[Cricket] Your All Time Test Cricket XI

[Eeyore]

I've spent some time putting thought to it. The criteria being that it has to be players you have seen play.

Also consider the balance of the team. My luxury here is that I can bat Sangakkara at three. Not only that, three of my four main bowlers were handy with the bat. This is some team:

Would consider Graeme Smith as a possible opener over Greenidge, mainly due to a right/left hand combination. But I like the contrast in styles.

Gordon Greenidge

Sunil Gavaskar

Kumar Sangakkara

Jacques Kallis

Steve Smith

Allan Border

Imran Khan

Richard Hadlee

Wasim Akram

Malcolm Marshall

Muttiah Muralitharan

 

[babyshambles]

No Warne or Sachin?

 

[big nuts]

Swap Border & Smith for Lara and Tendulkar

I’d give serious consideration to swapping Warne for Murali too.

I think you’ve got an all rounder too many with Kallis, Khan & Hadlee.

Someone like Curtley Ambrose or Alan Donald in for Khan or Hadlee would be my pick.

Gilchrist unlucky not to get in, but Sangakarra was superb so fair enough.

 

[jcdenton08]

I’d put Gilchrist in there… but it’s bloody hard isn’t it!

 

[dazzer6666]

I’d put Gilchrist in there… but it’s bloody hard isn’t it!

No Warne or Sachin?

Swap Border & Smith for Lara and Tendulkar

I’d give serious consideration to swapping Warne for Murali too.

I think you’ve got an all rounder too many with Kallis, Khan & Hadlee.

Someone like Curtley Ambrose or Alan Donald in for Khan or Hadlee would be my pick.

Gilchrist unlucky not to get in, but Sangakarra was superb so fair enough.

Maybe the ‘you have seen’ requirement impacted selection ?

Very difficult though. Probably something like this for me :

Greenwich
Cook
Tendulkar
Lara
Richards
Botham
Russell
Warne
Imran
Holding
Anderson

 

[jcdenton08]

Maybe the ‘you have seen’ requirement impacted selection ?

Very difficult though. Probably something like this for me :

Greenwich
Cook
Tendulkar
Lara
Richards
Botham
Russell
Warne
Imran
Holding
Anderson

Could be. Saw Gilchrist a few times, and he was one of the few players who stopped and spoke to us kids/teens at a pre-season game at Sussex. Think that plays into my bias a little. Terrific player too.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Looks like you’re a relative youngster Eeyore - Sobers would be in there for me

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Jack Hobbs

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Tempting to just name the Aussie side from the mid 90’s to mid 00’s but I’ll mix it with some of my favourite players from other nations.

Atherton
Steve Waugh
Lara
Ponting
Gilchrist
Flintoff
Warne
Ambrose
Walsh
Anderson
McGrath

Bumping Waugh up to open. Worryingly long tail though!

Also noticed I had no South African’s or Indian’s which seems surprising.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Mike Proctor anyone ?

 

[ElectricNaz]

For me it'd be:

Steve Waugh
Cook
Tendulkar
Lara
Steve Smith
Gilchrist
Kallis
Ambrose
Warne
Anderson
Muralitharan

Really wanted to get Daniel Vettori, Lasith Malinga and Henry Olonga in there as personal faves of mine but couldn't justify it. Malinga in for Murali when the pitch demands more pace bowling.

 

[Gwylan]

Do you mean seen play live or seen on TV?

 

[Frankie]

Bradman
Sobers
Lara
Gilchrist wk
Viv
Botham
Tendulkar
Warne
Muralithiran
Holding
Garner

 

[5Ways Gull]

Greenidge
Cook
Viv Richards
Lara
Stokes (c)
Botham
Gilchrist (w)
Warne
Lillee
Holding
Marshall

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Wally Grout for w/k.

 

[amexer]

I've spent some time putting thought to it. The criteria being that it has to be players you have seen play.

Also consider the balance of the team. My luxury here is that I can bat Sangakkara at three. Not only that, three of my four main bowlers were handy with the bat. This is some team:

Would consider Graeme Smith as a possible opener over Greenidge, mainly due to a right/left hand combination. But I like the contrast in styles.

Gordon Greenidge

Sunil Gavaskar

Kumar Sangakkara

Jacques Kallis

Steve Smith

Allan Border

Imran Khan

Richard Hadlee

Wasim Akram

Malcolm Marshall

Muttiah Muralitharan

The really sad thing about looking at that team and what sums up state of watching English cricket is that I am sure I have seen all those players perform at Hove.
Even sadder seen many of those in 50 over games for and against Sussex. Something that is now a 2nd team competition

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Surely a lot of the selection is down to the wicket as in a spinners wkt then Warne and a seamers then Hadlee ?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Bradman must be in there

 

[A1X]

Taking seen as “seen live”

Cook
Sehwag
Lara
Tendulkar
Pietersen
Root
Gilchrist
Warne
Broad
Anderson
Steyn

 

[prawnsarnies]

Very difficult to pick 11.
Greenwich
Boycott
Viv Richards
Lara
Tendulka
Botham
Knott
Warne
Holding
Waqar Younis
Muralithiran