Test team of the year 2006

[aussie]

err and i argued that Hayden should play ahead of Strauss because Strauss has been absolutely useless all year, bar one series against mediocre opposition.
Hayden scores runs against Nel and Ntini on seamer friendly wickets, while Strauss scores runs against Gul, Sami, and an out of sorts Kaneria on dead flat wickets while failing miserably all winter and during the summer(bar 1 inning). Clearly lets go for Strauss then.

All true, fair enough reason to have Hayden over Strauss for sure.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

err and i argued that Hayden should play ahead of Strauss because Strauss has been absolutely useless all year, bar one series against mediocre opposition.
Hayden scores runs against Nel and Ntini on seamer friendly wickets, while Strauss scores runs against Gul, Sami, and an out of sorts Kaneria on dead flat wickets while failing miserably all winter and during the summer(bar 1 inning). Clearly lets go for Strauss then.

Hayden's also done exactly what openers should not do - get out for below 10 - on five occasions in 11 innings. Strauss has two in 18, and five in 18 below 20.

 

[tooextracool]

Hayden's also done exactly what openers should not do - get out for below 10 - on five occasions in 11 innings. Strauss has two in 18, and five in 18 below 20.

Do you think that might have something to do with the pithches though?
In india one can assume that Strauss was largely dismissed with the old ball-when the spinners were on or when the ball was starting to reverse a little bit while against SL he was dismissed more often once murali came on.
Hayden meanwhile played on seamer friendly wickets for a large part and was more likely to be dismissed early on.
Regardless an openers job is to score runs, and Hayden scored more important runs against better bowlers while Strauss runs only really started coming half way through the summer against a very poor attack.

 

[ashishagarwal]

why kumble is not given his due respect?

 

[Perm]

Probably because he has taken 48 wickets at 36.56 and scored 288 runs at 24. Nothing extraordinary about that.

 

[aussie]

Welll with just the 2 Boxing day test's & 2 ODI's to come between NZ/SRI i think we can decide on the Test team of 2006 & the ODI team:

TEST TEAM OF 2006:

1. Matthew Hayden (636 runs @ 37.41)
2. Alastair Cook (982 runs @ 49.10)
3. Ricky Ponting* (1326 runs @ 94.71)
4. Mohammad Yousuf (1788 runs @ 99.33)
5. Rahul Dravid (1079 runs @ 67.43)
6. Mike Hussey (959 runs @ 87.18)
7. Kumar Sangakkara+ (1242 runs @ 69.00)
8. Stuart Clark (37 wickets @ 18.62)
9. Makhaya Ntini (50 wickets @ 23.28)
10. Muttiah Muralitharan (90 wickets @ 16.90)
11. Mohammad Asif (30 wickets @ 18.23)

A good/excellent boxing day test's for either Shane Warne, Monty Panesar or Anil who currently stand on
(42 wickets @ 33.21), (40 wickets @ 31.85) & 53 wickets @ 34.16 respectively could see them take Asif's place.

If that doesn't occur Matthew Hoggard 50 wickets @ 29.56 could be included if he has a good boxing over Asif on the basis that he has taken more wickets despite the fact that he will end up with a higher average

Also i'd say Cook has been the standout opener of the year & the debate should really be for his partner. I went for Hayden over Strauss & Sehwag who have (950 runs @ 39.58) & (783 runs @ 43.50) respectively. Despite averaging higher than Hayden i think Hayden has faced tougher bowling in harder conditions than them both & overall has looked the better opener despite a not so prolific Ashes series to date.

Finally Younis Khan (1179 runs @ 65.50) could possible edge out Dravid if ``the wall`` has a poor boxing day test.

ODI TEAM OF 2006:

1. Chris Gayle (1217 runs @ 41.96, 29 wickets @ 33.44)
2. Sachin Tendulkar (628 runs @ 44.85)
3. Mahela Jayawardene(1147 runs @ 40.96)
4. Kumar Sangakkara+ (1208 @ 43.14)
5. Yuvraj Singh (849 runs @ 53.06)
6. Mike Hussey (784 runs @ 56.00)
7. Andrew Symonds (761 runs @ 42.27, 20 wickets @ 36.80)
8. Shaun Pollock (379 runs @ 29.15, 32 wickets @ 17.34)
9. Nathan Bracken (46 wickets @ 18.82)
10. Makhaya Ntini (28 wickets @ 19.71)
11. Muttiah Muralitharan (32 wickets @ 33.12)

Some other players who came very close to making the cut are:

Brett Lee (44 wickets @ 24.88)
Dwayne Bravo (427 runs @ 32.84, 25 wickets @ 28.88)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (948 runs @ 41.21)
Ramnaresh Sarwan (963 runs @ 43.77)
Ricky Ponting (798 runs @ 36.27)

Good year of ODI cricket for some of the West Indians, keep it up they could be a real treat at home in the WC. Also the fact that Sangakkara beat Gilly for a place in both the test & ODI's side shows how well he has been playing of late.

 

[Dasa]

Pretty good sides....only change I'd make is Sehwag for Hayden in the Test side. Can't think of any other glaring omissions.

 

[Johnners]

I'd have Sehwag in for Haydos as well, and Kahn in for Dravid for the test team.

For ODI's i'd have Michael Clarke in for Yuvraj

 

[oz_fan]

Agree with most of the selections. I'd have Hoggard in for Asif and Strauss in for Hayden though in the test team.

 

[adharcric]

In tests ...

As of now, Cook is the only opener who deserves to be in a team of the year. Sehwag is an option, but there are others who aren't specialist openers but would likely fare better than he did. Either Dravid or Sangakarra should open with Cook - I would opt for Dravid to provide the left-right combination at the top. Pietersen should be in the side as well ahead of Younis Khan, who has made some runs in those dreadful first two tests versus India. The bowling attack looks good and it's disappointing that there aren't too many good options after these four - even Taylor and Sreesanth aren't too far off.

Cook, Dravid, Ponting*, Yousuf, Pietersen, Hussey, Sangakarra+, Clark, Ntini, Muralitharan, Asif

In ODIs ...

Close call there between Gayle, Tendulkar and Jayasuriya. Sangakarra, Dhoni and Gilchrist have all been good, but I'll shock everyone and opt for Dhoni. Pietersen is quite unlucky to miss out, but he's just behind Mahela for me as he hasn't made a single ton this year. Murali hasn't been anything special and a four-man pace attack is alright considering we have Gayle, Jayasuriya and Symonds as very capable part-timers. Perhaps we should have a spinner actually.

Gayle, Jayasuriya, Jayawardene*, Yuvraj, Symonds, Hussey, Dhoni+, Pollock, Lee, Bracken, Ntini

 

[adharcric]

For ODI's i'd have Michael Clarke in for Yuvraj

You've got to be kidding me. Barring Hussey, Yuvraj has been the best one-day batsman this year.

 

[aussie]

The reason i didn't go for Jayasuriya as an opener is because even though he averaged 47.31 to date this year. As you can see one of his centuries was vs Holland & two was againts an England attack who was the worst you will see for a long time in ODI's.

On the keepers, yea Dhoni & Gilly have been solid years, but compared to Sanga they are no match..

I didn't want to pick based just on overall stats, other consideration i.e quality of opposition attack etc were considered. Thats why i considered Hayden as second opener over Strauss & Sehwag since he made runs in tougher conditions againts better attacks.

In test i've give you that KP should be in & your idea the Dravid could go up to open alongside Cook.

 

[Stumped]

Just the Australian team for me thanks

 

[adharcric]

Take out Holland and Bangladesh and Jayasuriya still averages 44, including big knocks against Australia and South Africa. He's also a very handy part-time option.

 

[PhoenixFire]

1) Hayden
2) Strauss
3) Ponting
4) Mohammed Yousuf
5) Pietersen
6) Hussey
7) Sangakkara
8) Hoggard
9) Panesar
10) Asif
11) Muralitharan

**** yes, but I just got up.

 

[_Ed_]

90 wickets in 11 Tests not enough for Murali to get in?

 

[adharcric]

Panesar and Warne over Muralitharan? Nope.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I'll swap Panesar for Murali, and Warne for Panesar.

I said I'd just got up.

 

[adharcric]

Go back to sleep.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Good idea...........