Ikki
Hall of Fame Member
The difference between a Hobbs/Gavaskar and Richards/Trumper is little if anything. That's of course if we take into account the reputation of the SH pair because if you're going by averages then yes. I'd personally take Richards/Simpson and there is probably even less difference.Northern Hemisphere XI;
Hobbs
Gavaskar
Richards
Tendulkar
Lara
Sobers
Imran (c)
Sangakkara (wk)
Marshall
Murali
Ambrose
Southern Hemisphere XI
B. Richards
Trumper
Ponting
G.Chappell
G Pollock
Kallis
Gilchrist (wk)
Hadlee
Warne
Lillee
McGrath
NH batting looks considerably better to me if the Don is removed - more established openers with one bloke alone having 197 centuries.Tendulkar+Richards+Lara looks much more intimidating than Chappell+Ponting+Kallis
Sangakkara more or less equal to Gilchrist - Gilchrist slightly better keeper and Sangkarra slightly better test batsman
Bowling attack
Ambrose > Mcgrath debatable yes...but I rate Ambrose just above Mcgrath
Imran > Hadlee
Murali > Warne purely as bowler IMO....
Marshall > Lillee
The middle order is more or less the same. If you want to be objective there's little in it either way.
Ponting = Tendulkar
Chappell = Richards
Pollock = Lara
Then there is Sobers vs Kallis. Sure, Sobers > Kallis but not by a great deal. Overcome by Gilchrist > Sangakkara. Who while a good batsman, was not as good as a batsman/keeper.
The bowlers are more or less the same strength too: Lillee, McGrath, Hadlee and Warne vs Marshall, Imran, Ambrose and Murali.
The fact that you think many of the NH players are > the SH players is almost irrelevant. Let's be objective, because just as many people will say < to the SH players and both would be right. There's so little in it. That's the point. But when there is Bradman, you can pretty much forget about it. Which leads me back to my other post.
Last edited: