Class of 2004

[Craig]

Ok, this year expires in around 2 weeks time, so I think you have a fair idea who is in form and who is not. So what is your team of 2004?

(Tests I have done only in this one but feel free to do both XI's)

JL Langer
V Sehwag
*BC Lara
DR Martyn
GP Thorpe
A Flintoff
+AC Gilchrist
SK Warne
JN Gillespie
MS Kasprowicz
SP Harmison

12th: CH Gayle

Some tough choices, but I guess most players pick themselves, and that included leaving big names like Hayden, Kallis, Muralitharan, and Anil Kumble is very unlucky to miss out, but this is the type of team that I wanted and was the most balanced. Lara was the best option to captain the team and it was a toss up between Sehwag and Chris Gayle, but I preferred a right-and-left handed opening combination.

Warne (61 wickets) gets the nod because of the greater impact he has had without bowling for a year, Kasprowicz has been very good and Gillespie has proven he is one of the top two or three bowlers in the world, and I would be deemed the village idiot if I didn't include Flintoff or Harmison.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Lara had one outstanding knock for the year. He got a couple other good scores, but there surely have been better performers this year.

 

[Nate]

nah, I agree with the inclusion of Lara. no McGrath though? fair enough. what about MORTAZA?

 

[GotSpin]

I dont agree with kaspo being included, sure Im a great fan of his but i just don't think that he is such an impact player

 

[Adamc]

Kallis over Martyn for me. Martyn had a few good months but Kallis has had big scores right throughout the year.

 

[Nate]

Kallis over Martyn for me. Martyn had a few good months but Kallis has had big scores right throughout the year.

BOOO! HISS!!

 

[age_master]

McGrath got a 50!

 

[Craig]

Lara had one outstanding knock for the year. He got a couple other good scores, but there surely have been better performers this year.

So you have a better option at three? I thought about Kallis at 3, but that would give me 6 bowlers - far too many unless I wanted to use him as a batsman.

 

[Deja moo]

I cant argue with that list, except maybe for getting Kallis in for Lara .

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Kallis over Lara at 3 for me. Aside from that, same side.

 

[Craig]

Kallis over Martyn for me. Martyn had a few good months but Kallis has had big scores right throughout the year.

So a man of series in India and a fine tour of Sri Lanka as well putting cold water on the theroy that he can't play slow bowling?

 

[Craig]

I dont agree with kaspo being included, sure Im a great fan of his but i just don't think that he is such an impact player

Really?

42 wickets at 23 so far in 2004 tends to suggest otherwise...

 

[Adamc]

So a man of series in India and a fine tour of Sri Lanka as well putting cold water on the theroy that he can't play slow bowling?

Just because Martyn played well, which he did, doesn't mean he played better than Kallis! Kallis too played well on the subcontinent, as well as dominating against NZ and WI. As for Kallis being able to bowl, I don't see how this is a problem. If he can clearly hold his own as a batsman then any bowling skill is just a bonus, not a reason to not pick him.

 

[Craig]

Actually I would have thought that Kallas had a much better tour of India and Sri Lanka then Kallis did (Kallis only had a good tour of India).

As for Kallis' dominating WI, that was mainly in 2003 (not 2004), barring one Test.

Maybe in for Lara yes, I don't see how he would make it front of Martyn.

 

[Jono]

JL Langer
V Sehwag
JH Kallis
DR Martyn
GP Thorpe
A Flintoff
*+AC Gilchrist
SK Warne
JN Gillespie
MS Kasprowicz
SP Harmison

I have no captain, so I'd just captain Gilly

 

[Sehwag309]

Like to see Kumble somewhere in there...had a very good year

 

[Craig]

Was very hard to leave out. 68 wickets for this calander year.

 

[marc71178]

As an Englishman, it's nice to see players being put in to this sort of list (makes a change for us to have some good players!)

 

[Jono]

Like to see Kumble somewhere in there...had a very good year

I was tempted to put Kumble instead of Warney. Tried to fight my bias, and succeeded... only just.

 

[Crazy Sam]

for tests, my 'class of 2004' would be the entire, current australian test team, and my odi team as follows:

Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, Martyn, Symonds, Lehmann, Clarke, Watson, Kasper, Gillespie, McGrath.

I don't care much for opposition players and would probably never consider them in any 'best of' team i pick, except of course for the rest-of-world teams.