Aus V Rest of the world.

[Beny]

I know there has already been some talk on this subject but not for a while.
So my question is... What is you're team based on form, to take on Australia next year.

This is the Wisden team.

Rest of the World Test team (in batting order)

1 Michael Vaughan (13 votes, capt)
2 Virender Sehwag (14)
3 Rahul Dravid (20)
4 Brian Lara (20)
5 Sachin Tendulkar (19)
6 Jacques Kallis (14)
7 Mark Boucher (16, wk)
8 Shaun Pollock (10)
9 Shoaib Akhtar (17)
10 Steve Harmison (19)
11 Muttiah Muralitharan (22)


Rest of the World ODI team (in batting order)

1 Sachin Tendulkar (21 votes)
2 Virender Sehwag (15)
3 Jacques Kallis (15)
4 Brian Lara (18)
5 Rahul Dravid (12, capt, wk)
6 Yuvraj Singh (7)
7 Andrew Flintoff (18)
8 Shaun Pollock (16)
9 Shoaib Akhtar/Chaminda Vaas (7 each)
10 Steve Harmison (8)
11 Muttiah Muralitharan (21)


Here is the report.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_data...08JUL2004.html

[Maranello]

Not sure about both the openers, they have performed well in Australia when they last toured there, but recent form for both is not world-class..more so for Sehwag. I would prefer someone like Kirsten or Richardson.

If fully fit, the rest of the side selects itself. The only other slight question mark might be over w/k... Jones or Kaluwitharna could be considered, the latter in particular for Murali experience.

[Beny]

I dont like Shoab being there. He'd be taken apart I think. Plenty of other bowlers who could fit in there.

[Maranello]

Beny, that's not borne out by the facts. He is the world's fourth best test bowler (PwC ratings, which are a good guide over time), has consistently been there for the past 2 or 3 years.

The last time he played Australia, it was the Aussie batting line up that was taken apart, in the Colombo test between Pak and Aus in Oct 2002 (scorecard). In fact, he got more wickets than McGrath, Gillespie, Lee or Waqar in that match - and the first three had a much weaker batting line-up to work with!

His last international match in Aus was the one-dayer at Brisbane in June 2002 where he also took the Aussie batting line-up apart, and Pakistan won by 91 runs (they also won the series 2-1). Shoaib took 5 for 25 against a full strength team, coming in as first change: scorecard.

[Milo]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Not sure about both the openers, they have performed well in Australia when they last toured there, but recent form for both is not world-class..more so for Sehwag. I would prefer someone like Kirsten or Richardson.

Sehwag is currently at his highest PWC rating ever after his majestic century in the last test and to be honest, he looks the only Inidan player able to play the Australian bowling at the moment. He looks in fine form to me. I agree with you on Shoaib 100%; am looking forward to seeing him this winter.

[Shaka]

Shoaib blows hot and cold but as a strike bowler he does create problems for even the very best. He won the personal head to head with Sachin in the historic series in Pakistan earlier, and almost de-capitated Lara in the ICC trophy.

The one player I'd like to have seen in there from Pakistan is Inzimam though. Can't argue too much about the test batting line up though, they are all top, top batsmen. I think he should be in ahead of Yuvraj Singh in the ODI team though.

Either way, I think the Aussies are gonna get creamed

[Notts Exile]

Not sure as Boucher would get in! Can't even get in the South Africa team!

[Beny]

Still dont like Shoaib... (Perhaps a little bias)

[Shaka]

Originally Posted by Beny

Still dont like Shoaib... (Perhaps a little bias)

Not really...Shoaib is disliked by a large number of Pakistan fans as well. He's a prima donna who performs when he feels like it and that rubs a lot of people up the wrong way. You should see the number of Pakistan fans urging the selectors to kick him out of the team for good...one memorable e-mail to Bob Woolmer insisiting that 'Showboat Actor' ( ) had been rumbled and he didn't deserve to be anywhere near the team.

I think he'd love an occasion like Aus v the Rest of the World though. I think the good version would definitely turn up for that one.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Shaka

Not really...Shoaib is disliked by a large number of Pakistan fans as well. He's a prima donna who performs when he feels like it and that rubs a lot of people up the wrong way. You should see the number of Pakistan fans urging the selectors to kick him out of the team for good...one memorable e-mail to Bob Woolmer insisiting that 'Showboat Actor' ( ) had been rumbled and he didn't deserve to be anywhere near the team.

I think he'd love an occasion like Aus v the Rest of the World though. I think the good version would definitely turn up for that one.

I would not go as far as that, I think you are being a tad too harsh. I have often been annoyed by him, just like Waqar Younis in his prime would annoy me, and Inzi and Youhana still have the capacity to. However, the times when he does deliver, do outnumber the occasions when he is annoying.

As this is not a Shoaib Akhtar thread, I will keep this brief - statistically one can see looking at his record that he performs more often than not, but yes, sometimes does give up too easily.

The main problem is that he is "high maintenance", and if not indulged to the full by the Captain, the Coach, and everyone else, gets disheartened/demotivated.