Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
Participants are asked to rank the other 7 teams from top (8 points) down to 2 points. Non-participants can vote on all 8 teams on a 8 to 1 basis.
As there was a 'salary cap' in the form of a restriction on total games played, there are a number of "lesser lights" that may not be well know. Participants had the opportunity to present comments and stats to support their team. However, it is the quality of the team, not the supporting detail, that should be the criteria when voting.
Thanks to all participants, and the help and support provided. I think this was an interesting exercise to have a draft that overlooked the regular big names.
100 Years, 250 Games Ashes + Draft Voting
Anil1405
Alan Melville (C) (11 matches, 894 runs @ 52.58 avg)
Jack Robertson (11 matches, 881 runs @ 46.36)
KS Duleepsinhji (12 matches, 995 runs @ 58.52)
Eddie Paynter (20 matches, 1540 runs @ 59.43)
Sandeep Patil (29 matches, 1588 runs @ 36.93)
Brian McMillan (38 matches, 1968 runs @ 39.36 and 75 wickets @ 33.82 avg)
Maurice Tate (39 matches, 1198 runs @ 25.48, 155 wickets @ 26.16)
Ivan Barrow (Wk) (11 matches, 276 runs @ 16.23)
Harold Larwood ( 21 matches, 78 wickets @ 28.35 avg)
Hedley Verity (40 matches, 144 wickets @ 24.37 avg)
Shane Bond (18 matches, 87 wickets @ 22.09 avg)
Pretty decent openers in Melville and Robertson.
Alan Melville was an elegant batsman who was also aggressive against short pitch bowling and could hook the ball with ease. If his career did not coincide with Washbrook, Jack Robertson would have opened batting with Hobbs much more than the three times that he did.
At the heart of this team?s batting are KS Duleepsinhji and Eddie Paynter. KS Duleepsinhji: Ill health restricted his appearances for England (and cricketing career in general). Otherwise he was pretty immaculate as a batsman. He was particularly pleasing to watch against slow bowlers for his artistic wristwork and late cuts. Eddie Paynter was made for Ashes. In his seven tests against Australia he averaged 84.42 and in three of these tests he rescued his team from deep trouble.
Sandeep Patil was not the most consistent of batsman but I?ve picked him for his ability to destroy quality attacks on his day, like how he smashed Lillee, Pascoe and co. all over the park in Adelaide (1981). He does have some quality knocks under his belt under tough circumstances. And then at no.6 is the rock of this team. A man who cherishes tough battles and loves to dig deep for the sake of his team. Disciplined with both bat and ball, Brian McMillan knows how to make the most of his limited abilities.
Lower Middle Order: Tate was an underrated all-rounder and along with Barrow, Larwood and Verity this team can bat deep.
Bowling:
Harold Larwood was the man who executed the ?bodyline? plan set by Jardine and did it with authority. His bounce often terrorised opposition batsmen and, bodyline or not, he was a menace for the opposition batsman.
Shane Bond: Pace and swing in action.
Maurice Tate: Capt. CB Fry - ?Tate was a very great cricketer indeed. He could make the ball swing away very late outside the off-stump, and even the best batsmen were often beaten by him. He could make the ball rear off the pitch like a snake striking. He was even more successful in Australia than in this country -- in fact, he ranks with S. F. Barnes as the most successful bowler England has ever sent there.?
Sir Jack Hobbs - ?Maurice was one of the greatest bowlers of all time. It is difficult to find words to praise him sufficiently. I know from experience how difficult it was to lay against him.?
Hedley Verity: Sir Don - ?I think I knew all about Clarrie (Grimmett), but with Hedley I was never sure. You see, there was no breaking point with him. His whole career exemplified all that was best about cricket.? Verity once took 14 wickets in a day against Australia and he took all ten wickets in an innings twice in county cricket.
Brian McMillan: Accurate, hits the deck hard, can generate steep bounce and surprise the batsmen and more importantly a bowler that any captain can rely on if and when needed.
I am particularly pleased with the bowling attack of this team.
ataraxia
1.WH Ponsford /
2. WM Woodfull /
3. WA Brown /
4. RL Dias /
5. JD Ryder / o
6. WW Wade / +
7. SJE Loxton / o
8. LN Constantine* o /
9. ST Clarke o
10. WJ O'Reilly o
11. WA Johnston o
5 early-mid 20th century Australian Bills whose real names are William are in this side. The side overall has a weird but perhaps underrated 4 to 8, 3 openers, and a very solid bowling attack. It may be an unorthodox side, but I like it.
Fuller Pilch
Sid Barnes - 13 matches, 1072 runs @ 63.05
Jeff Stollmeyer - 32 matches, 2159 runs @ 42.33 (& 13 wickets @ 39)
Jack Ryder - 20 matches , 1394 runs @ 51.62 (& 17 wickets @ 42.3)
Adam Voges - 20 matches, 1485 runs @ 61.87
Colin Bland - 21 matches, 1669 runs @ 49.08
Alan Fairfax 3 - 10 matches, 410 runs @ 51.25 and 21 wickets @ 30.71
Jacob Oram 4 - 33 matches, 1780 runs @ 36.32 and 60 wickets @ 33.05
Budhi Kunderan - 18 matches (15 as keeper) 981 runs @ 32.7; 23 catches & 7 stumpings
Stuart Clark 1 - 24 matches, 94 wickets @ 23.86
Clarrie Grimmett 5 - 37 matches, 216 wickets @ 24.21
Manny Martindale 2 - 10 matches, 37 wickets @ 21.72
Very very strong top 5 with a couple averaging over 60 and the greatest fieldsman of all time. Two fine allrounders and an excellent keeper batsman who opened at times give real strength from 6-8. The bowlers include a Glenn McGrath clone, an early West Indian express bowler, the 2 allrounders, some useful part-timers and an ATG leggie who was one of the finest spinners of all time.
King kallis
CricZo XI
Cyril Washbrook /
Allan Rae /
Rusi Modi /
Dudley Nourse /
Ernest Tyldesley /
Lala Amarnath / o (c)
Steve Rhodes + /
Gubby Allen o /
Tich Freeman o
Colin Croft o
Neil Adcock o
Gubby Allen demanded to lead the team since its based on English Ashes Players and Lala Amarnath happily handed over the captaincy to Sir Allen.
Washbrook and Rae makes a fine fine opening pair followed by stylish Rusi, Nourse and Tyldesley supported by Amarnath, Rhodes and Allen who can bat well. Tich Freeman was one of the finest spinners of his era and we all know how lethal Croft and Adcock can be.
Line and Length
1.E.Barlow (c) /o 30 Tests. 2516 runs @ 45.74 including 6 centuries. 40 wickets @ 34.05 including a five-for.
2. C. (Jack) Russell / 10 Tests. 910 runs @ 56.88 including 5 centuries.
3. Vinod Kambli / 17 Tests. 1084 runs @ 54.20 including 4 centuries
4. J.F.Reid / 19 Tests. 1296 runs @ 46.29 including 6 centuries.
5. S.Nurse / 29 Tests. 2523 runs @ 47.60 including 6 centuries.
6. J.Hardstaff jnr. / 23 Tests. 1636 runs @ 46.74 including 4 centuries.
7. Mohammad Wasim (wkp) / 18 Tests. 783 runs @ 30.12 including 2 centuries.
8. P.Pollock /o 28 Tests. 607 runs @ 21.68. 116 wickets @ 24.19 including 9 five-fors.
9. J.Wardle o 28 Tests. 102 wickets @ 20.39 including 5 five-fors.
10. K.Higgs o 15 Tests. 71 wickets @ 20.75 including 2 five-fors.
11. F.Tyson o 17 Tests. 76 wickets @ 18.57 including 4 five-fors.
In addition to the centuries, 4 of the top 6 have double centuries to their names with a total of 6 in all. Barlow's career was restricted because of the SA ban but he had a distinguished FC career. Russell was unfortunate that Hobbs and Sutcliffe were around at the same time otherwise he would have had a much longer Test career as an opener. Kambli provides the left-hand bat variation at number 3 while the next 3 have figures that speak for themselves. Wasim only occasionally kept but his batting is solid. The bowling attack is formidable. Tyson and Pollock are great new-ball bowlers with good fast-medium support from Higgs and Barlow. Wardle was a somewhat controversial figure at times but his bowling figures indicate a spinner of class. One of my better drafts.
Red Hill
Chris Broad
Raman Subba Row
Andrew Jones
Graeme Pollock
Douglas Jardine*
Dave Houghton+
Dwayne Bravo 4
Eric Hollies 5
Simon Jones 2
Fanie De Villiers 1
Bill Bowes 3
Teuton
Vijay Merchant 10
Phil Jaques 11
George Headley 22
Bob Cowper 27
Darren Lehmann 27
Denis Lindsay 19
Jack Gregory 24
Gary Gilmour 15
Fazal Mahmood 34
Wayne Daniel 10
Subhash Gupte 36
Trundler
Herbie Collins (19) 1352 runs @ 46.1, 4 100s
Stewie Dempster (10) 723 runs @ 65.7, 2 100s
Stan McCabe (39) 2748 runs @ 48.2, 6 100s
Vijay Hazare (30) 2192 runs @ 47.6, 7 100s
Murray Goodwin (19) 1414 runs @ 42.8, 3 100s
Colin McCool (14) 459 runs @ 35.3, 1 100 / 36 wickets @ 26.6, 3 5 Ws
Don Tallon 21 tests, 394 runs @ 17.1, 2 50s / 50 catches, 8 stumpings
Ryan Harris 27 tests, 113 wickets @ 23.5, 5 Ws
Ted McDonald 11 tests, 43 wickets @ 33.3, 3 5 Ws
Hugh Tayfield 37 tests, 170 wickets @ 25.9, 14 5 Ws
Mohammad Asif 23 tests, 106 wickets @ 24.4, 7 5 Ws
All-star batting, well-balanced and varied pace trio backed up wonderfully by an ATG offie and a reliable leggie. McDonald and Tallon are better known for their long, illustrious FC careers and their short test careers undersell their worth.
As there was a 'salary cap' in the form of a restriction on total games played, there are a number of "lesser lights" that may not be well know. Participants had the opportunity to present comments and stats to support their team. However, it is the quality of the team, not the supporting detail, that should be the criteria when voting.
Thanks to all participants, and the help and support provided. I think this was an interesting exercise to have a draft that overlooked the regular big names.
100 Years, 250 Games Ashes + Draft Voting
Anil1405
Alan Melville (C) (11 matches, 894 runs @ 52.58 avg)
Jack Robertson (11 matches, 881 runs @ 46.36)
KS Duleepsinhji (12 matches, 995 runs @ 58.52)
Eddie Paynter (20 matches, 1540 runs @ 59.43)
Sandeep Patil (29 matches, 1588 runs @ 36.93)
Brian McMillan (38 matches, 1968 runs @ 39.36 and 75 wickets @ 33.82 avg)
Maurice Tate (39 matches, 1198 runs @ 25.48, 155 wickets @ 26.16)
Ivan Barrow (Wk) (11 matches, 276 runs @ 16.23)
Harold Larwood ( 21 matches, 78 wickets @ 28.35 avg)
Hedley Verity (40 matches, 144 wickets @ 24.37 avg)
Shane Bond (18 matches, 87 wickets @ 22.09 avg)
Pretty decent openers in Melville and Robertson.
Alan Melville was an elegant batsman who was also aggressive against short pitch bowling and could hook the ball with ease. If his career did not coincide with Washbrook, Jack Robertson would have opened batting with Hobbs much more than the three times that he did.
At the heart of this team?s batting are KS Duleepsinhji and Eddie Paynter. KS Duleepsinhji: Ill health restricted his appearances for England (and cricketing career in general). Otherwise he was pretty immaculate as a batsman. He was particularly pleasing to watch against slow bowlers for his artistic wristwork and late cuts. Eddie Paynter was made for Ashes. In his seven tests against Australia he averaged 84.42 and in three of these tests he rescued his team from deep trouble.
Sandeep Patil was not the most consistent of batsman but I?ve picked him for his ability to destroy quality attacks on his day, like how he smashed Lillee, Pascoe and co. all over the park in Adelaide (1981). He does have some quality knocks under his belt under tough circumstances. And then at no.6 is the rock of this team. A man who cherishes tough battles and loves to dig deep for the sake of his team. Disciplined with both bat and ball, Brian McMillan knows how to make the most of his limited abilities.
Lower Middle Order: Tate was an underrated all-rounder and along with Barrow, Larwood and Verity this team can bat deep.
Bowling:
Harold Larwood was the man who executed the ?bodyline? plan set by Jardine and did it with authority. His bounce often terrorised opposition batsmen and, bodyline or not, he was a menace for the opposition batsman.
Shane Bond: Pace and swing in action.
Maurice Tate: Capt. CB Fry - ?Tate was a very great cricketer indeed. He could make the ball swing away very late outside the off-stump, and even the best batsmen were often beaten by him. He could make the ball rear off the pitch like a snake striking. He was even more successful in Australia than in this country -- in fact, he ranks with S. F. Barnes as the most successful bowler England has ever sent there.?
Sir Jack Hobbs - ?Maurice was one of the greatest bowlers of all time. It is difficult to find words to praise him sufficiently. I know from experience how difficult it was to lay against him.?
Hedley Verity: Sir Don - ?I think I knew all about Clarrie (Grimmett), but with Hedley I was never sure. You see, there was no breaking point with him. His whole career exemplified all that was best about cricket.? Verity once took 14 wickets in a day against Australia and he took all ten wickets in an innings twice in county cricket.
Brian McMillan: Accurate, hits the deck hard, can generate steep bounce and surprise the batsmen and more importantly a bowler that any captain can rely on if and when needed.
I am particularly pleased with the bowling attack of this team.
ataraxia
1.WH Ponsford /
2. WM Woodfull /
3. WA Brown /
4. RL Dias /
5. JD Ryder / o
6. WW Wade / +
7. SJE Loxton / o
8. LN Constantine* o /
9. ST Clarke o
10. WJ O'Reilly o
11. WA Johnston o
5 early-mid 20th century Australian Bills whose real names are William are in this side. The side overall has a weird but perhaps underrated 4 to 8, 3 openers, and a very solid bowling attack. It may be an unorthodox side, but I like it.
Fuller Pilch
Sid Barnes - 13 matches, 1072 runs @ 63.05
Jeff Stollmeyer - 32 matches, 2159 runs @ 42.33 (& 13 wickets @ 39)
Jack Ryder - 20 matches , 1394 runs @ 51.62 (& 17 wickets @ 42.3)
Adam Voges - 20 matches, 1485 runs @ 61.87
Colin Bland - 21 matches, 1669 runs @ 49.08
Alan Fairfax 3 - 10 matches, 410 runs @ 51.25 and 21 wickets @ 30.71
Jacob Oram 4 - 33 matches, 1780 runs @ 36.32 and 60 wickets @ 33.05
Budhi Kunderan - 18 matches (15 as keeper) 981 runs @ 32.7; 23 catches & 7 stumpings
Stuart Clark 1 - 24 matches, 94 wickets @ 23.86
Clarrie Grimmett 5 - 37 matches, 216 wickets @ 24.21
Manny Martindale 2 - 10 matches, 37 wickets @ 21.72
Very very strong top 5 with a couple averaging over 60 and the greatest fieldsman of all time. Two fine allrounders and an excellent keeper batsman who opened at times give real strength from 6-8. The bowlers include a Glenn McGrath clone, an early West Indian express bowler, the 2 allrounders, some useful part-timers and an ATG leggie who was one of the finest spinners of all time.
King kallis
CricZo XI
Cyril Washbrook /
Allan Rae /
Rusi Modi /
Dudley Nourse /
Ernest Tyldesley /
Lala Amarnath / o (c)
Steve Rhodes + /
Gubby Allen o /
Tich Freeman o
Colin Croft o
Neil Adcock o
Gubby Allen demanded to lead the team since its based on English Ashes Players and Lala Amarnath happily handed over the captaincy to Sir Allen.
Washbrook and Rae makes a fine fine opening pair followed by stylish Rusi, Nourse and Tyldesley supported by Amarnath, Rhodes and Allen who can bat well. Tich Freeman was one of the finest spinners of his era and we all know how lethal Croft and Adcock can be.
Line and Length
1.E.Barlow (c) /o 30 Tests. 2516 runs @ 45.74 including 6 centuries. 40 wickets @ 34.05 including a five-for.
2. C. (Jack) Russell / 10 Tests. 910 runs @ 56.88 including 5 centuries.
3. Vinod Kambli / 17 Tests. 1084 runs @ 54.20 including 4 centuries
4. J.F.Reid / 19 Tests. 1296 runs @ 46.29 including 6 centuries.
5. S.Nurse / 29 Tests. 2523 runs @ 47.60 including 6 centuries.
6. J.Hardstaff jnr. / 23 Tests. 1636 runs @ 46.74 including 4 centuries.
7. Mohammad Wasim (wkp) / 18 Tests. 783 runs @ 30.12 including 2 centuries.
8. P.Pollock /o 28 Tests. 607 runs @ 21.68. 116 wickets @ 24.19 including 9 five-fors.
9. J.Wardle o 28 Tests. 102 wickets @ 20.39 including 5 five-fors.
10. K.Higgs o 15 Tests. 71 wickets @ 20.75 including 2 five-fors.
11. F.Tyson o 17 Tests. 76 wickets @ 18.57 including 4 five-fors.
In addition to the centuries, 4 of the top 6 have double centuries to their names with a total of 6 in all. Barlow's career was restricted because of the SA ban but he had a distinguished FC career. Russell was unfortunate that Hobbs and Sutcliffe were around at the same time otherwise he would have had a much longer Test career as an opener. Kambli provides the left-hand bat variation at number 3 while the next 3 have figures that speak for themselves. Wasim only occasionally kept but his batting is solid. The bowling attack is formidable. Tyson and Pollock are great new-ball bowlers with good fast-medium support from Higgs and Barlow. Wardle was a somewhat controversial figure at times but his bowling figures indicate a spinner of class. One of my better drafts.
Red Hill
Chris Broad
Raman Subba Row
Andrew Jones
Graeme Pollock
Douglas Jardine*
Dave Houghton+
Dwayne Bravo 4
Eric Hollies 5
Simon Jones 2
Fanie De Villiers 1
Bill Bowes 3
Teuton
Vijay Merchant 10
Phil Jaques 11
George Headley 22
Bob Cowper 27
Darren Lehmann 27
Denis Lindsay 19
Jack Gregory 24
Gary Gilmour 15
Fazal Mahmood 34
Wayne Daniel 10
Subhash Gupte 36
Trundler
Herbie Collins (19) 1352 runs @ 46.1, 4 100s
Stewie Dempster (10) 723 runs @ 65.7, 2 100s
Stan McCabe (39) 2748 runs @ 48.2, 6 100s
Vijay Hazare (30) 2192 runs @ 47.6, 7 100s
Murray Goodwin (19) 1414 runs @ 42.8, 3 100s
Colin McCool (14) 459 runs @ 35.3, 1 100 / 36 wickets @ 26.6, 3 5 Ws
Don Tallon 21 tests, 394 runs @ 17.1, 2 50s / 50 catches, 8 stumpings
Ryan Harris 27 tests, 113 wickets @ 23.5, 5 Ws
Ted McDonald 11 tests, 43 wickets @ 33.3, 3 5 Ws
Hugh Tayfield 37 tests, 170 wickets @ 25.9, 14 5 Ws
Mohammad Asif 23 tests, 106 wickets @ 24.4, 7 5 Ws
All-star batting, well-balanced and varied pace trio backed up wonderfully by an ATG offie and a reliable leggie. McDonald and Tallon are better known for their long, illustrious FC careers and their short test careers undersell their worth.
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