Asia XI vs ROW XI for the last 25 years. Who wins a test series?

[CaptainGrumpy]

Younis is ahead on that score.
Why are we talking Laxman?

Dont get me wrong. Laxman was a great player.

 

[harsh.ag]

The teams for me would be slightly unconventional

Sehwag
Dravid
Sanga
Tendulkar
Inzi
VVS
PJ / MS +
Wasim
Shoaib
Waqar
Murali

Hayden
ABdV (Just for kicks)
Ponting
Kallis
Lara
Waugh
Gilly +
Warne
Steyn
McGrath
Ambrose

 

[Furball]

I think the Asian XI wipes the floor at this, though I suspect the ROH boys could beat the **** out of Sachin with a steel chair to gain epic heel heat for sledging purposes.

Nah. ROW has much better bowlers.

 

[GIMH]

I think the Asian XI wipes the floor at this, though I suspect the ROH boys could beat the **** out of Sachin with a steel chair to gain epic heel heat for sledging purposes.

Was gonna do an ROH XI. No need now I've been beaten to the joke. Thank ****

 

[fredfertang]

Presumably whoever wins this game then gets to play England?

 

[Prince EWS]

Is Shakib Al Hasan in there because you felt obligated to include a bangladeshi or do you genuinely consider him the best Asian all rounder of the modern age

Without Sanga you'd be looking at a keeper batting 7 and I'd probably pick Mathews then, or pick another specialist bat (Younis?) and drop Anwar for Jayasuriya. But Sanga's existence makes a player who's basically a #7 bat and a fifth bowler at this level actually kind of ideal as long as he'll contribute in those roles.

 

[Bolo]

Without Sanga you'd be looking at a keeper batting 7 and I'd probably pick Mathews then, or pick another specialist bat (Younis?) and drop Anwar for Jayasuriya. But Sanga's existence makes a player who's basically a #7 bat and a fifth bowler at this level actually kind of ideal as long as he'll contribute in those roles.

Unless including an ATG allrounder or two, it's just about impossible to put together a side that Shakib wouldn't help to balance out as a 5th bowler. He's basically the ultimate utility player. Statistically, he's got an acceptable bowling average as a 5th bowler (particularly considering he's a spinner), a good #7/acceptable #6 batting average, a good WPI, and a pretty good RPI. Almost every other player in history fails on one or more of these accounts.

In the traditional (impossibly demanding) definition of an allrounder as a player who can make a side on either discipline, if a player's entire career is considered, I can think of only Aubrey Faulkner who qualifies. Shakib (if considering a strongish side) would fail to qualify on both accounts, but his cumulative margin of failure would be less than anyone else's.

While I know you weren't suggesting it in this team, I'd be hesitant to play someone like Matthews or Jayasuriya as the 5th bowler if including Waqar and Shoaib in the team. Memory may be playing tricks on me, but I remember them both as being pretty injury-prone. If this is the case, and even accounting for Murali's ability to bowl 800 overs a match, we need a 5th option who can get through a number of overs and take some wickets.

In the absence of an ATG 5th bowler (which may be a dubious decision due to the balance of the team) or a top level bowling allrounder (Vaas isn't quite there IMO), Shakib is a shoe-in for me.

 

[weldone]

Unless including an ATG allrounder or two, it's just about impossible to put together a side that Shakib wouldn't help to balance out as a 5th bowler. He's basically the ultimate utility player. Statistically, he's got an acceptable bowling average as a 5th bowler (particularly considering he's a spinner), a good #7/acceptable #6 batting average, a good WPI, and a pretty good RPI. Almost every other player in history fails on one or more of these accounts.

In the traditional (impossibly demanding) definition of an allrounder as a player who can make a side on either discipline, if a player's entire career is considered, I can think of only Aubrey Faulkner who qualifies. Shakib (if considering a strongish side) would fail to qualify on both accounts, but his cumulative margin of failure would be less than anyone else's.

While I know you weren't suggesting it in this team, I'd be hesitant to play someone like Matthews or Jayasuriya as the 5th bowler if including Waqar and Shoaib in the team. Memory may be playing tricks on me, but I remember them both as being pretty injury-prone. If this is the case, and even accounting for Murali's ability to bowl 800 overs a match, we need a 5th option who can get through a number of overs and take some wickets.

In the absence of an ATG 5th bowler (which may be a dubious decision due to the balance of the team) or a top level bowling allrounder (Vaas isn't quite there IMO), Shakib is a shoe-in for me.

I know you've only made 4 posts, but they've all been quality. Post more.

 

[Shady Slim]

ok but what if we broke it up further:

Inner Subcontinent (India/Bangladesh) XI
Outer Subcontinent (Pakistan/SL/UAE) XI
Africa XI
Oceania XI
ROW XI (England/WI)

five-way series

 

[longranger]

How about India+Pakistan vs England+Australia ?

 

[mr_mister]

Inner sub

Iqbal
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulker
Kohli
Laxman
Dhoni
Al-Hasan
Kumble
Srinath
Khan

Harbhajan 12th man


Outer Sub

Anwar
Jayasuria
Sangakkara
Inzamam Ul-Haq
Mohammed Yousuf
Jayawardene
Mishbah Ul-Haq
Wasim
Waqar
Shoaib
Murali

Younis Khan/Afridi 12th man

I see no reason why they can't have 7 specialist batsmen with that bowling attack


Africa

Gary Kirsten
Smith
Amla
Kallis
Andy Flower
De Villiers
Boucher
Pollock
Streak
Ntini
Donald

Cullinan 12th man


Oceania

Hayden
Warner
Ponting
Clarke
Steve Waugh
Smith
Gilchrist
Cairns
Vettori
Warne
McGrath

12th man Martyn/Mark Waugh/Slater/Taylor/Langer/Hussey/Williamson..... so many batsmen unlucky to miss out... also sorry to New Zealand's top order batsmen for kind of ditching them. This team is close to unbeatable, keeping in mind Steve Waugh took nearly 100 wickets as well


ROW (England and West Indies)

Cook
Gayle
Lara
Chanderpaul
Pietersen
Thorpe
Stewart
Swann
Gough
Ambrose
Walsh

12th man Atherton/Hooper/Anderson/Trott


When you stretch it out to 25 years Windies and England produced some good cricketers


This would be an interesting series to say the least. My money's on Oceania or Outer Sub

 

[TheJediBrah]

2000-2007 Australian team alone would beat any of the best of the world over the last 25 years

edit: unless maybe being played at 2004 mumbai pitch or equivalent

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

2000-2007 Australian team alone would beat any of the best of the world over the last 25 years

edit: unless maybe being played at 2004 mumbai pitch or equivalent

And would be strengthened by the addition of Boult or possibly Williamson. Not by Vettori.

I rate Steve Smith, but his West Indian and Indian runs at home form a lot of his #1 status at the moment. Needs to do a bit more before making that team ahead of the likes of Hussey.

Younis Khan as 12th man behind Jayawardene and Jayasuriya? C'mon.

 

[mr_mister]

Yeah I could have just chosen the eleven from that era where they won 16 in a row or whatever but I thought I'd give a few kiwis and modern guys a chance

 

[mr_mister]

And would be strengthened by the addition of Boult or possibly Williamson. Not by Vettori.

I rate Steve Smith, but his West Indian and Indian runs at home form a lot of his #1 status at the moment. Needs to do a bit more before making that team ahead of the likes of Hussey.

Younis Khan as 12th man behind Jayawardene and Jayasuriya? C'mon.

I love Vettori ha. Personal bias. As for Smith yes he's not fully proven against quality attacks but I have a lot of faith. Jayasuriya's bowling gets him over the line, he can take the load off the pacemen. Jayawardene/Younis I feel are equal IMO but sure one's as good as the other.


Are you at least happy with the Windies/Eng choices? lol

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

I love Vettori ha. Personal bias. As for Smith yes he's not fully proven against quality attacks but I have a lot of faith. Jayasuriya's bowling gets him over the line, he can take the load off the pacemen. Jayawardene/Younis I feel are equal IMO but sure one's as good as the other.


Are you at least happy with the Windies/Eng choices? lol

That team is surpsingly strong.

Debate over Prior and Jimmy Anderson for Gough.

But yeah - fair line up.

 

[mr_mister]

So often I went with the players that excited me more than the statistically better choice, Gough included... I'd be a bad coach

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

So often I went with the players that excited me more than the statistically better choice, Gough included... I'd be a bad coach

Its debatable. I have no strong feeling either way.
Surely Younis Khan has better stats than Jayawardene?

 

[mr_mister]

Yeah he does especially when you factor in batting overseas lol, Jaywardnes stats were mid 30s there and 60 at home I just always loved watching Sri Lankans bat, from De Silva and Ranatunga to Jaywardene and Sanga

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

I think Younis Khan is underrated.