Golden Oldies vs Gilded Youth

[Magrat Garlick]

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]

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

Why Sarwan, then?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Why Sarwan, then?

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

 

[BoyBrumby]

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]

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.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

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.

You're suggesting Gayle is any different?

 

[steds]

You're suggesting Gayle is any different?

No.

 

[steds]

Under 30 XI

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

For me.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

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.

McGrath is, as far as I'm aware, currently fit, and so is Sachin. They just aren't playing right now because their teams aren't.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Under 30 XI

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

For me.

Two spinners and no Brett Lee is a strange choice for mine. I'd go for Ntini, Hoggard, Lee and Kaneria for the bowlers, with Flintoff as support. Agree with the batting, though I think Jayawardene is disputable.

 

[chooka_nick]

Two spinners and no Brett Lee is a strange choice for mine. I'd go for Ntini, Hoggard, Lee and Kaneria for the bowlers, with Flintoff as support. Agree with the batting, though I think Jayawardene is disputable.

I disagree, I think it's a good choice as you get a decent captain and a relatively in-form player.
A move which could very well pay off.

 

[Beleg]

steds posted,

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.

That's 4 50+ scores in 9 innings. Perfectly acceptable; Sarwan is a much better batsman then Chris Gayle anyday of the month.

 

[GIMH]

An average of 32.3 is hardly "perfectly acceptable"

 

[Beleg]

An average of 32.3 is hardly "perfectly acceptable"

This just goes to show how much of a fickle thing averages are. Sarwan scored four fifties and five single digit scores. He is playing a potentially match-turning knock every second game. Merely glancing at the average belies the actual impact he is having on the games (pretty consistently). You cannot expect a batsman to perform in every single innings.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I disagree, I think it's a good choice as you get a decent captain and a relatively in-form player.
A move which could very well pay off.

Completely agree.

 

[silentstriker]

This just goes to show how much of a fickle thing averages are. Sarwan scored four fifties and five single digit scores. He is playing a potentially match-turning knock every second game. Merely glancing at the average belies the actual impact he is having on the games (pretty consistently). You cannot expect a batsman to perform in every single innings.

Well if he is scoring so many fifties, and converting, then thats a big problem too. The average accurately reflects his contributions. If he had made a couple fifties count and converted them into centuries...

And five scores in the single digits isn't acceptable. If those scores were in 20's for example...his average would be much higher. I'd much rather be consistently useful, than inconsistently good.

 

[GIMH]

Well if he is scoring so many fifties, and converting, then thats a big problem too. The average accurately reflects his contributions. If he had made a couple fifties count and converted them into centuries...

And five scores in the single digits isn't acceptable. If those scores were in 20's for example...his average would be much higher. I'd much rather be consistently useful, than inconsistently good.

Exactly - averages are not always a fickle thing, and if you have a reasonable number of 50s but your average is still low, then you obviously are failing all too often

 

[BoyBrumby]

Thought I'd dig this up to see if the over 30s still have the whip hand two-and-a-half years down the line. Reckon the XIs would look something like this:

Under 30 XI

1) GC Smith* (27)
2) G Gambhir (27)
3) HM Amla (25)
4) KP Pietersen (28)
5) MJ Clarke (27)
6) AB de Villiers (24)
7) MS Dhoni (27)+
8) MG Johnson (27)
9) DW Steyn (25)
10) I Sharma (20)
11) BAW Mendis (23)

30 & over XI

1) V Sehwag (30)
2) SM Katich (33)
3) RT Ponting (34)*
4) SR Tendulkar (35)
5) JH Kallis (33)
6) S Chanderpaul (34)
7) BJ Haddin (31)+
8) A Flintoff (31)
9) WPUJC Vaas (34)
10) Zaheer Khan (30)
11) M Muralitharan (36)

I've omitted the currently injured, so no Lee, Clark, Prince, Sidebottom, etc.

Think the oldsters depth in both departments might just put them over the top still, but a closer run thing than in previous years, perhaps. Under 30s look a bit light on bowling, but couldn't squeeze in any serious part-time options. Maybe Duminy with his lethal full-tosses?!?

 

[G.I.Joe]

Didn't realise until now that Zaheer and Ishant are 10 years apart in age. Surely one of the oddest opening partnerships ever?

Edit: And Murali and Mendis are 13 years apart too.

 

[susudear]

No Sangakkara?

Thought I'd dig this up to see if the over 30s still have the whip hand two-and-a-half years down the line. Reckon the XIs would look something like this:

Under 30 XI

1) GC Smith* (27)
2) G Gambhir (27)
3) HM Amla (25)
4) KP Pietersen (28)
5) MJ Clarke (27)
6) AB de Villiers (24)
7) MS Dhoni (27)+
8) MG Johnson (27)
9) DW Steyn (25)
10) I Sharma (20)
11) BAW Mendis (23)

30 & over XI

1) V Sehwag (30)
2) SM Katich (33)
3) RT Ponting (34)*
4) SR Tendulkar (35)
5) JH Kallis (33)
6) S Chanderpaul (34)
7) BJ Haddin (31)+
8) A Flintoff (31)
9) WPUJC Vaas (34)
10) Zaheer Khan (30)
11) M Muralitharan (36)

I've omitted the currently injured, so no Lee, Clark, Prince, Sidebottom, etc.

Think the oldsters depth in both departments might just put them over the top still, but a closer run thing than in previous years, perhaps. Under 30s look a bit light on bowling, but couldn't squeeze in any serious part-time options. Maybe Duminy with his lethal full-tosses?!?

Chuck out Haddin and get in Sangakkara there.