Specialists draft

[AndrewB]

The criteria for this draft are simple: each player you pick must have:
- played at least one Test,
- have a Test batting average which is less than half their Test bowling average, or have taken no Test wickets.

So no all-rounders (or, at least, none who were successful in Tests). No Bradman either (since his Test bowling average was 36).

Usual 16-hour rule for Round 1, 8-hour rule from Round 2 onwards.

 

[trundler]

In

 

[a massive zebra]

In

 

[trundler]

What of wicketkeepers? Do they need to be specialist wicketkeepers too? Or will wk bats qualify?

 

[mr_mister]

Sounds tough but in

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I don't know what I am getting into, but I'll try. This is like the lottery.

I am in.

 

[trundler]

Few South Africans will be picked, I reckon.

 

[AndrewB]

What of wicketkeepers? Do they need to be specialist wicketkeepers too? Or will wk bats qualify?

I haven't come up with a way to exclude wicketkeeper-bats, so unless someone thinks of one fast they will be eligible (except for those like de Villiers and Walcott who are excluded by their bowling averages).

 

[trundler]

Not sure if you should but you could be putting a cap on average, number of tons or something like that.

 

[Red]

yep

 

[AndrewB]

How about "the team's wicket-keeper must have played all their Tests as designated wicket-keeper"?

 

[Teuton]

In

 

[Michaelf7777777]

In

 

[kingkallis]

In

 

[Red]

How about "the team's wicket-keeper must have played all their Tests as designated wicket-keeper"?

Reasonable I reckon.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

In

 

[ankitj]

In

Edit: actually no. Will sit out.

 

[AndrewB]

Reasonable I reckon.

OK, we'll go with that. Note that as well as obvious non-specialists such as Sangakkara/Walcott/de Villiers/Stewart, this excludes some players more generally thought of as specialist keepers such as Dujon, Waite, Moin Khan, Les Ames, Lindsay, de Kock, Blackham...

 

[mr_mister]

I say scrap the keeper rule

 

[a massive zebra]

I agree. Blackham was universally considered the best wicket keeper in the history of cricket before WWI, and his batting was middling at best. Any criteria that excludes him from a list of specialist keepers is not fit for purpose.