Establishing the best decade for cricket: Finding the ATG XI from 12 decades of test cricket - then having a KO tourney to decide the best

[Coronis]

Bradman

Hutton McGlew
Harvey
Trueman Bedser

 

[a massive zebra]

Don Bradman
Len Hutton and Vinoo Mankad
Neil Harvey
Fred Trueman and Alec Bedser

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Bradman (c)

Hutton and Mankad (the latter averaged 50 as an opener in the 50s)

Neil Harvey
Trueman and Adcock

 

[The Sean]

Mankad was a fantastic cricketer but I'd say there's a bit of context required for that average as an opener and what drove it...albeit scoring multiple double centuries in the same series is a colossal achievement, regardless of the opposition.

And, to be fair to him, his performance at Lord's in 1952 - with both bat and ball - is one of Test cricket's all time great lone hands.

 

[ataraxia]

Yeah Mankad's average was mostly due to flat home pitches and smacking NZ's worst ever team IIRC.

Hutton, Worrell (marginally over Goddard; Worrell + Sobers + Miller means we can play three specialist bowlers IMO)
Walcott
Trueman, Bedser (averages under 20)

 

[morgieb]

Bradman
Hutton, McDonald
Neil Harvey (seems to be more of a #3 than Walcott which swings it)
Bedser and Trueman

can’t believe I forgot this thread until now!

 

[Line and Length]

Bradman

Hutton and Hanif
Harvey
Trueman and Lindwall

 

[mr_mister]

Hutton hattrick indeed! First player to make 3 teams.


Opening batsmen:

Len Hutton 10 votes
Hanif 4
Mcdonald 2
Mankad 2
McGlew 1
Worrell 1

Number 3:

Neil Harvey 7 votes
Walcott 3

Opening bowlers:

Trueman 10 votes
Bedser 5
Lindwall 2
Davidson 2
Adcock 1
Tyson 1


Hutton
Hanif
Harvey
-
-
-
-
-
Bedser
Trueman
-


Now pick:

Number 4 and 5
The spinner

 

[mr_mister]

Weekes and Walcott
Laker

 

[trundler]

Weekes, Walcott
Tayfield

 

[a massive zebra]

Everton Weekes
Clyde Walcott
Jim Laker

 

[Michaelf7777777]

Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott
Hugh Tayfield

 

[Pothas]

Weekes
Walcott
Laker

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Weekes
Walcott
Laker

 

[Coronis]

Weekes Walcott
Laker

 

[Line and Length]

Weekes & Walcott
Laker

 

[morgieb]

Weekes & Walcott
Laker

 

[The Sean]

Clyde Walcott and Peter May
Richie Benaud

I don't actually disagree with the voting trend so far, I just think May and Benaud were so good that I didn't want them to not receive a single vote.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah I was very close to going for Benaud over Laker because leg-spin > off-spin and he could bat. But in the end the 5 point average gap swayed me.

 

[mr_mister]

Pretty decisive margins here. moving on

Hutton
Hanif
Harvey
Weekes
Walcott
-
-
-
Laker
Bedser
Trueman



Now, pick the:

number 6
the wicket keeper
and the 4th bowler