How great is your all time great Team ??

[SJS]

Some years ago, Wisden had come out with a living legends versus those who hadf pased away. It was an interesting article and the teams were.

THE LIVING :
Sunil Gavaskar,
Sachin Tendulkar,
Sir Vivian Richards,
Sir Everton Weekes,
Graeme Pollock,
Sir Gary Sobers (Captain),
Adam Gilchrist,
Shane Warne,
Dennis Lillee,
Muttiah Muralitharan and
Glenn McGrath.

12th Man - Jonty Rhodes.

THE DEAD :
Dr. W.G. Grace,
Sir Jack Hobbs,
Sir Don Bradman (Captain),
George Headley,
Wally Hammond,
Sir Frank Worrell,
Godfrey Evans,
Malcolm Marshall,
Ray Lindwall,
Bill O'Reilly and
Sydney Barnes.

12th man - Lord Learie Constantine

Around the same time Wisden had announced a list of the top ten batsmen and the top ten bowlers of all time as:

Batsmen
1 Don Bradman (Australia)
2 Sachin Tendulkar (India)
3 Viv Richards (West Indies)
4 Gary Sobers (West Indies)
5 Allan Border (Australia)
6 Jack Hobbs (England)
7 Ken Barrington (England)
8 Sunil Gavaskar (India)
9 Greg Chappell (Australia)
10 Brian Lara (West Indies)

Bowlers
1 Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka)
2 Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)
3 Syd Barnes (England)
4 Shane Warne (Australia)
5 Clarrie Grimmett (Australia)
6 Glenn McGrath (Australia)
7 Dennis Lillee (Australia)
8 Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)
9 Imran Khan (Pakistan)
10 Courtney Walsh (West Indies)
I remember trying to make a world XI with these twenty (choosing those at the top first and came up with :

The greatest of all time

1. Hobbs
2. Gavaskar
3. Bradman (Captain)
4. Tendulkar
5. Richards
6. Sobers
7. WICKET KEEPER (Evans)
8. Hadlee
9. Warne
10. Murali
11. Barnes.

I put the only two openers from the batsmen's list and tok the others in the order they appeared in the list. For bowlers I took the top four and put them in bating order as per their batting skills. Added a spot for the wicket keeper ( I would put Godfrey Evans from the dead list above)

Then I was left with ten more players and tried to make another team. This time there were no openers so I left both slots open for specialist openers (where I later added Barry Richards and Barnes) and took Imran as my all rounder and took another four bowlers and added a wicket keeper batsman in Ames.. This gave :

The next best all time ??

1. OPENER (Barry Richards)
2. OPENER (Barnes)
3. Border
4. Chappell
5. Barrington
6. WICKET KEEPER (Ames)
7. Imran(Captain)
8. Marshall
9. Lillee
10. Grimmett
11. McGrath

I stil had to leave out the last ranked batsman (Lara) and the last ranked bowler (Walsh).

I am always fascinated at how some players make almost all lists and other positions always keep changing.

I am ading Bradman's all time team and Benauad's all time teams (both subject of boks on electronic media) and you will see what I mean.

Bradman's Greatest team :

Barry Richards - South Africa
Arthur Morris - Australia
Don Bradman - Australia (Captain)
Sachin Tendulkar - India
Gary Sobers - West Indies
Don Tallon - Australia
Ray Lindwall - Australia
Dennis Lillee - Australia
Alec Bedser - England
Bill O'Reilly - Australia
Clarrie Grimmett - Australia
12th man:
Wally Hammond - England

Benaud's team
1 Jack Hobbs,
2 Sunil Gavaskar,
3 Don Bradman, (Captain)
4 Sachin Tendulkar,
5 Viv Richards,
6 Imran Khan,
7 Garfield Sobers,
8 Adam Gilchrist,
9 Shane Warne,
10 Sydney Barnes,
11 Dennis Lillee.

So whats the point rambling ol' SJS is trying to make ?

Nothin much except that choosing an all time world, India, Pakistan, ashes, coloured, white etc teams is a great pleasurable excercise. But it is not a definitive one. Its possible for us to disagre and still produce to remarkable teams great in every respect. Even to claim that one such team would always get the better of another would show one's total ignorance of the game itself.

This is a pastime to be enjoyed, a debate to be lightly participated in and enjoyed aggain but if some of the greaest cricketers and authorities on the game do not agree on this why should we expect anything different from among our motley lot, let alone claim total infallibility of our own team or the arguements we muster to justify the selection.

By the way, which of the six teams on display here is the strongest.

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by SJS

By the way, which of the six teams on display here is the strongest.

Personally, I would select Benaud's side but even then I would probably make a change with Hadlee replacing Imran. Interesting summary of those sides though, SJS.

[Beleg]

probably bradman's team is the weakest and the next best team the strongest

[SJS]

I voted for benaud's team since Bradman's team is definitely one batsman short. I think the Don weas counting on himself to make a triple everytime

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think Benaud's team or the "best" team are probably the ones I would go for... Benaud's team just edging it.

I think Bradman's team is definately biased towards his own era a bit, and guys like Tallon and Bedser are questionable selections (although Bedser isn't totally invalid), and with Tallon and Lindwall batting at 6 and 7... well I'd pick any of the other five first.

[SJS]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

I think Benaud's team or the "best" team are probably the ones I would go for... Benaud's team just edging it.

I think Bradman's team is definately biased towards his own era a bit, and guys like Tallon and Bedser are questionable selections (although Bedser isn't totally invalid), and with Tallon and Lindwall batting at 6 and 7... well I'd pick any of the other five first.

I agree. Its really a toss up betwen benaud's and the Best team. Actually, on second thought I would take the best team rather than Benaud,s since Griffith as keeper is a weaklink (keeping alone). My personal opinion please

[Beleg]

personally I don't agree with any of the teams but the BEST LIVING LEGENDS gets a big WTF from my side.

[Dasa]

Benaud's team fits what I'd pick closest - not exactly though.

[Burpey]

Voted for the dead legends ... don't know why really. The team kinda stood out at me for some reason

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by SJS

I agree. Its really a toss up betwen benaud's and the Best team. Actually, on second thought I would take the best team rather than Benaud,s since Griffith as keeper is a weaklink (keeping alone). My personal opinion please

Griffith?

[no1_gangsta_786]

i voted for bradmans

[archie mac]

Originally Posted by burkey_1988

Voted for the dead legends ... don't know why really. The team kinda stood out at me for some reason

I agree, if someone knocks off Gilly soon, they would be unbeatable

[Pothas]

I think benuab's team is just the strongest team there, the battting is increadible but i would like too see malcolm marshall or another of the great west indians in there. The next strongest too me look the living just ahead of the dead oh and the greatest isnt bad either

[venomous]

Biased!

[Otis Criblecrot]

*******!