If we are going to consider the possibility of Smith captaining, then Hayden is a clear winner in my book.
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Test XI for The Last Quarter Century
- Thread starter trundler
- Start date
I think - sticking to one generation per player - I'd pick Hobbs in the 1890-1915 XI, on the grounds that in that team he's the star batsman, whereas in the 1916-41 team he's "just" one of several greats. (Maybe Ponsford as the replacement opener in the 1916-41 team?)
Seems odd not to have Noble in the 1890-1915 team, though I'm not sure who I'd replace - Trumble, maybe (and push Rhodes down the order and make it definitely "1900s Rhodes the bowler", not "1910s Rhodes the batsman").
Incidentally, you've made the earlier intervals 26 years. If you actually have 25-year spells, you'd have 1893-1918, and probably would move Lohmann to the 1868-93 team (with Richardson the obvious replacement). Although Lohmann-Turner-Freeman-Spofforth as the 1868-1893 attack might seem a bit pace-heavy for the era.
trundler
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I must say the XI from the last quarter century seems really strong. Not sure if they could beat the Bradman era but the bowling seems stronger, though the top order from the inter-war era is obviously a lot better because all 3 could make it into any ATG XI. Middle orders seem about equal though Kallis's might swing it the into their (93-18) way. Very interesting. Bowling as I said, seems better because of Warne/Murali and the attack seems better balanced.
bagapath
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Tough tough tough call when it comes to Ambrose and Steyn. Just a personal preference for me to go for Ambrose. There is nothing between them actually.
Burgey
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Lol at Miandad over TOTAB.
trundler
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When I saw that Burgey posted, I thought to myself how the **** could TOTAB come up in a discussion about an XI from the last 25 years but alas. Here we are.
Burgey
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Theb people shouldn’t be posting lists from the 25 years before that.
I mean, who’s his ****ing blow in anyway?
trundler
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An XI without Ponting is blasphemous. How can people forget that he was the best batsman of the noughties?! Best number 3 since Viv, sorry Dravid. I want my number 3 to take the game by the throat and dominate. Smith and Ponting in a 4th innings chase would be awesome too.
cnerd123
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I think it's a real toss up between Ponting and Dravid based on how good they were at their peaks. Ponting, to me, definitely benefited from not having to face the strongest bowling attack of his era - his own. It's also a style preference - do I want an attacking number 3, or an attritional one? With Lara and Gilly in the lineup, and having picked Sehwag to open, I felt Dravid fit the balance of the batting lineup better.
Having said that, I did completely overlook Ponting's fielding. TBH that should edge him past Dravid for the number 3 slot. Maybe I can even move Kallis up to 3, and keep Ponting as a counter-attacking, second-new-ball-smashing number 6? That way the dynamics of the batting lineup work out the same, and the net overall strength of the team goes up thanks to Pontings fielding.
vcs
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Ponting definitely over Dravid for me too. But I wouldn't say he was clearly the best batsman of the '00s decade, he was brilliant between 2002-2006 basically and then dropped off quite a bit. Lots of competitors for the best batsman of the '00s - Ponting, Dravid, Tendulkar, Kallis, Sangakkara etc.
OverratedSanity
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Purely as numbr 3s, I'd take Ponting and Sanga over Dravid, but since I wanted to cheat and put in an ATG as opener, I felt Dravid's a better choice for that spot.
trundler
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Sure he was. He was good enough in the first 2 years and was remarkable up till 2008-ish, peaking between 2002-2006 with a Viv-esque peak. That is enough for me. Tendulkar had the tennis elbow thing and he wasn't really as good as the 90s Tendulkar a la Desert Storm. Sanga only became great right at the end and was meh for a long, long time. Now, Dravid and Kallis are good contenders but lose out because they simply weren't as dominant or reached heights which Ponting did. Ponting was averaging high 50s for a long time. It was only post-2009 he was surviving on reputation imo, but then again Dravid didn't have a ceremonious exit either. Kallis makes it as the all-rounder. You want your number 3 to kick some arse. People make an exception for post 88' Viv and so such an exception can be made for Ponting who already had 13 years and a 10,000 runs by the time when he SHOULD have retired.
Now, I'm all up for Dravid to be the anchoring opener to go with an attacking opener.
All, IMHO of course.
trundler
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Ponting has most runs in a decade (without the aid of minnow-bashing I must hasten to add), too. Speaking purely about the noughties, that makes him the best of that period IMO. Makes me pissed that he went on for too long and ruined his reputation.
In 107 Tests between 2000 and 2009, he scored 9458 runs at 58.38, and 32 of his 38 centuries. A little while after that is when he should said good-bye to cricket and he'd be remembered for what he was.
In 107 Tests between 2000 and 2009, he scored 9458 runs at 58.38, and 32 of his 38 centuries. A little while after that is when he should said good-bye to cricket and he'd be remembered for what he was.
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I feel like Waugh is almost certain to fly far under the radar on Cricinfo. Averaged 55 in the last 25 years, if you want to consider the period rather than the entire career of a player who played in this time. Didn't feast his way through the noughties like everyone else.
AB is a legitimate option if you are picking the side to play another ATG team rather than picking the guys with the best careers, because he's probably more capable against ATG bowling then anyone else. Probably had the toughest batting conditions of any candidate other than Waugh. And he's worth a few runs a game in the field compared to most of the others.
Kallis is the only middle order bat who has to play- he's the only bowling option. Best slip fielder as well. Then pick from Dravid, Tendulkar, Lara, Sanga and Ponting. I think Dravid is a weaker option with Kallis in the team though- they should both bat near the top, and the two of them at the crease together could bog the scoring down too much.
Not too sure who I'd go for, but it would depend on the method of selection (hard to look past Waugh in particular if his early career dross is meaningless, but I don't think I'd put him in on total career).
AB is a legitimate option if you are picking the side to play another ATG team rather than picking the guys with the best careers, because he's probably more capable against ATG bowling then anyone else. Probably had the toughest batting conditions of any candidate other than Waugh. And he's worth a few runs a game in the field compared to most of the others.
Kallis is the only middle order bat who has to play- he's the only bowling option. Best slip fielder as well. Then pick from Dravid, Tendulkar, Lara, Sanga and Ponting. I think Dravid is a weaker option with Kallis in the team though- they should both bat near the top, and the two of them at the crease together could bog the scoring down too much.
Not too sure who I'd go for, but it would depend on the method of selection (hard to look past Waugh in particular if his early career dross is meaningless, but I don't think I'd put him in on total career).
CricAddict
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Kallis, Tendulkar, Lara and Gilchrist are locks in the middle order. That leaves just one spot for any one of Ponting, Dravid, Steve Waugh, Sanga, ABD and Steve Smith unless people create makeshift openers. Any one of them can be chosen as per individual preference and they will fully deserve it. Personally, I would go with the man of Steel Steve Waugh and name him the captain.
