All time world test XI selection

[sunilz]

Viv Richards

 

[Coronis]

Can't have too much of a good thing. Both #5 and #6 being left handed and quick scorers doesn't matter at all to me. I'd be happy to compromise on any of the alternatives obviously but my reasoning leads me to believe that Lara is the best fit for this particular side. His ability to destroy spinners and perform miracles makes Lara the best choice IMO. Hammond is more suited to #3/4 and I think Lara > Richards slightly. More relevantly, Lara came good against better quality spin.

Personally for me Hammond will be suited fine as the 5, played against top quality spinners too. And a bloke striking mid 40’s is the perfect bloke to help steady the innings with Tendulkar between more aggressive batsmen such as Bradman, Sobers and Gilchrist. But again thats just me.

 

[gftw]

Lara

Bradman

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Lara
Imran

 

[TheJediBrah]

Like Viv?

Specialist catchers seems a stretch honestly. Certainly not a big enough factor to decide over someone with greater skill in their core discipline.

Not a stretch at all, and you don't have to choose over someone with a greater skill. Smith over Tendulkar doesn't lose anything.

If we were talking about picking Jonty Rhodes over Tendulkar you might have a point

 

[Prince EWS]

A great team, as this one obviously is, should be well rounded and complete in every way. Along with having a strong batting order and bowling attack, it should have at the very least a decent or competent 5th bowler and some batting depth in the tail. But it also needs to have a good fielding team ,especially a great cordon to fully complement and take advantage of the assembled attack.

I know that apart from myself that only TJB and a few others really pushes the importance of having specialists catchers in these teams, but it really is as important as having a competent tail and or batsman who can turn their arms over for a few overs or break partnerships.

I really like this in theory, I just don't actually know enough about the catching standards of these players to start factoring it in properly.

 

[Prince EWS]

CricketWeb First XI (Tests)

Jack Hobbs
Len Hutton
Don Bradman
Sachin Tendulkar
Gary Sobers
-
Adam Gilchrist +
Imran Khan
Shane Warne
Malcolm Marshall
Glenn McGrath


- Pick the final player to complete the World 1st XI. Sobers can either bat at 5 or 6 in the first XI, depening on who people choose here.

- Select a player from the XI to be captain (can be your final choice)

Hammond

Imran

 

[kyear2]

I really like this in theory, I just don't actually know enough about the catching standards of these players to start factoring it in properly.

We've all watched the game, it's a mix of our eyes, the stats and anecdotal evidence and articles. Just like batting and bowling.

 

[Prince EWS]

We've all watched the game, it's a mix of our eyes, the stats and anecdotal evidence and articles. Just like batting and bowling.

Well yeah but I haven't seen a lot of Bradman, Hobbs, Hammond or Sobers fielding given they retired well before I was born.

I could do some research on it, sure, but I haven't yet, so I find it hard to make it the signficant factor I'd ideally like to.

 

[a spambot]

Viv Richards
Don Bradman

 

[TheJediBrah]

Richards
Bradman

I feel like Richards would be well suited to no. 6 in an ATG team scenario

 

[subshakerz]

Richards
Bradman

I feel like Richards would be well suited to no. 6 in an ATG team scenario

If Bradman wasnt there, Viv should be no.3 where he averaged 60, otherwise Richards should be no.4. His whole play was based on dominating early as he liked the challenge, at least in his peak years. I could easily see him getting bored late in the order if the top four have already scored heavy and giving his wicket away after some loose shots. Tendulkar as more of an adaptable accumulator should be 5. Sobers was always comfortable batting late in the order.

I agree with the late Richie Benaud's middle order of Bradman, Richards, Tendulkar and Sobers.

 

[subshakerz]

As for Viv vs Lara, I think they are both X-factor players. Lara is capable of Bradman-level big scoring and matchwinning knocks, while Viv can blast the best attacks with his high strikerate.

I can understand someone going for Lara as a spin specialist, but Viv has a better all-round game IMO and a bit more intimidating.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Imagine Viv and Gilchrist at 6 and 7. He should probably bat 5 with Sobers available tho.

 

[kyear2]

Well yeah but I haven't seen a lot of Bradman, Hobbs, Hammond or Sobers fielding given they retired well before I was born.

I could do some research on it, sure, but I haven't yet, so I find it hard to make it the signficant factor I'd ideally like to.

True, and I guess I done more than most.

Among the ATG batsmen, Hammond was probably the first great one and the one that stood out in that era. Weekes was also supposedly brilliant followed by the likes of Miller, Simpson and Sobers before we start to get to the more modern era with Chappell, Lloyd etc. Of course those were just some of the names and the ones that would fall under the umbrella of the great bats, though there were some more from South Africa and Cowdrey etc.
With regards to the modern game, it also requires more watching and less reliance on just looking at stat sheets, but Kallis, Ponting, Lara, Smith ect are all modern examples of brilliance in the slips. DeVilliers, Dravid and Richardson were also brilliant though not quite up there as batsmen. As were Taylor, Hooper, Jayawaredeane, Younis, Waugh, McMillian, Botham (to back a bit). Of course I've missed out names but that's a general over view.

 

[TheJediBrah]

No but the main justification for having Wasim in the attack (his left arm variety) isnt as compelling if Sobers is already likely to bowl.

I don't think it's particularly compelling regardless

Imagine Viv and Gilchrist at 6 and 7. He should probably bat 5 with Sobers available tho.

I did think about this and as brutal as that would be maybe you'd benefit from a more "solid" presence at 6, like a Kallis or S.Smith, to contrast the more aggressive players around. Not saying I'd go that way but it's something I thought about

 

[subshakerz]

Imagine Viv and Gilchrist at 6 and 7. He should probably bat 5 with Sobers available tho.

Richards would be a bit of a waste at 6 when most of the damage is already done. He is best up the order to lead the frontal assault on the opposition attack and demoralize them. That's his MO. Especially since the top 3 are not particularly fast-paced in scoring.

 

[Coronis]

Richards would be a bit of a waste at 6 when most of the damage is already done. He is best up the order to lead the frontal assault on the opposition attack and demoralize them. That's his MO. Especially since the top 3 are not particularly fast-paced in scoring.

Bradman had a similar strike rate to Lara so I wouldn’t describe him as not fast-paced..

 

[Red]

Richards would be a bit of a waste at 6 when most of the damage is already done. He is best up the order to lead the frontal assault on the opposition attack and demoralize them. That's his MO. Especially since the top 3 are not particularly fast-paced in scoring.

Bradman’s SR isn’t exactly known, but most educated research puts it somewhere in the 70s, about the same as Warner.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Weird that people have this perception that Bradman wasn't fast-scoring