World All-Time XI

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Ernest, the convention in discussions of this kind is that you take OFF your "fan" hat and get off your high horse and model yourself rather more on St Peter at the Pearly Gates: as rather above such mortal concerns.

Now Rachael, could St Peter with his hand on his harp, really have objected to me including Laker in my team, or indeed a great like Botham (taling his batting along with his bowling, I would take Botham over Tendulker any day, and you pick a best 11, that is the duty of any selection board.

Originally Posted by Rachael

From a practical point of view, every selector that's ever sought credibility has had to face up to the fact that it's at least as important to be SEEN to be neutral as it is to BE neutral.

Now Rachael think with care what you have just said, what does neutral mean, it means not being biased when picking a team, now I have picked 4 achiever for England, that leaves 7 from other countries, Jardine was in my opinion the worlds best captain ever, who else could have snatched the Ashes from under the nose of Bradman.

Originally Posted by Rachael

Think of yourself as a club captain: can you play your son ahead of a rival just because you think he's marginally better?

Not easy unless your name is Clough or illingworth maybe.

Originally Posted by Rachael

I don't believe for one moment that you are doing that here.. or in many of the current "World XI" nominations you make: they read more like the nominations of Alf Garnet than of St Peter.

I suppose Rachael, that Alf Garnet knew more about picking a international cricket team, rather that St Peter, or are you sugesting St Peter is using unfair guidence from his boss.

You can only pick 11 players at the end of the day, so had I picked Marshall, over Larwood, then I would have been picking Marshall over Holding-Ambrose-Walsh-Garner.
Botham was a better all rounder then Imran Khan, so am I supposed to pick Khan.

I knoticed Milo, who hardly ever agrees with my choice, has picked Hutton also, and he has picked Warne/Underwood what is wrong with that, and what is wrong with picking Warne/Laker.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Milo

In my opinion, most are simply personal preferences, but Bradman, Gilchrist, Sobers and Hobbs are fixtures. They must be in an all-time world XI.

That's pretty much my impression.. though Wisden's official "cricketers of the century" reads "Shane Warne, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Garfield Sobers".

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/cricket/702818.stm

Gilchrist's name is not there.. but then.. that list was in 2000... and Gilchrist only started playing Tests in 1999!

[Paoli]

Sorry if I did offend you Ern, but as Rach said, fan hat off, neutral hat on. The recent World XI selectors, Richie Hadlee included, didn't pay any favours. Steve Fleming wasn't picked. He'd have been a monty for mine.

Sorry Ern, it just seems like there are alot of players missing who warrant selection.

[Rachael]

OK.. maybe we should look at an all time squad rather than a final XI... as any hypothetical contest would need to be played over a long series on all sorts of surfaces on an arduous tour during which there WOULD be injuries. I submit the following:

Openers: Hobbs + two from Hutton, Richards (B) & Gavaskar

Middle order: Bradman, Richards (IVA), Pollock (G), Sobers, Tendulkar

Wicket-keeper: Gilchrist, + either Healy / Evans

Bowlers: Barnes, Marshall, Warne, + either Ambrose / Hadlee, + either Lillee / Imran, + either Underwood / Muralitharan

Some tough choices would have to be made to whittle that lot down to 16!

[Paoli]

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Barry Richards

Bradman
WG Grace
Viv Richards
Graeme Pollock
Sobers
Tendulkar

Gilchrist
Healy

Barnes
Marshall
Warne
Muralitharan
Lillee
Hadlee

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

Sorry if I did offend you Ern, but as Rach said, fan hat off, neutral hat on. The recent World XI selectors, Richie Hadlee included, didn't pay any favours. Steve Fleming wasn't picked. He'd have been a monty for mine.

Sorry Ern, it just seems like there are alot of players missing who warrant selection.

Hey no worries, you did not offend me Paoli, I always include Jardine in a world 11, after seeing Milo's post, I would have put Warne/Underwood.

I missed Thommo, Viv Richards , Trueman , can't pick em all.

[Ninjaman]

My All Time Squad

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Greenidge

Bradman
Headley
Viv Richards
Wally Hammond
Sobers
Lara

Gilchrist
Dujon

Marshall
Akram
Warne
Muralitharan
Ambrose
Holding
Garner

[Rachael]

That's almost as neutral as Ernest's :-)

[Maranello]

LOL Rachael. Yes 9 out of the 18 selections are West Indian, whereas Ern only went for 4 out of 11 English ones.

[Rachael]

Ernest had 5 out of 12... but whata 5: Hutton, Jardine, Botham, Laker and Larwood: he could have at least gone for the more easily justifiable ones like Hobbs, Trueman, Barnes, Grace, Evans, Bedser and Underwood!