CW Draft League

[AndyZaltzHair]

Originally Posted by watson

I actually began typing 'Wilfred Rhodes' in my e-mail to Jager as I though it would be neat having Barnes and Rhodes bowling in tandem again.

However, I changed my mind at the last minute and went for a different left-armer as I thought that Lindwall and Johnston were two 'Invincibles' that should be reunited again. Plus I like the idea of having two bowlers in my team that can bowl 'anything'. Barnes and Johnston.

Think it was great move selecting Johnston esp with Lindwall in the team

[Jager]

Originally Posted by AndyZaltzHair

Was pretty much sure going to clash with Rhodes

1. Graham Gooch
2. Arthur Morris
3. Viv Richards
4. Jacques Kallis
5. Neil Harvey
6.
7.
8. Wilfred Rhodes
9. Peter Pollock
10. Fazal Mahmood
11. Joel Garner

I was also going to take him earlier in the draft, at around round 6/7 - I was planning on playing him as an opener alongside Hobbs, recreating the second-most successful opening partnership in history in terms of average stands. I couldn't resist a modern ATG plus inspiring captain such as Smith though

[Jager]

Wouldn't really have much of an idea who's 'winning' at the moment. Lots of great sides so far, this is a very close draft.

[AndyZaltzHair]

Originally Posted by Jager

I was also going to take him earlier in the draft, at around round 6/7 - I was planning on playing him as an opener alongside Hobbs, recreating the second-most successful opening partnership in history in terms of average stands. I couldn't resist a modern ATG plus inspiring captain such as Smith though

Pairing Hobbs and Smith was a great move too

[kingkallis]

Originally Posted by watson

I agree with your batting order KK. Flintoff scored more centuries, but Goddard was a more classy batsman.

Yeah, Freddie is fine @ 7. I wanted to go for a regular No.6 batsmen but then could not resist having 2 all-rounders in the line up who can manage to bat @ No.6 and No.7.

[kingkallis]

Originally Posted by AndyZaltzHair

Pairing Hobbs and Smith was a great move too

Biff is a beast. Top pick there and yeah good pair, 2nd best after Hutton & Hayden

[watson]

Originally Posted by kingkallis

Yeah, Freddie is fine @ 7. I wanted to go for a regular No.6 batsmen but then could not resist having 2 all-rounders in the line up who can manage to bat @ No.6 and No.7.

If you can find a keeper that is also an obdurate batsman to support Freddie then you have yourself a tough and flexible batting line-up. It's pretty good already though.

[watson]

Incidently, Wilfred Rhodes' top 3 victims were Armstrong (11 times), Noble (10 times) and Trumper (9 times).

Who has Trumper?

[watson]

Len Hutton was Bill Johnston's third favourite victim with 7 dismissals.

http://www.howstat.com.au/cricket/St...?PlayerID=0884

I will assume that if Hayden had problems covering his stumps against the swing of Hoggard (6 dismissals) then he'll also have problems against Sydney Barnes.

http://www.howstat.com.au/cricket/St...?PlayerID=2224

I hope that your No.3 is a goodun KK as he'll need to be

[watson]

Originally Posted by AndyZaltzHair

Pairing Hobbs and Smith was a great move too

I agree. Smith is a far better batsman than the self-made Rhodes.

[AndyZaltzHair]

watson who will open the bowling, I presume Lindwall being the automatic choice, who to open with him Barnes or Adcock? I would go with Lindwall and Barnes

[Blakus]

1.Virender Sehwag
2.
3.Clem Hill
4.Denis Compton
5.
6.Ian Botham
7.Adam Gilchrist+
8.Richie Benaud*
9.Alan Davidson
10.Wes Hall
11.Brian Statham

Another one of those heavily underrated players, is Statham. Glad I got him

[MrPrez]

Trumper
Woodfull
Hammond
Tendulkar

Hazare
Healy
Kumble

Spofforth
Thomson

[watson]

Originally Posted by AndyZaltzHair

watson who will open the bowling, I presume Lindwall being the automatic choice, who to open with him Barnes or Adcock? I would go with Lindwall and Barnes

Lindwall and Adcock to open the bowling I think, with Adcock to bowl short spells at maximum pace. Barnes would be bought into the attack as soon as possible. However, if one of the openers doesn't like swing too much (Gooch, Hayden, Morris, Sehwag) then Lindwall and Barnes will probably take the new ball. But as a general rule I can't go past Adcock because his pace and lift were frightening.

Lindwall bowling swinging yorkers and Adcock bowling short-of-a-length to hit the batsman (as he liked to do) would be a potent combination;

The Greatest Eighty in Test Cricket - by Ray Robinson

Neil Adcock and Bert Sutcliffe were the central figures in the most sensational drama since bodyline rocked the cricket world. The batsmen were under fire from Adcock's bouncers.

The scene of the drama was Ellis Park, where half-mast flags mourned the deaths of 151 people in the Christmas Eve train disaster between Wellington and Auckland.

The Johannesburgh wicket's hard surface had a thicker topcoat of grass. It is of the kind that adds yards to a bowler's speed, feet to his bounce and inches to his smile of exultation. New Zealanders fell in confusion. Adcock's assault bruised several. One is bowled off his ribs, two collapse and another goes to hospital coughing up blood after a blow on chest!

When Sutcliffe came to bat, as usual his fair, curly head was capless. Immediately a ball from Adcock rears towards him, he tries to flick it away. It strikes the side of his ducking head with a crack heard all around. Sutcliffe sinks to the turf, one hand pressed to his burst left ear, the other still clings to his bat.

In horrified silence the crowd of 22,000 watch him removed by a stretcher. The ambulance takes him to the hospital where he is treated. By the time he returns to Ellis park, NZ are 6/82. Mooney, the wicket keeper hangs on, keeping the ball out for more than two hours and rubbing his bruises between the overs. NZ'ers hardly look like reaching 122 to avoid the follow-on.

The crowd shouts a hero welcome as Suctliffe comes back to bat, a pad of cotton wool strapped over his ear. To the fieldman he looks dazed. The very first ball he faces, clouts for a six.

The ball's fall over the leg boundary sets the tempo for the most thrilling onslaught on Test bowling. Adcock comes back. the left-hander pushes him to off amid a sympathetic murmur. It swells to applause as a cover hit races for four.

Movement losens Sutcliffe's ear pad. First-aid attandants come back to bandage his head. Looking like a warrior in a battle of scene in the palace of Versailles he saves the follow-on with 3 wickets to go.

NZ's need for runs becomes so urgent Sutcliffe can not be content to try for fours! The field's thick carpet of kikuyu takes the pace out of ground-strokes. So, if he can measure the ball quickly enough for a full-blooded stroke, Sutcliffe smacks it over the wire fence. No slogging at everything though. Sutcliffe the six-hitter remains Sutcliffe the batsman, his bandaged brow over the ball and a straight bat ready for naything demanding it.

NZ's pace bowler R. W. Blair, 22, was left in his hotel room overcome by the tragic news that his fiance'e was killed in the train disaster. So when the 9th. wicket falls at 154, it looks like the end of the innings and the players begin to walk back to the dressing rooms.

But with his team in a desperate plight, grief stricken Bob Blair has come to Ellis Park to help if he can. Amid a hush, he unexpectedly appears on the field. Walking to meet him, Sutcliffe puts a comforting arm around his breaved mate's shoulders. As they go to the pitch together the crowd breaks the silence with prolonged applause.

The innings rushes to an end packed with excitement. Sutcliffe lifts his fourth, fifth and sixth sixes off Tayfield in one over. Thousands stand to roar appreciation of each stroke. Blair swings the off spinner for another six to bring the cost of the over to 25. The score leaps to 33 more in ten minutes before Blair is stumped at 187.

After Sutcliffe came back his contribution was 80* while NZ added 105. He struck 7 sixers and 4 fours. Until Sutcliffe played it, such an innings did not exist outside schoolboy's dreams.

Robinson R: Bert Sutcliffe in Ellis Park 1953-4 | Cricket News | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

[Himannv]

Bert Sutcliffe, WAG!!