Playing selector: Lets pick the best test XI of different eras

[shortpitched713]

Lance Gibbs not included!

Farce, IMO.

 

[aussie tragic]

Lance Gibbs not included!

Farce, IMO.

What to do as his SR is unbelievable high at 16 overs to get a wkt.

However, if I get three members saying to forget the SR for spinners then all twelve nominated spinners will go into the Poll (Shortpitched counts as one vote so I need a secondee and a Thirded vote)

 

[shortpitched713]

Guess I kinda overreacted. Gibbs is the only one of the three I support, just for the sheer weight of wickets, which was nothing to laugh about in his era. Not saying I'd vote for him either, considering I think there are better options. Don't think not including them will make much of a difference really, considering the nine should be more than enough to chose from.

 

[aussie tragic]

For info, the nine spinners that do make the cut of SR < 85.0 are:

Bedi, Chandrasekhar, Doshi, Mallett, Prasanna, Qadir, Qasim, Underwood & Yardley

 

[Pratters]

SR was much higher in that era compared to today generally. Some pace bowlers were excluded because of the same reasons but it didn't matter as we had some terrific pace bowlers but for spinners, my suggestions would be to include the above players and let people decide.

 

[aussie tragic]

Okay the # 3 Poll is closing tomorrow, so I need some input from the "Selectors" on the make-up of the team.

There has been a call for Sobers to be allowed into the # 5 Poll, however he mainly batted at # 6 so doesn't qualify. However, given the sheer number of genuine allrounders in this era (Sobers, Botham, Imran, Dev, Greig, Hadlee), I think we should make some exceptions to the rule of 20 innings in the nominated position.

Accordingly, the originally plan was as follows:

# 4: G. Chappell, Gomes, Graveney, Kallicharran, Miandad & Viswanath + two runner-ups from # 3 poll

# 5: Zaheer Abbas, Border, Lloyd & Walters + two runner-ups from # 4 poll

# 6: Botham, Dev, Greig, Imran & Sobers + two runner-ups from # 5 poll

**********************************************************************************
Proposed new plan would be as follows:

# 4: G. Chappell, Gomes, Graveney, Kallicharran, Miandad, Viswanath, Zaheer Abbas, Border, Lloyd & Walters + three runner-ups from # 3 poll

# 5: Sobers and Greig (who both average > 40.00) + three runner-ups from # 4 poll

# 6: Botham, Dev & Imran + three runner-ups from # 5 poll

Comments please or I'm just going to go with the 2nd proposal as this allows the voters to decide whether they want an allrounder or a batsman at # 5 and # 6.

 

[JBH001]

As I have said before, I second a change to allow Sobers to go in at #5.

If Sobers bats at #6 I believe the team would lose out in terms of bowling.
Sobers at #5 allows for greater flexibility in team building, the option of 2 all-rounders (say Botham and Imran), and even that of 2 spinners - or the option of spinner as 12th man, to go with 3 quicks, an all-rounder (or 2 quicks and 2 all-rounders), and a spinner.

Sobers at #5 gives you more options.

 

[bagapath]

sobers was a genuine allrounder in his last 48 tests when he took 200 wickets and continued to score heavily as a batsman. i think we should keep him in the all-rounder category for this era since he did not play enough at no.5 to qualify. in an earlier era he could have made it to the middle order alone ignoring his bowling. my opinion is to keep him in the allrounder category. using him as a sixth bowling option is having too many jewels in one box.

 

[Matt79]

but on non-position specific batting stats he'd go close to meriting selection anyway... I'm for the change

 

[Matt79]

or else inc botham, imran, greig etc in the poll for the third seemer if sobers goes in at 6. with bowlers the calibre of botham, imran sobers, plus marshall and lillee/hadlee, i have no problem with allrounders down to 8 or 9.

 

[JBH001]

sobers was a genuine allrounder in his last 48 tests when he took 200 wickets and continued to score heavily as a batsman. i think we should keep him in the all-rounder category for this era since he did not play enough at no.5 to qualify. in an earlier era he could have made it to the middle order alone ignoring his bowling. my opinion is to keep him in the allrounder category. using him as a sixth bowling option is having too many jewels in one box.

Would you rather not have too many jewels than too little?

I do not think the team is substantially advanced by picking a specialist batsman at #5. Sobers at #5 would add more flexibility to team selection and make-up all the way to the choice of the 12th man, because he was such a good batsman who could also bowl.

If batting strength is a concern, and it should not be with a top 5 of Gavaskar/Greenidge/Richards/G Chappell (I presume)/Sobers, then we can add 2 fast bowling all-rounders to shore things up.

 

[aussie tragic]

Just to confirm that Sobers definitely has the batting record in this period to warrant a batting spot alone.

As well, let's summarise our options. What is not in contention is the following 9 players:

2 x Openers
2 x Top order batsmen at # 3 & # 4
1 x Allrounder or a batsman at # 6 (allrounders ave > 30 + 3 runner-ups # 5)
1 x Wicket-keeper
2 x Opening Bowlers
1 x Spinner

This leaves three poll options on the remaining two players.

Option 1:

1 x Middle order batsman at # 5
1 x Final Bowler at # 8-11 depending on batting ave (from 5 runner-up pace + runner-up spinner + runner-up allrounder)

Option 2:

1 x Allrounder ave > 40 or Middle order batsman at # 5 (Sobers, Greig + 3 runner-ups # 4)
1 x Final Bowler at # 8-11 depending on batting ave (from 5 runner-up pace + runner-up spinner + runner-up allrounder)

Option 3:

1 x Middle order batsman (# 5)
1 x Pace bowling allrounder at # 7 or # 8 (Batting ave must be > 20 and as Knott averages 32, final position is dependent on who's selected)

24 hours to decide, vote option 1, 2 or 3.

Edit: Just made a change to the final bowler as this will be the left overs from the pace, spin and allrounder polls.

 

[Matt79]

Option 2

 

[Jamee999]

Option 2.

 

[Burgey]

Just to confirm that Sobers definitely has the batting record in this period to warrant a batting spot alone.

As well, let's summarise our options. What is not in contention is the following 9 players:

2 x Openers
2 x Top order batsmen at # 3 & # 4
1 x Allrounder or a batsman at # 6 (allrounders ave > 30 + 3 runner-ups # 5)
1 x Wicket-keeper
2 x Opening Bowlers
1 x Spinner

This leaves three poll options on the remaining two players.

Option 1:

1 x Middle order batsman at # 5
1 x Final Bowler at # 8-11 depending on batting ave (from 5 runner-up pace + runner-up spinner + runner-up allrounder)

Option 2:

1 x Allrounder ave > 40 or Middle order batsman at # 5 (Sobers, Greig + 3 runner-ups # 4)
1 x Final Bowler at # 8-11 depending on batting ave (from 5 runner-up pace + runner-up spinner + runner-up allrounder)

Option 3:

1 x Middle order batsman (# 5)
1 x Pace bowling allrounder at # 7 or # 8 (Batting ave must be > 20 and as Knott averages 32, final position is dependent on who's selected)

24 hours to decide, vote option 1, 2 or 3.

Edit: Just made a change to the final bowler as this will be the left overs from the pace, spin and allrounder polls.

Option 2 for me.

 

[adharcric]

option 2

 

[bagapath]

Option 1 for me.

aussie tragic! if imran gets selected as an all-rounder or as a fast bowler we should probably replace him in the other team with steve waugh who was the clear (and distant) second in the poll for no.6. what do you feel? i hope we avoid this situation by choosing either sobers or beefy for the no.6 of this team!!!!

 

[oz_fan]

Option 2

 

[aussie tragic]

Option 1 for me.

aussie tragic! if imran gets selected as an all-rounder or as a fast bowler we should probably replace him in the other team with steve waugh who was the clear (and distant) second in the poll for no.6. what do you feel? i hope we avoid this situation by choosing either sobers or beefy for the no.6 of this team!!!!

No probs, Botham will win the # 6 in a canter, Lillee & Hadlee will share the new ball with Marshall (unless national bias gets in the way).

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Option 2.

If you don't want Sobers at five, don't vote for him there.