Another draft!-Test players of the 90s and later - FINISHED!

[cricket_icon]

Please read this by shifter.

ahhh ok just read that.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Shravi can make 2 picks now. NZ and Ban/Zim.

 

[shravi]

My pick is the second coming of Richard Hadlee and New Zealand's second greatest bowler ever. The name's Bond. Shane Bond. Bond bowled at searing pace and swung the ball late. Though his body was never upto the rigors of international cricket on a consistent basis, he skill and talent surely were. He did enough in his short career to convince any doubters that he was a bowler of supreme quality that was one the best of his time. In just 18 test (32 innings as a bowler), he took 87 wickets (3 wickets per innings) at an average of 22. These wickets came at a quite astounding strike rate of 38.7. In just 32 innings, he took 7 four-fors, 5 five-fors and 1 10WM. New Zealand won 10 of the 18 tests he played in which just goes to show what an effect he had on the team when he did play. He was a true match winner and his strike rate of 38.7 combined with Dale Steyn's strike rate of 39.9 makes for a mouth-watering prospect as I have two bowlers of the highest quality who take wickets so frequently that a batting team is never comfortable.

Will make my Zim pick when my turn actually comes around. I need some time to think about who I want.

 

[Gaurav_7]

As expected really. And, that Steyn and Bond duo looks threatening.

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Will make my Zim pick when my turn actually comes around. I need some time to think about who I want.

It's your turn now. Though, there is plenty of time for you to think. Can you post your XI as of now?

 

[shravi]

1
2
3
Brian Lara
5
6
+ Ridley Jacobs
8
Dale Steyn
Shane Bond

 

[Gaurav_7]

Early days. Though, that pace attack looks gun with those two. Wow, wish we saw them bowling together some time, in some team. Modern day dream pace combo.

Though, I've Anwar, Kallis, Yousuf to tackle them.

 

[sifter132]

After Andy Flower the Second best thing Zimbabwe cricket was able to produce Heath Streak.

Too true, I think I was dreaming hoping Streak might get through to my choice

He was a true match winner and his strike rate of 38.7 combined with Dale Steyn's strike rate of 39.9 makes for a mouth-watering prospect as I have two bowlers of the highest quality who take wickets so frequently that a batting team is never comfortable.

Shane Bond was great to watch, but just wondering what you guys think of the importance of bowlers strike rates in general? Actually I might even start a thread about it...


Anyway, on to my choice
Daniel Vettori

New Zealand's stalwart - Mr Reliable. He's never turned into the brilliant bowler than many projected he might be at 18, but instead he's been very consistent with the ball and always asks questions of the batsmen with his subtle changes of flight and pace. Many batsmen have found that against NZs weak attack it's easier just to sit on Vettori and score off the others which is one reason for his high strike rate. You can see this by isolating Vettori's stats when he had a good partner in Shane Bond. In matches where Bond played, Vettori averages 24.74 with the ball, almost 10 lower than his career average. Unfortunately for New Zealand, Bond only managed to play 18 Tests, and their combination didn't reap much long term success.

Vettori has probably been a better ODI bowler than Test bowler, but he'll certainly have good use in my XI as a partner and reliever for SK Warne, keeping things quiet at his end and keeping the pressure on the batsman. Don't underestimate him or go to sleep against him, or he'll get you out.

And he adds great value to the team with his lower order batting which has really improved a lot over his career. In fact, since he's moved up to #8 he averages 40.18 in that spot, making him one of the best all-rounders left to be picked.

Debut: vs England, Wellington, 1997 (he'd just turned 18)
Tests: 105
Runs: 4167
Average: 30.19
100s: 6
Wickets: 345
Average: 33.98
5fers: 19

1
2
3 Younis Khan
4
5 Andy Flower (wk)
6
7
8 Daniel Vettori
9 Shane Warne (c)
10 Merv Dillon
11

 

[Aditya]

Chris Martin

Matches : 61
Wickets : 199
BBI : 6/54
BBM : 11/180
Ave : 34.66

Test debut vs South Africa at Bloemfontein, Nov 17-21, 2000

Chris Martin, is a very fine pace bowler. Surely someone who isn't rated highly with the bat but surely someone who is rated as a "good" bowler. On his day, he can be as devastating as any great bowler in the world currently. His pace is quite good, his bouncers are fine enough. Martin is New Zealand's fourth highest wicket taker ever. This shows that he is a very fine pace bowler indeed.

My Team
1.
2.
3. Inzamam-ul-Haq
4. Shivnarine Chanderpaul
5. Sourav Ganguly
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Chris Martin
11. Glenn Mcgrath

 

[Aoun13]

I forget to post my team so far.
1. Mathew Hayden
2. Chris Gayle
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Heath Streak
10. Allan Donald
11. Mohammad Asif

 

[CG123]

My Team
1.
2.
3. Inzamam-ul-Haq
4. Shivnarine Chanderpaul
5. Sourav Ganguly
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Chris Martin
11. Glenn Mcgrath

Martin above Mcgrath...?

 

[Aditya]

Both are equally good, Martin has better duck record though so he gets a nod ahead. Change in batting position works sometimes....

 

[AbhishekS]

IIRC, McGrath batted at number 11 for most of his career.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Your turn, Yudi.

 

[CG123]

Yes, but McGrath's average is still three times what Martin's is, and Martin is arguably the worst batsman to even play test match cricket.

 

[Aditya]

A debate can be started on this :- who is worst Mcgrath or Martin.

On a serious note, I didn't really care about this. Mcgrath was already at 11 so I placed Martin at 10 but most likely Mcgrath will bat at 10.