Your World XI of 2013

[morgieb]

Yeah there are still a couple of Tests to play, but it's unlikely they'll change this too much. Pick your World XI based on performances over 2013.

1. Smith
2. Amla
3. Pujara
4. Taylor
5. Clarke
6. Bell
7. de Villiers
8. Ashwin
9. Broad
10. Steyn
11. Harris

Tough. Cheated slightly by picking Amla as an opener, but there were a lack of good openers to pick, and both Amla and Pujara gunned it at #3 so meh. Seemed to be a lot of good bowlers, but few good bats this year.

 

[NZTailender]

Yeah crazy how many of the leading run scorers not only average less than 50 but less than 40. I would go with an XI the same as yours so for the sake of difference here's my XI of those who played more than 10 or more tests.

1. D Warner
2. J Root/A Cook/P Fulton
3. K Williamson
4. R Taylor
5. M Clarke
6. I Bell
7. B Watling+
8. S Broad
9. G Swann
10. P Siddle
11. T Boult

vs.

Less than 10

1. G Smith
2. M Vijay
3. H Amla
4. C Pujara
5. S Chanderpaul
6. V Kohli
7. de Villiers+
8. R Ashwin
9. V Philander
10. D Steyn
11. R Harris

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Kohli probably deserves to be in the mix.

 

[uvelocity]

Top ranked team v best of the rest one off test should be a yearly thing imo

 

[Spark]

Have Pujara open IMO

 

[hendrix]

Smith
Warner (might not have got the best record but played some great innings and is an undeniably quality player and there' noone else...)
Amla
Taylor
Clarke
Bell
Haddin (wanted to pick Watling or Devilliers but Haddin's had a great year)
Harris
Siddle
Steyn
Herath (think Ashwin is very far from the finished product as a bowler)

 

[Maximas]

Smith
Warner (might not have got the best record but played some great innings and is an undeniably quality player and there' noone else...)
Amla
Taylor
Clarke
Bell
Haddin (wanted to pick Watling or Devilliers but Haddin's had a great year)
Harris
Siddle
Steyn
Herath (think Ashwin is very far from the finished product as a bowler)

I like Herath as much as anyone but it's a bit hard to pick him given he's only played 3 tests this year, goes for any SL player really.

I also think Pujara is dreadfully unlucky to miss your team, he excelled in every series he played while Taylor struggled a few too many times IMO.

 

[hendrix]

forgot Pujara inexplicably. Chuck him in ahead of Taylor.

Had to select either Herath or Ajmal because I don't really rate anyone else. Nathan Lyon, Ojha or Swann would be my next picks.

 

[NUFAN]

This might be one for Steven, of Ask Steven fame, but the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test match starts on December 31. Has a Test match ever taken place in two different years? The calendar year stats could look slightly unusual for players of these teams.

 

[Coronis]

I think that it depends on the start date of the match. Though I could be wrong.

 

[GIMH]

This might be one for Steven, of Ask Steven fame, but the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test match starts on December 31. Has a Test match ever taken place in two different years? The calendar year stats could look slightly unusual for players of these teams.

When I was a young lad I thought loads of matches must have been played across two calendar years. Reason being that when they'd show players best scores on the TV and say 'V Australia 93-94' or whatever I assumed that meant it bridged that gap.

Not sure when I became wise to it

 

[OverratedSanity]

Warner
Smith
Amla
Pujara
Clarke
Bell
Haddin
Ashwin
Philander
Harris
Steyn

 

[Athlai]

Taylor the best number 4 in the world. Good to see.

 

[Garson007]

Warner
Smith
Amla
Pujara
Clarke
Bell
De Villiers
Ashwin
Philander
Harris
Steyn

Bit low on bowling stocks though.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Smith
Pujara
Amla
Taylor
Clarke
Bell
ABP (Anybody but Prior) Haddin probably
Broad
Philander
Steyn
Herath

 

[smash84]

Herath and Harris ahead of Ajmal?

 

[Spikey]

This might be one for Steven, of Ask Steven fame, but the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test match starts on December 31. Has a Test match ever taken place in two different years? The calendar year stats could look slightly unusual for players of these teams.

Know some Australian matches during Bradman's time did this

 

[wpdavid]

Opening batsmen's stocks must be at their lowest level ever.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm a little confused by the concept.

Are we picking a current World XI, or a team of the year? Because my teams would be very different really.

 

[Prince EWS]

The calendar year stats could look slightly unusual for players of these teams.

Nah, cricket statisticians have always gone by the idea that whatever you do in a Test essentially happened on the first day of that Test; they use start dates. So everything that happens in that match will be going in the 2013 calender year stats.