Test draft vote & debate thread - everyone come in and vote!

[pskov]

Welcome to the Cricket Web Test Draft voting thread!

There will be two votes:

1. The above poll. Simply vote for the team you think is the best. The team with the most votes wins this poll.

2. A more comprehensive poll conducted by email. Send an email to cricketwebdraft@googlemail.com listing your top three teams in order and your cricket web user name. e.g

Subject: CW Test Draft

My CW user name is USERNAME

1. Team X
2. Team R
3. Team W

Then each 1st place team is awarded three points, 2nd awarded two points and 3rd awarded one point. The team with the most points overall will top this poll.

Anyone can vote in either or both polls regardless of if they took part in the draft itself. If you took part in the draft please do not vote for your own team in either of the polls.

Vote for the team you think would perform the best in test cricket against the other teams, taking into account the skill of the players in batting, bowling and fielding, how they compliment each other, the balance of the team, how good the captain is and how they suit their chosen home ground.

These teams have been selected from players who appeared in an official test post-WWI, but their whole career is taken into consideration, including matches played prior to WWI.

Each player was given the opportunity to write a few paragraphs supporting their team. Where that player hasn't sent one in yet I have just listed the team and ground. If they can send me a write-up whilst I can still edit this post I will paste it in.

The email poll will close in two weeks on midnight GMT, Friday 13th, February.

HERE ARE THE TEAMS

Team A

Greame Smith
Gordon Greenidge
Rohan Kanhai
Martin Crowe
Graeme Pollock
Tony Grieg*
Brendon McCullum+
Peter Pollock
Johnny Wardle
Curtly Ambrose
Frank Tyson

Ground: Basin Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand

A pair of Pollocks and some great cricketing minds combine in my XI.

My favourite cricketers have always been fast bowlers with that ability to uproot the stumps and send them cartwheeling. By selecting Ambrose, Tyson and Pollock not only have I got three bowlers with the pace to do just that, they also have the supreme accuracy required to take 20 wickets over five days.

The team offers explosive and highly skilled batting from places 1 through to 7, with some of the greatest batsmen of today (Smith) and of the past (Graeme Pollock, Martin Crowe). None of the team are deadweights either with the bat or the field.

Whilst Smith and Greig at their pomp may suggest the beginnings of a personality clash, in reality I would hope that they abilities would firmly compliment each other; devising the strategies and field settings to exploit the slightest weakness in the opposition batting line up.

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Team B

Jack Hobbs
Bill Lawry
Eddie Paynter
Denis Compton
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Steve Waugh*
Jeff Dujon+
Shaun Pollock
Michael Holding
Dale Steyn
Glenn McGrath

Ground: Lord's, London, England

It is my belief that batting is very important, but ultimately it is bowling that wins you test matches. If you can't consistently take 20 wickets you won't get very far. That is why I decided to build this team around a pace quartet from the beginning and was fortunate enough to get a stunning combination, in my opinion the deadliest pace attack of any team drafted.

Pollock with his unerring accuracy, Holding's flamboyant pace, Steyn's lethal late swing and McGrath's unquenchable thirst for wickets any way he can get them all ensure that this team has the tools to tear apart even the greatest batting line-ups. They will be marshaled by Steve Waugh, one of the greatest test captains who has great experience in using great bowlers to destroy the opposition, and Jeff Dujon who was consistently exceptional in his keeping the West Indies pacemen of the 80s.

But a tremendous bowling attack is not all this team possesses. Jack Hobbs is unquestionably the finest opening batsman ever to play the game and in this tournament he wont be giving his wicket away after reaching three figures. Bill Lawry's rock solid technique and battling mentality is a great compliment. Following them are three top drawer strokeplayers, with one of the great geniuses of test batsmanship at four in Denis Compton, all anchored by one of the most extraordinary run accumulators in history in Waugh.

Lord's is the place fit for such titanic players, plus it helps that McGrath has such a fabulous record there. Beware that pace attack on the infamous slope!

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Team C

Virender Sehwag
Conrad Hunte
Donald Bradman*
Patsy Hendren
Kevin Pietersen
Clyde Walcott+
Wilfred Rhodes
Andy Roberts
Shane Bond
Bill Johnston
Colin Croft

Ground: Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa

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Team D

Len Hutton
Justin Langer
Ian Chappell
Jaques Kallis
Norm O'Neil
Kumar Sangakkara+
Clive Lloyd*
Harold Larwood
Ian Bishop
Alec Bedser
Muttiah Muraliatharan

Ground: Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka

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Team E

Mark Richardson
Graham Gooch*
Mohammad Yousuf
Alan Border
Aravinda de Silva
Mark Boucher+
Chaminda Vaas
Wasim Akram
Bret Lee
Anil Kumble
BS Bedi

Ground: WACA, Perth, Australia

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Team F

Matthew Hayden
Sunil Gavaskar
Viv Richards*
Archie Jackson
Mahela Jayawadrene
Aubrey Faulkner
Alec Stewart+
Kapil Dev
Neil Adcock
Bob Willis
Dennis Lillee

Ground: Headingley, Leeds, England

Flair, genius, depth, variety and excellence combine to make up this all-world XI. From possibly the two greatest openers in history at the top of the order, the list of cricketing giants continues all the way throughout the team to possibly the greatest fast bowler the game has ever seen at number eleven.

The top order intimidates with bats like cudgel and blade and there is Mariana Trench-ian depth to further bully opponents. Separate from the talents and achievements of the likes of Richards and Jayewardene, numbers 7 and 8 have a total of 23 Test centuries combined.

The five-headed bowling attack fuses pace, craft, guile, aggression, height, spin, experience and achievements and records by the oil tanker load.

As an XI, it is a team of balance, power, grace, talent and resilience and possesses no weakness.

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Team G

Arthur Morris
Desmond Haynes
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
David Gower
Gary Sobers*
Rod Marsh+
Maurice Tate
Fred Trueman
Jim Laker
Courtney Walsh

Ground: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Captained by the best all rounder ever Garry Sobers the team has a gritty determined top three, followed by some gorgeous middler order batsman in Tendulkar, Gower and Sobers.

The RH LH opening partnership up the top of the order is ideal, and if any early wicket was to fall early having the wall batting at 3 is a bonus.

141 Test 100s from the top 6 should ensure that on average at least one of my batsman should score a century each innings. My team loves scoring runs really, does anyone else have 4 batsman in the top 18 batsman in total runs scorer in the history of Test Cricket?

My wicket keeper Rod Marsh is a terrific gloveman and his brilliant work should see all chances taken, which is vital in these games where so many brilliant bowlers are in action.

The bowling will see Fred Trueman given the new pill with the ever reliable and often underrated Courtney Walsh. Maurice Tate with his swing and depending on conditions Garry Sobers will be first change.

The trump card is the brilliant Jim Laker, who took the best match figures [by far] in Test Cricket when he took 19 for 90. And the venue? None other than Old Trafford..

The team will attack at home and always play for the win, a draw will feel like a lose. Away from home, it wont be so easy all the time, but the XI picked should be able to handle all conditions really.

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Team H

Saeed Anwar
Geoff Boycott
Ricky Ponting
Ken Barrington
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Damien Martyn
MS Dhoni*+
Malcolm Marshall
Joel Garner
Brian Statham
Alan Donald

Ground: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

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Team I

Bill Ponsford
Charlie Macartney
George Headley
Everton Weekes
Stan McCabe
Andy Flower+
Mike Procter
Ian Botham
Shane Warne*
Jeff Thomson
Lance Gibbs

Ground: The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia

I based my team around plenty of depth in both the batting and bowling departments, and attacking cricketers that, whilst on a simulation might not prove the best would, in real life, have every chance of winning a series against any of the other sides on display. Australians McCabe and Ponsford, picked up late in the draft, were key to ensuring that the side had enough batting talent to back up the West Indian combination of Headley and Weekes at the top of the order. Botham and Proctor were extremely aggressive allround cricketers, and with Thomson's pace, the side's bowling unit is hardly likely to take a back step. Shane Warne was voted one of the five cricketers of the century so hardly needs an introduction and his partnership with Gibbs would be an exciting one. Of all wicket keepers, Andy Flower averages the highest so securing a wicketkeeper-batsman of his quality was a huge bonus. Macartney may look ordinary on paper (41.8 with the bat and 27.55 with the ball) but after the Second World War he was immense – possibly a Viv Richards of the 1920s. His bowling (slow left am) allows another option for Warne, who also has McCabe's medium pace for variety.

The Gabba was chosen as the home ground as Warne, Gibbs and Thomson all performed well in Brisbane throughout their career. With five Australians in the team, playing in front of home crowds for half the side would also be an added bonus. Warne was chosen as skipper because of his aggressive streak and his fearlessness as a leader – to captain a side filled with such talent would, in my opinion, require a captain with supreme confidence in his own ability and the desire to challenge his own team mates to perform at their best. I believe Warne fits this category as good as any captain.

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Team J

Hanif Mohammad
Herb Sutcliffe
Ted Dexter*
Javed Miandad
Richie Richardson
Doug Walters
Adam Gilchrist+
Ray Lindwall
Wes Hall
Clarrie Grimmett
John Snow

Ground: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia

Playing at the Adelaide oval Australia, I have put togather a team that should be able to compete on all surfaces and in all conditions. Adelaide oval is a splendid place to play cricket and it gives everyone a chance to perform, in a way I'm bringing my opposition closer to me in home gomes by playing there but I'm after a fair contest. Good batting line ups should be able to post first innings scores of around 500, while there is enough pace, spin and bounce to help all bowlers achieve some success.

My team looks impressive as a unit. My first pick I went for Adam Gilchrist, you only have to think how often he won test matches in the space of a session, I'm hoping to get that from him. My top order is impressive, having an opener like Sutcliffe averaging over 60 partnered with a guy who can bat forever in Hanif Mohammad will give us lots of good starts. Theres plenty of quality in the middle order with Ted Dexter, Javed Miandad, Richie Richardson and Doug Walters. All these guys are vastly experienced batsmen with more than 5000 runs each or average over 45 and have all played many great test innings. By names I don't have the best bowling line up but I think they are great. With three of my four bowlers having over 200 test wickets (Wes Hall has 192) it proves they were at the top of the tree for a long time. All these guys showed time and time again why they were among the best in the world from their generation.

I mostly looked at experienced influential players, guys that could win matches and guys that could save matches, players that played big when it was needed, I've got a great mix of flair and poise, I'm confident I have one of the best teams in the draft.

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Team K

Sid Barnes
David Boon
Alvin Kallicharran
Brian Lara
Michael Hussey
Andrew Flintoff
Richard Hadlee
Richie Benaud*
Ian Healy+
Daniel Vettori
Darren Gough

Ground: SCG, Sydney, Australia

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Team L

Bob Simpson
Mark Taylor*
Wally Hammond
Greg Chappell
Neil Harvey
Vijay Hazare
Imran Khan
Alan Knott+
Waqar Younis
Bill O’Reilly
Bruce Reid

Ground: National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan

My team was built around a balanced bowling attack with no weak links, and a great middle order. The openers/slipsmen, and wicketkeeper were selected to compliment them.

O’Reilly is the attack’s lynchpin. His ability to bowl all day, posing a constant threat while keeping things very tight (E/R: <2) allowed me to be comfortable having only 4 frontline bowlers. He bowled all day to batsmen like Bradman and Hammond on dead tracks and never tired or gave an inch.

Imran and Waqar are my opening bowlers – genuine express pace, the ability to move the ball late, heart to bowl all day if required, and generating reverse swing later on. Geniuses who pose a threat to any batsman, anywhere. Reid compliments them, angling across right-handers with steep bounce from 9’ up or move the ball back in. Hammond and Simpson are ok fifth bowlers, for rare occasions I need/want an extra seamer or spinner.

I picked batsmen who had proven successful in adverse conditions – Hammond on wet/drying wickets, Chappell excelling during the greatest era of fast bowling, Harvey succeeded in all conditions, often when none of his team-mates could. And they could all feast when conditions eased. Simpson and Taylor with proven success in all conditions, against great new-ball bowlers, will provide a very solid platform for this middle order. Both alltime great slips, and Taylor was a brilliant tactical captain.

Once I missed the 3-4 genuine wicketkeeping allrounders, I decided to simply get the best gloveman I could who could also contribute in the tail. By taking catches/stumping chances, and preventing byes, a “batsman who keeps” might miss, yet also averaged 32 against some great attacks, Knott is to my mind no compromise. Having Imran in the team at 7 also allows him the luxury of batting at 8, giving my team a very long tail.

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Team M

Bill Woodfull
Barry Richards
Dudley Nourse
Frank Worrell*
Lindsay Hassett
Keith Miller
Leslie Ames+
Jack Gregory
Alan Davidson
Hedley Verity
Ernie Toshack

Ground: MCG, Melbourne, Australia

Bill Woodfull - Openning batsman who had great stickability, reliability and courage.

Barry Richards - Highly skilled South African openner who was denied by the Apartheid boycott from playing more than 4 official tests averaging 72 although he did well in Packer's World Series Supertests.

Dudley Nourse - Highly consistant and most feared batsman in South African team in post war years who did well even against an attack featuring Lindwall, Miller and Johnston in South Africa in 1949-50

Sir Frank Worrell - Top quality reliable batsman who had all the strokes and a top quality captain who was an expert in forging a team out of players from diverse backgrounds.

Lindsay Hassett - Top quality batsman against pace (Was often used as an openner) and spin (one of the few batsman to get on top of O'Reilly with any degree of regularity).

Keith Miller - Highly explosive and entertaining allrounder who usually batted at his best on a big occasion or when his team needed it. He was also a highly skilled if some what unpredictable fast bowler who usually got the opposition dangerman quickly. Also a top quality fielder in the slips.

Leslie Ames - Top quality batsman-keeper who averaged over 40 with the bat in the 1930's for England playing good orthodox cricket shots and is probably the best keeper out of the keeper-batsman as is shown by his great success behind the stumps.

Jack Gregory - good fast bowler who adds an extra dimension to my pace attack (Speed) as well as his brillant slips fielding and his explosive batting also adds extra depth to my batting lineup.

Alan Davidson - Tight accurate LMF bowler who could move the ball both in the air and off the pitch. Also a handy lower order batsman who often dug his side out of trouble and was known as "The Claw" for his ability to snare catches close to the wicket

Hedley Verity - Left Arm spinner with great control and brain particularly lethal on wet wickets. His ability to step uo to this level is shown by the fact that he dismissed Sir Donald Bradman more often than any other bowler.

Ernie Toshack - Left Arm Medium Pacer whose tight economical bowling (Economy Rate: 1.88) will allow my other bowlers to attack from the other end.

[gwo]

4 Teams stick out at the moment... B, G, H, I

I'll vote properly later

[IndGunner]

Yea Team H for me, just seemed like the best out there also seems to have very nice depth even without any sort of spinner, But i willl be honest and admit im not Aware of some of the pre 1950's players

[Julian87]

Team J IMO.

Great balance. Solid test top order. Fluent, attacking and classy middle/lower order. Gilchrist, the greatest number 7. And then, the best bowling attack of the lot IMO; Lindwall, Hall, Grimmett and Snow. Walters would bowl a few outies into the wind as well.

[NUFAN]

Team E why did you chose Graham Gooch as captain over Border? Also the choice of pitch Perth is questionable with Bedi and Kumble.

All the teams have brilliant match winners and all the teams have at least 1 questionable player who while great wasn't outstanding. So hard to pick the best team.

[Evermind]

Originally Posted by IndGunner

Yea Team H for me, just seemed like the best out there also seems to have very nice depth even without any sort of spinner, But i willl be honest and admit im not Aware of some of the pre 1950's players

I don't see any problem with not being aware of pre-1950s players. Cricket has come a long way since then, especially when it comes to technique, skill, athleticism, tactics, etc. I'd generally take the newer players over the older ones any day.

Maaan...MUST we vote by email? Why can't we just reply to this thread and cast our votes? I'm laaaaazy.

Team H looks best to me so far.

[Simon]

Surprised so many people are voting for Jamee's team (Team H) yes he almost certainly has the best bowling attack but imo his batting is a bit below most, Chanderpaul, Martyn and Anwar were/are good players but with the exception of Chanderpaul the other two are no better than good players during their generation. Also having Dhoni as captain brings him back too imo.

[Evermind]

Originally Posted by Simon

Surprised so many people are voting for Jamee's team (Team H) yes he almost certainly has the best bowling attack but imo his batting is a bit below most, Chanderpaul, Martyn and Anwar were/are good players but with the exception of Chanderpaul the other two are no better than good players during their generation. Also having Dhoni as captain brings him back too imo.

Team H has the highest percentage of modern players of any of teams - I suspect that's had some bearing on the votes. See above.

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by Simon

Surprised so many people are voting for Jamee's team (Team H) yes he almost certainly has the best bowling attack but imo his batting is a bit below most, Chanderpaul, Martyn and Anwar were/are good players but with the exception of Chanderpaul the other two are no better than good players during their generation. Also having Dhoni as captain brings him back too imo.

This

[chaminda_00]

Originally Posted by Simon

Surprised so many people are voting for Jamee's team (Team H) yes he almost certainly has the best bowling attack but imo his batting is a bit below most, Chanderpaul, Martyn and Anwar were/are good players but with the exception of Chanderpaul the other two are no better than good players during their generation. Also having Dhoni as captain brings him back too imo.

The thing is though there not much gap overall between all the side. However Jamee's side does have the best bowling attack and to an extent clearly. Well as clear as you can get with these sides. I don't really think there is batting line up that stands out of the pack. His bowling attack does, so going to to get more votes. Add in the extra modern votes and there is always going to be one winner imo.

Doesn't nessary mean he has the best side overall, but clearly going to be the most popular.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I don't get the fuss about Jamee's bowling line up. He's got 4 bowlers.

Malcolm Marshall
Joel Garner
Brian Statham
Alan Donald

And no spinner! This bowling line up is going to tire bloody quickly and his 5th bowling options are abysmal. Sure, against decent batting line ups, this bowling line up will take 20 wickets, but against some of the supreme batting line ups on offer, a 5th bowler will be a necessity. And away from home, he's ****ed. Absolutely no balance or variation on offer.

A hot, humid day will see this bowling line up shagged out after 30 overs. I just don't get the hype.

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

I don't get the fuss about Jamee's bowling line up. He's got 4 bowlers.

Malcolm Marshall
Joel Garner
Brian Statham
Alan Donald

And no spinner! This bowling line up is going to tire bloody quickly and his 5th bowling options are abysmal. Sure, against decent batting line ups, this bowling line up will take 20 wickets, but against some of the supreme batting line ups on offer, a 5th bowler will be a necessity. And away from home, he's ****ed. Absolutely no balance or variation on offer.

A hot, humid day will see this bowling line up shagged out after 30 overs. I just don't get the hype.

Fully agree - thats the one weakness his team has. Fine if you've got a sporting pitch and conditions suit the four quicks but on a hot humid day playing on a spinner's surface it'd be awefully testing for his side with just four bowlers.

[Somerset]

I made a summary a few days ago of each side, this was without fully knowing some of the batting orders, captains, etc so just take that into consideration. I was quite convinced over the top three or four and then found it very difficult to order the rest, so the team at 9 and 10 in effect is as almost as good as 5 or 6. Note that I haven't ranked my team so theres no bias. Hopefully I haven't been too harsh and feel free to disagree with me.

Team A
A fantastic mix of players, with a clear South Africa flavour to the team. Quality bowling options and astute captaincy the strengths. Batting depth the possible weakness with McCullum number seven not giving me a whole lot of confidence. Somerset's rating - 9th

Team B
No specialist spinner a weakness but the accuracy of Shaun Pollock and McGrath, and the ferocity of Steyn and Holding still allow for enough variety. Very strong batting line-up with Pollock down at number eight, and a wicket keeper with plenty of practice behind the stumps to quality quick bowlers over his test career. Somerset's rating - 8th

Team C
Possess some of the finest batsmen ever produced and the exciting Sehwag and Pietersen. Personally would consider them the side that everyone would want to watch for their batting. More than sufficient bowling options and variety, though a slightly makeshift wicket keeper. Hard to identify weaknesses. Will be voting them for the third best team ignoring the influence of Bradman. Somerset's rating - 3rd

Team D
Specialist batsmen down to number seven is eye-catching. Sangakkara and Lloyd look slightly out of place though so far down the order. Home ground for Murali to take advantage of, with Sangakkara well equipped to wicket keep to the world's highest test wicket taker. Fortunes may depend on how the bowling attack fares against the other talent laden batting line ups. Somerset's rating - 6th

Team E
Clearly a side based mainly on the last 15-20 years of test cricket. Strong spin attack in Kumble and Bedi negated by the strange selection of the bouncy WACA for the home ground. Am yet to be convinced that the batting line up, albeit strong, would be impressed having opposition fast bowlers taking advantage of their home surface. Interesting to see Vaas at seven ahead of Akram in the order. Somerset's rating - 12th

Team F
Sensational line up on paper. Plenty of variety in the bowling attack along with talented stroke-makers and batsmen who have no second thoughts on dominating opposition bowling attacks. Hard pressed to find faults as the XI appears very adaptable to all conditions. Somerset's rating - 5th

Team G
Likely to possess the top seven with the most aggregate runs of all teams, so no shortage of experience nor talent. Sobers at six provides the required balance. Excellent keeper in Marsh. Adaptable bowling attack with quality players from the past, including Laker who is sure to enjoy playing at Old Trafford. Somerset's rating - 7th

Team H
Big weakness is no spinner. Lethal fast bowling attack and should carve up at home, provided home pitches in Barbados are bowler friendly. Could struggle away from home in unfamiliar conditions. Strong batting line-up but outclassed by others - the likes of Martyn and Anwar were hardly first choice selections. Dhoni's limited captaincy experience could also be a weakness. Somerset's rating - 10th

Team I
Plenty of depth with Botham all the way down to number eight. West Indies middle order combination surrounded by Australians should prove to be interesting. No shortage of bowling firepower with the pace of Procter and Thomson and the unpredictability of Botham and Warne. Plenty of bowling options and one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen. Fortunes should depend on how the bowlers perform as runs should come easily enough. My team so didn't want to rate them.

Team J
Wonderful stroke-makers and Gilchrist at seven combine for an exciting batting line up. Perhaps the bowling line-up won't get the recognition it deserves, for together, they could be as dangerous as any. Walters as fifth bowler should provide enough options. Somerset's rating - 3rd

Team K
Vettori all the way at number ten so plenty of batsmen but perhaps not the same quality as other sides. The Sydney Cricket Ground should be of benefit to the side's two spinners and with a handful of talented Australians and Lara and Kallicharan at top of the order, could well prove to be the team capable of providing a series of upset results. Somerset's rating - 11th

Team L
Another sensational bowling quartet, with Waqar and Imran to be followed by Reid and the magical O'Reilly - certainly plenty of variety. Several genuine options for the fifth and sixth bowlers too. Hammond and Chappell made need to do the bulk of the run scoring, though with the likes of Hizare and Simpson in the mix, solid totals should still be reached. Plus a wicket keeper of tremendous quality in the form of Knott. Somerset's rating - 2nd

Team M
Of the twelve teams I rated, this is the best in my opinion. Will probably be under-rated for the side is predominantly made up of players from past decades. Top six is immensely strong and with Ames at seven, the side has a brilliant wicket-keeper batsman. Bowling attack made up of players of quality which aren't necessarily, and perhaps unfairly, thought of amongst the elite. Plenty of left armers in the attack might be unusual to face for opponents. Somerset's rating - 1st

[Athlai]

I voted for the team which would win a sim TBH. :ninja:

[Matt79]

Really hard - I have 4 stand outs as the best teams of the lot, but all of which have at least one major reservation hanging over them - how do you rank how those reservations measure against one another.

My best three, in no particular order, and with apologies to Team I, are:
Team B
Team F
Team H,

Overall, I ended up marking down a couple of teams (that otherwise would be clear winners) becuase of the lack of a spinner, and in some cases, going with poorer wicket-keeping options.

Otherwise, my brief thoughts on each team are:
Team A:
Strengths: Bats deep, great opening bowling pair.
Weaknesses: Lots of very good players, lacking X-factor, aside from Ambrose, and maybe Tyson. Tyson’s limited record. Greigy at number 6 in this company.

Team B:
Strength: Pace attack nearly as good as the vaunted team H attack. Great opening pair. Great middle order.
Weakness: Only weakness is a lack of a quality spin option – if somehow one had been squeezed into this team, maybe at the expense of Steyn, this team would be the winner in my view.

Team C:
Strengths:
Bradman. Rhodes. Nuff said really.
Weaknesses:
Walcott as a keeper – not convinced that he’s a good enough keeper to not cost the team severely at some point via dropped catches/missed stumpings, and also think its dubious that his record as a batsman would be what it turned out if he had had to keep on as wicketkeeper.

Team D:
Strengths: Kallis is a genuine allrounder. Murali, and Sanga to keep to him at 7. Hutton as opener.
Weaknesses: Bowling line up is nothing special in this company, besides Murali. Middle order only very good, not great.

Team E:
Strengths: Good spin combo, Wasim, plus Border’s grit.
Weaknesses: Batting line up a bit uninspiring, Boucher is not a good enough batsman to be at 6 in this company. In Vaas and Lee the pace attack is good, but only Wasim is great.

Team F:
Strengths: Best top 3 out of any team. Very well balanced, genuine five man attack.
Weaknesses: Rest of the top order is good, but not great. Stewart will struggle to perform at his best with the bat AND keep.

Team G:
Strengths: Sobers, Tendulkar are top-flight. Sobers makes for a very balanced attack, as does Laker.
Weaknesses: Not sure how Marsh will go keeping to Laker.

Team H:
Strengths: Great fast bowling attack, with some good variety given they’re all RF, or RFM, with Garner’s height and Statham’s line-and-length, complementing two very complete bowlers in Marshall and Donald. Solid batting line up, going down to 7.
Weaknesses: No spinner – serious flaw to my way of thinking, given the brief to be competitive in all conditions. Ponting is going to have to do a lot of fast scoring to avoid draws with Boycott and Barrington in the same top order. Dhoni only an average gloveman, despite his usefulness with the bat, and recent improvements – dropped catches can lose matches.

Team I:
Strengths: Genuine keeper, who is also good enough to bat at 6 and allow five real bowling options. In their pomp, the fast men are as good as any. Magical match winners in Botham and Warne.
Weaknesses: Botham and Thomson, statistically, as likely to be mediocre as they are great, and Procter’s limited test experience – in theory it should all work, but…
Not sure about Macartenay as an opener against some of the bowling lines ups going around.

Team J:
Strengths: Gilchrist at 7, well balanced pace attack.
Weaknesses: Sutcliffe aside, the batting is very good, but maybe not great.

Team K:
Strengths: Lara, Hadlee are two pillars you can build any team around. Benaud is a commonly under-rated top class spin option, and a great leader. Healy is a fantastic genuine keeper. Flintoff, if firing, is a match winner.
Weaknesses: Some fine players who nevertheless, might struggle in the very rarefied air of this comp. One all-rounder too many, and Vettori’s selection is a puzzle.

Team: M
Strengths: Miller will dominate with the quality of bowler to spare him from being overworked with the ball. Good batting line up, strengthened by Ames at 7.
Weaknesses: Miller and maybe Richards and Gregory aside, this team, while quite even and very solid, just lacks a bit of X-factor in terms of match-winners who’ll dominate in this kind of company.