All time world test XI selection

[srbhkshk]

Personally would find it a bit ridiculous if Smith doesn't make any of the first two XIs. Even if he must bat out of position.

 

[harsh.ag]

Smith
Garner

Garner would be a better change bowler. Steyn better overall but not after Hadlee and Ambrose have had a crack at the new ball. Steyn should have been selected ahead of Ambrose as the second new ball pacer, though.

 

[The Sean]

Smith
Steyn

 

[cricketsavant]

Actually, I am one of the few posters who was arguing that Steyn is a tad overrated on this forum since I found him the most hittable and least consistent among ATGs. Most posters here put him in the top 5 pacers ever but to me he is not, as a Steyn fan myself.

But no way are Lillee, Hadlee and Steyn second tier. Grouping them with someone like Akthar is an insult.

Second tier in terms of great bowlers, I should have made that clearer.

Akhtar was phenomenal, in fact, minus those early 2-3 years where he was erratic and I think his average drops to like 22. That's ridiculous considering he played on the dead pitches of Pakistan and India, he demolished a very good England side in 2006 with smart use of slower balls rather than pace and became a very clever bowler in his latter years. Edit: Not sure how two of my posts got merged and parts of the text were missing.

Pontificating about typical Subcontinent fans obsession with stats in other thread, and now displaying the quintessential casual subcontinent fan characteristic. "Akram greatest fast bowler ever" is an opinion almost exclusively found in subcontinent and is the opinion of about 95% fans here. But it fails on close scrutiny which CW posters well understand.

A - I never said he is the greatest fast bowler ever, but he is certainly up there.
B - You are insane if you think only Asians think Akram is one of the greatest ever. To me it seems like you have a few other issues....but just go back and look at who the Sky panelists (Lloyd, Atherton, Hussain and co) ranked as the best, or who AB thinks is the best bowler, or who just about any of Akram's contemporary batsmen believed was the best bowler they faced.

The most nonsense is ranking the likes of Steyn above Akram or alongside the likes of Akram, McGrath and bowlers of that ilk. Steyn was terrific but not on that level.

 

[cricketsavant]

I didn't join this thread from the start but thought I'd post what I would rate as the best possible all time Test XI:

1. G. Greenidge
2. M. Hayden
3. D. Bradman
4. IVA Richards
5. G. Sobers
6. A. Gilchrist wk
7. I. Khan c
8. R. Hadlee
9. W. Akram
10. M. Muralitharan
11. G. McGrath

 

[Coronis]

As I recall, Hayden was a popular choice for one of the opening spots.

 

[kyear2]

Vote update

Smith - 12
Kallis - 8
Headley - 1
Pollock - 1
Border - 1

Steyn - 11
Akram - 6
Trueman - 2
Davidson - 1
Lillee - 1
Garner - 1

Seems Smith and Steyn makes it through pretty comfortably

 

[Nikhil99.99]

Second tier in terms of great bowlers, I should have made that clearer.

Akhtar was phenomenal, in fact, minus those early 2-3 years where he was erratic and I think his average drops to like 22. That's ridiculous considering he played on the dead pitches of Pakistan and India, he demolished a very good England side in 2006 with smart use of slower balls rather than pace and became a very clever bowler in his latter years. Edit: Not sure how two of my posts got merged and parts of the text were missing.



A - I never said he is the greatest fast bowler ever, but he is certainly up there.
B - You are insane if you think only Asians think Akram is one of the greatest ever. To me it seems like you have a few other issues....but just go back and look at who the Sky panelists (Lloyd, Atherton, Hussain and co) ranked as the best, or who AB thinks is the best bowler, or who just about any of Akram's contemporary batsmen believed was the best bowler they faced.

The most nonsense is ranking the likes of Steyn above Akram or alongside the likes of Akram, McGrath and bowlers of that ilk. Steyn was terrific but not on that level.

Dk lillee has higher peer rating than akram or any fast bowler.And you ranked him in same league as akhtar.If peer ratings matter in akrams case whynot in D.K lillee?

 

[h_hurricane]

Second tier in terms of great bowlers, I should have made that clearer.

Akhtar was phenomenal, in fact, minus those early 2-3 years where he was erratic and I think his average drops to like 22. That's ridiculous considering he played on the dead pitches of Pakistan and India, he demolished a very good England side in 2006 with smart use of slower balls rather than pace and became a very clever bowler in his latter years. Edit: Not sure how two of my posts got merged and parts of the text were missing.



A - I never said he is the greatest fast bowler ever, but he is certainly up there.
B - You are insane if you think only Asians think Akram is one of the greatest ever. To me it seems like you have a few other issues....but just go back and look at who the Sky panelists (Lloyd, Atherton, Hussain and co) ranked as the best, or who AB thinks is the best bowler, or who just about any of Akram's contemporary batsmen believed was the best bowler they faced.

The most nonsense is ranking the likes of Steyn above Akram or alongside the likes of Akram, McGrath and bowlers of that ilk. Steyn was terrific but not on that level.

Steyn has more wickets than Akram in far less tests, at a better average and way better SR while also having more 5 wicket hauls. All this in a more batsman friendly era. And yet it is nonsense to rank him above Akram.

 

[The Sean]

Vote update

Smith - 12
Kallis - 8
Headley - 1
Pollock - 1
Border - 1

Steyn - 11
Akram - 6
Trueman - 2
Davidson - 1
Lillee - 1
Garner - 1

Seems Smith and Steyn makes it through pretty comfortably

I'm assuming Kallis will take the last slot as well.

 

[kyear2]

I'm assuming Kallis will take the last slot as well.

Without a doubt

 

[Nikhil99.99]

I'm assuming Kallis will take the last slot as well.

He should.But Kallis isn’t a no.6 type of player.Smith or lara should play 6.Both can bat with the tail if needed.

 

[Red]

I didn't join this thread from the start but thought I'd post what I would rate as the best possible all time Test XI:

1. G. Greenidge
2. M. Hayden
3. D. Bradman
4. IVA Richards
5. G. Sobers
6. A. Gilchrist wk
7. I. Khan c
8. R. Hadlee
9. W. Akram
10. M. Muralitharan
11. G. McGrath

I like this XI but I can’t help thinking if you’re gonna play Imran at 7, you’d be better off dropping a quick for Warne, giving yourself 3 quicks, 2 spinners, plus Sobers.

 

[Red]

Smith and Steyn go thru

CricketWeb Second Test XI

Sunil Gavaskar
Herb Sutcliffe
Brian Lara
Wally Hammond
Steve Smith
-
Alan Knott
Richard Hadlee
Dale Steyn
Curtly Ambrose
Muttiah Muralitharan

 

[Red]

Select a final player for the XI

 

[trundler]

Jacques Kallis

You may all +1 this post

 

[Prince EWS]

Kallis

 

[Red]

Pretty handy bowling reserves if Kallis goes thru with Hammond.

 

[Prince EWS]

thru

This is realistically a me problem, but god I hate this.

 

[kyear2]

Jacques Kallis