Rest of World XI

[silentstriker]

Make a rest of world Test or ODI XI that you think would beat Australia (in Australia) over a five game test or odi series.

Frankly, I don't think even this test side can beat them over a five game test series:

1. Strauss
2. Gibbs (assuming his form has returned)
3. Dravid
4. Yousuf
5. Kallis
6. Lara
7. Sangakarra (+)
8. Flintoff
9. Ntini
10. Asif
11. Muralitharan

My first order of business was to bat until eight. e.g: Please don't lose the match. And a bowling attack of Asif, Ntini, Flintoff, Kallis and Murali would be quite good as well. You can substitute Pieterson for maybe Kallis or Strauss considering he had a very good series against them just now.

[PhoenixFire]

1) Strauss
2) Cook
3) Dravid
4) Yousuf
5) Pietersen
6) Sangakkara
7) Flintoff
8) Pollock
9) Ntini
10) Muralitharan
11) Asif

[silentstriker]

If Strauss and Cook are the best openers in the rest of the world, cricket is in trouble TBH. And 4 Englishmen might be pushing it.

Although I <3 Cook, and can't really fault any. A good case can be made for all of them. Kallis not making it is an absolute shocker for mine though. One of the few Saffies I actually like.

I hate Gibbs, but when in form, he is better than either of the two you have though. And it looks as though his form is returning.

[Pup Clarke]

Graeme Smith
Andrew Strauss
Rahul Dravid
Jacques Kallis
Mohammed Yousuf
Kumar Sangakkara
Andrew Flintoff
Shaun Pollock
Makhaya Ntini
Mohammed Asif
Muttiah Muralitharan

and One Day team

Chris Gayle
Upal Tharanga
Rahul Dravid
Kevin Pietersen
Jacques Kallis
MS Dhoni
Andrew Flintoff
Shaun Pollock
Daniel Vettori
Shane Bond
Makhaya Ntini

[silentstriker]

Vettori? I'd take any number of Indian spinners, and not to mention a certain Sri Lankan over him. Also, don't know about Dhoni outside the subcontinent.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Vetorri?

Yeah,5th best one day bowler in the world.What's your point?

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by Pup Clarke

Yeah,5th best one day bowler in the world.What's your point?

Muralitharan.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Vettori? I'd take any number of Indian spinners, and not to mention a certain Sri Lankan over him. Also, don't know about Dhoni outside the subcontinent.

You usually go according to the rankings and Vettori is ahead of the "number of Indian spinners and a "certain Sri Lankan",this makes him the best spinner in one day cricket.Have you not been impressed by him through the CB series.And anyway,Harbhajan not in great form and Kumble hardly plays one day cricket which makes your point about "any number of Indian spinners"seems baffling.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by Pup Clarke

You usually go according to the rankings and Vettori is ahead of the "number of Indian spinners and a "certain Sri Lankan",this makes him the best spinner in one day cricket.Have you not been impressed by him through the CB series.And anyway,Harbhajan not in great form and Kumble hardly plays one day cricket which makes your point about "any number of Indian spinners"seems baffling.

Fair enough regarding Indian spinners. Regardless of his rating, Vettori is not a better ODI bowler than Muralitharan.

Period.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Muralitharan.

Look at the rankings mate,it really doesn't lie.Vettori is 5th and Murali 7th and Vettori is in good form at the moment.Do you realise that this is a one day team I am doing and so Murali won't just be a automatic selection in ROW X1's for the one day format unlike tests.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

. Also, don't know about Dhoni outside the subcontinent.

Maybe, but the man has a very good one day record and is the best keeper-batsmen in one day cricket by quite a bit.

[PhoenixFire]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

If Strauss and Cook are the best openers in the rest of the world, cricket is in trouble TBH. And 4 Englishmen might be pushing it.

Although I <3 Cook, and can't really fault any. A good case can be made for all of them. Kallis not making it is an absolute shocker for mine though. One of the few Saffies I actually like.

I hate Gibbs, but when in form, he is better than either of the two you have though. And it looks as though his form is returning.

Well, I'd rather have Cook than Gibbs tbh. I'm very biased as well.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Period.

Mate,were taking about a ROW team now and not what Murali did before.At the moment Vettori IMO is the number one spinner in one day cricket.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFire

Well, I'd rather have Cook than Gibbs tbh. I'm very biased as well.

I'd actually rather have Cook over Strauss, but unfortunately I have to agree he hasn't done enough yet.

That kid is going to be a superstar long after Pietersen has been relegated to an average mid-forties middle order bat.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

That kid is going to be a superstar long after Pietersen has been relegated to an average mid-forties middle order bat.

Why do you not rate Pietersen so highly and think he might be a good but not great player?