Cricket Web All Time World XI

[adharcric]

I think this is going to get confusing with lots of votes split among different positions.

Anyway my pick is Imran Khan: IMO the best of the four 80's all-rounders and perhaps the greatest bowling all-rounder ever. He would be close to getting the nod for his bowling alone anyway. What about Hadlee? I would pick him at 9.

I was considering that too, but are you willing to go with only one strike pace bowler (mcgrath, marshall, lillee) just to accomodate both imran and hadlee. Basically, imran + hadlee + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes or imran/hadlee + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes

 

[a10khan]

I was considering that too, but are you willing to go with only one strike pace bowler (mcgrath, marshall, lillee) just to accomodate both imran and hadlee. Basically, imran + hadlee + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes or imran/hadlee + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes

r u implying that imran and/or hadlee were not strike bowlers?

 

[Jono]

I was considering that too, but are you willing to go with only one strike pace bowler (mcgrath, marshall, lillee) just to accomodate both imran and hadlee. Basically, imran + hadlee + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes or imran/hadlee + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes + mcgrath/marshall/lillee/barnes

Just because Imran and Hadlee could bat, didn't mean they weren't strike bowlers.

Anyway I'd like to see Imran, Hadlee, Warne and Marshall as the final four. The team would theoretically bat till 11.

 

[adharcric]

r u implying that imran and/or hadlee were not strike bowlers?

by normal standards, they certainly were strike bowlers. but this is not a normal team, this is an all-time world XI team. marshall and mcgrath are ahead of hadlee and imran perhaps bowling-wise. this is what i'm referring to when i call them strike bowlers.

 

[Dissector]

I think Hadlee is easily good enough to be picked for his bowling alone and Imran close to be so picked. Plus their bowling styles , with Imran's pace and swing with Hadlee's accuracy and seam movement, complement each other nicely. So on bowling merits alone Imran-Hadlee would be one of the best fast-bowling combinations. Their batting seals the deal.

I would also add that you can't downplay batting at 8 and 9 despite the formidable batting line up because the opponents for this team would presumably be the second World XI which would also have a great attack.

 

[adharcric]

I think Hadlee is easily good enough to be picked for his bowling alone and Imran close to be so picked. Plus their bowling styles , with Imran's pace and swing with Hadlee's accuracy and seam movement, complement each other nicely. So on bowling merits alone Imran-Hadlee would be one of the best fast-bowling combinations. Their batting seals the deal.

I would also add that you can't downplay batting at 8 and 9 despite the formidable batting line up because the opponents for this team would presumably be the second World XI which would also have a great attack.

That's true, I didn't say batting should be downplayed, simply that at this point we need to make sure we don't get too caught up in search for all-rounders that we forget to build strong bowling. Hadlee in my opinion has to be included. Then there's Marshall, McGrath and Imran. If we want Imran in, Marshall/McGrath will come in at 10 (murali plays) or 11 (warne plays). But if you've got both Imran and Hadlee in, Imran should be batting higher up in the order than Hadlee. If we vote in Imran here, there's a possibility Hadlee gets left out, which is an absolute shame. So this will be tricky ... do we assume the Hadlee will get the nod at 9 and vote in Imran here, or do we vote in Hadlee to ensure his place in the team.

 

[C_C]

I feel that a player's overall contribution to the team is more important than his contribution in one aspect alone.
A player's overall impact on the team is more important to consider and if the player is an alltime great in one aspect, that has to be kept in mind as well.

Imran was an alltime great bowler, slightly behind Hadlee in my opinion. Both are competent and capable of leading an attack, even one as special as this one. The difference between bowlers like Imran, Hadlee, Marshall, Ambrose, McGrath, Donald, Holding, Wasim, Trueman, Garner, etc. are very little in their area of expertise ( pace bowling).
However, Imran is significantly better than Hadlee when it comes to batting and he is a very good candidate for being captain, as this alltime great team lacks a genuine alltime great captain ( bradman was good but not in the same echelon as some of the greatest captains while the rest are at best 'competent' in this regard).

Owing to this, Imran would be more valuable to the team than Hadlee IMO.

Its a bit like debating whether one of Tendulkar/Lara/Sobers/Richards etc. is the best batsman after Bradman, but Sobers being easily more valuable than the other three as a cricketer ( The gap between Imran and Hadlee is not as much IMO but Imran is more valued a cricketer than Hadlee IMO).

Infact, the only other challenger for this position is Keith Miller IMO as he was essentially a lot like Imran Khan in terms of impact to the game - great bowler, competent batsman and an excellent fielder.

My last four would be Imran, Hadlee, Marshall and Muralitharan.

 

[C_C]

PS: I think a more challenging and interesting exercise would be to pick two XIs who are as close to each other in competence as possible ( eg, Bradman and Sobers in opposing teams, Tendulkar and Lara in opposing teams, Murali/Warne, McGrath/Marshall in opposing teams, etc).

 

[adharcric]

PS: I think a more challenging and interesting exercise would be to pick two XIs who are as close to each other in competence as possible ( eg, Bradman and Sobers in opposing teams, Tendulkar and Lara in opposing teams, Murali/Warne, McGrath/Marshall in opposing teams, etc).

That would be kind of boring apart from the Tendulkar/Lara, Bradman/Sobers, Murali/Warne, Imran/Hadlee obvious ones. If you wanted to separate it based on some other criteria, ie continents, etc. perhaps, otherwise I think what we've got here is great.

 

[NZTailender]

Sir Richard Hadlee

 

[Fusion]

Imran Khan for sure. IMO, the best of the 80's all-rounder. A natural leader, a brilliant bowler, good batsman and fielder. One of the all-time greats.

 

[aussie]

but Imran is more valued a cricketer than Sobers IMO.

well we all are entitled to our own opinions but i struggle to see how Imran can be more valued as a cricket than Sir Garry.

 

[adharcric]

Blaze, can you please change my vote from Hadlee to Imran. Someone mentioned that Imran would fill the need for a leader in this squad. Also, I'm hoping Hadlee can make it at #9. So, I go for Imran Khan.

 

[C_C]

well we all are entitled to our own opinions but i struggle to see how Imran can be more valued as a cricket than Sir Garry.

Thanks for the correction- its a typo. I meant Hadlee.

 

[Clarence]

It's gotta be Khan...

 

[cric_manic]

Wasim Akram?

 

[Zinzan]

Sir Richard HADLEE

 

[ohtani's jacket]

I'll choose Imran Khan... Hadlee came to my school once -- if you didn't know he was great, he'll tell you all about it. The mother stole our lunch break.

Actually, C_C's argument swayed me.

I also think it would be cool to choose another XI to play our side.

 

[a massive zebra]

Imran Khan

 

[The Baconator]

Imran Khan, nice to have a long batting line up.