Best three teams for each country ever...

[Francis]

After the boring world cup ruined my interest in cricket for a short period, the competitive series between England and India has rekindled it...

BEST THREE TEAMS FOR EACH COUNTRY EVER!

I'll start with Australia since it's the easiest...

1. 1948 Invincibles
Pretty easy really. Any team with Bradman has a chance to be the best team ever, but add the likes of Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Niel Harvey, who proved themselves greats without Bradman and who carried Australia after Bradman and the team gets stronger. Of course there are others like Morris, Hassett and Johnson. Freakish side.

2. 1974/75-1975/76 Australia
Growing up I'd heard things about Lillee and Thompson, but after seeing a documentary with them in it, I'd never realised how true it was. Because Younis and Akram were, statistically, the best bowling partnership ever I figured it was all hype about Lillee and Thompson. It's odd I should think that because I hate stats to no end. But of course Thompson hurt his shoulder after 1976 and was never the same. Their partnership was no hype... you'd see batsmen face Thompson and they'd react as if they couldn't see the ball. Tony Cozier said Thompson was the difference back then and I think he was right. It's all true, Thompson scared the living hell out of batsmen and Lillee got them out with his accuracy and skill. It was absolutely the cringiest thing I'd ever seen on a cricket field, seeing the injuries those Englishmen endured. I admire Colin Cowdrey to no ends.

Truth be told, I don't think there was any cricket side in history who could do much against Lillee and Thompson... they're no hype. Add to this the best batsman of the 70s, Greg Chappell and you have a side that flogged an extremely strong West Indian side led by Clive Lloyd 5-1, and a side that flogged a very good English side 5-1. That was excellent competition they faced.

Australia 1999-2000
Steve Waugh's side that went 16 Tests undefeated. It'll always be a regret for someone like Steve Waugh that their streak wasn't just beaten, but that India pulled off the greatest modern day comeback to actually beat them in a series. That said, they were a very good side. McGrath was great, but underrated was Gillespie, who on his day, complemented McGrath quite nicely. Lee was pretty good when he first came onto the scene. Warne was a little hit and miss during those injury plagued days, but still a match winner. And then of course the dominance of their batting.


Mighty England is next...

 

[Francis]

Just thought I'd quickly jot down a few notes on why I put the 75 side over the 2000 side...

- I rate Warne and McGrath incredibly highly as a duo... incredibly I rate Lillee and Thompson (at their peak only) as better. Of course if we're talking about entire careers and how much each duo contributed to Aussie cricket, then it's Warne/McGrath hands down. Remember, this is only peak.

- Greg Chappell is forgotten when is comes to how prolific he was at making centuries. I have him over Ponting (in today's form), hands down. Ian Chappell is also underrated and his stats don't show how good a batsman he really was.

- Rod Marsh was probably the best keeper ever. Although Gilchrist was the better all-rounder.

-The competition they faced was much stronger. England and the West Indies were two fine sides back then. Meanwhile, Australia 2000 weren't really tested until India 2001, where they failed.

Of course the 2000 side has many things over the '75 side...

-Better depth in batting is the glaring one... Hayden, Langer, Ponting, both Waugh's, Gilchrist... that's impressive.

I gotta stop there right now...

 

[Julian87]

Iron gloves the best keeper ever. Thank god there was no Shane Warne when he was around tbh.

 

[Days of Grace]

New Zealand:

2007 Chappell-Hadlee side (Marginally better skills than the 1985 side)

1985-86 Australian tour side

1949 England tour side

 

[Fiery]

New Zealand:

2007 Chappell-Hadlee side (Marginally better skills than the 1985 side)

1985-86 Australian tour side

1949 England tour side

No, no, no. NZ mid 80s were light-years ahead of todays side

 

[Days of Grace]

Be interesting if you could do a player-by-player match up.

I admit, Hadlee/Crowe above everyone else.

 

[archie mac]

After the boring world cup ruined my interest in cricket for a short period, the competitive series between England and India has rekindled it...

BEST THREE TEAMS FOR EACH COUNTRY EVER!

I'll start with Australia since it's the easiest...

1. 1948 Invincibles
Pretty easy really. Any team with Bradman has a chance to be the best team ever, but add the likes of Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Niel Harvey, who proved themselves greats without Bradman and who carried Australia after Bradman and the team gets stronger. Of course there are others like Morris, Hassett and Johnson. Freakish side.

2. 1974/75-1975/76 Australia
Growing up I'd heard things about Lillee and Thompson, but after seeing a documentary with them in it, I'd never realised how true it was. Because Younis and Akram were, statistically, the best bowling partnership ever I figured it was all hype about Lillee and Thompson. It's odd I should think that because I hate stats to no end. But of course Thompson hurt his shoulder after 1976 and was never the same. Their partnership was no hype... you'd see batsmen face Thompson and they'd react as if they couldn't see the ball. Tony Cozier said Thompson was the difference back then and I think he was right. It's all true, Thompson scared the living hell out of batsmen and Lillee got them out with his accuracy and skill. It was absolutely the cringiest thing I'd ever seen on a cricket field, seeing the injuries those Englishmen endured. I admire Colin Cowdrey to no ends.

Truth be told, I don't think there was any cricket side in history who could do much against Lillee and Thompson... they're no hype. Add to this the best batsman of the 70s, Greg Chappell and you have a side that flogged an extremely strong West Indian side led by Clive Lloyd 5-1, and a side that flogged a very good English side 5-1. That was excellent competition they faced.

Australia 1999-2000
Steve Waugh's side that went 16 Tests undefeated. It'll always be a regret for someone like Steve Waugh that their streak wasn't just beaten, but that India pulled off the greatest modern day comeback to actually beat them in a series. That said, they were a very good side. McGrath was great, but underrated was Gillespie, who on his day, complemented McGrath quite nicely. Lee was pretty good when he first came onto the scene. Warne was a little hit and miss during those injury plagued days, but still a match winner. And then of course the dominance of their batting.


Mighty England is next...

Not a bad effort, I would prefer you called it the best since WWII. I think if we go right back the teams of 1882, 1902 and 1921 should get a mention

 

[Flem274*]

Be interesting if you could do a player-by-player match up.

I admit, Hadlee/Crowe above everyone else.

It's not the batting the current team are missing, it's Ewen Chatfield IMO. Someone reliable, can bowl alot of overs, if theres something in the pitch he finds it and he had a good injury record IIRC

 

[Matt79]

Yeah, the 1921 team was a pretty fair one by all accounts.

 

[The Sean]

Yeah, the 1921 team was a pretty fair one by all accounts.

Indeed. And yet their captain Warwick Armstrong said that the 1902 side (of which he was also a member) "could take any 22 of my boys and give them a beating."

 

[JBMAC]

Grout and Tallon and bert Oldfield were FAR superior glovemen than Gilchrist could ever dream of being.

 

[The Sean]

- Rod Marsh was probably the best keeper ever. Although Gilchrist was the better all-rounder.

That's the biggest wrap I've ever heard Rodney get. I'm not even sure my mum would call him the best keeper ever.

That's not a misprint incidentally. My mum loves Rod Marsh.

 

[chaminda_00]

Can't remember exact times but something like this i reckon:

2001: Jayasuriya (c), Attapattu, Sangakkara (wk), Jayawardene, Arnold, Tillakaratne, Samaraweera, Vaas, Zoysa, Bandaratilleke, Muralitharan

1997: Mahanama, Jayasuriya, Gurusinha, De Silva, Ranatunga (c), Tillakaratne, Kaluwitharana (wk), Vaas, Dharamensena Wickramasinghe, Muralitharan

2004: Jayasuriya, Attapattu (c), Sangakkara, M Jayawardene, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Kaluwitharana (wk), Chandana, Vaas, Malinga, Muralitharan

2001 we played some average sides, but to win 9 in a row is something special and probably the best all round side we have ever had. Bandaratilleke played a lot of those matches and was pretty handy when he got a bowl.

1997 was the start of it all for us and still probably one of the better side we have ever had. Bowling attack was pretty and average and that side might get over take by a few sides in the comming years

2004 we played the Aussies a few times and did ok outside the last innings. We has some pretty impressive wins against South Africa and Pakistan. I don't think this side will hang around long as number 3 and the current side should take over once they drop Prassana and play a proper batsmen.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Grout and Tallon and bert Oldfield were FAR superior glovemen than Gilchrist could ever dream of being.

I reckon Evans was the best glovesman ever, from hearing what other people have written.

 

[archie mac]

I reckon Evans was the best glovesman ever, from hearing what other people have written.

Was supposed to very good, Bradman thought Tallon a little better, but no doubt the hardest thing in cricket is to measure the glove work of WKs we never had the chance to watch

 

[Burgey]

Grout and Tallon and bert Oldfield were FAR superior glovemen than Gilchrist could ever dream of being.

That seems to be the consensus, doesn't it?

I also think Healy's work as a keeper is sometimes underestimated when we look at the pantheon of great glovemen. His work to Warne was 1st class imo, and he was certainly very handy with the bat.

 

[JBMAC]

Was supposed to very good, Bradman thought Tallon a little better, but no doubt the hardest thing in cricket is to measure the glove work of WKs we never had the chance to watch

Was privileged enough to see both Grout and Tallon..brilliant...Oldfield go on what has been written by his peers.

 

[archie mac]

Was privileged enough to see both Grout and Tallon..brilliant...Oldfield go on what has been written by his peers.

Did you see Evans mate? If yes maybe you can tell us who you thought was the best

 

[JBMAC]

Did you see Evans mate? If yes maybe you can tell us who you thought was the best

Only saw Evans twice ..in the 51/52 and 57/8 series..In both cases matches were a travesty of Cricket..From what I can recall he was capable but I think he would have been near retirement in the second one..Both Tests were at the gabba..To answer your question..In the first series the Aussie keeper was Tallon who I rate as the best I have ever seen and in the next series Grout was the keeper and I rate him second to Tallon. Both Aussies were crisp and sharp behind the stumps whereas when Statham and Loader were bowling Evans appeared not to able always to anticipate what was about to happen.The one thing as I recall about Evans keeping was he would stand over the stumps to receive the ball whereas both Grout and Tallon would stand beside them and Tallon had perfected the footsweep to take off the bails.ie By standing beside the stumps he would take the ball on the return say on the offside and in a sweeping motion sort of wave the ball over the bails and break the stumps with his foot.No TV replays in those days.Archie mac,I hope this answers your question because you are really testing this old fellas memory now.

 

[The Sean]

Only saw Evans twice ..in the 51/52 and 57/8 series..In both cases matches were a travesty of Cricket..From what I can recall he was capable but I think he would have been near retirement in the second one..Both Tests were at the gabba..To answer your question..In the first series the Aussie keeper was Tallon who I rate as the best I have ever seen and in the next series Grout was the keeper and I rate him second to Tallon. Both Aussies were crisp and sharp behind the stumps whereas when Statham and Loader were bowling Evans appeared not to able always to anticipate what was about to happen.The one thing as I recall about Evans keeping was he would stand over the stumps to receive the ball whereas both Grout and Tallon would stand beside them and Tallon had perfected the footsweep to take off the bails.ie By standing beside the stumps he would take the ball on the return say on the offside and in a sweeping motion sort of wave the ball over the bails and break the stumps with his foot.No TV replays in those days.Archie mac,I hope this answers your question because you are really testing this old fellas memory now.

I never fail to be envious of the cricket and cricketers you've seen mate - keep the stories coming.