Choose the last player for Post Packer XI

[stephen]

Thats assuming people really are voting that way, and not for the bowler they think better. I mentioned as much earlier with my comment regarding Lillee, yet he has picked up 3 more votes, and Ambrose has gained ground on McGrath. This may indicate a preference for a better bowler, not necessarily for a pacer or spinner.

I do agree thought that a vote between Murali, McGrath, and Kallis would likely have been better.

I don't know that McGrath would actually beat Murali in a straight up poll. After all, McGrath, while being the absolute best new ball bowler was not really the best old ball bowler of all time. I'd say that Lillee was better in that role.

Murali is the best choice and it is plain to see why - he brings variety and danger to an excellent attack. Sometimes the track is better suited to his type of spin than Warne's. They complement each other very well.

I just don't really see what another seamer would bring to this attack when you have three of the worlds best ever seamers already in the lineup, and the seamers on offer are similar to other seamers already in the attack.

 

[Ikki]

I don't see why we shouldn't have another poll: Pacer vs Spinner for last spot.

 

[Evermind]

So, absurdly enough, Kallis doesn't get into the team in spite of a batting average of 54.57 and bowling average of 31.12.

 

[bagapath]

i dont want to do that ikki.

was asking everyone for suggestions for three days before starting this poll. whoever wrote was of the opinion that we should include more options in this poll. also the no.6 poll was going slow after the first 50+ votes. kallis and botham were too close to assume anything. so we had to include both of them. similarly the top runners up from the fast bolwers poll had to be brought in for uniformity. but i had clearly warned that mcgrath's votes would be split if we brought in lillee and ambrose.

i think the whole process has been very democratic so far and the decisions have been collective anyway. no need to change our approach because there is an assumption that mcgrath would've won this poll had he been pitched head to head with murali. i am going to let this poll be as it is.

EDIT: now evermind is not too happy that kallis is not chosen. imagine not even giving that option in the poll and leaving it between one pacer and one spinner.

 

[adharcric]

I don't see why we shouldn't have another poll: Pacer vs Spinner for last spot.

You so wouldn't call for another poll if the spinner in the lead was Warne instead.

 

[Ikki]

You so wouldn't call for another poll if the spinner in the lead was Warne instead.

LOL, I'd vote Warne instead of Bradman

 

[bagapath]

there is still a very fair chance that mcgrath would win this poll. with more than 20 votes to come in, a lead of 2 votes is nothing

 

[archie mac]

Well I still think Wasim would have won

 

[bagapath]

in the pre packer polls we will be choosing all four bowlers at one go. so these issues wont raise, i hope

 

[zaremba]

OK I'm voting for Murali. Not an easy choice by any means but I do like the balance of an attack of 3 pacemen and 2 spinners, given the types and sheer quality of the bowlers involved.

This is admittedly harsh on McGrath and Wasim. Equally harsh, however, on Ambrose, Lillee, Garner and Igglesden.

 

[Matt79]

in the pre packer polls we will be choosing all four bowlers at one go. so these issues wont raise, i hope

Not meaning to attack how you're running the process bagapath - it's fun as always. Just getting into the "debate and discuss" vibe, and (rarely for me at least) arguing for the sake of it.

 

[Matt79]

So, absurdly enough, Kallis doesn't get into the team in spite of a batting average of 54.57 and bowling average of 31.12.

Who would you leave out to fit him in?

Imran, with a bowling average of 21-odd and a batting average of 38? There are a number of fantastic players who haven't been able to be fitted in. Kallis would be a fitting 12th man, given he couldn't crack one of the main spots.

 

[Uppercut]

Who would you leave out to fit him in?

Imran, with a bowling average of 21-odd and a batting average of 38? There are a number of fantastic players who haven't been able to be fitted in. Kallis would be a fitting 12th man, given he couldn't crack one of the main spots.

Jonty Rhodes for 12th IMO.

 

[funnygirl]

i dont want to do that ikki.

was asking everyone for suggestions for three days before starting this poll. whoever wrote was of the opinion that we should include more options in this poll. also the no.6 poll was going slow after the first 50+ votes. kallis and botham were too close to assume anything. so we had to include both of them. similarly the top runners up from the fast bolwers poll had to be brought in for uniformity. but i had clearly warned that mcgrath's votes would be split if we brought in lillee and ambrose.

i think the whole process has been very democratic so far and the decisions have been collective anyway. no need to change our approach because there is an assumption that mcgrath would've won this poll had he been pitched head to head with murali. i am going to let this poll be as it is.

EDIT: now evermind is not too happy that kallis is not chosen. imagine not even giving that option in the poll and leaving it between one pacer and one spinner.

Alright u could have added more options .After all to choose a spinner u put almost all the names .

 

[bagapath]

the remaining 20 odd votes need to come in to lock down on the team. come on, guys....

 

[Evermind]

Who would you leave out to fit him in?

Imran, with a bowling average of 21-odd and a batting average of 38? There are a number of fantastic players who haven't been able to be fitted in. Kallis would be a fitting 12th man, given he couldn't crack one of the main spots.

I dunno, I would swap Richards for Kallis, and then start thinking about the rest of the team. It would probably look pretty different from the one given here. I could just swap Richards for Ponting though, and leave it at that.

Hmm.

Sunil Gavaskar
Mathew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Jacques Kallis
Imran Khan
Adam Gilchrist
Richard Hadlee
Malcolm Marshall
Shane Warne

or

Sunil Gavaskar
Mathew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Imran Khan
Adam Gilchrist
Richard Hadlee
Malcolm Marshall
Shane Warne
Curtly Ambrose

 

[funnygirl]

Evermind, why did u choose Ponting over richards and Ambrose over Mcgrath ?

 

[Evermind]

Evermind, why did u choose Ponting over richards and Ambrose over Mcgrath ?

Ponting over Richards because I think Ponting is the greatest batsman the world has produced since Bradman, simply in terms of his appetite for runs. I can't stand him, and I don't particularly enjoy watching him bat (though I've seen him bat more than I have seen Tendulkar or Lara bat), but I have a grudging respect for his effectiveness. I want to win matches with my team, not merely enjoy the aesthetics of their strokeplay.

Ambrose over McGrath because I thought he was more devastating on his day (Cricket_Ambrose 7/1 Against the Aussies), bowled with much weaker bowling support (other than Walsh or Bishop), much weaker batting lineup (imagine the confidence McGrath would've had with his batting lineup already having piled on the runs). Ambrose's stats are also better, though negligibly so. I also don't like McGrath's cricketing/public persona.

 

[JBH001]

Good reasons, Evermind. Especially wrt Ponting.

As for me, Murali is the logical choice to fill out the squad. But I do want to cast a vote for Botham too.

Might see how the voting goes over the next day or two, and then decide.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

As for me, Murali is the logical choice to fill out the squad. But I do want to cast a vote for Botham too.

Might see how the voting goes over the next day or two, and then decide.

Too many people are doing the same think wanting to have some sort of final say - that's why the poll is dragging on for so long.