Just read a little into Wills' personal life - will leave him out of the squad after that. I also want to include the master captain and gentleman, Frank Worrell.
Heaven eleven
1. Jack Hobbs
2. Victor Trumper
3. Archie Jackson
4. Alan Kippax
5. Keith Miller
6. Frank Worrell
7. Don Tallon †
8. Harold Larwood
9. Fazal Mahmood
10. Brian Statham
11. Arthur Mailey
12. Denis Compton
This goes close to being my favourite team I've ever put together.
Lovely side. Delighted to see this.
Hobbs - Way above everyone else as an opening batsman and with Bradman a clear favourite amongst first picks in any all time side.
Trumper - Widely considered the greatest Australian batsman till Bradman started changing history and record books. The man was the first top order batsman to make a mockery of the "length ball"
Archie Jackson - Famously called by Cardus (I think) as the most gifted batsman of a generation which included Don himself.
Alan Kippax : The first great stylist to come from Australia. People went long distance just to see the beauty of his batsmanship.
Keith Miller : According to many the greatest all rounder for only he was, always good enough to play for Australia purely as a batsman at the same time as he was good enough to play for them as a bowler alone. The only other whose figures seem to suggest he should fit that category is Imran but those of us who have seen his entire career know it was divided into two parts. The first where he could have played for Pakistan purely as a bowler if he couldn't bat and the latter period where he could have played purely as batsman. The two periods almost never overlapped.
Frank Worrell - Probably West Indian cricket's greatest contribution to the game as well as the man who contributed most to West Indian cricket. Brilliant batsman, super fielder and one of the half a dozen greatest captains of a cricket side and perhaps the greatest leader of men to come from the game of cricket.
Don Tallon : Alongwith Bert Oldfield on top of the long list of fabulous wicket keepers to come out of Australia. The jury continues to be out on who was better between thse two though Bradman joining the side pleading for Tallon has done a lot to sway other members of the jury :o)
Harold Larwood : An absolutely inspired choice. In an era where stats confer greatness, the pick of the bowler who was made a scape goat to the politics of the bodyline series. Bradman's figures may or may not have had the magical 99.9 attached to them but had Larwood played in the 1934 Ashes series and beyond for England, I have no doubt Bradman's legacy would have been greater and the subsequent battles between these two giants would have been the stuff for the Gods.
Fazal Mehmood : Pakistan has produced, in Imran, Waqar and Wasim world class fast bowlers to stand proudly alongside the great Australians and the unending line of West Indians of the 70's and 80's but much before that, the young nation stepping into the game produced on to stand proudly alongside Bedser (a contemporary) and those like Maurice Tate from an earlier era. Fazal on his day was almost unplayable.
Brian Statham : Imagine Glen Mcgrath, the same nagging length but faster with occasional head-knocking bouncers and the ability to bowl at that level of aggression and accuracy for as long as the side needs. But for being the partner of the volatile and in-your-face Trueman Statham would be recalled by today's generation much more easily than they appear to do - the loss is theirs.
Arthur Mailey A colourful but controversial figure. Mailey was the world's leading leg spinner till the legendary Grimmett made his debut at a late age. O'Reilly followed and soon Mailey was no more ruling the roost.
Dennis Compton Alongwith Miller, the pin up boy of world cricket in the years just before and after the last world war. Compton batted till the end like a school boy out to enjoy the game in the sun. Needless to say that attitude coupled with his awesome talent gave immense joy and he was one of the world cricket's super stars in the post war era.
(of course I am not saying this because Imran comes out on top 
