Pick your 30!

[chaminda_00]

I seriously expected a better comment from you there Marc. If your just compiling a World XI side made up of 'rankings' alone, then I'm afraid the World XI side selected will just crash and burn. If there's one thing Australia is afraid of, it's sheer and utter class and not form. How many times have we seen the top form sides been demolished time and time again by Australia....Class always wins through in the end, and so will Tendulkar.

Yeah South Africa anyone

 

[Steulen]

Its actually an annual event and I believe the best possible team to win the match should be played. And not being in the best of forms doesnt mean Tendulkar, who is one of the best talents to have played the game, isnt suited to play in this game.

The Australian team will be the happiest if they do not have to bowl to Tendulkar. If Tendulkar is fit, there is no question in my mind that he should play given his track record vs Australia, his ability and his tenacity to handle pressure.

And I will therefore repeat that Tendulkar will open. Dravid/Lara/Kallis is a middle order even Tendulkar will have trouble breaking into, while apart from Sehwag all openers are expendable.

 

[chaminda_00]

And I will therefore repeat that Tendulkar will open. Dravid/Lara/Kallis is a middle order even Tendulkar will have trouble breaking into, while apart from Sehwag all openers are expendable.

Considering Kallis' record aganist Australia i don't think he will have that much trouble getting into that middle order. If their going to make anyone a makeshift opener, it will be Kallis.

 

[GermanShepherd]

If you had two brain cells to rub together you'd realise it's a perfectly valid point given the past half dozen or so years.

And I thought you English could actually come up with some decent retorts

 

[Mister Wright]

Its actually an annual event and I believe the best possible team to win the match should be played. And not being in the best of forms doesnt mean Tendulkar, who is one of the best talents to have played the game, isnt suited to play in this game.

The Australian team will be the happiest if they do not have to bowl to Tendulkar. If Tendulkar is fit, there is no question in my mind that he should play given his track record vs Australia, his ability and his tenacity to handle pressure.

An annual event? Is that true? I thought I was going to be every 2 or 4 years.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Whether or not Tendulkar should be picked, he WILL be, provided he is fit. That leaves one very difficult decision for the selectors, which is to leave out one of Kallis or Lara (almost certainly Kallis), make Kallis open, or make Flintoff play as a specialist bowler and bat at 7 or 8.

 

[chaminda_00]

An annual event? Is that true? I thought I was going to be every 2 or 4 years.

Yeah i thought it was only going to be every 4 years, i was under the impression the calender was:
2005: Super Series
2006: Champions' Trophy
2007: World Cup
2008: Champions' Trophy

and so on

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Every four years starting on 1 April 2005 the top team in the LG ICC Test Championship will qualify to play the Team of Champions in the Johnnie Walker ICC Super Series Test for a winner-takes-all prize in addition to generous match payments to the players.

I interpret that the way Chaminda does. That makes some sense, at least....this gimmick shouldn't be done too often.

 

[chaminda_00]

Whether or not Tendulkar should be picked, he WILL be, provided he is fit. That leaves one very difficult decision for the selectors, which is to leave out one of Kallis or Lara (almost certainly Kallis), make Kallis open, or make Flintoff play as a specialist bowler and bat at 7 or 8.

A lot depends on Flintoff's Ashes form, if he performs regular with the ball, they may play him as a bowler. If a fails then they may not play Flintoff at all and play Kallis. If he has a ok series, but doesn't really perform with the ball, then who knows.

I don't think Kallis, Lara, Dravid or Tendulkar will open, if anyone is made a makeshift opener then it will be Sangakkara.

 

[marc71178]

When you consider Kallis average aganist Australia he would never get infront of Tendulkar, or anyone with a record similar aganist Australia, regardless of how good his curent form is.

So you'd drop the number one batsman in the world (who in the last 12 months has 1497 runs @ 71.28) for someone who's on the wane and in the same time scale has 664 @ 55.33?

Furthermore, removing the Bangladesh and Zimbabwe figures:

Kallis - 1385 @ 72.89
Tendulkar - 380 @ 34.55

 

[marc71178]

There is also Vaas, but i think when you add in his batting there is a small reason to put him infront of Hoggard

Yes, so just ignore the whole bowling thing, I mean he's only a bowler (!)

 

[marc71178]

Sorry, but someone who thinks the teams should be picked on world rankings, and doesnt think that Sachin Tendulkar - who averaged 50 in his last Test series - should make the team, has zero feel for the game.

Right, so which of Kallis, Lara and Dravid does he replace then?

There's no argument for any of them whatsoever.

 

[marc71178]

Also Mr Bond should be playing international cricket from August/sept and if he is even close to his old form he'd have to be a look in.

Not with the series in October he wouldn't be.

 

[marc71178]

But would you chose only on form or a composition of factors.

I'd want the side with the best chance of winning the match.

At the moment that doesn't give Tendulkar a hope of making the 11.

 

[marc71178]

I seriously expected a better comment from you there Marc. If your just compiling a World XI side made up of 'rankings' alone, then I'm afraid the World XI side selected will just crash and burn. If there's one thing Australia is afraid of, it's sheer and utter class and not form. How many times have we seen the top form sides been demolished time and time again by Australia....Class always wins through in the end, and so will Tendulkar.

So go on then, which of Lara, Dravid and Kallis deserve to be dropped for someone who is performing considerably worse than them then?

 

[Pratters]

I'd want the side with the best chance of winning the match.

At the moment that doesn't give Tendulkar a hope of making the 11.

Yes that your view. Such differences have to happen on who some one believes will be best to suited to win the match over all. Which is why the selection panel is 3-6 members and not a sole person.

 

[marc71178]

So go on then, justify picking him ahead of Lara, Dravid or Kallis then?

Quite clearly nobody can because those 3 are that much better than him at the moment that no amount of hype can make any difference.

 

[Pratters]

So go on then, justify picking him ahead of Lara, Dravid or Kallis then?

Quite clearly nobody can because those 3 are that much better than him at the moment that no amount of hype can make any difference.

I am not picking Tendulkar ahead of the above mentioned players. The team I mentioned have them all including Flintoff. And if Tendulkar gets picked above Kallis its not that big a deal to be honest.

See when Michael Clarke got picked by Australia, a lot of people said based on his FC record he shouldnt have been selected. He made his debut century in the tour.

So he justified his selection.

Now there can be a lot of different people with different opinions on who is likely to perform better in the 6 day test in Sydney. If some one believes Tendulkar has a better chance, he is justified in believing so.

 

[marc71178]

I am not picking Tendulkar ahead of the above mentioned players. The team I mentioned have them all including Flintoff. And if Tendulkar gets picked above Kallis its not that big a deal to be honest.

How is leaving out the best batsman in the world on form for someone who's in poor form not a big deal?

I'm still waiting for any reason why he should be picked ahead of a middle order of Dravid at 3, Lara at 4, Kallis at 5.

 

[Pratters]

How is leaving out the best batsman in the world on form for someone who's in poor form not a big deal?

I'm still waiting for any reason why he should be picked ahead of a middle order of Dravid at 3, Lara at 4, Kallis at 5.

I didnt say I will leave out Kallis from the team. If Kallis keeps his good form, you can play him as an opener or Sangakarra as an opener. The actual make up of the squad will be much clearer after the ashes actually.

I have already given my team.

How is it justified in leaving Kallis you ask. Well what is Kallis' record against Australia compared to that of Tendulkar? How is it justified in leaving Tendlkar out, some one who has shown best mental frame to face the Australians where many have not managed that?

According to you a selection is based just on form. If Tendulkar was totally out of it, not scoring runs (he has been making some pretty decent runs in tests though not at the best form of his life) then maybe I will consider dropping Tendulkar. Not in the current scheme of things.

I repeat what I said earlier, as much as I wouldnt like Kallis dropped, I would have to do that if he or Sangakarra cant open the batting as I believe a middle order of Dravid, Lara and Tendulkar is much stronger than Dravid, Kallis and Lara.