# 6 for 1966-85 World XI

[aussie tragic]

This is a 5-day Poll to pick the # 6 for the “1966-85 World Test XI”.

Only 1966-85 records are considered and all-rounder criteria is a min. of 20 tests with a batting Ave > 30.00 and Bowling Ave < 35.00 (2 runner-up # 5 batsmen are also included).

The following are the all-rounder nominees:

Ian Botham: 79 Tests, 4409 runs @ 36.13 (13/20) --- 343 wkts @ 26.37, SR 53.6 --- 92 catches
Kapil Dev: 73 Tests, 3009 runs @ 30.09 (3/17) --- 280 wkts @ 28.49, SR 56.4 --- 30 catches
Tony Greig: 58 Tests, 3599 runs @ 40.43 (8/20) --- 141 wkts @ 32.20, SR 69.5 --- 87 catches
Imran Khan: 54 Tests, 2092 runs @ 31.22 (2/8) --- 249 wkts @ 22.43, SR 53.3 --- 16 catches

While the following are the # 5 Batsmen runner-ups:

Allan Border: 77 tests, 5834 runs @ 51.62 (16/30) ----- 15 wkts @ 41.66 --- 85 catches
Javed Miandad: 71 tests, 5350 runs @ 56.91 (14/28) ----- 17 wkts @ 39.52 --- 62 catches

Btw, the 1966-85 World Test XI so far:

1. Sunil Gavaskar
2. Gordon Greenidge
3. Viv Richards
4. Greg Chappell
5. Gary Sobers
6. ---------------------
7. Alan Knott
8. ---------------------
9. Malcom Marshall
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Derek Underwood

 

[aussie tragic]

IMO, only Greig and Botham have a good enough batting average as an allrounder to go above Knott at # 7 (Ave 32.75), and obviously Botham is the much better bowler (and charity walker).

 

[silentstriker]

IMO, only Greig and Botham have a good enough batting average as an allrounder to go above Knott at # 7 (Ave 32.75), and obviously Botham is the much better bowler (and charity walker).

If you're going to pick Botham, Imran is superior as a bowler and as a batsman.

 

[aussie tragic]

If you're going to pick Botham, Imran is superior as a bowler and as a batsman.

If this was the Final Bowler poll, I'd agree that Imran is > Botham, however as it is the # 6 poll, I choose Botham for his 36 average with 13 centuries vs Imran's 31 average with only 2 centuries. Also, Botham has 92 catches in 79 tests vs Imran's 16 catches in 54 tests, so IMO Botham was the better allrounder during the period in question

 

[Slifer]

Overall, Imran was far and away the greater allrounder but for this period, Botham was just too impressive for me so I'll go with him.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I wanted Miandad and Sobers at 5 and 6 and see no reason to change. Of the rest Botham is the top allrounder for this period. Imran was only a number 7 or 8 early in his Test career. I can never be bothered disecting stats but I'll bet Imran's figures after 1985 with the bat are far superior to this period and only then could he be considered a genuine allrounder.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Miandad. Six bowlers is overkill.

 

[nightprowler10]

Miandad for me too. I would've voted different if a specialist batsman had made it to #5. But since Sobers can bowl....

 

[adharcric]

Miandad. Six bowlers is overkill.

Sobers is not good enough to be a "main bowler" in an all-time team.
He's somewhere between part-time and specialist status, which means we would have only 4.5 bowlers if we picked Miandad here.
Overall, Imran >> Botham, but I'll go with Botham here for his batting superiority in this period.

 

[Matt79]

Botham - for the majority of his career in this period Botham was a much better allrounder than Imran.

 

[Perm]

Ian Botham for me.

 

[oz_fan]

Botham for me. Superb all-rounder during this period.

 

[Anil]

botham for me....

 

[bagapath]

i've gone for beefy myself. he was the best all rounder of the era. tbh, i was waiting for this poll to cast my vote. i really want him there in the team.

 

[Poker Boy]

I have to declare a vested interest here. Ian Botham is my hero. So its biased, I know but Beefy has to be in - especially as Sobers has been ruled out by being put in at No 5.

 

[BhupinderSingh]

On anyday of the week,I would pick a bowling allrounder over a batting allrounder in my team.So,Its Imran Khan for me.Botham's batting may've been bit better than Imran's in this era but overall,Imran Khan was a much better allrounder than Ian Botham.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Why would you pick a bowling all-rounder over a batting all-rounder to bat at 6? There's no reason Imran can't be the last bowler picked.

I'd rather go for another batsman and have Botham or Imran at 8 though. There's already going to be five bowlers in the side, and that's plenty, especially given the quality present.

 

[aussie tragic]

It's funny, Kapil Dev and Tony Greig have a better test record than the current # 1 allrounder does (Flintoff), and yet they can't get a single vote.

I can understand Greig missing out (as Botham was much better), however I thought Kapil would have at least recieved some votes as I thought he was very highly regarded, especially in India?

 

[silentstriker]

It's funny, Kapil Dev and Tony Greig have a better test record than the current # 1 allrounder does (Flintoff), and yet they can't get a single vote.

I can understand Greig missing out (as Botham was much better), however I though Kapil would have at least recieved some votes as I thought he was very highly regarded, especially in India?

Not when his opponent is Imran Khan . If he had started playing in the 90's, he'd be the best in the world, but not when he did.

 

[aussie]

Miandad