Wisden's 40 Leading Cricketers in the World 2005

[Jungle Jumbo]

For the past two years, Wisden has published in the almanack a profiles of the 40 players who are in their opinion 'the leading cricketers in the world'.

Wisden is normally published around March/April, so it might be a little early, but for a bit of fun members could guess the top 40, with the member with the most correct players winning absolutly nothing.

There is also a 'leading player of the year award', awarded to the best player in the world that last year.

Here is last years list to give you a little help...

Leading Cricketer in the World: Shane Warne (Australia)

Australia

Michael Clarke
Adam Gilchrist
Jason Gillespie
Matthew Hayden
Michael Kasprowicz
Justin Langer
Glenn McGrath
Damien Martyn
Ricky Ponting
Shane Warne

England

Andrew Flintoff
Steve Harmison
Andrew Strauss
Graham Thorpe
Marcus Trescothick
Michael Vaughan

India

Rahul Dravid
Harbhajan Singh
Anil Kumble
VVS Laxman
Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar

New Zealand

Stephen Fleming
Jacob Oram

Pakistan

Danish Kaneria
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Shoaib Ahktar
Yousuf Youhana (Mohammad Yousuf)

South Africa

Herschelle Gibbs
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock
Graeme Smith

Sri Lanka

Sanath Jayasuriya
Mahela Jayawardene
Muttiah Muralitharan
Kumar Sangakkara
Chaminda Vaas

West Indies

Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Brian Lara

Zimbabwe

Heath Streak

If you can post your selections country-by-country it would be very much appreciated

 

[Natman20]

Leading cricketer of the world: Probably Shane Warne or Glen McGrath

Australia

Adam Gilchrist
Brett Lee
Matthew Hayden
Justin Langer
Glenn McGrath
Andrew Symonds
Ricky Ponting
Shane Warne
Michael Hussey

England

Andrew Flintoff
Steve Harmison
Andrew Strauss
Kevin Pieterson
Marcus Trescothick
Michael Vaughan

India

Rahul Dravid
Harbhajan Singh
Anil Kumble
Mohammad Kaif
Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar

New Zealand

Stephen Fleming
Daniel Vettori
Shane Bond

Pakistan

Shahid Afridi
Danish Kaneria
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Shoaib Ahktar
Yousuf Youhana (Mohammad Yousuf)

South Africa

Herschelle Gibbs
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock
Graeme Smith
Justin Kemp

Sri Lanka

Mahela Jayawardene
Muttiah Muralitharan
Kumar Sangakkara
Chaminda Vaas

West Indies

Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Brian Lara

 

[Scaly piscine]

Australia 8

Adam Gilchrist
Matthew Hayden
Justin Langer
Brett Lee
Glenn McGrath
Ricky Ponting
Andrew Symonds
Shane Warne

England 7

Andrew Flintoff
Steve Harmison
Matthew Hoggard
Simon Jones
Kevin Pietersen
Marcus Trescothick
Michael Vaughan

India 6

Mahendra Dhoni
Rahul Dravid
Harbhajan Singh
Anil Kumble
Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar

New Zealand 3

Shane Bond
Stephen Fleming
Daniel Vettori

Pakistan 4

Danish Kaneria
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Shoaib Ahktar
Mohammad Yousuf

South Africa 4

Herschelle Gibbs
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock
Graeme Smith

Sri Lanka 4

Mahela Jayawardene
Muttiah Muralitharan
Kumar Sangakkara
Chaminda Vaas

West Indies 3

Chris Gayle
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Brian Lara

Zimbabwe 1

Tatenda Taibu

 

[Barney Rubble]

Leading cricketer in the world: Andrew Flintoff

Australia
Shane Warne
Glenn McGrath
Adam Gilchrist
Ricky Ponting
Matthew Hayden
Justin Langer

England
Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Flintoff
Michael Vaughan
Kevin Pietersen
Stephen Harmison
Andrew Strauss

India
Sachin Tendulkar
Rahul Dravid
Irfan Pathan
Virender Sehwag
Harbhajan Singh
Anil Kumble

New Zealand
Stephen Fleming
Daniel Vettori
Shane Bond

Pakistan
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Shoaib Akhtar
Danish Kaneria
Younis Khan
Mohammad Yousuf
Shahid Afridi

South Africa
Graeme Smith
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock
Makhaya Ntini
Herschelle Gibbs

Sri Lanka
Muttiah Muralitharan
Mahela Jayawardene
Chaminda Vaas
Kumar Sangakkara
Marvan Atapattu

West Indies
Brian Lara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Chris Gayle

 

[PY]

If Simon Jones isn't in all of the England picks, I shall metaphorially beat everyone who has committed the offence.

 

[Scaly piscine]

If Simon Jones isn't in all of the England picks, I shall metaphorially beat everyone who has committed the offence.

Better get pummelling the other 3 then...

 

[Natman20]

If Simon Jones isn't in all of the England picks, I shall metaphorially beat everyone who has committed the offence.

Oops sorry

EDIT: Nah not really

 

[Tapioca]

India

Rahul Dravid
Harbhajan Singh
Anil Kumble
VVS Laxman
Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar

Is the selection is based what the player did in 2005, the last named should not be there.

 

[Barney Rubble]

If Simon Jones isn't in all of the England picks, I shall metaphorially beat everyone who has committed the offence.

He'd have been in mine if the time when he got dropped for Jimmy Anderson hadn't actually been this year - he's perhaps matured a little too fast, really. I expect him to be one of the first names down next year, though.

 

[Ming]

It's a crime that Vettori wasn't named/

 

[andyc]

It's a crime that Vettori wasn't named/

That's last years though.

 

[Ming]

Sorry, got carried away in the moment....

 

[ClownSymonds]

Leading cricketer in the world: Clown Symonds

Australia
Clown Symonds
Shane Warne
Glenn McGrath
Adam Gilchrist
Ricky Ponting
Matthew Hayden
Justin Langer
Darren Lehmann
Damien Martyn
Michael Hussey

England
Sylvester
Pink Panther

India
Sourav Ganguly
Sachin Tendulkar
Rahul Dravid
Virender Sehwag
Anil Kumble

New Zealand
Stephen Fleming
Daniel Vettori
Shane Bond

Pakistan
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Shoaib Akhtar
Danish Kaneria
Younis Khan
Mohammad Yousuf
Shahid Afridi
Naved-ul-Rana

South Africa
Nicky Boje
Graeme Smith
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock
Dog Ntini

Sri Lanka
Mahela Jayawardene
Chaminda Vaas
Kumar Sangakkara

West Indies
Brian Lara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Christopher Gayle

 

[Barney Rubble]

Dog Ntini

Excuse me?

 

[ClownSymonds]

Excuse me?

He looks like a dog. And don't give me that "OMG, RACIST!!!!" crap. It's not because of his skin color; it's because of his face.

 

[Robertinho]

Some tough calls here

Leading cricketer in the world: Shane Warne

Australia
Justin Langer
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Damien Martyn
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Glenn McGrath

England
Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Strauss
Kevin Pieterson
Andrew Flintoff
Simon Jones

India
Rahul Dravid
Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar
Mahendra Dhoni
Anil Kumble
Irfan Pathan
Harbhajan Singh

New Zealand
Stephen Fleming
Daniel Vettori
Chris Cairns
Shane Bond

Pakistan
Inzamam ul-Haq
Mohammed Yousuf
Younis Khan
Danish Kaneria
Shoaib Akhtar

South Africa
Graeme Smith
Jacques Kallis
Shaun Pollock
Makyha Ntini

Sri Lanka
Sanath Jayasuriya
Marvin Atapattu
Kumar Sangakkara
Muttiah Muralitharan
Chaminda Vaas

West Indies
Chris Gayle
Brian Lara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul

 

[Barney Rubble]

He looks like a dog. And don't give me that "OMG, RACIST!!!!" crap. It's not because of his skin color; it's because of his face.

I'm not giving anything about racism, I just had no idea what you meant!

 

[andyc]

Some tough calls here

Leading cricketer in the world: Shane Warne

Just edging out Jack McNamara. Tough decision

 

[Robertinho]

Well, I thought we were going to exclude Jack McNamara from the whole thing, just like we should've excluded Bradman from battle of the cricketers?

 

[Nate]

Leading cricketer in the world: Shane Warne

Australia
Justin Langer
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Mike Hussey!
Andrew Symonds
Adam Gilchrist
Brett Lee
Shane Warne
Glenn McGrath

England
Marcus Trescothick
Andrew Strauss
Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Flintoff
Matthew Hoggard
Simon Jones

India
Rahul Dravid
Virender Sehwag
Mahendra Dhoni
Anil Kumble
Irfan Pathan

New Zealand
Stephen Fleming
Daniel Vettori
Shane Bond

Pakistan
Inzamam ul-Haq
Shahid Afridi
Younis Khan
Danish Kaneria
Shoaib Akhtar

South Africa
Graeme Smith
Jacques Kallis
Herschelle Gibbs
Shaun Pollock
Makyha Ntini

Sri Lanka
Kumar Sangakkara
Muttiah Muralitharan
Chaminda Vaas

West Indies
Chris Gayle
Brian Lara
Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Zimbabwe
Tatenda Taibu

...I think.