100 years of Ashes + Draft with Cap on games

[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.

 

[Teuton]

Thanks guys. I'll take Billy Wade (11) due to his incredible FC average of over 48.

Plus as a Billy fits neatly into your team

 

[Line and Length]

Time I posted my team and some details.

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.

 

[ataraxia]

Plus as a Billy fits neatly into your team

Ha! How did I forget that...

 

[ataraxia]

Time I posted my team and some details.

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.

FWIW, JF Reid's test average probably oversells his worth. (he averaged more than 8 less in FC than in tests, and his second innings test batting average was... 12.09 [!])

Though, Reid was more known as a keeper at the start of his career -- he can stand in for Wasim very adeptly on occasion if need be.

 

[Line and Length]

FWIW, JF Reid's test average probably oversells his worth. (he averaged more than 8 less in FC than in tests, and his second innings test batting average was... 12.09 [!])

His average in 1st innings in Tests is 68.41
This, together with the fact that his Test average is significantly better than his FC average suggests he is a big game player!

 

[kingkallis]

Jacob Oram to complete my team

 

[trundler]

Jacob Oram to complete my team

Taken...

 

[kingkallis]

Lala Amarnath (24)

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

 

[Line and Length]

That completes the selection process, apart from the required adjustment to Red Hill's team (replacing A.Bacher). Not everyone has given a final batting line-up and summary (with or without stats) so I will wait approximately 24 hours before starting the voting stage in a separate thread.

anil 1405: S.Bond, H.Larwood, E.Paynter, K.S.Duleepsinhji, M.Tate, A.Melville, B.McMillan, H.Verity , J.Robertson, S.Patil, Ivan Barrow 250/250
ataraxia: B.O’Reilly, B.Ponsford, B.Woodfull, B.Johnston, L.Constantine, B.Brown, S.Clarke , S.Loxton, R.Dias, J.Ryder (NZ), W.Wade 243/250
Fuller Pilch: S.Barnes, C.Grimmett, M.Martindale, C.Bland, J.Ryder, A.Voges, S.Clarke, J.Oram, A Fairfax, J.Stollmeyer 231/250
kingkallis: D.Nourse, C. Croft, N.Adcock, T.Freeman, G.Allen, E.Tyldesley, C.Washbrook, A.Rae, R.Modi , S.Rhodes, L.Armanath 235/250
Line & Length: F.Tyson, E.Barlow, P.Pollock, C.A.G.Russell, S.Nurse, J.Wardle, V.Kambli, J.Reid, J.Hardstaff jnr, K.Higgs, Mohammad WasimJ 234/250
Red Hill: G.Pollock, B.Bowes , D.Jardine, D.Houghton, F.DeVilliers, S.Jones, R.Subba Row, ????, D.Bravo, E.Hollies, A.Jones 223/250
Teuton: G.Headley, V.Merchant, J.Gregory, D.Lindsay, Fazal Mahmood, B.Cowper, P.Jacques, S.Gupte, G.Gilmore , D.Lehmann, W.Daniel 235/250
Trundler: C.S.Dempster, S.McCabe, R.Harris, H.Tayfield, T.McDonald, C.McCool, D.Tallon, V.Hazare, Mohammad Asif, M.Goodwin, H.Collins 250/250


Thanks to all of you who participated. I found it fascinating looking for lesser lights with impressive records as opposed to drafting the regular ATGs. Special thanks to those who kept on eye out for selections that were outside the restrictions.

 

[kingkallis]

CricZo XI

Cyril Washbrook /
Allan Rae /
Rusi Modi /
Dudley Nourse /
Ernest Tyldesley /
Lala Amarnath / o
Steve Rhodes + /
Gubby Allen o / (c)
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.

 

[trundler]

Tallon averaged 32 in the shield ftr. Towards the end of his test career he had begun to go deaf as well.

 

[kingkallis]

Red Hill can have Chris Broad (25). Decent batting average. 6 tons as an opener.

 

[trundler]

I nominate West Indian CA Davis or Andy Sandham

Not a lot of openers left.

 

[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.

 

[Line and Length]

I nominate West Indian CA Davis or Andy Sandham

Not a lot of openers left.

Red Hill requested that you complete his team. kingkallis's suggestion of Broad fits the bill so you might consider him along with the two you mention. I'll open the voting a little later than intended so you can complete his side.

 

[trundler]

Chris Broad it is because he played the most games.

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

 

[Line and Length]

Thanks Trundler