All-Time Test Cricket Draft

[Matty76]

My next selection - at number nine - is the wonderful Raymond Russell Lindwall, who took 228 wickets @ 23.03 AND averaged 21.15 with the bat.

Post #13 updated. Over to you @Wookiedragon

 

[Wookiedragon]

I am going with Pakistans greatest batsmen Javed Miandad at number 5.

1 - W Hammond
2 -
3 - G Chappell
4 - S Smith
5 - J Miandad
6 - I Khan
7 - K Sangakkara
8 - C Grimmett
9 -
10 -
11 - C Ambrose

@Scotty_WCE

 

[Scotty_WCE]

I have an idea for how a winner can be determined. Everyone puts all other teams in order of who they think is the best. So including @Eels Guru there are 7 teams. So not including your own team you rate all others from first to sixth. First spot earns you 6 points, sixth spot earns 1 point. Then everyone sends their votes to @Scotty_WCE and persons team with the highest votes wins. I’ve put some thought into that and it’s the fairest way I can think of. What you do all think of that?
@Matty76 @mounteverest @Wookiedragon @Keatoboy

I think that would be quite hard as some older players some of us may not have heard of. You would need to look at stats as well - perhaps we could also all do a write up on our teams once done outlining what they did and why we picked them.

Between your two ideas something like that could definitely work. I've got a couple of other ideas as well, how about we all discuss it when we've completed our teams?

Just doing a bit of research and I'll post my next pick shortly!

 

[Scotty_WCE]

My next pick is Sir... nah, just kidding @Wookiedragon

When you think of South African all-rounders, Kallis is of course the one who comes to mind first. My next pick is someone whose career was probably overshadowed by Kallis, but he should still be considered one of the premier all-rounders of recent times. His bowling alone would make him one of South Africa's greatest - he took 421 Test wickets at just over 23. Combine that with his batting - more than 3700 runs at over 32 - and it should be easy to see why Shaun Pollock is the eighth player on my team. He will, for the time being, slot in at number 8, with Wasim and Marshall sliding down a spot.

1. Sir Len Hutton
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Sir Vivian Richards
4. Allan Border
5.
6. Sir Garry Sobers
7.
8. Shaun Pollock
9. Wasim Akram
10. Malcolm Marshall
11.

@Keatoboy, who have you got?

 

[Keatoboy]

Less than 24 hours and I’m picking again, good stuff!

Starting to close out my team now. Probably not ideal that I’ve focused more on batsmen than bowlers but there’s still some good names floating around for the taking. Going to throw in another all rounder too. So I’ll take Dale Steyn and Tony Greig!

1. Brian Lara
2. AB de Villiers (wk)
3. Sir Donald Bradman (C)
4. Adam Voges
5. Sir Ian Botham
6. Tony Greig
7.
8.
9. Dale Steyn
10. Sydney Barnes
11. Muttiah Muralitharan

@Scotty_WCE you’re up again! Will be interesting to see who everyone picks from here.

 

[Scotty_WCE]

Less than 24 hours and I’m picking again, good stuff!

Starting to close out my team now. Probably not ideal that I’ve focused more on batsmen than bowlers but there’s still some good names floating around for the taking. Going to throw in another all rounder too. So I’ll take Dale Steyn and Tony Greig!

1. Brian Lara
2. AB de Villiers (wk)
3. Sir Donald Bradman (C)
4. Adam Voges
5. Sir Ian Botham
6. Tony Greig
7.
8.
9. Dale Steyn
10. Sydney Barnes
11. Muttiah Muralitharan

@Scotty_WCE you’re up again! Will be interesting to see who everyone picks from here.

Was very close to taking Steyn with my last pick, good get! As you and others have said it's great fun at this stage tossing up between players who are in their own right greats of the game.

Off to do a bit more research, will post my next pick soon!

 

[Scotty_WCE]

Right, my final specialist batsman is another modern-day great - someone who also lived in the shadow of a higher-profile teammate. Despite this, he managed to be the third-highest Test run scorer of all time at the time of his retirement (he's now fourth), scoring those runs at an average of over 52. He scored 36 centuries and had the ability to stonewall as well as anyone, leading to his nickname "The Wall". He was also a fine fielder, holding the record for the most Test catches for a non-wicketkeeper. Welcome, Rahul Dravid! He will slot into number 4, with Border sliding down to number 5.

1. Sir Len Hutton
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Sir Vivian Richards
4. Rahul Dravid
5. Allan Border
6. Sir Garry Sobers
7.
8. Shaun Pollock
9. Wasim Akram
10. Malcolm Marshall
11.

@Wookiedragon, back to you mate!

(Edited to include note about fielding)

 

[Wookiedragon]

My next two picks were going to be Dayle Steyn and then Rahul Dravid! Will have to think now.....

 

[Wookiedragon]

Courtney Walsh will partner Curtley Ambrose with the new ball in my team.

1 - W Hammond
2 -
3 - G Chappell
4 - S Smith
5 - J Miandad
6 - I Khan
7 - K Sangakkara
8 - C Grimmett
9 -
10 - Curtley Ambrose
11 - Courtney Walsh

@Matty76 over to you

 

[mounteverest]

From what I have read over the years any team with Bradman in it will win because Bradman was worth 2 players with his average

 

[Matty76]

Coming in at No. 10 is the "Big Bird", Joel Garner. He delivered searing yorkers from a height of 6ft 8 inches and took his test wickets at an average of 20.97.

It was often said that Joel "missed out" on big wicket hauls in Test cricket: however it is worth noting that out of 111 bowling innings he took four or more wickets in 25 of them.

Post #13 updated.

Over to you @BLOWN8

 

[BLOWN8]

Wanted to close out my middle order. Welcome Mr Cricket.

1. Matthew Hayden
2.
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. Steve Waugh (C)
5. Kapil Dev
6. Mike Hussey
7. Mark Boucher
8. Shane Warne
9.
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Waqar Younis

You again @mounteverest

 

[mounteverest]

Ok my number 9 will be a fine left armed quick and real quick Mitchell Johnson and handy for some lower order runs and my #6 and can’t believe he is still available Doug Walters just under 6000 test runs at a touch under 50 and 49 test wickets with his medium pacers
1 Greenidge
2 Haynes
3 Ponting cpt
4 M.Crowe
5 B Richards
6 Walters
7 Gilchrist
8 benuad
9 Johnson
10 Holding
11 McGrath
Over to you @BLOWN8

 

[Eels Guru]

Some great looking teams so far. I have been writing names down but also crossing them out when one of them gets snapped up.

 

[BLOWN8]

Ok my number 9 will be a fine left armed quick and real quick Mitchell Johnson and handy for some lower order runs and my #6 and can’t believe he is still available Doug Walters just under 6000 test runs at a touch under 50 and 49 test wickets with his medium pacers
1 Greenidge
2 Haynes
3 Ponting
4 M.Crowe
5
6 Walters
7 Gilchrist
8 benuad
9 Johnson
10 Holding
11 McGrath
Over to you @BLOWN8

I had Mitchell Johnson pencilled in for my number 9 spot, didn’t think anyone would take him haha. I’ll take Graeme Smith as my other opener.

1. Matthew Hayden
2. Graeme Smith
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. Steve Waugh (C)
5. Mike Hussey
6. Kapil Dev
7. Mark Boucher
8. Shane Warne
9.
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Waqar Younis

@Matty76

 

[Eels Guru]

I had Mitchell Johnson pencilled in for my number 9 spot, didn’t think anyone would take him haha. I’ll take Graeme Smith as my other opener.

1. Matthew Hayden
2. Graeme Smith
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. Steve Waugh (C)
5. Kapil Dev
6. Mike Hussey
7. Mark Boucher
8. Shane Warne
9.
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Waqar Younis

@Matty76

I’d probably swap Kapil Dev and Mr Cricket mate. Dev batted mainly 6,7,8 in his career

 

[Matty76]

I only have two players left to pick....ooooooh!

My No. 4 is Ken Barrington, whose Test batting average of 58.67 is second only to Herbert Sutcliffe for England. An immensely popular figure during his playing days, he became a much-loved assistant manager for the England team.

Post #13 updated.

Over to you @Wookiedragon

 

[Wookiedragon]

Fred "the demon" spofforth is my number 9. The fastest bowler of his time with a statue at the SCG to honour him.

1 W Hammond
2
3 G Chappell
4 S Smith
5 J Miandad
6 I Khan
7 K Sangakkara
8 C Grimmett
9 C Ambrose
10 F Spofforth
11 C Walsh

@Scotty_WCE

 

[BLOWN8]

I’d probably swap Kapil Dev and Mr Cricket mate. Dev batted mainly 6,7,8 in his career

I had no idea where he batted but was thinking of swapping yesterday. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Scotty_WCE]

My second-last pick is the person Bradman called the greatest bowler he ever faced or watched - and I'm not one to argue with the Don! Sadly, much of his Test career coincided with the Second World War, but he still managed to play 27 Tests and took 144 wickets at an average of just 22.59. Bill O'Reilly will be my spinner.

1. Sir Len Hutton
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Sir Vivian Richards
4. Rahul Dravid
5. Allan Border
6. Sir Garry Sobers
7.
8. Shaun Pollock
9. Wasim Akram
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Bill O'Reilly

@Keatoboy - time to pick your final two players!