BoyBrumby
Englishman
As some of you may be aware (although I’m sure the majority of you really couldn’t a monkey’s ) I turn 30 later this year. Big moment in a chap’s life, etc, etc & it sets one thinking. In this day & age is 30 “old” for a sportsman? It’s been well documented that the current Oz team is a bit long in the tooth & several of the touted alternatives (Hussey, Hodge, Love) are around the big 3-0 mark too.
So, to break the monotony of the rain break, I got to thinking about who would win a hypothetical test: the under 30s or the over 30s? I’ve named my possible 11s below & I think the older boys may just have the edge, despite perhaps being a bit light in the seam dept. I couldn’t bring myself to leave out Tendulkar for the extra bowler & most of the other 30+ seamers (Dizzy, Kasper, Streak) aren’t exactly in prime form just now. I’ve given Warne the spinning berth ahead of Murali mainly for his superior batting & Vaughan makes the 11 as skipper and specialist opener. Not too many 30+ openers around just now (Hayden’s ton nothwithsatnding).
Thoughts, anyone? Alternative teams?
Under 30 XI
Sehwag (26)
Strauss (28)
G Smith* (24)
Kallis (29)
Younis Khan (26)
Sangakkara+ (27)
Flintoff (27)
Vettori (26)
Lee (28)
Harmison (26)
S Jones (26)
30 & Over XI
Langer (34)
Vaughan* (30)
Dravid (32)
Ponting (30)
Tendulkar (32)
Lara (36)
Gilchrist+ (33)
Pollock (32)
Warne (35)
Akhtar (30)
McGrath (35)
So, to break the monotony of the rain break, I got to thinking about who would win a hypothetical test: the under 30s or the over 30s? I’ve named my possible 11s below & I think the older boys may just have the edge, despite perhaps being a bit light in the seam dept. I couldn’t bring myself to leave out Tendulkar for the extra bowler & most of the other 30+ seamers (Dizzy, Kasper, Streak) aren’t exactly in prime form just now. I’ve given Warne the spinning berth ahead of Murali mainly for his superior batting & Vaughan makes the 11 as skipper and specialist opener. Not too many 30+ openers around just now (Hayden’s ton nothwithsatnding).
Thoughts, anyone? Alternative teams?
Under 30 XI
Sehwag (26)
Strauss (28)
G Smith* (24)
Kallis (29)
Younis Khan (26)
Sangakkara+ (27)
Flintoff (27)
Vettori (26)
Lee (28)
Harmison (26)
S Jones (26)
30 & Over XI
Langer (34)
Vaughan* (30)
Dravid (32)
Ponting (30)
Tendulkar (32)
Lara (36)
Gilchrist+ (33)
Pollock (32)
Warne (35)
Akhtar (30)
McGrath (35)