England Since 1990 XI

[GuyFromLancs]

I haven't watched much of Swann but is he really that much better than Panesar used to be at the start of his career? What are his long-term prospects like?

I would like to think Swann has better long term prospects than Monty because:

a) he is a far better batsman and fielder
b) he seems tougher mentally. Every off-spinner is going to have days when they are "found out" so to speak but Swanny looks like the kind of character that keeps bouncing back whereas Monty clearly went into his shell
c) Swanny has greater variation, and seems the more streetwise cricketer.

 

[slippyslip]

Considering that Robin Smith's best series by far was the 1989 Ashes does he really deserve to be in an England XI based on performances post 1990?

 

[vcs]

I would like to think Swann has better long term prospects than Monty because:

a) he is a far better batsman and fielder
b) he seems tougher mentally. Every off-spinner is going to have days when they are "found out" so to speak but Swanny looks like the kind of character that keeps bouncing back whereas Monty clearly went into his shell
c) Swanny has greater variation, and seems the more streetwise cricketer.

Thanks for that. Yeah, I'd agree that his personality definitely seems to be better suited to the rigours of Test cricket than Monty.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Think pretty much every viable selection has been named already, but one possibility would be to have Stewie opening (where he averages 46, I believe) and Prior (yes, really) as keeper.

 

[wpdavid]

The thing that strikes me about this thread is how little choice there is when picking England's best players over two decades. You could name a squad of 16 or 17 and there would be no room for serious argument afaics. Doesn't say much for the depth of talent produced during the period under discussion.

 

[zaremba]

Considering that Robin Smith's best series by far was the 1989 Ashes does he really deserve to be in an England XI based on performances post 1990?

Yeah I think so. He had a good series in '89 but it's not as though his performances in the late 80s were noticeably better than the early 90s. He played against a couple of all-time great spinners in the early 90s and found them harder to deal with than all-time great quicks.

He'd be in my squad and if the opposition had a great spinner in favourable conditions I'd probably leave him out, but if they were pace-heavy (or had less-than-outstanding spinners) I'd want to play him every time.

 

[zaremba]

I would like to think Swann has better long term prospects than Monty because:

a) he is a far better batsman and fielder
b) he seems tougher mentally. Every off-spinner is going to have days when they are "found out" so to speak but Swanny looks like the kind of character that keeps bouncing back whereas Monty clearly went into his shell
c) Swanny has greater variation, and seems the more streetwise cricketer.

Yup, all true.

 

[Zinzan]

1. Andrew Strauss
2. Graham Gooch
3. Michael Vaughan > Robin Smith
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Graham Thorpe
6. Alec Stewart+
7. Andrew Flintoff
8. Graeme Swann
9. Darren Gough
10. Angus Fraser
11. Simon Jones > Andrew Caddick

Agree with your side apart from the 2 corrections above

 

[Richard]

My thoughts:

Graham Gooch
Alastair Cook
Paul Pritchard
John Stephenson
Nasser Hussain (*)
Ronnie Irani (3/4)
Derek Pringle (4/5)
James Foster (+)
Neil Foster (1)
Mark Ilott (2)
Peter Such (5/3)

And Ravi Bopara still can't get a look in. Sad, but true.

Stephenson's only Test came in 1989 - might as well pick Tom Graveney then eh?

Anyway, I think I did this topic not so long ago, and said I'd go for Gooch, Atherton, Smith, Hussain, Stewart, Pietersen, Thorpe, Flintoff, Caddick, Gough, Fraser. Strauss, Cook and Bell all - I hope - in with a shot at getting in further down the line though.

 

[Sir Alex]

Interesting that there isnt one batsman averaging above 50 in these listings

 

[Top_Cat]

That's because they play on pitches at home which actually display sideways movement.

 

[NZTailender]

That's because they play on pitches at home which actually display sideways movement.

Do you think Lara, Ponting and Tendulkar would've averaged over 50 if they had been English?

 

[Sir Alex]

That's because they play on pitches at home which actually display sideways movement.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

(Min 300 runs since 1990)

 

[Top_Cat]

M'thinks those numbers more a reflection of England's piss-poor bowling attack/manic-depressive selection in the 90's and some of the 00's than anything else.

EDIT: My team, for what its worth;

FEC
Zap
Vaughan
KP
Thorpe
Gaffer
Freddie
Gough
Gus
Caddick
Tuffers

 

[GIMH]

Interesting that there isnt one batsman averaging above 50 in these listings

I don't know why it is interesting considering that...wait for it....no England batsman has averaged over 50 in this time period.

Pietersen will have his back above 50 before long anyhow.

 

[Sir Alex]

M'thinks those numbers more a reflection of England's piss-poor bowling attack/manic-depressive selection in the 90's and some of the 00's than anything else.

EDIT: My team, for what its worth;

FEC
Zap
Vaughan
KP
Thorpe
Gaffer
Freddie
Gough
Gus
Caddick
Tuffers

If you are saying English attacks were inferior to India et all, you're joking.

 

[Riggins]

Just thought I'd throw an England XI since roughly I started watching the game.

...

Any thoughts? Even better, does any Aussie have their own version?

Hayden
Slater
Ponting
Martyn
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Merv Hughes
Gillespie
McGrath

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Hayden
Slater
Ponting
Martyn
Clarke
Gilchrist
Warne
Merv Hughes
Gillespie
McGrath

I wouldn't care to comment on your individual choices but one fundamental aspect of a period select XI is that it should have eleven players in it.

 

[Top_Cat]

If you are saying English attacks were inferior to India et all, you're joking.

Oh yes, how silly of me, in a thread about England's post 1990 XI I forgot to address India.

 

[Sir Alex]

Oh yes, how silly of me, in a thread about England's post 1990 XI I forgot to address India.

Way to miss the point