The Guardian (UK) rates the world's best 11 to take on Australia

[marc71178]

Originally posted by age_master
yeah rik vaughn cant average 50 in county cricket - am i the only one around here who sees a problem with that

OK, this year he played 2 CC games - pointless discussing due to lack of games.

Last year he played 7 and averaged 51.76 and the year before he played 9 and averaged 49.78.

It's also all about quality not quantity.

 

[marc71178]

Originally posted by age_master
why the hell would you pick an englishman in the world XI

Another reason could be the fact he's got more Test runs than any other player this year?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Originally posted by chris.hinton
My 11 would be (Not in order)

Gibbs
Vaughan
Kallis
Lara
Tendulkar
Flower
Inzerman-ul-haq
Bond
Pollock
Vertotti
Muril

12th man : Darren Gough
other players Kaneria, Hussain, Ntini


[Edited on 5/12/2002 by chris.hinton]

What? No leg spinner in the first XI?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Why wouldn't you select an Englishman? If he's a good enough player he deserves to be selected. Does one bad series....against Australia for that matter.....make England crap?? From what I recall they've played some pretty decent cricket over the past couple of years.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

A mediocre FC average is unimportant if you have a good Test average. Look at Trescothick. When he got into the England team, his avge was only just over 30 and he's been brilliant for them. If I'm not mistaken, his TC avge is still higher than his FC avge.

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by age_master
yeah rik vaughn cant average 50 in county cricket - am i the only one around here who sees a problem with that


aussies go over ther and average 60+, if heyden went over there the way hes playing at th e moment he could emulate bradmans scores and average and if vaughhn cant even aerage 40 in that there must be something wrong

Right...1st of all he rarely plays County Cricket due to the central contracts and also I don't think it really matters what he averages in County Cricket if he's averaging around 50 in Test Cricket...I mean which average will help you win Tests?

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
Why wouldn't you select an Englishman? If he's a good enough player he deserves to be selected. Does one bad series....against Australia for that matter.....make England crap?? From what I recall they've played some pretty decent cricket over the past couple of years.

Finally someone remembers! This is only the 3rd Series England have lost since they lost to New Zealand in 1999, and 2 of them were against Australia and one against India in India which Australia didn't even manage to win in!. England have played very well since! Or did they loose against South Africa that winter? I dunno, anyway they have lost less series than most other teams and have looked a unit until injuries screwed up selection for the Ashes.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Originally posted by age_master
yeah rik vaughn cant average 50 in county cricket - am i the only one around here who sees a problem with that

aussies go over ther and average 60+, if heyden went over there the way hes playing at th e moment he could emulate bradmans scores and average and if vaughhn cant even aerage 40 in that there must be something wrong

Look at Warnie's FC stats...

My 30 Man Squad

Openers
Herschelle Gibbs
Michael Vaughan
Sanath Jayasuriya
Gary Kirsten

Batsmen
Brian Lara
Sachin Tendulkar
Sourav Ganguly
Rahul Dravid
Mahela Jayawardene
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Yousuf Youhana
Nathan Astle

All Rounders
Jacques Kallis
Grant Flower
Abdul Razzaq
Chris Cairns
Shaun Pollock

Wicketkeepers
Mark Boucher
Andy Flower
Kumar Sangakkara

Fast Bowlers
Makhaya Ntini
Heath Streak
Simon Jones
Waqar Younis
Chaminda Vaas
Shane Bond

Spinners
Harbhajan Singh
Saqlain Mushtaq
Muttiah Muralitharan
Daniel Vettori

 

[marc71178]

4 openers but no Trescothick?

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by marc71178
4 openers but no Trescothick?

Errrm...but he hasn't done anything really against Australia...even though he's a very fine batsman.

 

[marc71178]

Why are Rest of World XI picked on "performances against Aus"?

Surely it's all performances that count.

 

[Rik]

No its a rest of the world squad to beat Australia. And since Tresco has done little against them he wouldn't be in it. And I wouldn't have Mulari in mine either as he averages 40 odd against Aus.

 

[howzthat]

Surely Akhter deserve to be in the playing 11 , can't think of many other pacers that can give hard time to Australia other than Akhter

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

If we're talking about performance against Australia, what about Dillon? Yes he probably wouldn't make a first XI but he's a very capable back up in case of injury.(Although he is currently injured come to think of it)

Anyway, my point is that on a very poor tour overall for WI last time they were in Australia, Dillon did pretty well until he got injured. He took 20 wickets I think and got Mark Waugh every time out I think. That surely deserves some merit.

 

[Rik]

16 Wickets at 29.93 on that tour, 19 at 31.84 against the Aussies in his career. Not bad, not bad at all.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Well I was off by a couple of wickets but consider the cricumstances and compare his figures to practically any other West Indian bowler. You have to look at quality not quantity. I think Dillon showed alot of confidence and self belief.

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
Well I was off by a couple of wickets but consider the cricumstances and compare his figures to practically any other West Indian bowler. You have to look at quality not quantity. I think Dillon showed alot of confidence and self belief.

I agree, that's not a bad average against such strong opposition, especially when his team lost every Test by quite a margin...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Mark Waugh isn't the easiest of wickets either.

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
Mark Waugh isn't the easiest of wickets either.

Easier than Steve...but not on current form

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

More talented than Steve though.