If McGrath takes 4 wickets per match at 1 run better on average, isn't his bowling only worth 4 runs compared to Khan or Hadlee?
While people bang on about how you pick your best bowler, he is only 1 run better per wicket on average. Hadlee or Khan are going to score, presuming they only get to bat once, 20+ runs per game (maybe half that because they will be facing ATG bowlers. How can a case be made to up the amount of runs McGrath's better average is worth to compensate?
Taking it further, Hadlee is less than a run better than Khan. But Khan is a better bat by 10 runs. If you pick Khan, surely you pick Hadlee. And if you pick Khan, then surely you pick Miller as he could score the same runs on average at the same time he took the wickets at a low average.
But that's the thing, cricket isn't played on a spreadsheet. Just because he averaged 37, doesn't mean he scores that every innings. Just because one bowler average 2 runs per wickets less, that what's they would allow.
You want the best possible bowlers to create the most opportunities, you have 7 gentlemen whose primary job it is to score runs. Yes, runs by the tail can be important, but so is bowling out the opposition as cheaply as possible.
Smali asked if Imran wasn't in the same ball park as McGrath. No, neither to most is Wasim, or Donald . McGrath is unarguably a top 4 fast bowler and probably one of only 2 or 3 in the discussion as being the greatest ever. That's not where any of the aforementioned persons are. So why go outside if that group to select someone whose primary role is to bowl.
The higher in level of competition you go, and the further down the batting line up you go, there's a question of diminishing returns. Especially if it's not your primary skill. One you drop below that 50 threshold, you're not an ATG bat, below 40 is even more so. How will they be faring vs ATG attacks.
As I've said before, it's a matter of priorities and selection philosophy. I believe you try to get a varied attack, if one of them can bat pretty decently, added bonus. As I've conceded, if McGrath is a top 3 bowler, Hadlee is at worst a top 4, so there's no loss there, and he's so much better with the bat. But I stay within what I see as my op tier to make these decisions.
Your philosophy is that what Imran gives with the bat, is worth any drop off with the ball, and you are willing to over look better bowlers to select him. I'm not.
So we can just agree to disagree.
