What is your ALL TIME WORLD XI TEAM for tests?

[watson]

Turner opened the bowling, delivering right-arm medium-pace with a low, square-on action off about seven yards. In 1888, at the Woolwich Arsenal, his delivery speed was measured at 55mph. He described himself as a fingerspinner, and was renowned for being able to bring the ball back sharply into a right-hand batsman. His great variety - his yorker was a feared delivery - was his strength.

Ric Sissons on Charlie Turner | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo

It's interesting that Turner opened the bowling. Obviously in preWWI times they had no problem with medium paced bowlers getting first use of the new ball. They didn't have to be of Richardson's speed.

 

[the big bambino]

It seemed common for a slow bowler to take the new ball with a fast bowler. I think the theory was the variety of the attack made it harder for batsmen to settle. Pace bowlers like Richardson also did a lot of leg work with the old ball. Almost the reverse of what happens today.

 

[kyear2]

The 2nd innings in the video against Australia is just glorious in it's stroke play and why he will always be in my first XI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AnS7P7a3Mw

 

[marc71178]

Just a word about Strike Rate. It is an important measure of a bowlers skill but has less to do with winning Test matches than the bowler's Average. This is because a team can only win a Test match if they score more total runs than the other team. For example, if a Test match is is won by a dozen runs or so then Bowler A who has takes 10/150 for the match with a Strike Rate of 62 balls is far more important in pure mathmatical terms than Bowler B who takes 10/200 for the match, but has a superb Strike Rate of 36 balls.

Only if the rest of the bowling attack managed to concede less than 50 in the 40odd extra overs that they had to bowl, something I would find highly unlikely.

 

[watson]

Only if the rest of the bowling attack managed to concede less than 50 in the 40odd extra overs that they had to bowl, something I would find highly unlikely.

I get what you are saying, but the example I gave was to help illustrate a simple point - not be an exercise in mathmatical obfuscation.

 

[watson]

The 2nd innings in the video against Australia is just glorious in it's stroke play and why he will always be in my first XI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AnS7P7a3Mw

Richards does have a reputation of being a batsman who wields his bat like a club with not much finesse. But those shots off his pads through mid-wicket are every bit as graceful as those made by Mark Waugh in Rob's recent thread.

 

[kyear2]

Indeed, and there were some magnificent straight drives as well. He could bat and I rate him the best after Bradman and ahead of Sachin, Sobers and Lara in that order.

Speaking of Sachin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWlwkBWf8U

 

[kyear2]

Watching youtube videos most of the morning (fathers day after all) and watching a lot of Warne and Murali in particular and I must say, Murali is impressing me a lot more that Shane at the moment.

Stay tuned.

 

[kyear2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2skWt3OLJMU

Masterclass.

 

[viriya]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2skWt3OLJMU

Masterclass.

This was 2006/07 when Murali was at his best form. It was the first 10-wkt haul that sparked 4 in a row (the 2nd time he did it - no one else has even done more than 3 in a row).. He could've run through the Eng batsmen there if the SL batsmen had posted a decent score - he did that in the next game though with 8-70 to even the series..

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Indeed, and there were some magnificent straight drives as well. He could bat and I rate him the best after Bradman and ahead of Sachin, Sobers and Lara in that order.

Speaking of Sachin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWlwkBWf8U

I've always thought of him as a grander version of Kevin Pieterson. Similar attacking style would you say?

 

[kyear2]

KP is the closest example in our generation of Sir Viv.

 

[smash84]

Indeed, and there were some magnificent straight drives as well. He could bat and I rate him the best after Bradman and ahead of Sachin, Sobers and Lara in that order.
]

Weren't you rating Sobers and Lara ahead of Viv until recently?

Having seen Viv bat I consider him the best that I have seen and I can't imagine anybody being better than him bar Bradman.

 

[harsh.ag]

Weren't you rating Sobers and Lara ahead of Viv until recently?

Having seen Viv bat I consider him the best that I have seen and I can't imagine anybody being better than him bar Bradman.

Yes you can. Try.

 

[Coronis]

Watching youtube videos most of the morning (fathers day after all) and watching a lot of Warne and Murali in particular and I must say, Murali is impressing me a lot more that Shane at the moment.

Stay tuned.

Warne will always get more attention because he's Australian, and because his action was never questioned. And probably because he was a leg spinner rather than off. IMO Murali was a shade or two more skilful.

 

[kyear2]

Weren't you rating Sobers and Lara ahead of Viv until recently?

Having seen Viv bat I consider him the best that I have seen and I can't imagine anybody being better than him bar Bradman.

Lara no, Sobers no because he batted lower in the order so much and that was the tiebreaker.

 

[Coronis]

Lara no, Sobers no because he batted lower in the order so much and that was the tiebreaker.

Batting lower in the order can be difficult too, e.g if the top order collapses, you're stuck batting with tailenders.

 

[kyear2]

Yes you can. Try.

Who Harsh?

 

[Slifer]

Well for me it's Viv then the rest as far as West Indians are concerned. I think Viv is a case where stats don't tell the truth nor do they do him justice. I mean for goodness sakes Shiv averages a clear 2 runs more (wtf)

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Problem with Viv is that he fell off so sharply after his peak