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

[Line and Length]

Dujon

Garner

 

[Slifer]

Do you think they would’ve if they had a spinner as good as Qasim in the wings?

Considering the team already has the best (or one of the very best pace attacks) it seems foolish to put them at a disadvantage to other teams by not picking the quality spinner that is available.

I'll say this contrary to popular belief, more often than not, WI would play 3 atg and have a 4th atvg or a dud (Patterson, Daniels, Baptiste, Small, Davis etc) as the 4th bowler. So yeah, given the opportunity to play a decent spinner, say someone in at least the Stuart Macgill class, they probably would have. Roger Harper did play a few tests so there's that.

With that being said, I struggle to find a series that WI lost where a spinner would've made a difference. Why? Because they didn't lose a series. And the drawn series, I can't think of one where a spinner would've made a difference outside of maybe the '86 series in Pakistan. Maybe away to India ? Any spinner would've been eaten alive and WI only drew because of bad weather in 2nd test where WI were in a strong position and Marshall was injured (missing).

 

[ma1978]

Wasnt Qasim the second string spinner for Pak?

Didnt he only play 9 abroad tests in the 1989s (because Qadir was the first choice)

Decades later skmeone will be on statsgueu and think Jadeja was the premium spinner for the era because of the stats. Just not true

 

[Slifer]

Wasnt Qasim the second string spinner for Pak?

Didnt he only play 9 abroad tests in the 1989s (because Qadir was the first choice)

Decades later skmeone will be on statsgueu and think Jadeja was the premium spinner for the era because of the stats. Just not true

He was all that, but still a better option than completely useless outside of Pakistan Qadir.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

With that being said, I struggle to find a series that WI lost where a spinner would've made a difference. Why? Because they didn't lose a series.

They played Derick Parry (offspinner) in the 1st test vs NZ in 1980. He took 2-63 as they lost the test and series

 

[Slifer]

They played Derick Parry (offspinner) in the 1st test vs NZ in 1980. He took 2-63 as they lost the test and series

Umm, I meant 1980-1995 (post NZ series) ie the period when the WI were literally unbeatable and the best in the world.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Record does not justify how good Qadir was

 

[mr_mister]

Garner sneaks in over Qadir 7-5

Dujon advances much easier



Gavaskar
Greenidge
Viv
Miandad
Border
-
Dujon+
Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Garner


I've got Dujon over Imran atm just because he has a healthier FC average. Not sure if that should be switched around or not. Either one seems a bit odd down at 8 but also both in the top 7 seems weak too


Anyway, it's down to the 11th player. Botham, Crowe, Qadir, who shall it be?


Once we pick the 11th player we can organise the lower order correctly

 

[mr_mister]

I'll go Ravi Shastri who will offer the spin option and solid batting to balance the things the side is currently missing(not that the batting is weak but Dujon and Imran at 6 and 7 I'm realising looks a little too funky) No doubt helped by the way the team has been formed, but oh well. Go Ravi

 

[ma1978]

It has to be either Ian Botham or Kapil Dev and I vote for Kapil

- record against best team of his generation (bowling average c22 and some ridiculous innings against the ATG great team)

- excellent track record in subcontinent, which mitigates need for a frontline spinner

 

[ma1978]

I also didn’t realise how weak Botham’s 1980s bowling record is

 

[sunilz]

Kapil Dev only for his record against WI.

 

[a massive zebra]

Kapil Dev for me to.

 

[harsh.ag]

Martin Crowe. First vote in this preposterous exercise.

 

[mr_mister]

Martin Crowe. First vote in this preposterous exercise.

 

[trundler]

Martin Crowe. Don't need 5 pacers

 

[Line and Length]

I'm a fan of both Dev and Botham but I'm picking Botham because there are already 4 quicks so it would be his batting that becomes more important and he has the edge over Kapil there .

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I'm sticking with Qadir and bunging everyone else one up the order. Australia went through a brief period of batting Marsh at 6 to balance the side so Dujon is okay there bearing in mind the quality above and below him. Botham and Dev are good enough to make a team of the 80's but a 5th seamer doesn't seem like the best option.

Qadir.

 

[ataraxia]

Crowe, three part-time spinners means relief for the pacers and often one of them will get a wicket and break a partnership. Shastri feels like too much of a no-rounder and the pace ARs don't really add to the side.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Who are the 3 part-time spinners? Border was a spinner, Viv and Crowe medium pacers