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

[The Sean]

Given the different team balances and players that people seem to be going for, @mr_mister will the final selection simply be a "choose your 11th player" rather than "pick a number 6" as I'm assuming a lot of people will be picking another bowler or bowling all-rounder who wouldn't necessarily bat at 6?

 

[The Sean]

He's almost certainly not needed (nor will be selected) but I feel like I want Kapil Dev in this team, if for no other reason than I like the idea of him finally getting to showcase his talents as part of a balanced and well-managed pace attack, rather than simply being bowled into the ****ing ground with no support as he always was.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Balance is really important here. If a specialist batsman ends up at 6 I'd definitely want Dujon and Garner, but as I expect an all rounder will be chosen at 6 I'm going for Smith (more experience keeping to spinners) and Qadir. No point having 5 seamers and the 5th one (probably Botham or Kapil) being a new ball swing bowler. Also Border would have to bowl a lot or else the over rate would be horrendous.

Smith
Qadir

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Given the different team balances and players that people seem to be going for, @mr_mister will the final selection simply be a "choose your 11th player" rather than "pick a number 6" as I'm assuming a lot of people will be picking another bowler or bowling all-rounder who wouldn't necessarily bat at 6?

Or if Garner gets the nod I might vote Crowe or Vengsakar who'd bat 4 and push Miandad and AB down.

 

[Michaelf7777777]

Jeff Dujon
Joel Garner

 

[Engle]

Dujon
Abdul Qadir (the man who kept the flickering flame aglow)

 

[Coronis]

Dujon
Garner

 

[a massive zebra]

Kirmani
Garner

 

[mr_mister]

Given the different team balances and players that people seem to be going for, @mr_mister will the final selection simply be a "choose your 11th player" rather than "pick a number 6" as I'm assuming a lot of people will be picking another bowler or bowling all-rounder who wouldn't necessarily bat at 6?

that seems like a perfect idea. then i'll shuffle the order around accordingly.

Not sure who should bat higher between Dujon and Imran for example so people can start giving their opinion on that

 

[Slifer]

Dujon

Qasim

Seriously:

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

 

[trundler]

That's actually pretty good.

 

[Slifer]

That's actually pretty good.

Precisely. And we all know I'm not one to push spinners but if we need one, Qasim would do just fine.

 

[Coronis]

Precisely. And we all know I'm not one to push spinners but if we need one, Qasim would do just fine.

Would definitely be my pick for a spinner.

 

[a massive zebra]

Wow, I didn't think there was a spinner with such a great record in the 1980s. Abdul Qadir is almost universally proclaimed as the best spinner of his generation and the man who kept spin bowling alive through the barren years of the 1980s, yet he had a colleague who took well over 100 Test wickets at a massively better average, significantly better economy rate and even a better strike rate in the same decade. I guess Abdul Qadir is more fondly remembered partly because he was a wrist spinner but also because he put in more match winning performances, even if he was far less consistent.

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com

With Marshall, Hadlee and Imran already I'm the side, I think Qasim (an accurate and consistent spinner who would keep the runs down and chip in with a few wickets) would be a better fit for this side than Qadir (a potential match winner who is just as likely to release the pressure and go for 0/100), because they already have the bowlers to run through any side.

 

[Gob]

Wait are people seriously going in without a front line spinner? Crazy talk. There will most likely be an all rounder at six (hopefully Botham) so it's a massive over kill anyway

Dijon
Quadir

 

[Gob]

Never heard of quasim

 

[smash84]

Wait are people seriously going in without a front line spinner? Crazy talk. There will most likely be an all rounder at six (hopefully Botham) so it's a massive over kill anyway

Dijon
Quadir

I prefer the regular variety of mustard.

 

[271 & 16/166]

I prefer the regular variety of mustard.

No he played in the 2000s and wouldn't be in my side!

 

[ma1978]

The greatest team of the 80s barely played with a frontline spinner

 

[Coronis]

The greatest team of the 80s barely played with a frontline spinner

Do you think they would’ve if they had a spinner as good as Qasim in the wings?

Considering the team already has the best (or one of the very best pace attacks) it seems foolish to put them at a disadvantage to other teams by not picking the quality spinner that is available.