Clearly, in order to make this Australian XI viable, we will have to make separate ones. The cut-off criteria, for me, given that Australian cricket from 1995- has largely avoided introducing duds, will be a mere 4 Tests and/or 8 ODI's. There were a multitude of substandard mid-80's Australian players, as we all know, but my area of expertise where the 80's are concerned is a tad too limited. I know the vast majority, if not all, of the Australian players who played Tests and ODI's during or after 1995, so I'll stick with that. In case some of my selections seem weird, I'll explain all of 'em.
Anyway, my Australian Test Mud XI 1995- is:
- MTG Elliott (talented opener, poor temperament/average)
- GS Blewett (talented batsman, served as opener, poor average)
- ML Love (his best feats came against Bangladesh, a really harsh call on my part)
- * SM Katich (his Test record is surprisingly unimpressive)
- MG Bevan (" ", although he offered more with the ball than Katich)
- GB Hogg (temperament went against him in a big way)
- AJ Bichel (it says a lot about the Australian XI from 1995- that he's here, but Kaspr>Bichel)
- BP Julian (talented left-arm seamer, poor average)
- G Robertson (could've been worse, but still warrants a place here)
- NW Bracken (Bracken the Test bowler is largely innocuous unless conditions are right)
- BA Williams (one good performance = poor average)
I couldn't pick a specialist keeper for my Mud XI - otherwise, I'd have to draft in Ian Healy. Keeping duties can be shared between Love and Elliott, as neither bowl much.
Anyway, my Australian ODI Mud XI 1995- is:
- MJ Slater (surprisingly poor ODI average)
- M Di Venuto (" ")
- BJ Hodge (" ", except against minnows and NZ)
- SG Law (" ")
- GS Blewett (" ", no room for him higher up and he has served in the middle order)
- +* JP Maher (" ", can be a surrogate keeper, as he has kept in ODI's)
- CL White (one of the worst 1995- to have played more than 10 ODI's, IMO)
- BP Julian (terrible ODI bowler, unpenetrative and expensive)
- G Robertson (" ")
- NM Hauritz (more penetrative, still too expensive)
- P Wilson (his ODI record, while not terrible, isn't all that)
So, here are my two mud XI's.
silentstriker said:
Jaffer has a double century. Whether you think he is a good player or not....most people would love a double. And it's not like you have a shortage of failed openers to choose from in India.
He's got two, IIRC.
