This is simply the poll/signup thread if you want to be a selector for the WAT "World A Team" 2006, as discussed in the other thread to date. The selection process will kick off once the England A Team 2006 is selected, which is in progress, but you have until that time to register your interest in this.

I would encourage you to do so, as I think this is a unique project and could really work well for our understanding of the young players across the world who will become the next Sachin Tendulkars, Glenn McGraths and Muttiah Muralitharans of this world.

So go ahead, vote yes!

Sorry Colly...

I think I voted the "wrong" yes!

You're out then, sorry. :P

Only joking of course, I was just being silly.

I think this is a very good idea, but am slightly concerned how we reach consensus.

For example if we have a majority of selectors who are English, (which is possible with this board) they are more likely to vote for a player they have seen, i.e. an English player. Consequently this could lead to the side being quite imbalanced.

I have heard a lot about Mitchell Johnson, but I have never seen him play, how can I make a judgment between him and Stuart Broad? I will naturally choose to vote Broad as I have seen him play and know a huge amount about him.

Should we limit the number of selectors from each country?

What do people think about a quota system reflecting the Test ranking of the senior teams? For example, Australia, England, & Pakistan could have an allocation of maximum 2 players. India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand & West Indies could have an allocation of 1 player. Alternatively, don't base it on the Test rankings but only 3 teams may have a maximum of 2 players while 5 other teams have 1 player each. This gives a little more flexibility about which countries get 2 players but also ensures that at least 8 countries have representation in the team. Unfortunately, as yet, we have only selected A teams for Australia, England, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh. India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have not had A teams selected yet.

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Administrator

I think that's a good idea Mike. I think we have enough people to link countries together but we'd need to work out a system of A team selectors maybe referring their best players and us working from that to fill positions. I'd be looking for really accurate and statistically-backed (as well as commentator-backed) descriptions of lesser-known players. This is part of the exercise - to highlight our cricketers to other nations and their cricket fans.

Colly, I think a qualifying rule we can introduce here is to consider only players who had Test, ODI or A Team experience in the qualifying year. It's too difficult to judge performances in domestic first-class cricket from country to country. It's easier to judge performances of players against international competition. The Chairman of Selectors for each A Team could nominate the best players based on performances at A Team level or above.

Mohammad Asif from Pakistan is an obvious candidate but he now has played 6 Test matches. Does he still qualify for the World A Team?

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Administrator

For the intial stage I like the idea of each nation's selectors nominating three players from their 11... producing a large shortlist... from which selectors must choose a maximum of (say) eight players... only ONE of whom could be a 'home' player.

I suspect the strong candidates from each country would get through on that basis... and we'd probably find we had a core group of something like fifteen reasonably well supported players... all of whom could be entered into a public poll to finalise a provisional XI.

Okay, I see good progress being made as to how we could set a framework for this to work.

Say we take Mike's criteria for eligibility, and Rachael's mode of selection (3 from each nation making a pool from which each selector picked 8 players with only one 'home' player in that 8), I think we have a workable strategy below. Anyone disagree or have a viable alternative?

National selectors collectively nominate their 3 candidates, with at least one match of A team experience or better -> all selectors make choices from the resulting global pool of players -> a final squad becomes available to debate a final 11 -> team chosen based on consensus.

Mike - I think that if a player does not qualify for their national A team, it would be difficult to allow them to qualify for the global setup, but it's not totally out of the question.

Players should surely be considered 'qualified' if they made the previous year's WAT 'A' side irrespective of subsequent Test experience: I see no merit in disqualifying players who qualified at the end of their own (most recent) domestic season.

With that proviso I second your proposal.