1481
Middle Order Batsman (3-7) = 3958
Lower Order Batsman (8-11) = 1032
Fast Bowlers (x3) = 2647
Spin Bowlers (x2) = 1261
Part Time Bowler = 234
Total Batting = 6471
Total Bowling = 4142
Grand Total = 10613

Conclusion:
Watson holds a slight advantage in Middle-Order Batsman and Fast Bowlers.

Pothas holds a slight advantage in Opening Batsman, Lower-Order Batsman, and the Part Time Bowler.

Obviously Pothas holds a significant advantage in Spin Bowlers (564 Rating Points), and this accounts for most of the difference (895 Rating Points) in the Grand Total.

 

[watson]

A bit OTT I know, but.....

SIXTH TEST, Lords: 'Miller Wins the Series!'

Keith Miller has scored only one half-century in the series and had failed as a batman. His bowling had been superlative at times, but he had looked decidedly uncomfortable against the pace of Adcock and Steyn who regularly targeted him with bouncers. However, after returning to more familiar surroundings at the home of cricket he struck form for the first time and plundered a run-a-ball century in the second innings. The timing could not have been better as his team tried desperately to set Armstrong's batsman a reasonable target on the last Day.

Previously, Worrell's batman had opened proceedings with a mediocre 285 runs on Day 1. Armstrong's men then replied with a total of 420 after Hayden had scored a workmanlike century. When Miller strode to the wicket a second time with the score at 72/5 the 1st innings deficit of 135 runs seemed decisive. Out of form he rode his luck early in the innings, and was twice dropped on the long-leg boundary. However, the second half of his innings required no such assistance as he accelerated toward his century. Cameron and Warne both offered valuable support, and when Muralitharan was bowled by a Steyn yorker to be the last man out the lead had reached 198 runs.

The 2nd innings started well enough for Armstrong's team and by lunch on the 5th day they were 90/1. But then wickets started to fall regularly to Miller as the pressure rapidly mounted. When Mailey eventually joined Healy at the fall of the 8th wicket there were still 28 runs to get. Both batsman took the score to within 4 runs of victory, but then the irrepressable Botham bowled Mailey and Adcock with successive deliveries to hand his team a sensational victory.

Worrell's XI 1st Innings: 285 all out
(Fredericks 88, Ranjitsinjhi 101, Adcock 4-66, Steyn 3-70)
Armstrong's XI 1st Innings: 420 all out
(Hayden 156, Hassett 95, Tyson 3-89, Muralitharan 3-77)
Worrell's XI 2nd Innings: 333 all out
(Miller 149, Cameron 60, Steyn 4-70, Armstrong 3-40)
Armstrong's XI 2nd Innings: 194 all out
(Dempster 59, Healy 52, Miller 6-50, Botham 2-44)

Man of the Match: Keith Miller
Worrell's XI won by 4 runs
Worrell's XI won the 6 Test series 3-2

 

[watson]

CONGRAT's to POTHAS for winning the Draft, and 'The ATG Test Match Championship'.

 

[harsh.ag]

Just think Pothas' match winners in the lower half of his side will break the back of the more balanced and nuanced selections of Watson's. Toughie though.

 

[Saint Kopite]

Congrats Pothas. Hard Luck, Watson.

 

[Pothas]

Thanks for the votes, getting the spinners when everybody was busy getting the pace bowlers worked out.

 

[Saint Kopite]

Thanks to Watson as well for conducting the draft. It went on very smoothly and quickly. Been a pleasure taking part.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Have to say I enjoyed Watson's imaginary match reports a great deal, almost so much I'd have preferred longer versions. Shame that my three favorite players from the two teams Steyn, Warne and Botham did virtually nothing though

 

[watson]

Have to say I enjoyed Watson's imaginary match reports a great deal, almost so much I'd have preferred longer versions. Shame that my three favorite players from the two teams Steyn, Warne and Botham did virtually nothing though

Thanks ORS. I think that Warne and Botham were pretty involved, but yeah, Steyn was somewhat overshadowed by Hadlee and Adcock. Sorry BTW for occasionally muddling my tenses in the reports.

Overall, I took the opinion that batsman like Dempster, Harvey, and Hassett would have had few problems against Warne (or Murali) because their footwork was known to be excellent against spin. Hayden often played well against Kumble and Harbie so he would have gone OK as well. Chappell had difficulties against Underwood, but coped with Qadir easily enough, and Armstrong of course was used to playing the leg-breaks of Barnes, and the spin of Rhodes and Blythe. Therefore, I reckon that the pace of Tyson, Miller, and Botham were always going to cause more problems to Armstrong's team in the long run, rather than the spin of Warne and Murali.

Which now reminds me, I forgot to nominate the player of the series - Kumar Ranjitsinjhi for 772 runs at 64.3, and two centuries.

Over to Howe_Zat with the next Draft!

 

[kyear2]

Great job again Watson, and really enjoyed the match reports as well.

Expertly run draft.

Congrats.