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England v Australia 1953-2005 by Richie Benaud

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
England

1...Len Hutton
2...Geoff Boycott
3...Peter May
4...Denis Compton
5...Ted Dexter
6...Ian Botham
7...Alan Knott
8...Jim Laker
9...Fred Trueman
10.Alec bedser
11.Brian Statham

Australia

1...Arthur Morris
2...Mark Taylor
3...Ian Chappell
4...Greg Chappell
5...Neil Harvey
6...Keith Miller
7...Adam Gilchrist
8...Shane Warne
9...Dennis Lillee
10.Glen McGrath
11.Terry Alderman

Of course there's no right or wrong selection but I think Richie is bit biased towards the past as far as England are concerned with only Ian Botham from the last 25 years and I don't think Dennis Compton did all that much in the qualifying period.
 

steds

Hall of Fame Member
I don't agree with Bedser or Compton being in there, because although he took 39 wickets in the 1953 series, he played just 1 more Ashes test and took 1 wicket for 131 runs and Compton scored all 5 of his Ashes cetnuries before 1950. The qualifying period was obviously the back end of bedser's and Compton's careers.
 

a massive zebra

International Captain
Terrible selections again from Benaud. He was a quality player and a great commentator but he cannot select good teams. Dexter better than Barrington? Taylor over Hayden? Ian Chappell over Steve Waugh, Alan Border and Ricky Ponting? Bedser in place of Derek Underwood? Alderman over Alan Davidson?

A truely shocking selection - never take much note of Richie Benaud's all-time teams.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
a massive zebra said:
Terrible selections again from Benaud. He was a quality player and a great commentator but he cannot select good teams. Dexter better than Barrington? Taylor over Hayden? Ian Chappell over Steve Waugh, Alan Border and Ricky Ponting? Bedser in place of Derek Underwood? Alderman over Alan Davidson?

A truely shocking selection - never take much note of Richie Benaud's all-time teams.
It's worth remembering that it's obviously an Ashes team, so someone like Alderman, who has 83 wickets in two tours of England, is going to make it ahead of Davidson even though Davidson was a far better bowler overall. Taylor was a genuine matchwinner in the Ashes, especially early in his career, while Hayden has only one good Ashes series under his belt, and that was in Australia. Taylor averaged 52 in England from three tours, while Hayden's one tour yielded an average of 33.

Still, there are obviously some questionably selections. Steve Waugh should definately be in there in my mind.
 

archie mac

International Coach
I must admit I do not agree with all of the great man's selections. I would have Lawry instead of Taylor, as England were a pretty strong combination in 'The Corpse with Pads' day.

Barrington if you wanted to save a Test, but 'Lord Ted' if you wanted to win! Boycott and Barrington in the same Test, I am already feeling sleepy.....

It must be remembered that Benaud has watched every Ashes Test since 1953 in both England and Australia.
 

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