Mr Mxyzptlk's World XI

We pack light and we train hard as we send our Test World XI out to challenge any other planet who dares to accept. Indeed, what other team can boast such class and pure cricketing genius as that of this geoid that we call earth? For our first call up, we search for a captain and examine all the worthy contenders.
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Captains: (1)
Candidates-
Nasser Hussain (England)
Steve Waugh (Australia)
Sourav Ganguly (India)
Stephen Fleming (New Zealand)

Nasser Hussain has been brilliant for England in their revival of recent times and has improved considerably with the bat over that period. He's a solid tactician and likewise as a batsman, but seems to have the all too common mental block against Australia.

Steve Waugh is undoubtedly the greatest captain of the modern era as he transformed a 'good' Australian side into one of the greatest World sides ever. He is, however, pushing 40 and seems to be losing some of that special something which he exuded through the nineties. I think it's fair to say that he would not make it to a World XI currently on his batting alone.

Sourav Ganguly has taken India leaps and bounds to the World Cup final this year in South Africa. He has been a fairly innovative captain and has gotten a positive response from his troops. That said, Ganguly would not command a place in a World XI as a captain, batsman and certainly not as a bowler.

Stephen Fleming is arguably New Zealand's greatest captain. He has captained his team with courage and great innovation and his batting has shot upward in recent times. Fleming deserves to captain the World XI purely on his ability to get his team compete with the mighty Australians. He would not however make the team on batting alone. Fleming's ability to communicate would come in handy Mars, if required.
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The Openers: (2)
Candidates-
Michael Vaughan (England)
Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa)
Matthew Hayden (Australia)

Michael Vaughan set the world afire with his strokeplay in 2002. He destroyed every attack placed in front of him with a definite class and was a rare shining light out of the disastrous Ashes series. Despite his relative failure against the lowly Zimbabwe, Vaughan certainly commands a place in the team of 2003.

Gibbs continues to perform for South Africa against allcomers as he dazzles the crowd with his aggressive strokeplay and his ability to adapt his batting stance, as displayed in the WC2003 against Chaminda Vaas, shows his maturity as a player.

Matty Hayden has lived a dream over the past three years in his absolute dominance of world bowling to score century after century. His attacking strokeplay is a given in every innings and is what he is known by. He showed that he can handle the best of spin as he was outstanding in India in 2000 and that he can destroy any pace attack, as he has done around the world.
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The Batsmen: (2)
Candidates-
Brian Lara (West Indies)
Sachin Tendulkar (India)
Ricky Ponting (Australia)
Rahul Dravid (India)

The name Brian Lara commands the respect of the greatest of bowlers around the world. For years, the likes of McGrath, Murali and Warne have had intense duels against the Trinidadian left-hander and through it all, he has built up one of the most impressive records in World cricket. Lara has more than 6000 runs in either form of cricket and showed his class once more with a form series against the touring Australians this year.

Sachin Tendulkar is simply a genius. Some argue that he is of alien decent (Kryptonian perhaps?) as he seems almost invincible. 31 Test centuries adorn his name and an average of 57 to boot. This is no easy task as he makes batting look so easy in his accumulation. Sachin cannot be ignored.

Ponting has risen quickly to one of the best batsmen in the world and he's still getting better. It seems at times as though you just can't get him out and his track record proves that this may be true.

Rahul Dravid - the rock of Indian cricket. Fan favourite Dravid has been a vital part of the recent Indian success as his solid defence and lovely timing helped him to be one of the top batsmen of 2002.
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The Allrounder: (1)
Candidates-
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
Jacques Kallis (ditto)

Only one player is good enough to be chosen as an allrounder to represent Earth. That person is none other than Ajit Agarkar. However, since Ajit has previous commitments, we call upon Jacques Kallis to fill the role which he has so well for his country.
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The Wicketkeeper: (1)
Candidates-
Adam Gilchrist (Australia)
Alec Stewart (England)

Gilchrist's philosophy of see the ball - kill the ball has changed the face of Test cricket. There may not be a more feared batsmen around the world when the score is at 300/5. He can make any bowler fall to his knees, begging for forgiveness and relief.

Even at 40, Alec Stewart is undoubtedly a worthy selection for any interplanetary team. He is a solid 'keeper and a class act with a bat in his hand.
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The Spinner/s: (1/2)
Candidates-
Shane Warne (Australia)
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
Harbhajan Singh (India)

Shane Warne is clearly the greatest legspinner of all time but due to his recent troubles, he is in no shape to leave the stratosphere.

Mutiah Muralitharan has bewildered batsmen around the world for years amidst controversy of throwing, he has built himself up as the leading contender to challenge Walsh's world record of ducks.....er wickets. Murali can spin the ball on a road, so a Venetian surface shouldn't bother him.

Harbhajan Singh is Murali's Indian understudy and a fine spinner in his own right. However, his current injury would keep him out of contention. He's young yet and will have many a future opportunity.
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The Seamers: (2/3)
Candidates-
Glenn McGrath (Australia)
Jason Gillespie (Australia)
Shane Bond (New Zealand)
Steve Harmison (Mars)
Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)
Shaun Pollock (South Africa)

Glenn McGrath is an automatic selection to the team to function as the bowling machine in net sessions as well as our specialist number 11 batsman. He is our clear pick as ambassador of this fine planet.

Jason Gillespie definitely has the sort of cheerful attitude that would impress any alien contender. He's a demon of a pacer on his day and has the ability to tear through any attack.

Shane Bond is currently injured but would be a definite consideration to tour with the World XI, as the resident law enforcer. Bond is among the quickest of world bowlers and a more than capable lower order bat.

When there is discussion of raw, uninhibited English pace, one name comes to mind - Phil Tufnell. It's a pity that we should have to miss out on the brilliance of Harmison in this team...for the moment at least....

Vaas is the only real contender to Ashley Giles as greatest living left-armer. He has improved greatly to one of the leading bowlers in cricket today. Vaas has the ability to swing the ball both ways and to score useful runs in the lower order.

Pollock consistently sends the ball down at the batsmen with the lightening speed of 80mph and somehow gets his line and length right every time. He is economical and picks up wickets much in the mould of Anthony McGrath....or is it Glenn?
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My World XI selections are as follows:

Michael Vaughan
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting (c)
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist (wk)
Shaun Pollock
Chaminda Vaas
Mutiah Muralitharan
Glenn McGrath

Cheerleading Squad: McGrath, Agarkar and McEnroe.

Tour Manager: Mr Mxyzptlk.

In a shocking twist, the captaincy has been awarded to Ricky Ponting rather than any of the named candidates. Whilst Ricky doesn't yet captain his country in Tests, he took them to 21 straight ODI wins which reflects so poorly on his captaincy ability that he is an irresistible selection.

Blastoff in 5.......4.......3.......2.......1...........
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Please send your complaints and comments to bugs@tstt.net.tt
I look forward to hearing from you.


Posted by Liam