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Originally Posted by Batters Just wondering what everyones opinion is of this series next year!! Australia Vs Rest of the World. And also who people think will be in the running for the Rest of the World team to take on the might of the Australians!!! |
I've been taken with the idea of a champions vs. RoW Test match ever since I first came across the notion.. my only reservation being about the practicalities and politics of selection. That said.. selection of the CORE of the squad seems to be becoming ever more straightforward - I can't see anyone disputing the following.
1. Richardson
2. ?
3. Dravid
4. Tendulkar
5. Lara
6. Kallis
7. ?
8. Pollock
9. Kumble
10. ?
11. Muralitheran
So far, so good.. and whilst the odd voice might be raised in objection here and there on the basis of personal antipathies / preferences... I don't think anyone could seriously dispute the worthiness of any name on that list: you have the most adhesive opener in world cricket, a middle order of all-time greats, the best batting all-rounder of the modern era, two of the three premier stock bowlers in world cricket (both of whom can bat) and one of the two premier strike bowlers in world cricket.
It strikes me that the difficulty comes in adding the final three names: you need an opener.. but would like to accomodate both Inzi and Laxman ahead of any other batsman; you need a great gloveman who routinely plays at the highest level (and can shine standing up to Murali and Kumble), and you'd like, from somewhere, a strike bowler without the show-pony tendencies of Akhtar or the tendency to go AWOL of Harmison... but perhaps with a bit more pace than the appealing Left Arm Over option offered by Vaas... and with a few more truly series-transforming performances under his belt than Ntini.
My preference would be to see Tendulkar promoted to open so that Inzi or (on a very true wicket) Laxman could play ahead of (say) Gibbs... and then, I guess (without huge enthusiasm) either Sangakkara or Taibu behind the stumps... and whichever bowler of the four mentioned (Akhtar, Ntini, Harmison, Vaas) seemed most suited to the pitch and conditions at the ground in question.
My fear is that all the above would go out of the window... and the team might be bult around Sehwag, Gibbs and Akhtar for "entertainment" rather than cricketing reasons... or that "youth" will be "showcased" at the expense of the sort of maturity the contest will demand.
Doubt it though: the really great players are just too good to be overlooked.