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Team of all rounders v specialists

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Interesting that nobody has put Botham in their all-rounders side. Not having it that he’s not in the top ten all time all rounders personally, on the basis that this imaginary side is picking players at their peak.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Interesting that nobody has put Botham in their all-rounders side. Not having it that he’s not in the top ten all time all rounders personally, on the basis that this imaginary side is picking players at their peak.
Peak Botham was not only an incredible cricketer but also had a golden arm and would probably get Bradman to slap a long hop to cover just when a wicket was needed
 

reyrey

U19 Captain
Tiring out the specialist bowlers is the path to victory for the all rounders.

So a flattish pitch and it probably favours the all round side more.
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Lara
Healy
Marshall
Warne
Steyn
McGrath

Simpson
Barlow
Hammond
Sobers
Kallis
Worrell
Gilchrist
Imran
Pollock
Hadlee
Ashwin


Specialists and without much fuss would be my guess.
Specialists have the much stronger top 3, and slightly stronger 4-6, allrounders have MUCH MUCH stronger 7-11, and marginally stronger bowling attack.
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Lara
Healy
Marshall
Warne
Steyn
McGrath

Simpson
Barlow
Hammond
Sobers
Kallis
Worrell
Gilchrist
Imran
Pollock
Hadlee
Ashwin


Specialists and without much fuss would be my guess.
Should probably pick Murali instead of Warne (worse with the bat) and someone inferior with the bat than Marshall (perhaps Lillee or Trueman)
 

kyear2

International Coach
Specialists have the much stronger top 3, and slightly stronger 4-6, allrounders have MUCH MUCH stronger 7-11, and marginally stronger bowling attack.
How is the all-rounders bowling attack better.

Ash isn't in the same league as Warne

Pollock not as good as any of the specialist pacers.
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
How is the all-rounders bowling attack better.

Ash isn't in the same league as Warne

Pollock not as good as any of the specialist pacers.
Variety.

2 left-arm seamers with Sobers and Worrell.

4 spin options - offspin (Ashwin), legspin (Simpson), SLA (Sobers), and left-arm leggies (Sobers).

Chip away at the top 6 and then Hadlee and Imran would destroy the tail.


If any of the specialists has an injury niggle or an off day, Viv and Tendulkar would have to bowl a lot of overs
 

kyear2

International Coach
Variety.

2 left-arm seamers with Sobers and Worrell.

4 spin options - offspin (Ashwin), legspin (Simpson), SLA (Sobers), and left-arm leggies (Sobers).

Chip away at the top 6 and then Hadlee and Imran would destroy the tail.


If any of the specialists has an injury niggle or an off day, Viv and Tendulkar would have to bowl a lot of overs
Top end quality vs depth, would be interesting to see that play out.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Top end quality vs depth, would be interesting to see that play out.
All rounders such as peak Imran, Hadlee etc were as good as any bowlers to play the game so there’s no difference in top end quality imo
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Pollock and Ashwin
I was never Pollock’s biggest fan but he does have a stellar record while Ashwin (and Jadeja btw) is arguably the greatest ever bowler in India

People have barely mentioned Kapil Dev who took 400 poles as a quick for India - that’s ridiculous
 

Qlder

International Regular
I can't think of allrounder openers right know but the rest off the top of my head seem pretty good

Edit: added suggested openers from post below

1. Bob Simpson
2. Eddie Barlow
3. Jaques Kallis
4. Keith Miller
5. Gary Sobers
6. Ian Botham
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Imran Khan
10. Kapil Dev
11. Richard Hadlee
 
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social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I can't think of allrounder openers right know but the rest off the top of my head seem pretty good

1.
2.
3. Jaques Kallis
4. Keith Miller
5. Gary Sobers
6. Ian Botham
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Imran Khan
10. Kapil Dev
11. Richard Hadlee
Bobby Simpson took 70 test wickets

Eddie Barlow?
 

kyear2

International Coach
I was never Pollock’s biggest fan but he does have a stellar record while Ashwin (and Jadeja btw) is arguably the greatest ever bowler in India

People have barely mentioned Kapil Dev who took 400 poles as a quick for India - that’s ridiculous
Don't think all of the matches will be in India.

And as great as Pollock was, I do think he was as good as Donald far less the guys being referenced here.

And Dev isn't in their league either.
 

capt_Luffy

Cricketer Of The Year
Those godly tails tended to primarily do well either down hill skiing in high scoring matches or vs weaker opponents.

I would say(using the 11's I listed) that
Marshall, McGrath, Warne and Steyn and a little better than Hadlee, Pollock, Imran and Ashwin. While the openers for the specialists are appreciably better than those for the all-rounders and only Sobers is quite in the same tier of the specialists bats.

So yeah, not particularly close imo.
Nah. Even 20 runs contributions from the last 5, gives an additional 100 runs boost. Hammond and Kallis are hardly worse and Grace is as good as those specialist openers. Ban Bradman and All-rounders wins.
 

Thala_0710

First Class Debutant
Specialists have the much stronger top 3, and slightly stronger 4-6, allrounders have MUCH MUCH stronger 7-11, and marginally stronger bowling attack.
The gap in 4-6 is also quite big imo. Only Sobers vs Richards is close while Sachin is a tier above Kallis and Lara is several tiers above Worrell. While 7-11 do provide better batting to all Rounders, it won't be of that much use against ATG bowlers. Ashwin for ex, has played almost all of his best innings at home and in WI against poor attacks. His and many other bowling all rounders stats go way down against quality opposition.
As for the bowling attacks, I don't think the variety can make up for the quality in attack.
 

Thala_0710

First Class Debutant
Nah. Even 20 runs contributions from the last 5, gives an additional 100 runs boost. Hammond and Kallis are hardly worse and Grace is as good as those specialist openers. Ban Bradman and All-rounders wins.
There is no way the last 5 are making 20 runs each against an ATG bowling line up
 

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