ODI XI
Matthew Hayden
Adam Gilchrist
Ricky Ponting
AB de Villiers
Jacques Kallis
Andrew Symonds
Shahid Afridi
Chaminda Vaas
Shane Bond
Muttiah Muralidaran
Lasith Malinga
Ok, you want me to explain Gilchrist. I think the second opener's spot was a toughie and so was the keeper's spot, so I guess you might see it as being lazy; I choose to think it is efficient.
As a batsman, Gilly has been quick and his WC final score was a beauty, quite easily one of the best of the year and apart from Hayden, not really anyone has scored more than 1 century from the top of the order; in this respect it was harsh to overlook Gibbs, but frankly, it would have been far more harsh to overlook the players in the middle order, so this is the lesser evil, in my opinion. I've glossed over actual wicket keeping, but Gilly beats the others out on sheer dismissals, plus I think he's kept as good as he ever has with the range of things he always has to keep to, from slinging 160 kph thunder and standing up to fast-medium pace, down to tricky wronguns and ripping leg breaks.
Anyway, moving on. Ponting, Kallis, Hayden and Symonds are the five most dominant batsmen right now. Firstly, Kallis hasn't been as slow as he is perceived, about average and in any case I think for any game he has lost by lack of aggression, he has surely saved several low scoring games from certain doom.
AB de Villiers is my 'specialist fielder'. He's actually averaged 50 in his last 12 months and has added 3 centuries to his name, but there are a lot of guys making runs, even fast runs like de Villiers does. The centuries really help, but he is a hare in the field and I felt it was worth picking someone for adding something extra, especially with all the potential choices that aren't very good fielders at all.
Down the order and of course no bowler would want to have Symonds and Shahid Afridi joining forces late in the game. Afridi's batting average has been passable and is also something of a star support bowler. Symonds' batting is at its peak, both destructive and hard to stop; it's hard to believe he had to get a biceps tendon reattached a month before the World Cup.
Bowlers, again with the troubles. Murali is prolific as always and Shane Bond looking quite firm for the first time in a while. McGrath left on a high and might still be on top of the wickets table, but we'll exclude him to be fair to anyone playing more than 4 months this year. Vaas and Malinga have been in top form for Sri Lanka and a key component of the World Cup. However, many times I considered picking Flintoff and Tait for the sheer fierceness they present. Consistency and fitness won out, to Vaas and Malinga's fortune.
Besides, four wickets in four balls? What magic be this?