Only for tests...Are you talking tests or odis? Cause saqlain is surely a odi great.
Bordering on Greatness XI
Graham Gooch (C)
Desmond Haynes
Richie Richardson
Aravinda de Silva
Doug Walters
Shakib Al Hasan
Andrew Flintoff
Brad Haddin (WK)
Mitchell Johnson
Saqlain Mushtaq
Courtney Walsh
@burgeyLacking some Allan Border there.. .
I'd be finding a place for Miller in your firsts tbh, probably at Border's expense, as much as I rate Border.The "almost great XI" has got me thinking we should do a forest and 2nd XI for each nation, with more focus on the second XI.
I'll start with Aus:
First:
Hayden
Trumper
Bradman
Ponting
Chappell G
Border (c)
Gilchrist (wk)
Warne
Davidson
Lillee
McGrath
2nd:
Simpson
Lawry
Harvey
Clarke
Waugh S (c)
Hussey
Healy (wk)
Miller
Johnson
Lindwall
O'Reilly
I like Miller and think he was a fantastic cricketer. But I don't think an attack comprising McGrath, Lillee, Warne and Davidson is going to have any issues taking 20 wickets. Between the batsmen you could squeeze out 5-10 overs if absolutely necessary but IMO it's not worth sacrificing the extra batting Border provides, particularly when matched against the WIndies ATG attack.I'd be finding a place for Miller in your firsts tbh, probably at Border's expense, as much as I rate Border.
Fair rationale I suppose, just doesn't sit well with me since I consider Miller a greatest Test cricketer than Border. Don't get me wrong, both were ATGs, but Miller is with Imran as one of the two greatest bowling all-rounders of all time, and with Imran arguably the most pure all-rounder.I like Miller and think he was a fantastic cricketer. But I don't think an attack comprising McGrath, Lillee, Warne and Davidson is going to have any issues taking 20 wickets. Between the batsmen you could squeeze out 5-10 overs if absolutely necessary but IMO it's not worth sacrificing the extra batting Border provides, particularly when matched against the WIndies ATG attack.
Fair rationale I suppose, just doesn't sit well with me since I consider Miller a greatest Test cricketer than Border. Don't get me wrong, both were ATGs, but Miller is with Imran as one of the two greatest bowling all-rounders of all time, and with Imran arguably the most pure all-rounder.
Yeah, I didn't make that clear. I've always considered Miller and Imran the two greatest bowling allrounders and Sobers and Kallis the two best batting ARs.Nah.. I would say Imran is the greatest bowling all rounder, Sobers the greatest batting all rounder and Miller the most pure all rounder (can make the side as a batsman/bowler)
The Windies teams are missing Headley but maybe you feel he didn't play enough tests.West Indies:
1st:
Hayne
Greenidge
Richards (c)
Lara
Walcott
Sobers
Dujon (wk)
Marshall
Holding
Garner
Ambrose
2nd XI:
Hunte
Gayle
Worrell (c)
Weekes
Lloyd
Chanderpaul
Jacobs (wk)
Gibbs
Walsh
Roberts
Hall
This 2nd team is immense. I can't imagine too many batsmen wanting to face that pace lineup. The batting is fantastic too.
I'd love to watch those 2nd XIs face off.