What is your ranking of all Country's ATG XIs?

[Raz0r6ack]

A lot of great batsmen could've been great openers (Tendulkar, Sangakkara, Lara) but having your best batsmen bat in the middle order (usually at 3 or 4) is more optimal in Test cricket.

 

[Coronis]

In England’s case, the gap between Root and the 5 batsmen being chosen most often in this thread is still quite significant so it makes sense for people to be picking Hutton at 3.

 

[Burgey]

You have no problem with Bradman in the Aussie side, or any other pre 70’s players in other XI’s? We don’t exactly know how these guys would perform against a modern attack, nor how modern players would perform against guys like Barnes, O’Reilly, Faulkner etc. Isn’t one of the funnest parts of these ATG discussions, putting modern and past players together and hypothesising about these unknowns?

Anyway, England have never really had world leading ATG batsmen since Barrington (with the recent exception of Root), which itself is quite sad, so why you would replace any of those undisputed greats with one of them in this context is beyond me.

Great players adapt and prosper. Above everything else, it's what makes them great. The game wasn't the same when Tendulkar retired as it was when he started, but he adapted and prospered. Same with all the greats who had careers which spanned a long time - guys like Steve Waugh, TOTAB etc.

 

[Dendarii]

Keeping ABD as keeper opens up so many options.

It almost comes down to what the criteria are for picking the ATG side. If you want to pick South Africa's best-ever keeper then De Villiers doesn't come into it as there are guys who were better at that than him. However, he's far and away the best batter of anyone who's ever kept for South Africa, so if you're putting together a side to compete against other ATG sides then the gain in batting by having him keep offsets anything that might be lost by not being as good behind the stumps.

 

[Dendarii]

No Steyn? Need to drop one of Faulkner, S Pollock, and Procter (I'd replace Procter personally).

Procter and Pollock are basically competing for the same spot. I lean towards Procter, but picking Pollock over him isn't unreasonable.

 

[bagapath]

Hutton can bat 3

never did even once in his entire career!!!!
nope
cheating!!!!

 

[Red]

My fave XI is SA. They’d rattle teams

Smith
Richards
Kallis
G.Pollock
Nourse
DeVillers
Faulkner
Procter
Tayfield
Steyn
Donald

Had a bit of a spaz moment leaving Steyn out. So much flexibility here as S.Pollock could replace Faulkner if two spinners aren’t needed, but as it is it has three elite quicks, two spinners AND Kallis. Faulkner could also be replaced by another specialist bat and the team would still have 5 bowling options.

DeVilliers keeping with Faulkner and Procter at 7/8 gives you so much flexibility. And once again, if you don’t want AB to keep just leave out a spinner and play Waite or DeKock

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

why is hobbs batting at 3?
the thing with these ATG XIs is such cheat moves are not allowed. If it is difficult to choose two out of the three great openers, for example, then that is the fun part. you can't choose all three and randomly force fit one of them at no 3

Ok, Hobbs out.. Root in.

 

[subshakerz]

It almost comes down to what the criteria are for picking the ATG side. If you want to pick South Africa's best-ever keeper then De Villiers doesn't come into it as there are guys who were better at that than him. However, he's far and away the best batter of anyone who's ever kept for South Africa, so if you're putting together a side to compete against other ATG sides then the gain in batting by having him keep offsets anything that might be lost by not being as good behind the stumps.

ABD was actually a very safe keeper and easily averaged over 50 with the bat while keeping.

Because there isnt any other standout wicket keeper bat, he should get in.

 

[subshakerz]

Had a bit of a spaz moment leaving Steyn out. So much flexibility here as S.Pollock could replace Faulkner if two spinners aren’t needed, but as it is it has three elite quicks, two spinners AND Kallis. Faulkner could also be replaced by another specialist bat and the team would still have 5 bowling options.

DeVilliers keeping with Faulkner and Procter at 7/8 gives you so much flexibility. And once again, if you don’t want AB to keep just leave out a spinner and play Waite or DeKock

Pollock over Proctor.

Then you have a much better top six, batting until no.8 and 6 bowling options.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

never did even once in his entire career!!!!
nope
cheating!!!!

Fair enough.
He did bat 4, 5, 6, and 8 though (averaging over 100 from 2 tests at 8). They must've swapped the order around while the pitch dried out.

 

[subshakerz]

None of Hutton, Hobbs and Sutcliffe are droppable.

 

[Jayro]

I think like 90's South Africa has so many Allrounders in their team in history that they can boast of having the most flexible all time side on the planet.

 

[TheJediBrah]

ABD was actually a very safe keeper and easily averaged over 50 with the bat while keeping.

Because there isnt any other standout wicket keeper bat, he should get in.

Unpopular opinion: I think ABdV was as good, actually an even better, keeper than Boucher

 

[trundler]

Sometimes you have to put your big boy pants on and make tough calls.

 

[trundler]

ABD was actually a very safe keeper and easily averaged over 50 with the bat while keeping.

Because there isnt any other standout wicket keeper bat, he should get in.

Waite was as good as Knott. C'mon.

 

[ataraxia]

Getting de Villiers to keep is pretty tempting; otherwise either him or Aubrey are getting left out.

 

[trundler]

Getting de Villiers to keep is pretty tempting; otherwise either him or Aubrey are getting left out.

A fellow man of culture, I see.

 

[Red]

Pollock over Proctor.

Then you have a much better top six, batting until no.8 and 6 bowling options.

How does S.Pollock improve the top six or give more bowling options? In this exercise either him or Procter bat at eight and are the third quick.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Fair enough.
He did bat 4, 5, 6, and 8 though (averaging over 100 from 2 tests at 8). They must've swapped the order around while the pitch dried out.

Hutton lost his wickets 24 times before reaching 10 runs, in such circumstances number 3 becomes a Semi Opener or Reserve Opener.

Nothing wrong in Selecting Hobbs / Hutton / Grace as " Semi Openers " ??