best Australian lineup

[Magrat Garlick]

inspired by the 18yo ago thread

Is it 1948? Is it 2004? Is it just before WSC broke everything? Who knows, it definitely is someone who lets you know they've ground you into the dust though

 

[sunilz]

According to Historical ICC peak ratings AUS 2007 side attained 143 after beating SL in Nov 2007. Now that 143 peak ratings must have been due to 16 consecutive wins between 2005-07. So I am going with AUS 2006-07 one.

 

[AndrewB]

"I always thought my 1948 side the best I saw, though conceding it would have been hard pressed to beat Armstrong's 1921 combination. Yet Armstrong, when asked whether his side was better than Joe Darling's 1902 side replied 'the 1902 side could play 22 of our chaps and give them a beating'. Armstrong played in both so he should know."

Don Bradman, foreword to the Wisden Book of Test Cricket (1985 edition), having compared his 1948 side to the 1984 West Indies (who had just dented their reputation somewhat by losing by an innings to Australia on a turning pitch). This is of course irrelevant to how any of them compare to the 2004-2007 teams.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

That team we beat at the ARG in 2004 was strong.

 

[stephen]

1948 if only for the Don and Miller in the same side.

 

[ataraxia]

1946 is better than 1948 IMO.

 

[Spikey]

It's the 2004-2005 NSW team

 

[TheJediBrah]

It's the 2004-2005 NSW team

Jaques
Slater
Katich
Bevan
S. Waugh
Clarke
Haddin
Lee
Clark
MacGill
McGrath

 

[Gob]

2002 first test vs SA at Johannesburg

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Waugh ME
Waugh SR
Martyn
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Gillespie
McGrath

Best years for both Waugh brothers were behind them. Lee was basically bowling two lengths and Martyn hadn't yet established his place

2006 first Ashes test at Gabba

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Clark
McGrath

Both Warne and McGrath were passed their prime as were Langer and Gilchrist

Not sure what to make of it but think I'll lean towards the more recent one for no particular reason. Maybe the 2004 side which conquered Asia was superior to either since almost everyone representing were firing in all cylinders

 

[Gob]

Anywho deciding the strength of a team based on name sheets can be very misleading.

2010 Fourth Ashes test at Melbourne

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Smith
Haddin
Johnson
Harris
Siddle
Hilfenhause

 

[mr_mister]

What about somewhere in the 30s?

Peak Bradman, Jackson, Mccabe, Ponsford

To go with Grimmett and Oreilly.

Lacking a star pacemen but the invincibles didn't have a star spinner

 

[Magrat Garlick]

What about somewhere in the 30s?

Peak Bradman, Jackson, Mccabe, Ponsford

To go with Grimmett and Oreilly.

Lacking a star pacemen but the invincibles didn't have a star spinner

strong guys but the 30s team had some really weird fillers and drew/lost a fair few matches - eg this guy batted six/seven in 1934 and 1936 https://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4570.html

 

[TheJediBrah]

2006 first Ashes test at Gabba

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Clark
McGrath

Both Warne and McGrath were passed their prime as were Langer and Gilchrist

whoa whoa whoa

no way man

 

[morgieb]

What about somewhere in the 30s?

Peak Bradman, Jackson, Mccabe, Ponsford

To go with Grimmett and Oreilly.

Lacking a star pacemen but the invincibles didn't have a star spinner

Yeah I think the Invinicibles bat deeper. Had O'Reilly stayed until 1948 (admittedly was 43 by then but by standards of those days that isn't that old for a spinner) then it's the best Australian team of all-time.

 

[morgieb]

2002 first test vs SA at Johannesburg

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Waugh ME
Waugh SR
Martyn
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Gillespie
McGrath

Best years for both Waugh brothers were behind them. Lee was basically bowling two lengths and Martyn hadn't yet established his place

2006 first Ashes test at Gabba

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Lee
Clark
McGrath

Both Warne and McGrath were passed their prime as were Langer and Gilchrist

Not sure what to make of it but think I'll lean towards the more recent one for no particular reason. Maybe the 2004 side which conquered Asia was superior to either since almost everyone representing were firing in all cylinders

I'd take the 06 side - Warne and McGrath were far closer to their peak level than the Waugh's was and Lee of 06/07 >> the one of 01/02. Close run thing though, both sides are obviously very, very good.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

the 06 side has the obvious problem that if McGrath steps on a cricket ball in training it all goes to pot

 

[morgieb]

1946 is better than 1948 IMO.

I guess the problem is though the Test O'Reilly played Bradman didn't. While both sides are very similar Harvey is a big tick in 48's favour, IMO.

 

[Gob]

whoa whoa whoa

no way man

They were tbh

McGrath was never the same after edgbaston debacle. I think their may have been personal reasons affecting him too. Couldn't bother to check the stats but I think i saw somewhere that his average was above 30 for the last 3 years.Warne was great up until that series but I think the age started to catch up with him finally.

Obviously both of them were still very very good but that is a testimony to how great they were at their absolute best

 

[TheJediBrah]

They were tbh

McGrath was never the same after edgbaston debacle. I think their may have been personal reasons affecting him too. Couldn't bother to check the stats but I think i saw somewhere that his average was above 30 for the last 3 years.Warne was great up until that series but I think the age started to catch up with him finally.

Obviously both of them were still very very good but that is a testimony to how great they were at their absolute best

Brah you're remembering wrong. McGrath averaged 21.41 in his last 3 years, actually lower than his career average. He was then man of the tournament in the 2007 World Cup.

Warne was as good as ever as well. In his last 2 years he also averaged better than his career average. I watched the 06/07 Ashes live and have rewatched a lot of it a lot of times, and I can tell you Warne and McGrath were as good as they ever were.

You're right about Langer and Gilchrist though, they definitely weren't as good as they were 2-3 years beforehand.

 

[TheJediBrah]

It's one of the most notable things about Warne and McGrath that from the 00's Aus side they are 2 of the only ones who retired when they were still performing at peak levels, which you can't say about Ponting, Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, Clarke or Martyn.