Who wins out of my combined Aust/Eng vs. Windies/SA - Post 1950 Test XIs? ..
( QUAL: batting >1000 runs, bowling >20 wickets after 1950) hence ruling out the likes of Bradman, Hobbs, Hammond etc
Hayden
Hutton
Ponting
Chappell
7
Border*
6
Botham
4
Gilchrist+
Warne
5
Lillee
2
Trueman
3
McGrath
1
B Richards
Smith*
7
V Richards
6
Lara
G Pollock
Sobers
5
Walcott+
Marshall
1
Steyn
2
Ambrose
3
Donald
4
Many considerations... Was tossing up between Hayden, Boycott, Amiss & Simpson to open with Hutton, & decided on Hayden for the left-right combo. Considered May, Pietersen & Waugh in the middle order, but couldn't go past Chappell & Border at 4 & 5. Botham bats ahead of Gilchrist to keep to balance the left/right combos.
Could have considered Laker or Underwood as 2nd spinners, but love the pace attack of Lillee, McGrath, Trueman & Botham with the magic of Warne to follow.
Was tempted to pick Keith Miller ahead of Botham and Davidson ahead of Trueman, but already have too many Aussies
and considered the fact Miller played half his Test cricket prior to 1950.
For my WI/SA combined XI, was considering Greenidge and even Amla as openers, but couldn't go past Barry Richards and Graeme Smith, helped by the left/right combo and Smith's captaincy skills.
Don't think there'll be too many arguments with Viv and Lara at 3 & 4, but I'm sure there'll be many with me selecting G Pollock ahead of Kallis or
Headley, especially the former's bowling skills, but couldn't go past Pollock as a personal favourite.
There's a really good argument to include Lance Gibbs, but Sober's can bowl his spin variation. Not much between Garner, Donald & even Holding, but the pace attack of Marshall, Steyn, Ambrose & Donald feels about right.
Any major changes and who wins assuming it's a neutral Test pitch with a bit in it for all?
