Bluebagger
International Coach
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2009
- Location
- Sydney
- Online Cricket Games Owned
- Don Bradman Cricket 14 - Xbox 360
- Don Bradman Cricket 14 - Steam PC
Tests
Alastair Cook
Hashim Amla
Kane Williamson
Steve Smith
Misbah-ul-Haq
AB De Villiers
Ravi Ashwin
Mitchell Starc
Dale Steyn
Yasir Shah
Jimmy Anderson
I approached this as though I was picking a team to play a real game rather than putting the best names in there, that's just my philosophy so there's a bit of reasoning for the team I've chosen.
The first thing that's noticeable is that there's only 6 batsmen. Ravi Ashwin is a fine player but I'm not sure he's quite good enough to be an all rounder batting at 6 so he swaps with De Villiers who is the superior batsman.
Since this is a test match I like the stability that my 1-3 bring me which is why I've left David Warner out. I'm honestly not a fan of his and his performances in the test series vs Sri Lanka annoyed me. Sure, if I have him in the team it's fun to be 0-100 after 15 overs but it's equally annoying being 1-25 after 3 overs. Hashim Amla rarely plays as an opener but honestly he could be batting at the crease on the second ball of a test so that makes no difference batting at 2 or 3.
Steve Smith in at 4 with Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Younis Khan missing out just because I can only have so many batsmen. I actually would have had Younis Khan in the team next if I could squeeze the extra batsman in and I found it difficult to leave him out. I don't rate Ross Taylor so he was never in the conversation.
Misbah in at 5 because I'm a big fan of having mentally strong warriors at 5, very reminiscent of the days of Waugh and Border and I feel that he looks like a quality leader who has done great with Pakistan.
AB as the wicketkeeper is cheating a little bit but with 5 bowlers I really had to pick him to beef up the batting.
For the bowling, I like the variety of my seamers and I feel they pick themselves. Left arm swing at pace (Starc) right arm swing at a reasonable pace (Anderson) right arm everything at pace (Steyn) it's just quality. Ashwin picks himself really but Rangana Herath was very unlucky to miss out but I went for Yasir Shah as I like the off break and leg break variety and when a leg spinner is on-song they can destroy a batting line up, just like Yasir Shah did at Lord's and The Oval. If we were playing on a dust bowl then Herath comes in for Anderson. Tim Southee possibly the next quick bowler in line.
Alastair Cook Hashim Amla Kane Williamson Steve Smith Misbah-ul-Haq AB De Villiers Ravi Ashwin Mitchell Starc Dale Steyn Yasir Shah Jimmy AndersonI approached this as though I was picking a team to play a real game rather than putting the best names in there, that's just my philosophy so there's a bit of reasoning for the team I've chosen.
The first thing that's noticeable is that there's only 6 batsmen. Ravi Ashwin is a fine player but I'm not sure he's quite good enough to be an all rounder batting at 6 so he swaps with De Villiers who is the superior batsman.
Since this is a test match I like the stability that my 1-3 bring me which is why I've left David Warner out. I'm honestly not a fan of his and his performances in the test series vs Sri Lanka annoyed me. Sure, if I have him in the team it's fun to be 0-100 after 15 overs but it's equally annoying being 1-25 after 3 overs. Hashim Amla rarely plays as an opener but honestly he could be batting at the crease on the second ball of a test so that makes no difference batting at 2 or 3.
Steve Smith in at 4 with Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Younis Khan missing out just because I can only have so many batsmen. I actually would have had Younis Khan in the team next if I could squeeze the extra batsman in and I found it difficult to leave him out. I don't rate Ross Taylor so he was never in the conversation.
Misbah in at 5 because I'm a big fan of having mentally strong warriors at 5, very reminiscent of the days of Waugh and Border and I feel that he looks like a quality leader who has done great with Pakistan.
AB as the wicketkeeper is cheating a little bit but with 5 bowlers I really had to pick him to beef up the batting.
For the bowling, I like the variety of my seamers and I feel they pick themselves. Left arm swing at pace (Starc) right arm swing at a reasonable pace (Anderson) right arm everything at pace (Steyn) it's just quality. Ashwin picks himself really but Rangana Herath was very unlucky to miss out but I went for Yasir Shah as I like the off break and leg break variety and when a leg spinner is on-song they can destroy a batting line up, just like Yasir Shah did at Lord's and The Oval. If we were playing on a dust bowl then Herath comes in for Anderson. Tim Southee possibly the next quick bowler in line.
