[Cricket] Your Test Team from the last 20 years

[Pogue Mahone]

Comparisons between the teams of 2005 and today got me thinking - who would be in the team if players across these eras were available?

My team:

Alastair Cook (c)
Marcus Trescothick
Ian Bell
Joe Root
Kevin Pietersen
Freddie Flintoff
Ben Stokes
Jos Buttler (wk)
Graeme Swann
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson

So by my reckoning, four of the current side get in.

I argued with myself about the openers, but eventually plumped for Trescothick over Strauss. The others, in my mind, virtually picked themselves.

Watching us bat, with that line up, would be incredible!

 

[Chicken Run]

Thorpe & Harmy would be in mine, at the expense of Swann & Treso!

 

[Shins]

Comparisons between the teams of 2005 and today got me thinking - who would be in the team if players across these eras were available?

My team:

Alastair Cook (c)
Marcus Trescothick
Ian Bell
Joe Root
Kevin Pietersen
Freddie Flintoff
Ben Stokes
Jos Buttler (wk)
Graeme Swann
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson

So by my reckoning, four of the current side get in.

I argued with myself about the openers, but eventually plumped for Trescothick over Strauss. The others, in my mind, virtually picked themselves.

Watching us bat, with that line up, would be incredible!

Trott for Bell and Prior for Butler. Butler didn't do anything of note and Prior averaged 40. Trott a better player at 3.

Captain - Stokes

Order change -
Stokes
Prior
Flintoff

 

[Mackenzie]

Cook
Strauß
Pieterson
Root
Stokes
Prior
Flintoff
Swann
Jones
Broad
Anderson

 

[Shins]

Thorpe & Harmy would be in mine, at the expense of Swann & Treso!

No spinner? Swann averaged 29 with the ball as a spinner and 22 with the bat. Arguably he's the first name on team sheet.

 

[Chicken Run]

No spinner? Swann averaged 29 with the ball as a spinner and 22 with the bat. Arguably he's the first name on team sheet.

Mmm

 

[Reddleman]

Cook
Strauss
Bell
Root
Pieterson
Stokes
Prior
Flintoff
Swan
Broad
Anderson

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Defintely NOT Buttler.

Vaughan at 3

Swap Stoke and Flintoff in the batting order

Prior or Foakes to keep wicket.

 

[Eeyore]

Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss (c)
Ian Bell
Joe Root
Graham Thorpe
Ben Stokes
Andrew Flintoff
James Foster (w/k)
Graeme Swann
Chris Tremlett
Jimmy Anderson

On the assumption that the above are fit and at their best. Might play Broad over Flintoff in certain situations.

 

[Clive Walker]

Adams
Yardy
Prior
Wright
Robinson
Archer
Monty
Kirtley
Finn
Bopara
Mills

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I knew Buttler would be controversial, and considered Prior. But I love the way Buttler plays, so he got the nod.

Thorpe for Bell I could countenance (I forgot Thorpe was still playing in 2003), but Trott? No chance in my eyes. He never filled me with confidence and I never warmed to him.

 

[keaton]

Comparisons between the teams of 2005 and today got me thinking - who would be in the team if players across these eras were available?

My team:

Alastair Cook (c)
Marcus Trescothick
Ian Bell
Joe Root
Kevin Pietersen
Freddie Flintoff
Ben Stokes
Jos Buttler (wk)
Graeme Swann
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson

So by my reckoning, four of the current side get in.

I argued with myself about the openers, but eventually plumped for Trescothick over Strauss. The others, in my mind, virtually picked themselves.

Watching us bat, with that line up, would be incredible!

Buttler? I think you've still got the Glasto affects

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Trescothick
Strauss*
Trott
Root
Collingwood
Stokes (c)
Prior (w)
Swann
Wood
Harmison
Anderson

I'm assuming we're at home.
* Edit: I decided to go for Strauss over Vaughan since he could field in the slips.

 

[A1X]

Cook
Strauss
Trott
Root
Pietersen
Stokes
Prior
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Harmison

Seriously tough on Bairstow, Bresnan and Trescothick. Flintoff had great moments but not as consistently as Stokes. Simon Jones and Jofra would be in there on potential rather than results.

 

[keaton]

Alastair Cook
Marcus Trescothick
Michael Vaughan
Joe Root
Kevin Pietersen
Ben Stokes
Matt Prior (wk)
Andrew Flintoff
Graeme Swann
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson

 

[Eeyore]

For me, James Foster is the best English keeper of the last 40 years. Has to be in the team. If we consider keepers as players who take half chances, stumpings and run outs as opposed to being worth an extra ten with the bat.

I'd rather have a keeper who averages 25 and takes that half chance off Ponting when he is on 6, as opposed to one who averages 35 and drops him.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I knew Buttler would be controversial, and considered Prior. But I love the way Buttler plays, so he got the nod.

I'm probably guilty of unfair expectations, but I didn't think Buttler played his natural game often enough in tests.
Most of the time he seemed to nudge his way to about 30 and then get out.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

If the criteria is 'best XI when all are fit' then Jofra Archer simply has to play (despite the fact that the poor lad never IS).

Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Kevin Pietersen
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Matt Prior (wk)
Andrew Flintoff
Graeme Swann
Jofra Archer
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson

Rock solid opening pair - you'd bank on at least one of them still being in, well into the afternoon on day one, in most cases. Root absolute class. KP, Stokes and Flintoff gives you masses of firepower, and Freddie as low as 7 gives a very deep, strong batting line up.

Jimmy, Broad, Jofra and Swann are bowling a lot of sides out, even without the golden arms of Flintoff and Stokes. Root and KP as back up spinners.

Shame not to find room for Ian Bell who was better than all of the above on his best days.

 

[Questions]

Australia

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

If the criteria is 'best XI when all are fit' then Jofra Archer simply has to play (despite the fact that the poor lad never IS).

Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Kevin Pietersen
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Matt Prior (wk)
Andrew Flintoff
Graeme Swann
Jofra Archer
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson

Rock solid opening pair - you'd bank on at least one of them still being in, well into the afternoon on day one, in most cases. Root absolute class. KP, Stokes and Flintoff gives you masses of firepower, and Freddie as low as 7 gives a very deep, strong batting line up.

Jimmy, Broad, Jofra and Swann are bowling a lot of sides out, even without the golden arms of Flintoff and Stokes. Root and KP as back up spinners.

Shame not to find room for Ian Bell who was better than all of the above on his best days.

Similarly Simon Jones bowled at almost superhuman levels for the very short time he was at peak fitness