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Last bowling slot in my all-time XI

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Fair enough if you're biased to fast bowlers. But seriously, even the best two batsman out there would struggle having Murali and Warne bowling from either end.

As for you Matt, I'd choose Warne, drop a batsman and also choose McGrath.
SAme, except I would pick Barnes ahead of McGrath, probably.
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
I always find the selection of Barnes odd in these sort of teams. What makes him so much more amazing in Test Matches than Charlie Turner or George Lohmann?

I personally think that a left arm quick in Wasim Akram would be ideal for Matt's team. He'd be providing more rough for his spinner Murali to bowl into as an added bonus.

.
Re Barnes - Wickets per match, and the pretty much universal opinion of those who saw all those guys bowl.

Re Wasim - true, and worth thinking about if I am swapping Warne for Murali.
 
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Matt79

Global Moderator
Depends what you think of Sobers's bowling really. Against a theoretical team from another planet or a parallel universe with similar batting strength to the team you've picked, is Sobers really good enough to be the fifth bowler? Equally though I suppose you could ask whether Imran's good enough to bat six or seven although that really depends on which version of Imran you're picking.
I think Sobers fast-medium/medium-fast stuff was good enough to be the fifth bowler. Would not want him as one of only three quicks though in this scenario.

Don't think Imran's batting is good enough for #6 in an all time team, #7 would be ok.
 
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Days of Grace

International Captain
That's why you would select Gilchrist as the wicketkeeper because he can bat at no.6 which allows you to have 5 bowlers.

Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman
Lara (yes, ahead of Tendulkar, whinge, whinge, bitch, bitch, bleat, bleat)
Sobers
Gilchrist (wk)
Imran Khan
Warne
Marshall
McGrath
Muralitharan
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
I guess another to look at the extra bowler or batsman question is to draw up the two XIs:

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
Richards
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran
Marshall
Muralitharan
Ambrose/Warne

Vs
Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Warne
Murali

I think in the five bowler scenario you'd go for Hadlee or maybe Miller over Ambrose or McGrath, to recoup some of the lost runs to play with.
 
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Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I guess another to look at the extra bowler or batsman question is to draw up the two XIs:

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
Richards
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran
Marshall
Muralitharan
Ambrose/Warne

Vs
Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
Sobers
Gilchrist
Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Warne
Murali

I think in the five bowler scenario you'd go for Hadlee or maybe Miller over Ambrose or McGrath, to recoup some of the lost runs to play with.
I really like the idea of Miller.
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
He'd be an awesome fifth bowler bowling in a shock role - his batting would improve when not being bowled for a ton of overs as well.

Him and Gilly going together at the crease would also be pretty fun to watch.
 
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Uppercut

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Hmm. I think Wasim's a good shout. Even when building an all-time great side, a left-arm pace bowler who particularly excels with the old ball on slow, flat subcontinental wickets is a pretty significant addition to the side. It all depends how much you want balance and how much you just want the four or five best bowlers ever bowling as part of one attack.
 

Matt79

Global Moderator
Yeah, definitely. It's like all these things. When you're already struggling to fit a third dedicated quick in, who out of, for instance, Marshall, Imran and Hadlee do you omit to make room? Wasim definitely comes into it given his batting as well, if the objective is to get a great bowler who can hold the bat a bit to make up for the loss of a specialist batsman. My preference for an Ambrose or Hadlee had to do with wanting a 'metronomical' line and length bowler to complement the styles of Marshall and Imran. (obviously all these bowlers are more than one trick ponies, but talking in terms of relative strengths)
 

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