The Sky Commentary Team pick their team of the "Noughties"

[Red]

All this talk about players you'd "pay to watch" or would "take people away from the bars to watch" is such snobbery.

I don't think it is snobbery. I'll watch any cricket, but I'd much rather watch Mark Waugh bat for an hour than watch Chanderpaul bat for an hour.

 

[akilana]

Would rather watch Akram and Waqar bowl than watch Mcgrath bore me to sleep. Bull****

 

[watson]

I used to lean over the fence at the SCG and bang the advertising sign as Dennis ran into bowl, while yelling Lill-eeee, Lill-eeee.

Some players have that effect on you, while others leave you cold. As far as watching a live game is concerned, McGrath is not a patch on Lillee despite being the better bowler.

Now you can call that psycho-mumbo-jumbo if you like - but the fact is, Lillee was objectively a more 'powerful' entertainer and personality, and therefore more worthwhile to watch if crowd reaction is anything to go by.

 

[Red]

I agree with your thoughts there Watson, but I will say that I loved watching McGrath bowl. He was like a master craftsman. Brilliant.

 

[Arachnodouche]

I never quite figured out ppl calling Kallis tedious. Ok, he may score slowly but his presence at the crease is utterly imperious. His massive frame, his forward defensive, the flourishing drives, the backfoot shots; he's always been majestic to my eyes. And I refer majesty in its truest sense, encapsulating poise, dependability and self assuredness. More so than any modern batsman really.

 

[watson]

I agree with your thoughts there Watson, but I will say that I loved watching McGrath bowl. He was like a master craftsman. Brilliant.

Fair enough. I guess we all come with our own personal likes and dislikes for one reason or another.

 

[Furball]

Haha Furball. Your rant about Kallis being dull would be more convincing if you didn't advocate Dravid immediately afterwards.

Dravid was a beautiful player to watch when he played his shots.

I'm not saying Kallis shouldn't be in a team of the 00s, I'm just ranting because I don't like him.

 

[Furball]

Hayden
Smith
Ponting
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist
Warne
Steyn
McGrath
Murali

\_/ at having two spinners and two pacers when they're that bloody good.

You forgot Dravid you shunt.

Dravid - 8558 runs @ 54.85, 22 100s
Tendulkar - 7129 runs @ 53.20, 21 100s

 

[watson]

Is a top notch third seamer really necessary? Just because it's a convention doesn't make it right.

During the early 90s Australia used 2 quicks, 2 spinners, and 2 medium pacers to good effect;

McDermott
Hughes et al.
Warne
May
S. Waugh
M. Waugh

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia at Cape Town, Mar 17-21, 1994 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Therefore,

01. Graeme Smith
02. Matthew Hayden
03. Ricky Ponting
04. Brian Lara
05. Sachin Tendulkar
06. Jacques Kallis
07. Adam Gilchrist
08. Shane Warne
09. Dale Steyn
10. Muttiah Muralitharan
11. Glenn McGrath

Oh dear, just realised that I'd selected the same team as Phlegm274. That can't be right..........

 

[Spikey]

the correct bowling all-rounder to pick is Shaun Pollock. Duh.

 

[Spikey]

All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

(1 jan 2000 to 31 dec 2009, must have scored 2000 runs or more, sorted by wickets taken)

 

[Spikey]

Shaun Pollock 69(34)* - South Africa v New Zealand at Perth VB Series 2001/02 - YouTube

 

[Coronis]

Give me Boycott or Barrington grinding their way to victory over Botham and Flintoff playing shots and getting out any day.

 

[King Pietersen]

Can he really bat at 6, though? When you're picking the England side then maybe, because the only alternative will be someone like Bairstow who probably won't score many more runs anyway. But here you're leaving out someone like Tendulkar or Sangakkara. It's a lot of runs to throw away for a sixth bowler.

Probably not, that's why I put him at 7 in my side, with Gilchrist at 6. In the 2000's Gilchrist made 5130 runs at 46.63, and averaged over 40 against every team other than India. He only had 14 Test innings at number 6, but averaged 49.61 in those innings.

I just like the idea of having 3 frontline seam bowlers, alongside Warne and Murali, and as far as bowling all-rounders go, I'd take Fred. I'd hardly say my team is short on runs either, I've got Pollock at 8, and Warne at 9. Pollock averaged over 30 in the 2000's, and Warnie was capable of some handy runs down the order. Kallis is not a bowling all-rounder. From watching the bloke bowl, and looking at his stats, where he averages over 40 against India, and over 35 against England and Australia; Flintoff is the man I want in my team.

I think it's all down to personal opinion at the end of the day, as we're comparing very good cricketers, and it's just a matter of picking the ones you think will make up a good XI. For me, I'm happy with:

Hayden
Sehwag
Ponting
Tendulkar
Lara
Gilchrist
Flintoff
Pollock
Warne
Muralitharan
McGrath

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Can guarantee when they pick their team of the 10's that Swann will be their spinner ahead of Ajmal.

 

[Flem274*]

You never know, someone else could emerge.

 

[Furball]

Can guarantee when they pick their team of the 10's that Swann will be their spinner ahead of Ajmal.

And rightly so. It's not a 'best shotputters of the 10s' team.

 

[honestbharani]

Come off it. Australia had a more positive outlook after the TB test because they showed signs they could beat England. At Lords they looked like a side that would struggle to win any of the remaining eight games against England. It had nothing to do with how good to watch Ashton Agar's batting, or whatever, was. It's really not that hard.

Its such an elitist approach you're taking as well. If I play a club game that finishes early I'll regularly go back and watch the rest of the 1st team match. It's not because our 1st eleven middle order is full of Brian Lara's, it's because I enjoy watching the contest , with a prefered outco e its pretty gripping, and just like to watch cricket. All this talk about players you'd "pay to watch" or would "take people away from the bars to watch" is such snobbery. I pay to watch West Indies v Pakistan ODI's with my TV subscription FFS.

Come on, Misbahhh is worth it

 

[Days of Grace]

I feel that Pollock was just past his peak as a test bowler after 2000/2001. That's why I didn't select him.

 

[Red]

I never quite figured out ppl calling Kallis tedious. Ok, he may score slowly but his presence at the crease is utterly imperious. His massive frame, his forward defensive, the flourishing drives, the backfoot shots; he's always been majestic to my eyes. And I refer majesty in its truest sense, encapsulating poise, dependability and self assuredness. More so than any modern batsman really.

awta. Brilliant to watch. Beautifully balanced batsman.