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"Best ever" teams selected by former players or experts- whose is best?
- Thread starter Red
- Start date
centurymaker
Cricketer Of The Year
He always sounded grumpy and bitter in media. I somehow recall this thread-
Bob Willis -Cricket brain or attention seeking fool?
In an interview today on Sky Sports News Bob Willis blamed England's spinners for their failure in Pakistan. He describes Ashley Giles as "an apology for a spin bowler" and claims that Udal was "seen to be not up to the task." Although it's true that neither are all time great bowlers, if...
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In early 1976 Greig picked the following two teams from his own era:
1st XI: Barry Richards, Boycott, Sobers*, Graeme Pollock, Lloyd, Procter, Knott+, Snow, Roberts, Bedi, Chandrasekhar.
2nd XI: Barlow, Cowdrey, Ian Chappell, Kanhai, Greg Chappell, d'Oliveira, Marsh+, Intikhab Alam, Lillee, Thomson, Gibbs.
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Qlder
International Regular
Do you have a link to source? I find it hard to believe Greig picked 2 other spinners over World record holder Gibbs plus left out Lillee and Thommo after they just destroyed West Indies 5-1 in 1975/76 (much better than Snow and Roberts in 1976)
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The teams appeared in a Sussex handbook reviewing the 1975 season. Greig was county captain.
Two spinners were normal in theoretical teams of the time, if not in real ones. Not sure how much of the A v WI series would have been completed when he submitted his sides but Roberts took 22 wickets in that series. In 1978 Greig also said that Roberts was the world's best bowler. County teammate Snow may have been his choice, or perhaps more likely the handbook editor's. Similarly, with county neighbours and rivals Kent having two representatives, the editor may not have wanted another one in Underwood.
At the time Bedi and Chandra were the highest rated spinners by English critics. Both appeared in a World XI picked by five leading journalists in 1975 just before the World Cup Final. That team included Lillee and Thomson. Michael Melford wanted Roberts instead of Thomson because he bowled a fuller length, but was outvoted.
Greig, as I am sure you know, was a wind-up merchant. He would no doubt have enjoyed putting five Aussies in his 2nd XI and none in the first team. It is a little surprising that he chose Boycott as the two couldn't stand each other. And for all the run-ins he had with Ian Chappell, Greig claimed that he prized his wicket more highly than that of his brother.