The greatest in domestic cricket from each country

[Red]

Not considering tests, only considering domestic results, what would that greatest XII from each test nation be?

Here's my crack at Australia's. Stats used are FC cricket only.

Bob Simpson (6471 runs at 57)
Matthew Hayden (7913 at 54)
Don Bradman (8926 at 110) *
Greg Chappell (8737 at 57)
Michael Bevan (10621 at 60)
Darren Lehmann (13635 at 55)
Alan Davidson (242 wickets at 21)
Ray Lindwall (243 wickets at 22)
Darren Berry (546 dismissals) +
Ashley Mallett (344 wickets at 23)
Dennis Lillee (338 wickets at 23)

Clarrie Grimmett (513 wickets at 25)



Plenty of test stars but also Bevan and Lehmann make it in spite of limited test records for various reasons.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Bevan would have been such a gun Test player easily had he gotten a chance between 1999-2003

 

[Midwinter]

Where do Les Flavell, Sam Trimble and Jamie Siddons sit ?

 

[mr_mister]

Didn't both Woodfull and Ponsford average like 70+ in domestic cricket? Their FC averages are both above 60 and since their test averages are under 50 I can only assume



For an England county XI, I assume it'd just be all pre war players like Patsy and Mead but would Hick and Ramprakash be a fair shout?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Where do Les Flavell, Sam Trimble and Jamie Siddons sit ?

Would probably be a more interesting thread if you excluded Test players (or players who played greater than a certain number of tests) entirely

 

[morgieb]

Isn't Punter's Shield average like 60+?

 

[Daemon]

Tendulkar has like 20 hundreds and 20 fifties in 40 Ranji games iirc. Pretty sick.

 

[Red]

Didn't both Woodfull and Ponsford average like 70+ in domestic cricket? Their FC averages are both above 60 and since their test averages are under 50 I can only assume

Isn't Punter's Shield average like 60+?

TBH I pretty lazily went with the leading scorers of all time who had the best FC averages. On reflection, Ponsford should most certainly be there.

Not sure about Ponting but he didn't play a lot of FC cricket compared to tests.

 

[Red]

Where do Les Flavell, Sam Trimble and Jamie Siddons sit ?

Not as well performed as those selected or even their other FC contemporaries.

 

[Midwinter]

Not as well performed as those selected or even their other FC contemporaries.

Thanks

Probably why they didn't play many tests.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Vijay Merchant averaged 98 in Ranji.

 

[AndrewB]

Didn't both Woodfull and Ponsford average like 70+ in domestic cricket? Their FC averages are both above 60 and since their test averages are under 50 I can only assume



For an England county XI, I assume it'd just be all pre war players like Patsy and Mead but would Hick and Ramprakash be a fair shout?

Going by averages (as given in "Summer's Crown") and picking the wicket-keeper with the most victims it'd be:

Geoff Boycott (58.27)
CB Fry (56.77)
Wally Hammond (56.67)
KS Ranjitsinhji (62.04)
Graeme Hick (54.19)
Mark Ramprakash (58.18)
George Lohmann (12.94)
Bob Taylor (1220 caught/stumped)
Hedley Verity (13.20)
Brian Statham (15.17)
Bill Bowes (15.31)

Going by runs scored the top six batsmen (Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Mead, E Tyldesley, Woolley, Hendren) all retired in the 1930s and the bowling list is dominated by spinners.

 

[AndrewB]

Also, if overseas players are included, Lehmann (68.76) replaces Hick and Hadlee (14.50) replaces Bowes.

 

[morgieb]

FWIW, a list of AT best averages at Shield level:

Cricket Records | Sheffield Shield / Pura Cup | Records | Highest averages | ESPN Cricinfo
Cricket Records | Sheffield Shield / Pura Cup | Records | Best averages | ESPN Cricinfo

Some very surprising names in the bowling list, though tbf most of them appear to have not that many wickets.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Had no idea Monty Noble was that good as a batsman.

 

[morgieb]

So from that list I'd pick:

Ponsford
Morris
Bradman
Ponting
Kippax
Noble
Gilchrist (best batting average + dismissals per match combo I could find)
Davidson
Trumble
O'Reilly
Noblet

 

[mr_mister]

Wow Kippax was a beast. Pretty meh international record though


The Hick of his time?

 

[S.Kennedy]

Frank Woolley.

 

[Starfighter]

Tich Freeman would be a good pick for England. Others may have better averages but it's hard to argue with 386 five fors, and 250 wickets a season six years running.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Tich Freeman would be a good pick for England. Others may have better averages but it's hard to argue with 386 five fors, and 250 wickets a season six years running.

Yeah he has close to 100 more 5fers and 50 more 10fers than the second best. It's pretty insane.