Johan
Hall of Fame Member
I mean, do it if you wanna lol.
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All-Time World XIs: Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Thala_0710
- Start date
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Same reason Steyn didnt bowl inswingers. He did what came naturally and got him more wickets.
Imran was so much more effective with the inswinger and his action really facilitated it. He was an incredibly tight bowler and didn't like to give runs away by bowling wide outside off and his MO was attacking stumps and looking for LBWs. Hence, inswinger.
Imran did have an outswinger but rarely used it as it didn't swing as much.
I don't think you need an outswing specialist in this attack if you have Marshall or Hadlee.
kyear2
Hall of Fame Member
The question was as a package comparing the three, and yes I'll take the 3 I named.
Imran was generally tighter, not always though, but I'll leave that discussion for another time.
Reverse is also less important in this modern era, as it takes longer for the ball to get there. Wasim and Steyn were both better at conventional swing. Wasim was also the best with the old ball when it didn't swing.
Steyn was also predominantly an outswing bowler, which translates better to more surfaces and conditions.
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centurymaker
Cricketer Of The Year
Wasim or Imran are both good choices for the 3rd seamer.
kyear2
Hall of Fame Member
My issue is that not only is Viv the better bat, he brings a dimension to the team that no one else possessed, in his ability to dismantle any attack. He was also quite and very arguably the greatest player of genuine pace.
He's also a times if magnitude better option at 3rd slip and in the field than Smith.
Smith has an elite skill set, but no of the great ones have dropped more in the cordon.
Viv was better, has the intangibles and was better in the cordon.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If Steyn isn't getting the new ball there is no point picking him.
kyear2
Hall of Fame Member
No argument there.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
How can you call Smith elite is he regularly drops it?
Red_Ink_Squid
Global Moderator
Smith's slip catching isn't the absolute best but it's pretty decent. Like his batting - it's passable, I suppose.
kyear2
Hall of Fame Member
Why?
He was better to pace and also way better in the cordon.
Isn't Smith the one who's been recently and frequently eviscerated here for his drops the last few years?
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Almost all the great pace attacks had contrasting bowlers.
Wily Roberts, tall Garner, awkward Croft, pacy Holding
Swinging Steyn, tight Philander, tall Morkel
Metronome McGrath, swinging Gillespie, pacy Lee
Reverse leftie Starc, tight Hazelwood, pace and bouncy Cummins
That should be the pattern for an ATG XI.
Wily Roberts, tall Garner, awkward Croft, pacy Holding
Swinging Steyn, tight Philander, tall Morkel
Metronome McGrath, swinging Gillespie, pacy Lee
Reverse leftie Starc, tight Hazelwood, pace and bouncy Cummins
That should be the pattern for an ATG XI.
centurymaker
Cricketer Of The Year
Hammond was a good shout too.
But Viv is a bit ahead of Smith, at least as of 2025. I would like to see Smith in South Africa next year and also India in early 2027, then I can be sure of where he is in relation to Viv.
But Viv is a bit ahead of Smith, at least as of 2025. I would like to see Smith in South Africa next year and also India in early 2027, then I can be sure of where he is in relation to Viv.
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Johan
Hall of Fame Member
Heh, @Prince EWS Has the chance to do the funniest thing ever.
kyear2
Hall of Fame Member
Depends on how long the initial spells are, if the ball is still new and swinging, give it couple overs first to see what it's doing.
Not remotely comparing Warne to any of the crap spinners playing today, but that has been the common trend for quite a while now.
centurymaker
Cricketer Of The Year
You have nailed it!!
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Warne is not going to want to wait that long to be part of the game.
capt_Luffy
Hall of Fame Member
It's not. He literally thinks Grace and Don are equals
Johan
Hall of Fame Member
Ok, That doesn't change or invalidate my viewpoint.
kyear2
Hall of Fame Member
PEWS and I did that.
I subsequently requested a change of one of my selections, but yeah. And even including Bradman, the teams were fairly equal.
The top 4 picks on one side was Bradman and Marshall, and the other had Sobers and Imran, and also Gilchrist I think.
I'll look for it.
subshakerz
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
On top of that, as mentioned, because posters here are addicted to rankings and stats, you are going to end up with two fast medium line length pacers in your ATG XI.
You definitely lose a pace edge IMO. It all looks fine and dandy on paper but if you play this team against a Martian XI, expect Hadlee McGrath defensive tricks to be neutralised if there is a real sustained attack by aggressive bats and it will come down to Marshall having to bowl an express miracle spell.