Cricket's Greatest Characters XI

[Barney Rubble]

Current players only, based on any criteria you like, name your XI of Cricket's Greatest Characters. They could be crowd-pleasers, showmen, comedians, spotlight-lovers, weirdos, fan favourites, nice guys or just all-round legends. This doesn't have to be based on ability in any way. Mine would be:

1. Marcus Trescothick (wk) - met him three times, top bloke, and a Somerset lad to boot.
2. Shahid Afridi - he's nothing if not an entertainer.
3. Sachin Tendulkar - my favourite batsman ever.
4. Graeme Smith (cap) - once again, just a top bloke and a Ciderman too.
5. Andrew Flintoff - need I say more? Shared a laugh with one of my mates outside the Oval last year, too - a legend.
6. Kevin Pietersen - brash, arrogant, explosive, and English.
7. Ian Blackwell - saw his 134* off 71 balls last week, it was fun to say the least!
8. Keith Parsons - a Somerset legend.
9. Shane Warne - he's certainly a character.
10. Ashley Giles - Heeeerrrrroooo!! Heeeeeeerrroooo!!
11. Matthew Hoggard - a really funny and charismatic guy, it's a shame he shies away from the media so much.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Must be able to squeeze Corky in there somewhere, mad as a hatter.

 

[Swervy]

would darren Gough not be classed more of a showman than Hoggard?

 

[Adamc]

Chris Gayle rates a mention for me. Funny guy.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

would darren Gough not be classed more of a showman than Hoggard?

Quite possibly.

 

[andyc]

6. Kevin Pietersen - brash, arrogant, explosive, and English.

you mean south african, surely

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Langer is a top bloke.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Langer is a top bloke.

and the best man to have at your side if you ran in to a spot of bother.

 

[Barney Rubble]

would darren Gough not be classed more of a showman than Hoggard?

It's a personal thing - I've always thought Hoggard never gets the recognition he deserves. He's not a showman, but that's not the only criteria. Also I've never met Goughie so I'm coming from a biased POV with Hoggard - but Goughie's certainly a character, he can be 12th man.

This isn't supposed to be a "let's decide on an XI" type thread - more a "post your own XI" type thread, so lets hear them guys.

 

[Langeveldt]

1. Herschelle Gibbs (hilarious, tearaway nutter)
2. Marcus Trescothick
3. Chris Gayle
4. Darren Lehmann
5. Andrew Flintoff
6. AB de Villiers
7. RC Russell (capt, wk)
8. Shane Warne
9. Pat Symcox
10. Makhaya Ntini (energy, noise, pace)
11. Allan Donald (legend)

 

[PY]

From what I've seen, Merv Hughes would be a bit of laugh to have in my XI.

I've only met a few cricketers and they weren't that friendly as they were all in a rush.

Not sure I could make an XI because it'd be based purely on TV appearances which isn't really fair. Don't think I could bring myself to have Shane Warne in my side though.....

 

[Langeveldt]

beer and fags men Symcox, Lehmann and Hughes would be an absolute riot

 

[Beleg]

the biggest showman I have seen in my life is without doubt Tino Best followed closely by team-mate Franklin Rose.

 

[Chubb]

Zimbabwe Characters XI
Mark Vermeulen- competitive, arrogant, loads of money
Trevor Gripper- zzzzzzzzzzzzz, that's what makes him a character
Barney Rogers- "I enjoy spear fishing..."
Andy Flower- "Keep 'em here as long as possible, grind them into the dust"
Vusi Sibanda- whack, whack, out.
Andy Blignaut- male model, polo player, swashbuckling batsman, fast bowler
Heath Streak- Got to be a character to deal with what he has
Ray Price- My 2nd favourite cricketer of all time
Eddo Brandes- "Every time I **** your wife she gives me a cookie."
Douglas Hondo- the hair, the attitude
Blessing Mahwire- "I'm working very hard on breaking the world test batting record..."


12th men: Henry Olonga- not so demonstrative but incrediably brave, noble and multi-talented

Kudakwashe Donald Samunderu- For the name

 

[dro87]

what about tino best???

 

[Kweek]

oohw yeah got to love it when best takes a wicket..he starts pointing to his name...best:P

 

[Barney Rubble]

Tino's a bit of a **** though. After the Oval last year, when I met most of the England players, he came out of the dressing rooms, and immediately the crowd outside started going "Tino! Tino!", and yet he didn't even acknowledge this - in fact, he got some big fat security bloke to walk out ahead of him and clear everyone out of the way because "Tino's not going to be doing any autographs". I didn't think that was the nicest gesture ever. Especially given that Chris Gayle, Pedro Collins and Omari Banks stayed for ages chatting to some West Indian fans.

 

[luckyeddie]

the biggest showman I have seen in my life is without doubt Tino Best followed closely by team-mate Franklin Rose.

Ah, Tino Best.

Is that glazier still following him around hopefully?

("Mind the windows, Tino" - Freddie). Still makes me chuckle - not what he said - just the expression on his face when Best played all round it.

 

[Langeveldt]

Brian McMillan
Mark Richardson
Paul Adams

Best looks like he's from the Pietersen/Nel school of attention seeking..

 

[C_C]

Interesting thread.
I dont know what exactly is 'greatest characters'- for everyone has a character......
I am guessing someone is talking about a 'fun, riotous' character - the kinda 'daredevil and hoots' of a person.

In that aspect, i would say based on what i've read and the few that i've met, it would be Beefy, Tufnell, Kambli, Sobers, Imran Khan, Akhtar, Gibbs, Warne,Symcox, Funky Miller and Yuvraj Singh.