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About LinkBacksAdd on Wardle, Blythe and Peel, and Swann just about makes the top 10.
Add on Wardle, Blythe and Peel, and Swann just about makes the top 10.
Having read some of the various all time threads, it appears that the concensus seems to be pick the four best bowlers regardless of the team balance.(eg number of spinners in Eng ATG). In normal teams there is generally an expectation that the no 8 be a specialist bowler that can bat somewhat but does a team with so many great batsman need a no 8 that can bat.
Maybe we can nominate the list of best no 8 for ATG teams regardless of what other choices would be made.
For instance, who is Australia's greatest.
Given Miller is almost always placed at 6 and given reduced bowling duties, that for me means that Davidson would be Australia's best choice at number 8. a line up of say
6 Miller
7 Gilchrist
8 Davidson
Would be aggresive, entertaining and be able to flog wearied attacks exhausted from having worked through the top order.
For the Windies, Malcolm Marshall comes to my mind as their best number 8.
For NZ, Vettori
So who would be the best number 8 (specailist bowler who can bat a bit) in the each countries line up (regardless of whether they made the actual ATG team)?
Last edited by Malleeboy; 15-11-2012 at 02:55 PM.
For New Zealand, maybe Hadlee, since Cairns would probably be at no.7. Depends if you think Vettori is better than Hadlee. Since Dan's recent downturn in form, I call it even.
Greatest Ever Test XI: JB Hobbs, L Hutton, DG Bradman (c), IVA Richards, BC Lara, GS Sobers, AC Gilchrist (wk), Imran Khan, RJ Hadlee, MD Marshall, SK Warne 12th man: M Muralitharan
Favorite XI: WG Grace, VT Trumper, IVA Richards, DCS Compton, FMM Worrell (c), AC Gilchrist (wk), CL Cairns, SK Warne, FS Trueman, SE Bond, T Richardson 12th man: H Larwood
If I were to rank English spinners, it would look something like this:Originally Posted by Jager
1. Verity
2. Laker
3. Underwood
4. Briggs
5. Wardle
6. Peel
7. Blythe
8. Rhodes
9. Swann
10. Lock
...
99. Ashley Giles
Ray Lindwall, Shane Warne or Allan Davidson could do the job for Australia
Shaun Polock or Mike Procter for South Africa
Hedley Verity would also be capable of doing the job for England
Aus. XI
Simpson^ | Hayden | Bradman | Chappell^ | Ponting | Border* | Gilchrist+ | Davidson3 | Warne4^ | Lillee1 | McGrath2
W.I. XI
Greenidge | Hunte | Richards^ | Headley* | Lara^ | Sobers5^ | Walcott+ | Marshall1 | Ambrose2 | Holding3 | Garner4
S.A. XI
Richards^ | Smith*^ | Amla | Pollock | Kallis5^ | Nourse | Waite+ | Procter3 | Steyn1 | Tayfield4 | Donald2
Eng. XI
Hobbs | Hutton*^ | Hammond^ | Compton | Barrington | Botham5^ | Knott | Trueman1 | Laker4 | Larwood2 | Barnes3
Vettori is probably the best number 8 of all-time. He averages like 40 there, I think.
I'll repeat some already mentioned but ideal guys (can bat a bit, and have a bit of a dip) for number 8 could be....
Australia- Lindwall, Davidson, Benaud a few of the keepers like Healy/Marsh, Warne. Guys like Lee and Gillepsie were capable up the order at times.
South Africa- Shaun Pollock, Procter
WIs- Marshall
Eng- Verity. Knott if Botham was at 7. Botham if Ames was at 7.
Pak- Wasim Akram (ideal imo)
India- Kapil could go that low, as he's their first picked quick. Kirmani/Engineer (if Kapil was at 7)
NZ- Vettori and Hadlee.
If I had to pick a current XI playing on a pitch offering something for the bowlers I would go for the following team:
1..Alastair Cook
2. Graeme Smith
3. Hashim Amla
4. Jacques Kallis
5. Michael Clarke
6. Kumar Sangakarra
7. Matt Prior
8. Vernon Philander
9. Dale Steyn
10. Saeed Ajmal
11. James Anderson
Shiv Chanderpaul would be my batting reserve.
You're right. Vettori is the most successful No.8 batsman (minimum 1000 runs) of all time. Average 42.29
It Figures | Cricket Blogs | ESPN Cricinfo
Alan Knott is the third most successful No.7 of all time (minimum 1500 runs) behind Adam Gilchrist and Chris Cairns.
It Figures | Cricket Blogs | ESPN Cricinfo
I think that Botham and Ames fail to feature in this study because they didn't score the mandatory 1500 runs at No.7 to qualify.
However, Botham did score 2690 runs at No.6 with a moderately crappy average of 29.23. Chanderpaul is ranked highest with an average of 65.74.
Last edited by watson; 15-11-2012 at 10:20 PM.
Hobbs
Grace
Bradman
Tendulkar
Sobers
Kallis
Gilchrist (wk)
Miller
Imran (c)
Hadlee
Warne
That number four position could have gone to one of many. Warne edges out Murali based on batting and fielding. In other news I really rate allrounders.
If I wanted to make a side to face another world eleven, then knowing I'd be faced with some West Indian quicks, McGrath, Murali, Hammond, Lara, Ponting etc I'd like to bat down to 10 with allrounders and have about 10,000 bowling options including four ATG bowlers. I'd back the relative lack of batting and bowling depth in the other side to be their downfall because my team just keeps going.
Proudly supporting Central Districts
RIP Craig Walsh
hutton
gavaskar
headley
hammond
viv richards
a.flower (wk)
faulkner
pollock
benaud
akram
davidson
Personally I'd put Swann right up there, probably in fourth at the moment for me.
Oh for a strong arm and a walking stick
Wilfred Rhodes is problematic because he more-or-less gave up bowling during 1909 to take up opening the innings with Jack Hobbs. But prior to that he was a superb spin bowler and rated very highly by no-less than Victor Trumper.
I think that he deserves to be higher than No.8. Perhaps 4-6.
Good XI. We'll take you on..
Sutcliffe
Gavaskar
Headley
Pollock
Hammond
Lara
Knott
Wasim
Marshall
Ambrose
Murali
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