World 14-man Test Squad

[SJS]

Who is Griffith?

Another fast bowler from West Indies like Gilchrist

 

[marc71178]

Sorry twctopcat. Pratt doesnt qualify with the new criteria

Even though the English fans love to see him on (did you see the group in the stands wearing the Pratt t-shirts?)

 

[marc71178]

J Langer
G Smith
R Ponting
B Lara
R Dravid
J Kallis
+A Gilchrist
S Pollock
S Warne*
M Muralitharan
G McGrath

Flintoff, S Jones and K Sangakkara the other 3

Tendulkar misses out cause i dont rate him anymore. The batting is pretty solid, Sangakkara is a very able batsman and is able to provide cover with the gloves, Flintoff would slip in at number 8 and Murali would miss out depending on conditions and Simon Jones i reakon is an excellent swong bowlerand pip's Shane Bond based on Bond's lack of recent matches.

Shane Warne as captain.

That bowling attack is a bit light IMO - 2 seamers and 2 spinners (and the seamers are very samey)

 

[aussie]

uhh yeah what's your point. this thread was designed with one purpose, to see what others thought of a team based on the criteria i put forward.

yea, but what i'm going againts your criteria because i dont like the idea of current form people like Tendulkar just has to be in a selectively picked World sqaud.........

 

[Jono]

That bowling attack is a bit light IMO - 2 seamers and 2 spinners (and the seamers are very samey)

Possibly, but two of the greatest spinners ever and the two best pace bowlers of the late 90s (McGrath is still awesome, Pollock isn't exactly a mug) + that awesome batting line-up would be enough to win almost every match.

That being said I would have Flintoff in for Ponting.

 

[aussie]

That being said I would have Flintoff in for Ponting.

yea definately if Ricky was a bit more consistent i would have him over Rahul no doubt...

 

[Deja moo]

yea definately is Ricky was a bit more consistent i would have him over Rahul no doubt...

This is test cricket.

 

[aussie]

This is test cricket.

yea dawg....

 

[marc71178]

Dravid would IMO be the first batsman's name on the list.

Of course I might sneak the all rounder on as first pick.

 

[Jono]

Actually that's an interesting task. In what order would you choose your world XI? Its not just determining who you rate as the best batsmen and the best bowlers, but also what you value more in your team? Do you value an ever so reliable batsman like Dravid over a champion spin bowler like Murali/Warne? Or would your first choice be the valuable all-rounder like Flintoff?

I reckon Lara would be my first choice (ever so closely over Dravid) with McGrath next and then Freddy third. That's just me though.

 

[magsi23]

With performance over the past two years, overall talent and class as the considerations, what do you think of this 14-man World Test Squad?

Ricky Ponting* (AUS)
Rahul Dravid (IND)
Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
Brian Lara (WI)
Virender Sehwag (IND)
Graeme Smith (RSA)
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
Andrew Flintoff (ENG)
Adam Gilchrist+ (AUS)
Shaun Pollock (RSA)
Shoaib Akhtar (PAK)
Glenn McGrath (AUS)
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)
Shane Warne (AUS)

Suggest any necessary changes to the squad and then proceed with the real challenge: pick the final XI batting lineup.

Based on last 2 years, Tendulkar and Pollock shouldnt be included in this side.

 

[aussie]

I reckon Lara would be my first choice (ever so closely over Dravid) with McGrath next and then Freddy third. That's just me though.

yea i tend to agree with that....

 

[Shoaib]

Based on last 2 years, Tendulkar and Pollock shouldnt be included in this side.

Agreed.Inzamam & Vaas should replace Tendulkar & Pollock respectively.This would make the best ROW XI.

 

[marc71178]

If I were picking my 11, I'd have some players who are certain picks:

For batsmen (in order) - Dravid, Lara, Kallis
For an all-rounder, there can only be one - Flintoff
For a keeper, it's got to be Geraint, erm sorry Gilchrist.

Now with Flintoff there I can afford 2 spinners, so don't have a hard choice to make there.

McGrath is a certain.

That leaves 2 openers and a quick - Sehwag gets one, but toss a coin between Strauss and Langer IMO, for the quick that's a bit more tricky - so I shall leave that one blank and thus not actually select an 11!

 

[SJS]

Even though the English fans love to see him on (did you see the group in the stands wearing the Pratt t-shirts?)

No I mised that.

But I found the use of umbrelas by the Englisg fans and the removal of the shirts by the Aussie fans yesterday superb.

 

[marc71178]

It was just one final show of how good a spirit this series has been played in, both on and off the field.

Another one that looks to have been missed was when Flintoff dismissed Hayden, the little interchange between the 2 of them was so refreshing to see.

 

[tooextracool]

yea definately if Ricky was a bit more consistent i would have him over Rahul no doubt...

dravid beats ponting in his sleep at every point of their respective test careers.

 

[simmy]

If the test is in England.. Simon Jones would be my first choice seamer. Seriously.

 

[C_C]

For batsmen (in order) - Dravid, Lara, Kallis

The same Kallis who scores against a high level attack as often as it rains in the Sahara ?
Please let us know what is his average vs Australia, how well he has done against Murali-Vaas, Wasim-Waqar, Australia and Walsh-Ambrose ?

I will tell you : a paltry 35-37 average or so.

 

[marc71178]

And please tell us how many times in the last 3 years he's played any of them?

That'll be 3 games against the 2 Sri Lankans - 276 runs in those 3 games @ 69.

It's current form, and he has it in abundance over any other middle order batsman.