World Eleven for ICC Super series V Australia

[biased indian]

But a team needs 5 bowlers

Does every team use 5 bowlers all the time

even then u will have kallis,Tendulkar,Gayle who put together will defintly bowl 10 overs

 

[ReallyCrazy]

That is a REALLY stupid idea in my mind.

Put it this way the reason Ganguly is a good captain for India has nothing to do with his on feild tactical nouse or his ability to lead by example in the feild does it ? Infact in both those area's he is very poor.

A rest of the world XI does not need the type of captain Ganguly would offer they are only going to be together for a short period of time and the best captain would most likley be somone who is tacticaly very sound and also well liked by all his peers. I know Ganguly is not exactly the most popular player in the world and tacticaly there are alot of guys that are much better than him.

So what do you think ganguly offers to india as captain? IMO he is a very good captain and is very aggressive. And he can motivate players. but you do have a point.....he might not be well liked....well thats their loss.

 

[Sanz]

Well, sometimes they dont have the choice because it will , But when you have an allrounder like Andy flintoff available who can make into a side with either bowling/batting, you better have him in your team.

 

[marc71178]

Does every team use 5 bowlers all the time

You;d expect a World XI to have at least 5 capable of a good 10.

 

[Eclipse]

So what do you think ganguly offers to india as captain? IMO he is a very good captain and is very aggressive. And he can motivate players. but you do have a point.....he might not be well liked....well thats their loss.

I think you have just answered your own question.

I think he handels the pressure well and does look after his players and talks them up publicly to give them confidence.

He is much better as a captain off the feild and the way he keep's a good team environment but on feild he really does lack.

that being said he is the best India have had for a long time.

 

[delkap]

I'll have a go at the teams.

Test Team

1. Graeme Smith (captain)
2. Marvan Atapattu
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Brian Lara
6. Jacques Kallis
7. Mark Boucher (wicket keeper)
8. Shaun Pollock
9. M.Ntini
10.Anil Kumble
11.Muttiah Muralitharan (Harmison, if Murli refuses to tour)

Test Team Coach - John Wright

Reserves: Herschelle Gibbs, VVS Laxman, I. Ul Haq, K. Sangakkara, Steve Harmison, Shoaib Akhtar, Harbhajan Singh, Chaminda Vaas.


Now, let me discuss my picks.

Smith has proven himself many times, and deserves his spot. His attacking style will gel perfectly with Atapattu's more balanced style of play. The next 3 simply pick themsleves. There is no excuse for dropping any of these 3. Dravid will lend solidity to the innings. Kallis is the perfect person to come in at number 6, and if he gets into a decent partership with anyone, then watch the runs flow.

The 'keeper's choice was a bit dodgy, and I had left it down to Sangakkara or Boucher. In the end, I chose Boucher, because his keeping is significantly better than Sangakkara's. And if a top order lineup like that cannot score 350 + runs, then Sangakkara won't make any difference to the score. His silghtly better batting skills don't justify him a position into the squad.

Now, moving down to the bowlers. It was tough decision between Harmison and Pollock, and although Harmison is at the peak of his form, Pollock's year hasn't been too bad, either. And you will always vote for experience over form in big-match situations. Therefore, Pollock finds himself a place.

Ntini is the best fast bowler today (non-Aussie), so enough said.

Here's the clincher. Why pick either of the 2 spinners? Why should it be "Murli or Kumble"? Why can't it be Murli AND Kumble? These 2 workhorses will bowl 15 overs each on the trot. Such intense pressure from both ends. Kallis, Pollock and Ntini won't even need to touch the ball. (Okay exxageration, but think about it!) Even if you had to pick the 4 best bowlers in the team, Kumble and Muralitharan would both make the team (remember Kumble's recent 8 wicket haul?).

The unluckiest player to be left out is VVS Laxman. Akhtar is never consistent enough to be picked, neither are Vaas or Harbhajan.


ODI Team

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Chris Gayle
4. Rahul Dravid (captain)
5. VVS Laxman
6. Jacques Kallis
7. Andrew Flintoff
8. Mark Boucher
9. Shaun Pollock
10. Makhaya Ntini
11. Mutthiah Muralitharan

ODI Team Coach - Dav Whatmore

Reserves: Jacob Oram, Chaminda Vaas, Anil Kumble, Saurav Ganguly, Stephen Fleming, Irfan Pathan

True, the batting is very much Indian-biased, but that is just a coincidence. Tendulkar and Dravid pick themselves into any team. Sehwag and Gayle are the perfect agressive type of batsmen, which will balance the stability and solidity privided to the innings by Laxman and Dravid. Laxman beats Fleming to the post anyday. Kallis, Flintoff and Pollock are the top 3 all-rounders out there, and that leaves Jacob Oram as an unlucky spectator. Pathan is a decent young all-rounder, but he's still lucky to be in the resevres.

Boucher is the only wicketkeeper that comes to mind. At number 8, he would probably have the last 3-5 or so overs to contend with. Such a player needs to be someone that can hit the ball hard, and run quick between the wickets. The reason I don't have Dravi as keeper is simply because it isn't necessary. It's not as if the team lacks all rounders (as is the case with the Indian team). Boucher can be perfectly slotted in at number 8, ahead of Pollock, Ntini and Muralitharan.

The only little hitch is with the post of captain. Saurav Ganguly or Stephen Fleming would have made good skippers, but you don't get chosen to a team based on your captaincy skills. A captain is chosen from among a team of 11 men. And for this particular team, Dravid is the best person to lead.

Ntini is better than Harmison ?? Test bowling rankings certainly dont show that...
No Lara in ODI's, Surely he is better than Gayle and Laxman. Even Ganguly/Yuvraj should make it over those two after Lara.
Sehwag/Vaughan are definitely better players than Atapattu as openers. Atapattu hasn't done enough against better teams...

 

[delkap]

Test:
G Smith
V Shewag
B Lara
S Tendulkar
R Dravid
J Kallis
M Boucher
Pollock
Kumble
Vaas
Murali

ODI
Tendulkar
Gayle
Lara
Kallis
Sarwan
Razzaq
Oram
Boucher
Pollock
Ntini
Murali

Your test team is pretty good, but maybe in aus u can do with Harmison for Kumble (but then again test is in Sydney.. so never know)

But as for the ODI team, u seriously gotta be joking: Dravid, Sehwag, Ganguly, Flintoff are thrown out ?? Razzaq gets in !!!!!
Cairns, Flintoff, Klusener r all better than razzaq

 

[tooextracool]

Your test team is pretty good, but maybe in aus u can do with Harmison for Kumble (but then again test is in Sydney.. so never know)

i would go in with 2 quality spinners against australia because if they have any real weakness, its against spin . harmison should be in the side ahead of vaas who really is a very ordinary bowler outside of home.

 

[JASON]

Who do others in the Web think, should be the umpires for these Matches :

My Vote for the umpires goes to - Steve Buchnor and Simon Taufel for the six day Test and for the ODI's the same two combining with Billy Bowden (so either two for each game).

 

[Tim]

Umpires haven't had a great time of it recently..but i'd probably go with:

Taufel, Bowden & Bucknor.

 

[marc71178]

Pickup and Eyes_only for me.

 

[Sehwag309]

The man from Jamaica needs a rest for sure, if not Indian Co. will sponsor him

 

[marc71178]

Not this perceived bias thing again please.

To keep going on about is questioning the integrity of a Cricketing Legend.

 

[Sehwag309]

For sure, Legends don't make enormous mistakes and so to speak ridicoulous one's

Yeah, let's not talk about it, they are too good.

I am Sshhhhh!

 

[marc71178]

There's a difference between a genuine mistake, and bias.

 

[biased indian]

You;d expect a World XI to have at least 5 capable of a good 10.

u didnt see the next line of my post

 

[delkap]

Considering mistakes made by some quality umpires recently, I would say Bowden and Taufel to officiate as I think they are the best at the moment. But since Taufel is Aussie, he might not get the nod, so Coertzen or Venkataraghwan. Sheppard and Bucknor in my mind are not living up to their reputation.

And if you want some fun, put in Asoka de Silva That will surely make the result hard to predict

 

[Nate]

venkat and bucknor for mine

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I am very certain that it will be Bucknor and Shepherd, but I think Taufel definitely deserves to be there. Bowden was not very impressive in recent times that I've seen him and the last few times I've seen Venkat, he's made some shockers.

 

[JASON]

But since Taufel is Aussie, he might not get the nod, so Coertzen or Venkataraghwan.

Why should Taufel be excluded, because he is an Aussie? Then We will have to get Neutral Umpires from another planet or Universe.

I think the best umpires should stand in the match, doesn't matter where they are from.(instead of going for tokenism) Just as the best current players should be playing it( and not one from each country to make it tokenly inclusive).