Aus xi vs WI xi vs SA xi (since 1970)

[Johan]

WI has like 7 cricketers I would consider ATGs -Maco. Ambrose. Holding. Garner. Richards. Lara. Sobers.

Australia has more.

Ponting. Chappell. Border. Smith. McGrath. Lillee. Warne. Gilchrist.

 

[DrWolverine]

I feel WI team overall has better bowlers & batsmen
Yes Gilchrist is the one factor that Aus over WI

 

[PlayerComparisons]

Let’s cheat and remove an opener so Waugh can come in

Then the whole team apart from Hayden is ATGs

 

[Johan]

@capt_Luffy do you have Harvey as Victor's partner in your AT Aus XI?

 

[capt_Luffy]

@capt_Luffy do you have Harvey as Victor's partner in your AT Aus XI?

Lol would be an interesting sight NGL.

 

[Johan]

Lol would be an interesting sight NGL.

probably very successful too, on tough pitches especially

 

[Coronis]

Let’s cheat and remove an opener so Waugh can come in

Then the whole team apart from Hayden is ATGs

Not quite ready to call Cummins ATG

But lets cheat and put Smith as an opener.

 

[capt_Luffy]

probably very successful too, on tough pitches especially

Yeah honestly, I can totally see Harvey out batting someone like Hayden or Simpson while opening.

 

[PlayerComparisons]

I think in real life the best batsmen would be picked even if it’s means batting out of position

 

[Coronis]

I think in real life the best batsmen would be picked even if it’s means batting out of position

Probably. I don’t know if there’s that big of a difference that would cause them to change from an established opener though. Tough.

 

[subshakerz]

Greenidge isn’t discernibly better than Hayden. Lara and Smith, the same. Richards and Chappell, again similar. Gap between Lloyd and Border/Ponting is easily bigger than the gap between Sobers and Border/Ponting. Plus then you have the Langer and Haynes. Not to mention the absolutely massive gap between Gilchrist and Dujon - which far overshadows any other perceived gap in batting depending on our own personal ratings.

Small gaps between Greenidge and Hayden, Viv and Ponting, Lara and Chappell and Sobers and Border make up for the perceived larger gaps elsewhere. Reality is that WI bats are more suited to the opposition bowling and pitches IMO than Aussie bats.

There are also high quality players of pace. In fact, moreso than spin. And Garner is quite a similar bowler to Ambrose. Whereas you have Warne who can bowl all day, and bowls a completely different style to his team, keeping the opponents on their feet. You have Marshall and McGrath ar the aame level, Warne and Ambrose at the same level, Lillee and Garner/Holding at the same level and Cummins a bit behind that. The inclusion of Warne and his spin easily makes up for that gap.

Warne is the relative weak link since he will be less than worldclass in first innings, be more vulnerable against highest quality players of spin to being tonked around. Also if we are playing in the 2000s, he averages over 30 at home.

WI bowling will squeeze the life out of Australia.