Back Draft

[NUFAN]

01 G. BOYCOTT
02 G. GREENIDGE
03 B. LARA
04 J. MIANDAD
05 J. KALLIS
06 R. JADEJA
07 A. KNOTT
08 K. DEV
09 A. BEDSER
10 B. BEDI
11. G. MCGRATH

I quite like this team. The bowling unit seems an interesting group and while Jadeja might look like he is batting high, with Knott and Dev behind him, Im happy enough with it.

I did want Ashwin over Bedi. I thought about Gillespie over Bedser, but realistically that was only for the McGrath Gillespie known partnership and Bedser is objectively a better bowler than Dizzy.

I also thought about Haynes-Greenidge opening partnership but for similar reasons I just went who I thought was the best opener available in Boycott.

If I had my time over I would have went for the best end M name like Murali and spent ages in the M and L range.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Some very exciting players there Noofers, Dev and Lara always keep you in the game

 

[jimmy101]

Might end up with a slightly lopsided team, but I'll take Jasprit Bumrah for my R10 pick.

 

[ataraxia]

1. Hanif Mohammad
2. Farokh Engineer +
3. Vivian Richards
4. Graeme Pollock
5. Virat Kohli*
6. Martin Crowe
7. Chris Cairns - 5
8. Shaun Pollock - 1
9. Shane Warne - 4
10. Harold Larwood - 2
11. Muttiah Muralitharan - 3

Really happy with my team. The spinners and the middle order are the strengths and the others aren't that bad. Hanif and Engineer both were key players in below-par sides so they can put up a defensive sort of fight to guard the batting to come. The pace bowling is pretty well rounded, with a line-and-length bowler, a express pacer, and a shock bowler, all on the fringes of their respective country's teams. I reckon this side can 99 times out of 100 make it to late on the fourth day, when Warne and Mura can do their thing. Very happy for my first draft.

 

[NUFAN]

Imagine keeping to Warne and Murali in tandem and then having to open the batting. Your team on paper is very good, but thats an issue.

 

[ataraxia]

He did keep to Bedi, Gupte, Chandra, Prasanna, and Venkat however. Sure he could adapt. If it's a problem then S. Pollock can open the batting.

 

[NUFAN]

He did keep to Bedi, Gupte, Chandra, Prasanna, and Venkat however. Sure he could adapt. If it's a problem then S. Pollock can open the batting.

What did he average opening having just kept?

 

[ataraxia]

I don't know how to get better info than this:
Farokh Engineer - Performance Analysis by Batting Position - Test Cricket and Farokh Engineer - Performance Analysis by Innings No - Test Cricket

 

[ataraxia]

Can't see any significant drop off between first and later innings considering this: Shaun Pollock - Performance Analysis by Innings No - Test Cricket

 

[NUFAN]

Exactly. But one is opening and the other is a good number 8.

Under 20 in the 4th innings is woeful but at least you have good batsman following.

 

[ataraxia]

The thing is, Engineer opened for pretty much his whole career. Maybe I should have picked a different opener but maybe not. Even if he does complain (which I doubt), Viv averages almost 70 there (in 4 innings). I haven't found anything about him struggling opening and keeping.

 

[NUFAN]

You think under 20 in the 4th dig, never reaching 46 is acceptable? Perhaps now youve found something to show he struggled opening after keeping.

 

[Red]

Colin Cowdrey
David Boon
Rahul Dravid
Steve Smith
Zaheer Abbas
Garry Sobers
Quinton de Kock +
Richard Hadlee
Alan Davidson
Clarrie Grimmett
Joel Garner


Missing Boycott by one pick probably hurt me a bit, but a good side. Plenty of stability in the top order, Boon and Cowdrey both exceptional players of pace. Dravid and Smith at 3 and 4 will be a nightmare if they build a partnership. Abbas adds class and free flow scoring, and then Sobers is the batting lynchpin. DeKock, Hadlee and Davidson can all bat very well, so we won't be easily bowled out.

Have a diverse and excellent bowling attack. The four front liners are all renowned misers who can take wickets. The all round genius of Hadlee, the left arm swing and economy of Davo, and the height, accuracy and threat of Garner would combine to make scoring incredibly difficult. Grimmett is cut from the same cloth and takes almost 6 wickets per test. Sobers to provide the relief and chip in with wickets.

 

[NUFAN]

Zaheer Abbas starts with Z. You need to repick.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Colin Bland

Battlers
1. Jack Hobbs
2. Alastair Cook
3. Wally Hammond (5)
4. Michael Clarke (c)
5. AB De Villiers
6. Colin Bland
7. Adam Gilchrist (wk)
8. Malcolm Marshall (1)
9. Pat Cummins (3)
10. Bill O’Reilly (4)
11. Allan Donald (2)

Pretty happy with the strength of my bowling attack. Donald & Mako with the new ball is pretty formidable and Patty first drop is going to not release pressure at all. O’Reilly was the Don’s favourite bowler so happy with the attack.

Batting wise openers down to seven all have excellent records and have the ability to post high totals.

 

[NUFAN]

I feel like an underrated aspect of your team TBP is fielding. Quality run savers and safe pairs of hands.

 

[mr_mister]

Godfrey Evans


Bill Ponsford
Victor Trumper
Younis Khan
Everton Weekes
Steve Waugh 5 *
Herbie Taylor
Godfrey Evans +
Frank Tyson 1
Johnny Wardle 4
Bob Willis 3
Courtney Walsh 2


Nice therapeutic draft for me. Didn't have to really compete with any other drafters. This side ain't winning but it's not bad

 

[ataraxia]

Think that it would've been better with Underwood for Wardle but it's a nice selection of players. Don't really like Evans at 7 either.

 

[mr_mister]

I mean Evans was a genuine 7 back in the day. It's where he mainly batted

 

[ataraxia]

He did average less than 20 there though; maybe more at home a bit more down the order: Thomas Evans - Performance Analysis by Batting Position - Test Cricket