Thread: Aussie All time XI
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Old 10-05-2005, 08:49 AM in reply to Beny's post starting "Gilly has more than proven that he is a..."
Rachael Rachael is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beny
Gilly has more than proven that he is a good keeper.
#

No-one would suggest otherwise, Beny... it's just that he's not up there with his two immediate predecessors.. who were outstanding.

I'm not sure that an "all time XI" should NEVER consider the batting offered by the 'keeper... as that seems to me to depend on the balance of the rest of the team. The England all time XI debates are a case in point: if you go with three seamers and a single spinner then Evans gets the gloves... but if you want to include two contrasting spinners (classically Underwood and Laker) then Botham has to play at 6 (OK, but not ideal) and therefore Evans has to miss out to accomodate Knott at 7.

My thought on an all time Aussie XI balance is that this compromise isn't necessary: with Warne an automatic choice for all surfaces and conditions the side really should consist of 6 specialist bats of sensational callibre and an awesome 4 man attack.