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World XI - with a difference

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
We often have plenty of XIs selected on here. The one I'm about to suggest has probably been done before, but what the hell? :)

My idea was that we could pick a World XI with one player from each test side, you can pick two players from one team, and there, we have eleven. Now picking the best player from each side wouldn't be too hard, but I'd imagine it might be a little difficult to get the balance of a side right just doing that.

What do we think then?

I'll post back with mine in a little while.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
  1. Ponting
  2. Sangakarra (+)
  3. Dravid
  4. Lara
  5. Kallis
  6. Yousuf
  7. Flintoff *
  8. Kumble
  9. Ntini
  10. Bond
  11. McGrath

No players from Bangla and ZImbabwe, because there are no real test quality players from those, and I don't consider them 'test' sides anyway. So I have India, South Africa, and Australia providing two players each. Yes, Ponting will open because I can't leave him out of this side and the two players per side maximum means very few openers.
 

Magrat Garlick

Global Moderator
There's only nine Test sides, though, Zimbabwe have temporarily rescinded their Test status.

Strauss
Sehwag
Lara
Kallis
Ponting
Inzamam
+McCullum
McGrath
Muralitharan
Mortaza
Mahwire

Long tail, mainly for the amusement of having an M bowling attack. (Here's a thought: XIs with surnames starting with the same name...)
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Samuel_Vimes said:
There's only nine Test sides, though, Zimbabwe have temporarily rescinded their Test status.

Strauss
Sehwag
Lara
Kallis
Ponting
Inzamam
+McCullum
McGrath
Muralitharan
Mortaza
Mahwire

Long tail, mainly for the amusement of having an M bowling attack. (Here's a thought: XIs with surnames starting with the same name...)
LOL @ McGrath batting at 8 :)
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Actually, my side might be close to a world XI without any restrictions (I would get rid of Kumble for Murali or Warne, maybe bring Lee in) but other than that.....
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
You two are spoilsports. ZImbabwe are still in the Test rankings :p

I'm still working on mine. Started by just picking a world XI and working it from there. It's harder than I thought!
 

aussie tragic

International Captain
All-time XI (with a difference)

1. Gavaskar (Ind)
2. Hutton (Eng)
3. Bradman* (Aus)
4. Pollock (SA)
5. Miandad (Pak)
6. Sobers (WI)
7. Flower+ (Zim)
8. Hadlee (NZ)
9. Marshall (WI)
10. Rafique (Ban)
11. Muralitharan (SL)

12. Miller (Aus)

I’ve done what you asked, however I’d like permission to sub my Bangladesh player for my 12th man please :)
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
Gayle (WI)
Sehwag (Ind)
Ponting * (Aust)
Yousuf (Pak)
Kallis (RSA)
Flintoff (Eng)
Flower A.+ (if we're counting Zim then we're going to assume his career wasn't wrecked by politics)
Mohammad Rafique (Bang)
Bond (NZ)
Murali (SL)
McGrath (Aust)
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
All time:
Hobbs (Eng)
Gavaskar (Ind)
Bradman (Aus)
Pollock (RSA)
Sobers (WI)
Flower A. (Zim)
Imran (Pak)
Hadlee (NZ)
Marshall (WI)
Rafique (Bang)
Murali (SL)
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Matt79 said:
All time:
Hobbs (Eng)
Gavaskar (Ind)
Bradman (Aus)
Pollock (RSA)
Sobers (WI)
Flower A. (Zim)
Imran (Pak)
Hadlee (NZ)
Marshall (WI)
Rafique (Bang)
Murali (SL)
I just threw up a little bit the mouth when I saw Rafique in the side with the rest of those.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
silentstriker said:
I just threw up a little bit the mouth when I saw Rafique in the side with the rest of those.
That was supposed to be the fun of it though - deciding which player to leave out for the Bangladeshi!
 

Nate

You'll Never Walk Alone
Current: (If I had to pick XI to play tomorrow)

Nafees
Fleming
Ponting (C)
Lara
Yousuf
Flintoff
Taylor (wk)
Kumble
Ntini
Muralitharan
McGrath
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
The last test Zimbabwe played included Taibu, so I assume he's available. If not, replace him with whichever hack is keeping for Zimbabwe these days. Not sure if Asif counts either, so it can be either he or Gul.

Hayden (AUS)
Nafees (BAN)
Dravid (IND)
Ponting (AUS) (c)
Lara (WI)
Kallis (SAF)
Flintoff (ENG)
Taibu (ZIM) (k)
Asif/Gul (PAK)
Bond (NZL)
Muralitharan (SRI)

The three bowlers plus Flintoff and Kallis should be alright. Flintoff is in the top 3 or so seamers in the world anyway, so his batting is just a bonus. The unluckiest player to miss out is probably Ntini or Warne. Yousuf too.
 

Nate

You'll Never Walk Alone
McGrath not a smidge unlucky?

If we`re going current, there`d be no Taibu and Gul, and Bond isn`t in top form at all.
 

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
Nnanden said:
McGrath not a smidge unlucky?

If we`re going current, there`d be no Taibu and Gul, and Bond isn`t in top form at all.
He's not in top form, but he's still a class act when he's fit. Why would there be no Gul? He injured or something? Taibu I'm happy to take, I just don't know anything about any of the current Zimbabwe players, and they aren't test players anyway since they aren't playing tests. Taibu captained Zimbabwe in their last test match, so I went for him.

Anyway, McGrath is unlucky, but Ponting was a must-pick and I needed a second opener, which was either going to be Fleming at the expense of Bond, or the best opener around using the second Australian player. The alternative side would have Fleming there instead of Hayden and McGrath instead of Bond. That side might even be slightly better, who knows.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Yeah, I decided Taibu was eligible as well :D

Smith - South Africa
Nafees - bangladesh
Ponting - Australia
Dravid* - India
Lara - West Indies
Yousuf - Pakistan
Flintoff - England
Taibu+ - Zimbabwe
Bond - New Zealand
Muralitharan - Sri Lanka
McGrath - Australia

I'd honestly chosen the team before I saw Fuller's. The side's a bit light on bowlers, but I'd fancy the three seamers and Murali to take twenty wickets everytime.

Not sure about my batting order either, and I did consider having Dravid as keeper, but then I figured Taibu was my best bet for a Zim player anyway, and as a number 8, 29 is not too shabby an average.
 

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