Cricinfo Best Test 11 from last 25 years

[trundler]

Would certainly make an AT SCG XI. Bloke scored tons for fun against Australia at that venue.

Sort of makes sense since he was a giant in Asia. Dean Jones once said that Australia in his days would get thrashed everywhere but could always win at Sydney. Border took his 11 wickets there, IIRC. I suppose the conditions at SCG must have been similar to home conditions in Jaya's time compared to the rest of Australia.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Not sure how you'd rate Dilshan ahead of any of Anwar, Waugh, Hayden, Gilchrist, Sehwag or Tendulkar either, except that he's Sri Lankan. He's played mostly in a different, more batting friendly, era anyway.

Sort of makes sense since he was a giant in Asia. Dean Jones once said that Australia in his days would get thrashed everywhere but could always win at Sydney. Border took his 11 wickets there, IIRC. I suppose the conditions at SCG must have been similar to home conditions in Jaya's time compared to the rest of Australia.

That's surprising. I would have thought it would be the opposite.

 

[trundler]

As pioneers go, Zaheer Abbas certainly played a key role. Making his ODI debut in 1974 (10 years before Aravinda), he averaged 47.6, with a SR of 84.8
But more important than numbers, was his scintillating stylish strokeplay - a joy to behold.

It's difficult to rate short careers which is why I left him out. Greg Chappell did fairly well (not as good as Zaheer) in his short career too. I suppose Zaheer was the first to do it and Aravinda normalised it.

 

[trundler]

Not sure how you'd rate Dilshan ahead of any of Anwar, Waugh, Hayden, Gilchrist, Sehwag or Tendulkar either, except that he's Sri Lankan. He's played mostly in a different, more batting friendly, era anyway.



That's surprising. I would have thought it would be the opposite.

I left out in an important detail. Thrashed by West Indies. FMD. The bit you highlighted specifically refers to WI. My bad.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I left out in an important detail. Thrashed by West Indies. FMD. The bit you highlighted specifically refers to WI. My bad.

Ah no that makes sense. Didn't realise you were talking about playing against WI.

 

[Migara]

Dean Jones could fit in the Pioneers XI, and technically Mark Greatbach and Kris Srikkanth were the earliest pinch hitting openers.

Also maybe a shot out to Dipak Patel for opening the bowling as a spinner, and Chris Harris for making dibbly dobblies ***y. Or just Martin Crowe in general for bringing in some of these innovations himself.

Oh and Afridi. Playing T10 cricket in the ODI era. Legend.

Before Chris Harris, was Gavin Larsen, a bowler who could hit 130k, reduced it do dibbly dobblies so he will be hard to get away.

 

[Migara]

Not sure how you'd rate Dilshan ahead of any of Anwar, Waugh, Hayden, Gilchrist, Sehwag or Tendulkar either, except that he's Sri Lankan. He's played mostly in a different, more batting friendly, era anyway.

It's surprising when you rate a batsman with average 43 and Sr of 76 ahead of a batsman with average of 46 with SR of 89. Stats don't lie, But bias do. And that is what has happened here.

 

[marc71178]

It's surprising when you rate a batsman with average 43 and Sr of 76 ahead of a batsman with average of 46 with SR of 89. Stats don't lie, But bias do. And that is what has happened here.

LOL, you lecturing anyone on bias.

 

[Migara]

LOL, you lecturing anyone on bias.

Yes of course, I am biased on stats. That's better than national bias.

 

[Victor Ian]

Jayasuriya's importance ....best fieldsman in that list except Dilshan and Gibbs

and Mark.

 

[TheJediBrah]

It's surprising when you rate a batsman with average 43 and Sr of 76 ahead of a batsman with average of 46 with SR of 89. Stats don't lie, But bias do. And that is what has happened here.

Yes of course, I am biased on stats. That's better than national bias.

you are national bias personified

 

[cnerd123]

Before Chris Harris, was Gavin Larsen, a bowler who could hit 130k, reduced it do dibbly dobblies so he will be hard to get away.

they basically played alongside each other, and Chris Harris made it ***y

 

[Bolo]

Jayasuriya used to frustrate me as a batsman. Saw him out on almost no runs trying to hit a six too many times. I like the idea of an aggressive opening bat, but he seemed to think of himself as a pinch hitter- moving from a Sachin type of role to an Afridi one. He was wasted in the idea of pinch hitter- I think the idea had some merit considering the dynamics of the game at time, but he had too much going for him to play the role. He had the attributes that make for a great pinch hitter (his ability to punish width was extremely useful given bowlers tendency at the time to provide it), but he was also a proper bat. His style and ability were very similar to Gilchrist. I think if he'd easied into his innings just a bit more he would have ended up with stats like Gilchrist as well.

When he came right he could be a game winner, but far more often than not he would end up leaving his team on the backfoot having lost a wicket for almost no runs.

He was trailblazing, but I think his trailblazing batting was a tactical error and Lanka would have been better off if he had dialled it back a notch.

 

[trundler]

Jayasuriya used to frustrate me as a batsman. Saw him out on almost no runs trying to hit a six too many times. I like the idea of an aggressive opening bat, but he seemed to think of himself as a pinch hitter- moving from a Sachin type of role to an Afridi one. He was wasted in the idea of pinch hitter- I think the idea had some merit considering the dynamics of the game at time, but he had too much going for him to play the role. He had the attributes that make for a great pinch hitter (his ability to punish width was extremely useful given bowlers tendency at the time to provide it), but he was also a proper bat. His style and ability were very similar to Gilchrist. I think if he'd easied into his innings just a bit more he would have ended up with stats like Gilchrist as well.

When he came right he could be a game winner, but far more often than not he would end up leaving his team on the backfoot having lost a wicket for almost no runs.

He was trailblazing, but I think his trailblazing batting was a tactical error and Lanka would have been better off if he had dialled it back a notch.

That sort of rash and frustrating decision making comes with batsmen of that ilk, IMO. Even Viv sometimes got too ****y and tried smashing the wrong ball over extra cover, only to get bowled. Obviously this happened less often with Viv and more than it should have with Jayasuria. That's what sets Tendulkar apart as an opener. He scored big and quick consistently.

 

[Bolo]

That sort of rash and frustrating decision making comes with batsmen of that ilk, IMO. Even Viv sometimes got too ****y and tried smashing the wrong ball over extra cover, only to get bowled. Obviously this happened less often with Viv and more than it should have with Jayasuria. That's what sets Tendulkar apart as an opener. He scored big and quick consistently.

You will see this to sone extent from all the quicker bats. I feel like Jayasuriya was one of the few that would go for a combination of risky shots and playing them early innings. Gilchrist went the same route, but a little less extreme and got better results. SR and averages are a bit of a tradeoff. The tradeoff seems okay for Gilchrist, but for Jayasuriya averaging 32 it is a bit extreme.

 

[Red]

Dean Jones definitely makes a pioneering XI. Ushered in the second phase of ODI tactics, looked to do things like pressure fieldsmen by taking two, turning without looking to save time, a lot of stuff that is standard now.

 

[smash84]

Dean Jones definitely makes a pioneering XI. Ushered in the second phase of ODI tactics, looked to do things like pressure fieldsmen by taking two, turning without looking to save time, a lot of stuff that is standard now.

Like inzy?

 

[Red]

Like inzy?

Did Inzy take twos?

 

[trundler]

I don't think it was possible for him to turn quickly enough for it!

 

[trundler]

Dean Jones definitely makes a pioneering XI. Ushered in the second phase of ODI tactics, looked to do things like pressure fieldsmen by taking two, turning without looking to save time, a lot of stuff that is standard now.

He should but I'm unsure whom he should replace. Perhaps Aravinda.