Englands Greatest Ever IX - From The Last 50 Years.

[Ernest]

Watching a DVD presented by Chris Cowdrey, Jack Bannester and Alec Stewart I though it might be a good idea if we selected teams.

These were the players from which to choose.

Opening Batsmen.

Graham Gooch - Average 42.58.
Mike Atherton. - Average 37.69.
Geoff Boycott. - Average 47.72.
Michael Vaughan - Average 41.44.
Andrew Strauss. - Average 42.37 LH
Dennis Amis.... - Average 46.30.
John Edrich... - Average 43.35. - LH
Alec Stewart... - Average 39.94.

Middle Order Batsmen.

David Gower... - Average 44.25. LH
Ted Dexter..... - Average 47.89.
Tom Graveney. -Average 44.38.
Ken Barrington - Average 58.67.
Graham Thorpe - Average 44.67. LH
Peter May...... - Average 46.77.
M.C.Cowdrey... - Average 44.06.
Robin Smith..... - Average 43.67.

All Rounders.

Ian Botham. Batting Average - 33.64. Bowling -383 wickets@28.
Fred Flintoff Batting Average - 32.23. Bowling - 213 wickets@32.12.
Tony Grieg...Batting Average - 40.43. Bowling - 141 wickets@32.
Trevor Bailey Batting Average -29.74. Bowling - 132 wickets@29.

Keepers.

Alan Knott... Batting Average - 32.75 - 250 catches and 19 stumpings.
Alec Stewart Batting Average - 39.54 (while keeping) - 263 catches and 14 stumpings.
Jack Russell. Batting Average -27.10 - 153 catches and 12 stumpings. LH.
Bob Taylor....Batting Average- 16.28 - 167 catches and 7 stumpings.

Spin Bowlers.
D Underwood - 297 wickets @25.83. LH
Lock............ -174 wickets @25.58 from 49 Tests.
Phil Edmunds. -123 wickets @34.12 from 51 Tests. LH
John Embury..- 147 wickets @39.40.from 64 Tests.
Jim Laker.......-193 wickets @21.24 from 46 Tests.
Ashley Giles....-127 wickets @37.15 from 45 Tests.

Fast/Seam Bowlers.

Fred Trueman.. ..307 wickets @21.57 from 67 Tests.
Darren Gough.... 229 wickets @28.39 from 58 Tests.
John Snow...... ..202 wickets @26.66 from 49 Tests.
Steve Harmison.. 217 wickets @31.69 from 59 Tests.
Bob Willis...........325 wickets @25.19.
Brian Statham.....252 wickets @25.20. from 70 Tests.
Andrew Caddick...234 wickets @29.91. from 62 Tests.
Angus Fraser.......177 wickets @27.32. from 46 Tests.
Frank Tyson - Fastest ever England bowler? - 76 wickets @18.56 from 17 Tests.

EDIT I have mentioned the number of Tests played where the number of Tests played is low.

[Ernest]

The presenters C Cowdrey - A Stewart and J Bannester chose the following team from the list, as England's greatest team in the last 50 years.

G Gooch.
G Boycott.
T Dexter.
K Barrington.
P May.
A Greig
I Botham.
A Knott.
J Laker.
F Trueman.
S Harmison.

My personal IX would be.

Boycott.
Trescothick.
T Dexter.
D Gower.
K Barrington.
A Flintoff.
I Botham.
A Knott.
F Trueman.
B Willis.
D Underwood

Some may raise an eyebrow with the inclusion of Trescothick and Flintoff. Some would say Trescothick has no foot movement, that to a degree is right - But then again neither did Gooch who was vunerable in the early part of an innings to being out LBW - But still a brilliant bat.

With so many class batsmen in the side it was easy to include Flintoff on the strength of his bowling.
Also the players to select from on the threadstart span only 50 years, so without Bradman and Hutton to include - selecting a side is reletiely easy.

can anyone choose a stronger side from the players available?.

[Rachael]

I'd be inclined to go with the following:

Boycott
Cowdrey
Barrington
Gower
May
Botham
Taylor
Trueman
Laker
Statham
Underwood

Should be a match for any side...

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

What, on the whole, both sides show is that England hasnt produced a consistantly world class player for 20 years or more. Go through the rest of the test nations in similar fashion and all will have at least one from the last decade.

[Rachael]

In fairness.... the players I mentioned were so exceptional that some more recent players not forcing their way onto the list is only to be expected!

The second thing to note is that England's system has not got the best (or sometimes the best years) of a lot of players: you've a pool of talent (and nicely balanced side) that any coach should savour in Lathwell, Crawley Hick, Maynard, Ramps, Chris Lewis, Read, Bicknell, Caddick, Harmison and Tufnell... - and you could always add Schofield and others if you questioned one of that XI.

Even without those talents... you've got Atherton, Tresco, Vaughan, KP, Thorpe, Flintoff, Russell, Giles, Gough, Fraser and Panesar who could hold their own in good company - but the fact that Lock and Wardle would walk into that side shows where England's real production-line weakness has been.