"20 Caps and Under" XI

[Barney Rubble]

Right, we're in the crucial period smack bang in the middle of two World Cups, as teams try to build a team with the right blend of youth and experience to succeed, and to get the last few years they can out of their older players.

However, who will be the young players taking over the mantle of those who retire after the 2007 World Cup? By this I mean who are the players at the moment who are either just starting or just about to start their Test and/or ODI careers, and who look as if they could be among the best in the world in a few years time - not players who are young but already established as Test players.

20 Test caps and under is a good margin I think - players like Strauss and Clarke have only been playing Tests for a year or so, but still have 15-odd Tests under their belt, so that seems about fair.

My XI:

1. AJ Strauss (capt)
2. AB De Villiers (wk)
3. MJ Clarke
4. IR Bell
5. KP Pietersen
6. HJH Marshall
7. SR Watson
8. DDJ Bravo
9. IK Pathan
10. SP Jones
11. SW Tait


Couldn't think of a spinner - Clarke and Pietersen can share the duties.

 

[steds]

Couldn't think of a spinner - Clarke and Pietersen can share the duties.

Try the one in my avatar

 

[Barney Rubble]

Try the one in my avatar

Pardon my ignorance, but who is it? It's not the great Dave, surely? I thought he had a little moustache.

 

[steds]

Pardon my ignorance, but who is it? It's not the great Dave, surely? I thought he had a little moustache.

It is the great Dave indeed. Pretty old picture, though

 

[Jamee999]

Collingwood in for Watson.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Collingwood in for Watson.

Thought the team was a little top-heavy to have a guy like Colly at 7, but he could well be a part of the England Test team by then, his FC game is improving fast.

 

[superkingdave]

get Afridi in, probably for Watson

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Clarke as skipper for the team - at least according to what Aussies have said.

Katich has less than 20 Tests too. My XI:

Strauss
de Villiers
*Clarke
Hamish Marshall
Pietersen
Katich
+McCullum
S Jones
Tait
Edwards
Shane Bond

 

[Scaly piscine]

Think I'd have Hussey in the team personally, even tho he has zero Test caps.

 

[Blaze]

Bond would have to be there

 

[Barney Rubble]

get Afridi in, probably for Watson

Good idea, he looks like he may actually be making something of himself, as a bowling all-rounder.

 

[AndrewM]

An interesting thread.

Bond would walk straight in there.

Tait? I don't believe he has played a test

 

[James90]

Strauss
De Villiers
Bell
Clarke
Pietersen
Collingwood
McCullum
Pathan
S Jones
Enamul Jnr
Bond

 

[Shane Warne]

James Anderson would have been a lock for this a couple of years ago.

How the mighty have fallen.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Can't see the justification for putting Bell in there above Katich myself. Limiting myself only to those who have actually played test cricket...

AB De Villiers
Andrew Strauss
Simon Katich
Hamish Marshall
Michael Clarke
Kevin Pietersen
Brendon McCullum
Irfan Pathan
Shane Bond
Simon Jones
Lasith Malinga

Malinga makes it due to a lack of other options really. Tait hasn't played a test, and there's no really promising spinners with under 20 tests.

 

[Blaze]

AB De Villiers
Andrew Strauss
Simon Katich
Hamish Marshall
Michael Clarke
Kevin Pietersen
Brendon McCullum
Irfan Pathan
Shane Bond
Simon Jones
Lasith Malinga

.

That would be quite a useful side

 

[shaka]

James Marshall for Katich would be better.or maybe add Butler in

 

[Tim]

James Marshall for Katich!? what the heck are you on?

 

[shaka]

A better bet would be Clarke being above Katich in the pecking order.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

A better bet would be Clarke being above Katich in the pecking order.

Katich bats at 3 for NSW, and for Australia in India with success. Don't know why Clarke would bat above him.