England's Greatest Ever XI

[BoyBrumby]

Beefy, Laker & Fred I'll give you and dear old Kenny has a very good case too, but really, honestly? Harmison?

Even if we limit it to post WW2 we have Bedser, Statham, Tyson, Snow, Willis, Fraser, Gough, Caddick and even dear old Hoggy with better cases.

 

[Dissector]

Greig is not a bad choice. He was a sort of poor man's Jacques Kallis but still a good batting all-rounder which is what most teams need for their fifth bowler.

I am assuming this is a post-war team, and from the exclusion of Hutton it appears only players with their full careers after the war. Harmison is obviously daft. I would probably pick Willis for his awkward bounce and pace but as mentioned there are plenty of choices: Snow, Statham, Bedser etc. KP perhaps deserves a nod in place of Peter May

 

[zaremba]

Harmison is just absurd.

Even if it is post-war, Hutton should be there, as should John Snow. Probably Gower too.

But then, why would it say "Greatest Ever" and omit the first 60 years, along with Hobbs, Hammond, WG, Sutcliffe, Larwood, Lohmann and Verity? How odd.

Of the more left-field selections, Tony Grieg isn't a bad call, always got the impression he's quite underrated due to being invloved in WSC, a South African and/or a bit of a dick.

Gotta love Howe_zat when he's on form. A lot of nails hit here.

 

[Howe_zat]

Gotta love Howe_zat when he's on form. A lot of nails hit here.

 

[Jacknife]

I've got this DVD and it is from, the last 50 years which when this was made in 2005 is post war players. Harmison averaged 27 when this was made, but he'd only played 30 Tests, obviously with hindsight, we know he shouldn't be there and this is a good example why players, who are only a few years into their careers, should not be chosen for lists like this. I bet Bannister, Stewart and Cowdrey must cringe now and I bet they get reminded of it as well.
The choices for the fast bowlers, were between those mentioned and Snow and Willis, personally I'd have put Snow in. In the middle order there was also Gower and Cowdrey that got into the final choices, but weren't picked, I'd have gone for Gower over May personally.

 

[archie mac]

James to be given six infraction points for spamming CC


My post 1948 team


Hutton
Boycott
May
Barrington
Gower
Botham
Flintoff
Knott
Trueman
Laker
Willis

 

[amyswan]

How come Harmison secured a place in England's Greatest XI. Just a few of his spells are worth mentioning rest of his career is full injuries and inconsistent performances. I guess Darren Gough was much better than him as he's the only English bowler who can do reverse swing

 

[centurymaker]

April Fools?

 

[zaremba]

My tribute seems a bit creepy now I'm sober. 'Twas a good post though.

 

[zaremba]

James to be given six infraction points for spamming CC


My post 1948 team


Hutton
Boycott
May
Barrington
Gower
Botham
Flintoff
Knott
Trueman
Laker
Willis

That's a good team. And of those you didn't select....

Gooch
Stewart
Dexter
Thorpe
Pietersen
D'Oliveira
Grieg
Russell
Bedser
Tyson
Underwood

12th man: Statham

 

[fredfertang]

That's a good team. And of those you didn't select....

Gooch
Stewart
Dexter
Thorpe
Pietersen
D'Oliveira
Grieg
Russell
Bedser
Tyson
Underwood

12th man: Statham

and of those neither of you chose

Atherton
Washbrook
Barber
Pullar
Hayes
Fairbrother
Hegg
Lever
Mahmood
Statham
Tattersall

 

[zaremba]

There are at least two good reasons for that.
Oh and I did select Statham as my 12th man - so you will have to draft in someone like George Formby as a replacement in your team

 

[Howe_zat]

Not enough Ian Austin in this thread.

 

[fredfertang]

There are at least two good reasons for that.
Oh and I did select Statham as my 12th man - so you will have to draft in someone like George Formby as a replacement in your team

You can't sabotage my team by having Statham as twelfthers - this thread is about XIs

 

[Blakus]

Both of you seem to have overlooked John Snow. Pick him in one of the XI's instead of fighting over Statham.

Wardle also deserves to be in contention

 

[archie mac]

Both of you seem to have overlooked John Snow. Pick him in one of the XI's instead of fighting over Statham.

Wardle also deserves to be in contention

Snow should be in at least one of the three teams

Wardle comes across as a prick from what I have read, is there a good bio on him?

 

[fredfertang]

Alan Hill did one in the late 80s/early 90s called "Cricket Conjuror" which is OK. Wardle himself wrote an autobiography, well AA Thomson wrote it for him, called "Happy Go Johnny" back in the late 50s

 

[archie mac]

Alan Hill did one in the late 80s/early 90s called "Cricket Conjuror" which is OK. Wardle himself wrote an autobiography, well AA Thomson wrote it for him, called "Happy Go Johnny" back in the late 50s

Thanks Fred.

I read Hill's effort on Laker and did not enjoy it. Maybe I should give him another chance.

Did not know that about Wardle and Thomson will have to track it down. I hope I have Wardle right about his personality, I read it in a tribute book to Hutton

 

[fredfertang]

Certainly from all I've read Wardle could be a **** but I think it was a case of him not suffering fools gladly - he was sacked by Yorks because he couldn't keep quiet about his views on their appointing JR Burnet as captain - he was also a joker - lots of stories about him playing to the gallery - and Geoff Cope thought the world of him after he helped him sort out his action after it was criticised

 

[hang on]

anyone remember the post war all time england vs rest of the world simulations that martin jenkins and co. did about a decade or so back?

quite interesting, especially the reasoning behind the selections. will try and dig up the teams.