Establishing the best decade for cricket: Finding the ATG XI from 12 decades of test cricket - then having a KO tourney to decide the best

[trundler]

Mushtaq
Knott
Botham

 

[Lillian Thomson]

With a top five of Boycott, Gavaskar, Richards, Chappell and Miandad - plus possibly Botham and Knott, I'm not picking an inferior bowler on the basis that he might squeeze an extra dozen runs.

Botham
Knott
Thomson

Holding is possibly a better and more consistent bowler, but the Thomson of 74/75 and 75/76 in Australia is as good as it gets.

 

[The Sean]

for whats its worth(possibly not much) Bradman batted Lillee at 8 in his all time XI

1. Barry Richards – South Africa
2. Arthur Morris – Australia
3. Don Bradman – Australia
4. Sachin Tendulkar – India
5. Gary Sobers – West Indies
6. Don Tallon – Australia
7. Ray Lindwall – Australia
8. Dennis Lillee – Australia
9. Alec Bedser – England
10. Bill O’Reilly – Australia
11. Clarrie Grimmett – Australia
12. Wally Hammond – England

Yeah, speaking of long tails...

 

[The Sean]

With a top five of Boycott, Gavaskar, Richards, Chappell and Miandad - plus possibly Botham and Knott, I'm not picking an inferior bowler on the basis that he might squeeze an extra dozen runs.

Botham
Knott
Thomson

Holding is possibly a better and more consistent bowler, but the Thomson of 74/75 and 75/76 in Australia is as good as it gets.

Fair enough, but Botham over Thommo in the 1970s is getting you an extra 25 runs. And then Mushtaq or Greig at six is another five or so. So we're talking an extra 30 runs rather than an extra 12. Completely understand your logic about wanting to go for the best possible bowlers though - I remain torn on that myself, and I'd love Thommo to make the team.

 

[The Sean]

This discussion on team balance has, however, got me thinking that my I like the idea of my fifth bowling option being able to carry more of a bowling load while also still averaging 40+ with the bat - so @mr_mister please change my vote for the number six slot from Mushtaq Mohammad to Tony Greig.

 

[a massive zebra]

Ian Botham
Alan Knott
Jeff Thomson

 

[CricAddict]

Botham
Knott
Holding

This for me too.

 

[Coronis]

Botham
Knott
Thomson

 

[ma1978]

Botham
Knott
Holding

 

[Coronis]

Are this many people seriously picking Holding over Thommo or Willis? Less than half the wickets at the same average for the decade, makes sense to me.

 

[ma1978]

I am convinced to change mine

botham
Knott
Willis

 

[The Sean]

Are this many people seriously picking Holding over Thommo or Willis? Less than half the wickets at the same average for the decade, makes sense to me.

Yeah, it feels like a "career" pick rather than one based specifically on the 1970s.

 

[Michaelf7777777]

Garfield Sobers
Alan Knott
Ian Botham

 

[mr_mister]

Yeah, it feels like a "career" pick rather than one based specifically on the 1970s.

he did have an amazing '76 series(make them grovel) but yeah Thommo feels more deserving to me

 

[mr_mister]

Botham gets the 6 spot in the end pretty comfortably, but Greigy, Sobers and Mustaq all got a few votes each

Knott clean sweeps 16-0, the biggest blowout yet

Thommo sneaks in over Holding 5-4


Geoff Boycott
Sunil Gavaskar
Viv Richards
Greg Chappell
Javed Miandad
Ian Botham 5
Allan Knott +
Dennis Lillee 1
Andy Roberts 2
Jeff Thomson 3
Derek Underwood 4


Pick the captain for this side and then,

Choose the opening bats for the 1980s side
as well as the number 3
and the opening bowlers

 

[mr_mister]

Greenidge and Gavaskar
Richie Richardson

Marshall and Hadlee

 

[morgieb]

Greg Chappell

Greenidge & Gavaskar
Richards

Marshall & Hadlee

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Greg Chappell (c)
Shame for Haynes, but the 2 Gs (Gavaskar and Greenidge)
Viv of course (was tempted to vote for John F Reid - shame he didn't play more, or even Gower for aesthetics)
Marshall and Hadlee

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I think the 80s team should be pretty straightforward. Only real issue imo is balance - extra batsman Crowe vs extra allrounder Botham.

Garner will be incredibly unlucky to miss out but Imran's all round greatness will get the 3rd seamer nod. Qadir might miss out to a paceman too, I guess with AB providing the spin.

 

[mr_mister]

funnily enough Viv didn't bat all that much at 3 in the '80s

and I'm thinking of just asking for a 3rd and 4th bowler of any type, like I did in the 30s. With that we had 3 spinners who are considered better than the best quicks of that time.

Here we have the opposite problem where it's 5-6 pacemen clearly better than the best spinner