The ATG Teams General arguing/discussing thread

[Pratters]

after all the other ATG XIs are done... here is a left over ATG XI that can probably beat many other teams on most days


Justin Langer
Geoff Boycott
Everton Weekes
Younis Khan
Michael Clarke
Andy Flower (wk)
Shaun Pollock
Ray Lindwall
Jim Laker
Waqar Younis
Courtney Walsh

That's a very nice team. Will be extremely tough to beat, don't care what the opposition is.

 

[weldone]

I've got a challenge for you all - select a squad of 16 that you would back to play in a 5 test, 7 ODI and 3 T20 series to save Earth from a touring party of Aliens who want to destroy us.

If we win or draw on aggregate, Earth remains safe. If we lose, we all die.

The players you pick will be plucked from whatever time you choose using a time machine, transported to the current day, and will attend a 1 year training camp to prepare them for this series.

16 players for all 15 games across all three formats. You can not name any more for reserve; if someone is injured over the course of this series, you have to make do with whoever is left. You can select whoever you want to be a part of the backroom staff - there is no limitation on that.

Jack Hobbs
Barry Richards
Rahul Dravid
Donald Bradman
Sachin Tendulkar
Viv Richards
Garry Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
MS Dhoni
Wasim Akram
Keith Miller
Richard Hadlee
Harold Larwood
Joel Garner
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muraliatharan

Warne-Murali will rock on dustbowls. If aliens have weaknesses against pace and bounce in general - we have Larwood. If they can't cope with quality swing - we have Wasim. If they struggle against corridor line - we have Hadlee (over McGrath mainly for batting). Joel Garner will be there as the tall bowler capable of yorkers and bouncers from awkward height - if they struggle there. Dravid is there because he can replace an opener in tests in case of injury, or a player in middle-order in any format if required. He's my specialist reserve batsman for the whole tour basically. Gilchrist and Dhoni will be each other's replacements in limited overs cricket and tests respectively. Barry Richards will open with Tendulkar in limited overs stuff.

 

[fredfertang]

If the aliens want to destroy us then Brian Close is a must have for this side

 

[watson]

I've got a challenge for you all - select a squad of 16 that you would back to play in a 5 test, 7 ODI and 3 T20 series to save Earth from a touring party of Aliens who want to destroy us.

If we win or draw on aggregate, Earth remains safe. If we lose, we all die.

The players you pick will be plucked from whatever time you choose using a time machine, transported to the current day, and will attend a 1 year training camp to prepare them for this series.

16 players for all 15 games across all three formats. You can not name any more for reserve; if someone is injured over the course of this series, you have to make do with whoever is left. You can select whoever you want to be a part of the backroom staff - there is no limitation on that.

Gone for a flexible squad in case of injuries, and one biased towards Tests and ODIs because there are only 3 T20 games.

Batsman
Gordon Greenidge
Barry Richards
Don Bradman
Sachin Tendulkar
Viv Richards

Batting Allrounders
Garry Sobers
Jacques Kallis

Wicket Keepers
Allan Knott
Adam Gilchrist

Bowling Allrounders
Imran Khan
Kapil Dev
Richard Hadlee

Spinners
Shane Warne
Muttiah Muralitharan

Fast Bowlers
Malcolm Marshall
Joel Garner


TEST
01. Barry Richards
02. Gordon Greenidge
03. Don Bradman
04, Sachin Tendulkar
05. Viv Richards
06. Garry Sobers
07. Allan Knott
08. Imran Khan
09. Richard Hadlee
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Shane Warne

ODI
01. Adam Gilchrist
02. Sachin Tendulkar
03. Don Bradman
04. Viv Richards
05. Jacques Kallis
06. Garry Sobers
07. Kapil Dev
08. Imran Khan
09. Richard Hadlee
10. Shane Warne
11. Joel Garner

T20
01. Adam Gilchrist
02. Sachin Tendulkar
03. Don Bradman
04. Viv Richards
05. Jacques Kallis
06. Garry Sobers
07. Kapil Dev
08. Imran Khan
09. Richard Hadlee
10. Joel Garner
11. Muttiah Muralitharan

Test Series Drawn 2-2
Earth wins ODI Series 5-2
Aliens win T20 Series 2-1

Sobers and Kapil Dev clinch the tournament in the final T20 game wih a decisive 100 run partnership off only 38 balls.

Verdict: EARTH SAFE!

 

[dogwalker]

Have to have Steyn, he can take wickets anywhere.

 

[cnerd123]

Interesting to see Garner and Barry Richards get into so many times. I see the point for having Garner's height as a point of difference to include him, but not certain on Barry Richards tbh.

I'm thinking of revising my squad to:

Batsmen:
Bradman
Tendulkar
Sehwag
Viv
Dravid
Greenidge

Allrounders:
Sobers
Hadlee

Pacers:
Steyn
Wasim
Garner

Spinners
Warne
Murali

Keepers:
Gilchrist
MSD


TESTS
-----------
Greenidge
Sehwag
Bradman
Tendulkar
Viv
Sobers
Gilchrist (+)
Hadlee
Warne
Wasim
Steyn

Dravid as backup batsman for all positions; Murali in for Wasim if I want two spinners; Garner the backup fast bowler, MSD backup keeper.


ODI
-------
Tendukar
Sehwag
Bradman
Viv
Sobers
MSD (+)
Hadlee
Wasim
Murali
Garner

Gilly as backup opener and keeper, Dravid as backup batsman for all positions, Sehwag the backup middle order batsman (using Gilly or Greenidge to replace him). Steyn and Warne backup bowlers who could play depending on conditions.

T20s
-------
Basically the same as ODI

 

[bagapath]

I've got a challenge for you all - select a squad of 16 that you would back to play in a 5 test, 7 ODI and 3 T20 series to save Earth from a touring party of Aliens who want to destroy us.

Openers

Hutton
Hobbs
Trumper

Middle Order

Bradman
Tendulkar
Viv Richards
Hammond

Wicket Keepers

Gilchrist
De Villiers

All Rounders

Sobers
Miller

Bowlers

Lillee
Hadlee
Marshall
Warne
O'Reilley

Test XI

Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman *
Viv Richards
Tendulkar
Sobers
Gilchrist +
Marshall
Warne
Lillee
O'Reilley


ODI XI

Tendulkar
Trumper
Bradman *
Richards
Hammond
Sobers
De Villiers +
Miller
Hadlee
Warne
Lillee


T 20 XI

Trumper
Gilchrist +
Bradman *
Richards
Hammond
De Villiers
Sobers
Miller
Hadlee
Marshall
Oreilley

Did not want to take match fixers, ball tamperers or chuckers.

Only tests: Hobbs, Hutton
Only tests and ODIs: Tendulkar, Lillee, Warne
Only tests and T20s: O'Reilley, Marshall, Gilchrist
Only ODIs and T20s: De Villiers, Miller, Hammond, Trumper, Hadlee
All three formats: Bradman, Viv Richards, Sobers

 

[Teja.]

The XVI

1. Hobbs
2. Gavaskar
3. Bradman
4. Richards
5. Tendulkar
6. Sobers
7. Gilchrist
8. Imran
9. Hadlee
10. Murali
11. McGrath
12. Dhoni
13. Klusener
14. Warne
15. Dev
16. Miller

Tests

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran
Hadlee
Murali
McGrath

ODIs

Gilchrist
Tendulkar
Bradman
Richards
Dhoni
Sobers
Klusener
Kapil
Hadlee
Murali


T20

Gilchrist
Tendulkar
Bradman
RIchards
Dhoni
Sobers
Klusener
Kapil
Hadlee
Murali
McGrath

 

[kyear2]

ATG Ist XI

01. Sir Jack Hobbs
02. Sir Leonard Hutton
03. Sir Donald Bradman
04. Sir. I.V.A. Richards
05. Sachin Tendulkar
06. Sir Garfield Sobers
07. Adam Gilchrist
08. Malcolm Marshall
09. Shane Warne
10. Dale Steyn
11. Glenn McGrath

ATG 2nd XI

01. Sunil Gavaskar
02. Herbert Sutcliffe
03. George Headley
04. Greg Chappell
05. Brian Lara
06. Jacques Kallis
07. Allan Knott
08. Sir Richard Hadlee
09. Sir Curtly Ambrose
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Mutiah Muralithan

ATG 3rd XI

01. Barry Richards
02. Geoffrey Boycott
03. Kumar Sangakkara
04. Graeme Pollock
05. Ricky Ponting
06. Walter Hammond
07. Imran Khan
08. W.A Oldfield
09. Fred Trueman
10. Michael Holding
11. William O'Reilly

ATG 4th XI

01. Gordon Greenidge
02. Bob Simpson
03. Sir Frank Worrell
04. Sir Everton Weekes
05. A.B. de Villiers
06. Allan Border
07. Les Ames
08. Wasim Akram
09. Jim Laker
10. Joel Garner
11. Allan Donald

 

[Jono]

AB in everyone's team now right?

 

[Coronis]

Would go Grimmett over Laker.

 

[kyear2]

Grimmett averaged 32 vs. the only good team of his era. After the top three spinners, it is IMHO a crap shoot but Laker is as good as any. Tayfield is also a good option.

 

[fredfertang]

Sylvers instead of McGrath

 

[watson]

The third XI would probably beat the first and second XIs.

 

[kyear2]

The third XI would probably beat the first and second XIs.

Was thinking the 4th was actually stronger than the 3rd

 

[Flem274*]

Am I the only one who considered being cynical and naming 11 batsmen? The aliens aren't getting past that.

You lot know my team by now. My love for bowling allrounders will see us to victory.

 

[Pratters]

Who do you guys rate as the Top 5/10 test openers of all time and why?

 

[andmark]

I've been struggling to see who's better, Tendulkar or Viv. On one hand Tendulkar has about the best long term (taking Bradman's 50 or so tests out of that bracket) batting stats one could hope for. On the other hand Viv had the best technique I've ever seen. I suppose it's not a problem when choosing an ATXI (as Kyear2 has excellently done above although I may have gone with Murali over McGrath), but it's still an intrigue.

 

[Pratters]

I've been struggling to see who's better, Tendulkar or Viv. On one hand Tendulkar has about the best long term (taking Bradman's 50 or so tests out of that bracket) batting stats one could hope for. On the other hand Viv had the best technique I've ever seen. I suppose it's not a problem when choosing an ATXI (as Kyear2 has excellently done above although I may have gone with Murali over McGrath), but it's still an intrigue.

Would put Viv ahead of Tendulkar for the destructiveness. I suppose we are talking about ODIs here. In tests, it has to be Tendulkar ahead of Viv. Far more consistent for far longer.

 

[Red]

Viv could go to another level that very few batsman could. There's that famous quote about him from Imran.

Re. the openers question above, I'd say...

Hutton
Gavaskar
Hobbs
Sutcliffe
Greenidge
B.Richards
Lawry
Sehwag
Gooch
Boycott

Hard to split them really. Hutton, from what I've read and seen was the most complete opener of all time, perfect technique and all the shots,and played some pretty decent bowling. Gavaskar pretty much the same, plus Gavaskar played in an era of truly great pace bowlers. Hobbs and Sutcliffe are hard to judge, being from the distant past, but many say what a great batsman Hobbs was, with an outstanding technique. Sutcliffe is remembered as a little more dour, but both him and his partner had outstanding records. Greenidge was always a favourite of mine as a kid, a really punchy and aggressive opener who always looked to dominate. Part of a great partnership with Haynes also. Richards will court controversy, but I can't ignore what so many good judges said about him. I've no doubt that if he'd had a full career he'd probably be seen as the greatest of all time. Perfect technique, and a fast scorer. Lawry and Sehwag couldn't contrast more but both did their jobs in their own way very effectively. Rounding it out with two Englishmen (meaning five out of ten are Poms) who are sometimes forgotten. Gooch had a great record and was a great player against everyone, bar Aust, while Boycott was the true definition of an old school opener, making the job of the middle order much easier most of the time. Hon mentions to Langer, Hayden, Taylor, Slater, Haynes, Boon etc.