Golden Oldies vs Gilded Youth

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by andyc

It's interesting to see you've got 5 Aussies in the over 30s, but only one under 30

Well, I didn't think Clarke or Tait had done quite enough yet & after them your cupboard is a bit bare....

I think I read somwhere tho that the 2005 touring squad is the oldest ever. Time for a purge after The Oval?

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

Well, I didn't think Clarke or Tait had done quite enough yet & after them your cupboard is a bit bare....

I think I read somwhere tho that the 2005 touring squad is the oldest ever. Time for a purge after The Oval?

I don't think it would be even close to the oldest, to be honest.

[Barney Rubble]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

I don't think it would be even close to the oldest, to be honest.

Yeah, in the 30s and 40s they used to have whole squads of over-35s, with some over 50s I believe.

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Yeah, in the 30s and 40s they used to have whole squads of over-35s, with some over 50s I believe.

Really? I know Ironmonger played in 32/33 in his late 40s, but can't think of too many more Aussies who played on to that age.

[Barney Rubble]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

Really? I know Ironmonger played in 32/33 in his late 40s, but can't think of too many more Aussies who played on to that age.

I don't know the names, but I remember reading an issue of Wisden (back when it was just Wisden) where it listed the oldest Test teams ever, and there was an Aussie team with a 52-year-old and three or four forty-somethings in it I think.

[thierry henry]

I think James Franklin is a better bowler than most of the under-25s listed.

[Zinzan]

Originally Posted by thierry henry

I think James Franklin is a better bowler than most of the under-25s listed.

Correct....He's become a more than Handy test bowler..just look at his record...And has a lot more ability with the bat than his record shows. Would easily make the under 25 test side at the moment. The only thing that bothers me about Franklin is his body language and his high number of no-balls

[BoyBrumby]

James mentioned about how most of the best bowlers are now 30 & over in the "Standard of International Cricket" thread, so I thought I'd resurrect this to see how the Under 30 and 30 & Over XIs might look as of now. A few changes from the teams I picked last year & I'm not sure I agree with the big boss either, seam for the Under 30s looks pretty strong, with the provisio three of them (Hoggy, Bing & Ntini) soon hit 30.

I've only selected players who are currently fit, meaning not considered for the Under 30s are Graeme Smith, Simon Jones or Mohammad Asif and for the 30 & Overs Glenn McGrath, Jacques Kallis, Sachin or Shoaib.

I think I may've left the Oldies too light in seam (Hussey looks first change), but I couldn't leave Murali out for Vaas or (at a stretch) Dizzy.

Thoughts & violent disagreements are, as ever, welcome.

Under 30 XI

1.Andrew Strauss* (29)
2. Virendar Sehwag (27)
3. Chris Gayle (26)
4. Kevin Pietersen (26)
5. Younis Khan (28)
6. Kumar Sangakarra+ (28)
7. Andrew Flintoff (28)
8. Brett Lee (29)
9. Matthew Hoggard (29)
10. Makhaya Ntini (29)
11. Danish Kaneria (25)

30 & Over XI

1. Matthew Hayden (34)
2. Michael Hussey (31)
3. Ricky Ponting (31)
4. Rahul Dravid* (33)
5. Brian Lara (37)
6. Inzamam-ul-Haq (36)
7. Adam Gilchrist+ (34)
8. Shaun Pollock (33)
9. Shane Warne (36)
10. Shane Bond (31)
11. Muttiah Muralitahran (34)

[Langeveldt]

The 30 and over team would absolutely kill the youngsters.. Interesting

[steds]

Never knew Inzi and Bond were that old.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I've only selected players who are currently fit, meaning not considered for the Under 30s are Graeme Smith, Simon Jones or Mohammad Asif and for the 30 & Overs Glenn McGrath, Jacques Kallis, Sachin or Shoaib.

I think that rules Bond out. Haven't seen any BOND FIT?!! headlines recently. (though admittedly it wouldn't reach Norwegian newspapers if he was.)

And I'd have Flintoff as captain, too, and pick Sarwan over Gayle. Three hit-and-miss players are quite enough, thanks.

[steds]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

and pick Sarwan over Gayle. Three hit-and-miss players are quite enough, thanks.

Why Sarwan, then?

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by steds

Why Sarwan, then?

Err, ok. Scratch that. Sarwan's a better batsman when he gets going, anyway.

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

I think that rules Bond out. Haven't seen any BOND FIT?!! headlines recently. (though admittedly it wouldn't reach Norwegian newspapers if he was.)

And I'd have Flintoff as captain, too, and pick Sarwan over Gayle. Three hit-and-miss players are quite enough, thanks.

Ah. Vaas then I suppose.

[steds]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

Err, ok. Scratch that. Sarwan's a better batsman when he gets going, anyway.

WHEN he gets going. Test scores of 62, 4, 58, 1, 0, 1, 116, 23, 7, 51 in 2006. Lot of single figures. Doesn't kick on when he gets past 50, either.