Your greatest first-class side

With lots of greatest threads floating around the boards I thought I'd add my interpretation to them with a very straight forward one.

If you could pick a side to play in the longer forms of the game (i.e. 4 day or Test) that you would back to beat all comers and find enjoyable to watch play what would it be?

Obviously the beat any challengers part can be hugely discussed due to difference in training, equipment, etc down the years but assuming that all players had access to the same coaching, training, equipment etc who would most like to see in a side together. Use whatever criteria you like for selection (preferably including cricketing prowess ) whether that be players you enjoyed watching, players you would have loved to see .... players you grandad instilled a supernatural image of from talking about him when you were little, it's up to you.

1.Hutton
2.B Richards
3.Bradman
4.Pollock
5.Tendulkar
6.Sobers
7.Gilchrist (wk)
8.Marshall
9.Warne
10.Akram
11.Lillee

To justify my selection much of it includes players from before my time but ones who I grew up watching on old highlights tapes due to the lack of cricket on terrestrial tv so had to get my fix elsewhere - this covers Richards, Sobers, Marshall, Lillee and a bit of Pollock. The others are either guys who I watched growing up (Warne, Gilchrist and Tendulkar) and a couple of legends in Hutton and Bradman that I'd simply love to have been able see play at any cost!

What about a great all-rounders team consisting of these following XI players :-

1 Eddie Barlow
2 Trevor Goddard
3 Shane Watson
4 Garry Sobers
5 Imran Khan
6 Tony Greig
7 Keth Miller
8 Mike Proctor
9 Ian Botham
10 Kapil Dev
11 Richard Hadlee

That's a hell of a list boycs but would probably struggle as an XI! I'd get some more spin in their other than Greig/Sobers stuff with Richie Benaud, Wilfred Rhodes had a huge legacy but is probably pushing it too far back...

king_carlos wrote:That's a hell of a list boycs but would probably struggle as an XI! I'd get some more spin in their other than Greig/Sobers stuff with Richie Benaud, Wilfred Rhodes had a huge legacy but is probably pushing it too far back...

Well Wilfred Rhodes did open the batting for England with Jack Hobbs so he could bat at 3 and thus push Shane Watson down the batting order to 4 with Richard Hadlee or Kapil Dev as the 12th Man. Not sure that one can put Richie Benaud as a genuine all-rounder, as he was the 1950's version of Graeme Swann for the Australian team.

Benaud has 23 first class hundreds at 36.5. Definitely a superior batsmen to someone like Swann and deserving of the bowling all rounder label IMO.

Who would keep wicket in your team boycs?

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Who would keep wicket in your team boycs?

Either Garry Sobers or Shane Watson as these 2 guys were born to play cricket and have more talent in one finger than what the NZ cricket team currently have in their entire test XI.

I'd say a guy like Gilchrist could realistically be argued as an all rounder given the fact he brought that some complement of all round skills and balance to the sides he played in.

I'd also highly question putting Sobers and Watson in the class of 'born to play cricket'. Especially when looking at keeping, i.e. fielding, prowess. Watson is good there but Sobers was one of the best there's has been in the field.

king_carlos wrote:I'd say a guy like Gilchrist could realistically be argued as an all rounder given the fact he brought that some complement of all round skills and balance to the sides he played in.

I'd also highly question putting Sobers and Watson in the class of 'born to play cricket'. Especially when looking at keeping, i.e. fielding, prowess. Watson is good here but Sobers was one of the best there's has been in the field.

Well Gilchrist sure may be a great wicketkeeper batsman, but he is not a genuine all-rounder in my book.

Hobbs
B Richards
Bradman
Lara
V Richards
Sobers
Knott
Akram
Marshall
Ambrose
Murali

A team of players i never saw play, but wish I could have:

Hobbs
Hutton
Bradman
Hammond
W.G.
Ames(wk)
Miller
Larwood
Grimmett
O'Reilly
Barnes

Reckon they'd give most teams a run for their money as well.

Any team with Bradman would be hard to beat

My team to play against that rabble:

Gavasker
B Richards
V Richards
Lara
Tendulkar
Sobers
Knott
Marshall
Akram
Ambrose
Murali

Twould be a good contest Stella.





But my team'd win.

In contrast to Hoggy's team that he wishes he could have seen, this is my eleven that I'm glad I did:

B Richards
Greenidge
G Chappell
V Richards
Gomes
Sobers
Procter
Knott
Holding
Lillee
Underwood.

Gomes?

A friend?

Stella wrote:Gomes?

A friend?

Not a great player but always a very important member of a great team which is perhaps more important.

Still revered throughout the West Indies as 'Mr Dependable'. He even edged David Steele out of my eleven.

guildfordbat wrote:

Stella wrote:Gomes?

A friend?

Not a great player but always a very important member of a great team which is perhaps more important.

Still revered throughout the West Indies as 'Mr Dependable'. He even edged David Steele out of my eleven.

Batted well on the 1984 tour. Could bowl a few seam up as well, Guildford.

Yep, no passengers in my team, Stella.

My, I've seen them play XI

Greenidge
Sehwag
V Richards
Lara
Tendulkar
Gilchrist
Akram
Marshall
Warne
Ambrose
Murali

Sehwag? Really? The man who averages 36 outside subcontinent conditions? Cook and Smith, far better choices.

Best I've seen :

Smith
Cook
Punter
SRT
Kallis
Lara
Gilly (I think Flower is a better batsman but Gilly more suited to 7)
Pollock
Warne
Steyn
Mcgrath

Didn't see Donald, Ambrose, Walsh, Wasim or Waqar at their peaks.

Cook
Trescothick
Ponting
Lara
Taylor
Kallis
Gilchrist
Warne
Steyn
Bond
McGrath

Not the best team I could have picked out of the players I've seen, but the team I would most like to see play. And they'd be fairly useful as well.

No Tendulkar?

And is that James Taylor?

I've never really become to fond of Sachin as a player. Prefer watching Lara and Ponting bat and wanted Kallis in as the all rounder. SRT the better player overall though.

And of course!

Prompted by the SA v New Zealand match on the moment, I thought that the classical musicians could put together a tolerably good side:

Strauss
Matthew Haydn
Vaughan (limping -so, accompanied by his runner Neil Williams
Elgar
[Malcolm] Arnold (either Geoff Arnold or Russell Arnold)
Wagner
[Sir Adrian] Boult
Accompanied on the Hammond organ.


Then suddenly realised I was wasting time. Much easier to include England's Ashes 2005 winning side. As the footage of Freddie showed, most of the team were all Brahms and Liszt

These discussions are always fun.

Best ever (based on my eyes, footage, contemporary opinions and stats):
B. Richards
Hobbs
Bradman
Pollock
Tendulkar
Sobers
Knott (Gilchrist is the superior batsman, but I think my side has enough batting and Knott was a genius with the gloves)
Warne
Wasim
Holding
Barnes

There were too many great players I left out, so for the hell of it here's the 2nd XI:
Hutton
Greenidge
Ponting
Hammond
V. Richards
Miller
Gilchrist
Marshall
McGrath
Waqar (partly for balance, I think Ambrose overall is the better bowler)
Murali

Of those I've seen play, I was surprised by how easy this felt:
Hayden
Cook
Ponting
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist
Warne
Wasim
Ambrose
McGrath

Murali and Steyn unlucky to miss out.

Favourite XI to watch:
Slater
Saeed Anwar
Ponting
M. Waugh
Martyn
Pietersen
AB (if he keeps for SA then I can have him surely)
Warne
Wasim
Steyn
B. Lee

ShankyCricket wrote:Sehwag? Really? The man who averages 36 outside subcontinent conditions? Cook and Smith, far better choices.

Who cares.

Sehwag and Greenidge would be more fun. Sehwag does average about the same as these two overall, AND has that extra bit of x-factor, so nothing in it really.

I thought Shanky might respond to Sehwag

guildfordbat wrote: In contrast to Hoggy's team that he wishes he could have seen, this is my eleven that I'm glad I did:

B Richards
Greenidge
G Chappell
V Richards
Gomes
Sobers
Procter
Knott
Holding
Lillee
Underwood.

That's a bloomin' fast bowling line up there Guildford! Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that.

Just been thinking about spinners and one guy who could displace Warne from my side is Abdul Qadir. He was a great bowler to watch, one of the best at drawing a batsman out by beating him in the flight.

I wonder how good a sledging XI we could put together between us, I'll get it started with some classics:

1.

2.

3.Viv Richards - Greg Thomas of Glamorgan beats Richards bat a couple of times and says "hey Viv it's small, red, round and weighs about 5 ounces, in case you were wondering", next ball Viv knocks it out the ground and says "you know what it looks like Greg now go find it".

4.

5.Daryll Cullinan - Whilst facing his nemesis Shane Warne who had been out injured for a couple of seasons, Warne says “I’ve been waiting two years for the opportunity to humiliate you in front of your own crowd.” Cullinan simply turned around and said: “Looks like you spent it eating.”

6.

7.Ian Healy - To Phil Tufnell, "hey Tuffers lend me your brain I'm building an idiot"

8.

9.

10.Merv Hughes - there were many but my favourite to Robin Smith "turn your bat over mate, you might find instructions on the back".

11.Jimmy Ormond - Ormond's just come into bat vs Australia and Mark Waugh comments, "mate there's no way you're good enough to play for England" to which Ormond replied, "maybe not but at least I'm the best cricketer in my family".

I am surprised Len Hutton is ranked so highly on this Board. Just saying.

Most of the players chosen for these teams were also larger than life characters, but Hutton was kinda the opposite, introspective it always seemed.

Of his era, it was always Bradman and Compton who really caught the imagination, not the man from Pudsey. Great batsman of course, but that GREAT??


Very very interested in some of the selections, great thread! But still no love for Roy Marshall . . . . .

Of those I've seen, Marshall would be the first name in my team, the first to stoke my interest and fascination with this great game.
And the sight of the much-revered (in those parts anyway) and almost blind Phillip Mead, wrapped up in a blanket seated by the pavillion, was the inspiration for wanting to learn more of the history of the sport.

If you gonna pick a side based on stats then after Sir Donald Bradman, Vijay Merchant(Ind) and George Headley(WI) would be the next two on the team sheet.

king_carlos wrote:I wonder how good a sledging XI we could put together between us, I'll get it started with some classics:

Coming at it from another angle any of the following might also be good at sledging: John Snow, Craig White, "Shivering" Chanderpaul.

Mcgrath to Eddo Brandes: Why are you so fat?

Brandes: Because Everytime I F*** your wife shes gives me a biscuit

ShahenshahG wrote:Mcgrath to Eddo Brandes: Why are you so fat?

Brandes: Because Everytime I F*** your wife shes gives me a biscuit

Stella wrote:

ShankyCricket wrote:Sehwag? Really? The man who averages 36 outside subcontinent conditions? Cook and Smith, far better choices.

Who cares.

Sehwag and Greenidge would be more fun. Sehwag does average about the same as these two overall, AND has that extra bit of x-factor, so nothing in it really.

But can't score for toffee in seaming conditions.

king_carlos wrote:I wonder how good a sledging XI we could put together between us, I'll get it started with some classics:

1.

2.

3.Viv Richards - Greg Thomas of Glamorgan beats Richards bat a couple of times and says "hey Viv it's small, red, round and weighs about 5 ounces, in case you were wondering", next ball Viv knocks it out the ground and says "you know what it looks like Greg now go find it".

4.

5.Daryll Cullinan - Whilst facing his nemesis Shane Warne who had been out injured for a couple of seasons, Warne says “I’ve been waiting two years for the opportunity to humiliate you in front of your own crowd.” Cullinan simply turned around and said: “Looks like you spent it eating.”

6.

7.Ian Healy - To Phil Tufnell, "hey Tuffers lend me your brain I'm building an idiot"

8.

9.

10.Merv Hughes - there were many but my favourite to Robin Smith "turn your bat over mate, you might find instructions on the back".

11.Jimmy Ormond - Ormond's just come into bat vs Australia and Mark Waugh comments, "mate there's no way you're good enough to play for England" to which Ormond replied, "maybe not but at least I'm the best cricketer in my family".

Robin Smith appropriately once said to Merv Hughes "We make a great pair Merv, I can't Frak bat and you can't Frak bowl"! ? Also what about the ultimate sledgers who are Aussie legends Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh and Jeff Thompson. Rod Marsh once asked Allan Lamb during Lamb's first ashes series in 1982 when Lamb came to the wicket to face a rampant and fired up Lillee "Have you got any family mate?, to which Lamb replied something along the lines of "Jeezus I've never been greeted like that before"

Think I deserve a shout in the sledge XI- once, while standing in the slips told a struggling batsman, `Try golf, that ball stands still`... Dale also came with a gem today, telling Wagner, `Dis `n lekker land daai, geniet jou twee beurte vandag`, which translates as, `Its a nice country, hey. Enjoy your two innings today`. It was funny purely becaue Dale cant speak Afrikaans fluently, so he must have taken time out to get practise it

Malcolm Marshall to David Boon.
"Now David, are you going to get out, or am I going to have to go round the wicket and kill you?"

One of my favourite sledges.

In a Sheffield Shield game between NSW and SA, Mark waugh was taking an eternity to take guard, asking the umpire for centre, middle and leg, two legs - the whole lot. Then he steps away towards leg side and has another look around the field, before re checking centre.
Jamie Siddons is at slip, and decided enough is enough. He yells out."For christ sake, it's not a 'Frak test match."
Waugh replies: "Of course it isn't .. You're here."

Got to have Botham and Marsh in the sledgers 11 -

Marsh; "How's your wife and my kids?"

Botham: "The wife's fine, but the kids are retarded"

An oldie but a goodie.
During the 1932/3 'Bodyline' series, the Nawab of Pataudi Snr. was playing an interminable innings when Vic Richardson asked him why he was batting so slowly. "I'm just trying to gauge the pace of the wicket" said Pataudi. "Well it's changed three times since you came in" replied Richardson.

Wasn't it the same series when an Aussie from the crowd asked Jardine to leave their flies alone?

Stella wrote:Wasn't it the same series when an Aussie from the crowd asked Jardine to leave their flies alone?

Yep. That was the immortal 'Yabba' who told him to "Leave our flies alone.They're the only friends you've got here"

Some other 'Yabba' insults include:

"I wish you were a statue and I were a pigeon."
"Send 'im down a piano, see if 'e can play that!"
"Those are the only balls you've touched all day!" (To an English batsman adjusting his box in between overs).
"Your length's lousy but you bowl a good width!" (To an opposition bowler)

I know those insults were not all to Jardine but the Aussies hated him and vice versa.......even before the bodyline series.

Stella wrote:I know those insults were not all to Jardine but the Aussies hated him and vice versa.......even before the bodyline series.

At the end of a day's play during the Bodyline series Jardine reportedly stormed over to the Aussie dressing room, and complained to Woodfull that one of the Australian players had questioned Jardine's parentage while Jardine was batting. Woodfull turned to the dressing room and yelled "which one of you b*****ds called this b*****d a b*****d?"

Shane Warne and Ian Healy were debating how to draw Arjuna Ranatunga out of his crease for a possible stumping.

Healey "Stick a Mars Bar on a length, that should do it"

(that was around the same time Healy told Arjuna that "You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat ****!")

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

Stella wrote:I know those insults were not all to Jardine but the Aussies hated him and vice versa.......even before the bodyline series.

At the end of a day's play during the Bodyline series Jardine reportedly stormed over to the Aussie dressing room, and complained to Woodfull that one of the Australian players had questioned Jardine's parentage while Jardine was batting. Woodfull turned to the dressing room and yelled "which one of you b*****ds called this b*****d a b*****d?"

Well this dressing room incident you mention is shown as part of that fabulous Bodyline TV mini-drama that was broadcast in the early 1980's and is now out on DVD. Has anyone seen this Bodyline TV series as I think it does the game of cricket itself a marvellous service as it highlights/shows to the rest of the world the joys and drama test match cricket is.

gboycottnut wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

Stella wrote:I know those insults were not all to Jardine but the Aussies hated him and vice versa.......even before the bodyline series.

At the end of a day's play during the Bodyline series Jardine reportedly stormed over to the Aussie dressing room, and complained to Woodfull that one of the Australian players had questioned Jardine's parentage while Jardine was batting. Woodfull turned to the dressing room and yelled "which one of you b*****ds called this b*****d a b*****d?"

Well this dressing room incident you mention is shown as part of that fabulous Bodyline TV mini-drama that was broadcast in the early 1980's and is now out on DVD. Has anyone seen this Bodyline TV series as I think it does the game of cricket itself a marvellous service as it highlights/shows to the rest of the world the joys and drama test match cricket is.

Been watching it on you tube. Gonna have to buy the complete series.

1.

2.

3.Viv Richards - Greg Thomas of Glamorgan beats Richards bat a couple of times and says "hey Viv it's small, red, round and weighs about 5 ounces, in case you were wondering", next ball Viv knocks it out the ground and says "you know what it looks like Greg now go find it".

4.

5.Daryll Cullinan - Whilst facing his nemesis Shane Warne who had been out injured for a couple of seasons, Warne says “I’ve been waiting two years for the opportunity to humiliate you in front of your own crowd.” Cullinan simply turned around and said: “Looks like you spent it eating.”

6.Ian Botham - Whilst Beefy was batting Marsh asked him, "How's your wife and my kids". To which Botham replied, "the wife's fine, the kids are retarded".

7.Ian Healy - To Phil Tufnell, "hey Tuffers lend me your brain I'm building an idiot" Laugh

8.Malcolm Marshall - To David Boon, "now David are you going to get out or am I going to have to go round the wicket and kill you".

9.

10.Merv Hughes - there were many but my favourite to Robin Smith "turn your bat over mate, you might find instructions on the back".

11.Jimmy Ormond - Ormond's just come into bat vs Australia and Mark Waugh comments, "mate there's no way you're good enough to play for England" to which Ormond replied, "maybe not but at least I'm the best cricketer in my family".

There's an updated XI from the suggestions, it's actually looking quite a good team. We still need openers and a couple more though, at the end any favourites that didn't make the side can be 12th men (Eddo Brandes, Kingraf ...)