Draft: The Ashes | COMPLETE

[blockerdave]

Double pick for me!

ALLAN BORDER

"Captain Grumpy", Border took over a poor side after Kim Hughes' resignation, and his first Ashes series as captain was disrupted by the rebel tour to South Africa. The best batsman in the side throughout the early/mid-80s (as Greg Chappell was past his best, and Hughes inconsistent), the team he took over was pretty poor and at a low ebb. He lost his first two Ashes as captain (in England in 85 and at home in 86/87). But then he laid the foundations for what would become the dominant side of the era, winning the Ashes in England in 1989, which the Aussies would retain until the classic series of 2005.

AB played 42 Ashes Tests, scoring 3,222 runs at 55.55 with 7 hundreds and a best of 200*. He was unquestionably the founder of the Aussie dominance in the 90s, a far cry from the side he inherited.

IAN BOTHAM
"Botham's Ashes" in 1981 has passed into legend - batting, bowling and taking great slip catches, Botham was the defining figure of Ashes contests in the 80s. My own memories start from when Botham was way way past his best: fat, injured and playing on reputation. But what a reputation. Botham was a fine bowler, great controlled swing and a rapid-enough pace when he was younger, but he was also king of getting balls from shocking wide long-hops: batsmen just saw him at the other end and got themselves out. With the bat, he could be elegant and he could be agricultural... but he was nearly always worth watching.

Beefy played 32 Ashes matches, taking 128 wickets at 28.04 with a best of 6/95 and taking 7 5-fers and 1 10 wicket match. Batting he scored 1,486 runs at 29.13 with 3 hundreds with the highest being his unforgettable 149* at Headingley in 1981.

Let's hope somebody from the current England side has something like that in their locker in the 2nd inns!

@Aislabie - your go

 

[Aislabie]

Ah shit, I completely missed it and was going to pick Border, despite his arseholery! Which I guess really does make my mind up...

• Steve Waugh (at five)
• Steve Smith (at four)

I'll do write-ups tonight when I get to sit down!

@Sinister One

 

[blockerdave]

Ah shit, I completely missed it and was going to pick Border, despite his arseholery! Which I guess really does make my mind up...

• Steve Waugh (at five)
• Steve Smith (at four)

I'll do write-ups tonight when I get to sit down!

@Sinister One

I was stuck between Border and Waugh!

 

[Aislabie]

I was stuck between Border and Waugh!

Same! Very grateful you ended up choosing for me

 

[Master Bates]

George Lohmann

@VC the slogger

 

[VC the slogger]

​

It was once remarked that the two finest batsmen prior to the arrival of Don Bradman were the Jack Hobbs before the First World War, and the Jack Hobbs after it. Even so, several of his contemporaries rated Hobbs superior to Bradman on difficult wickets for batting or "sticky old dogs" as they were known back then, something which the latter never truly mastered despite his monstrous run scoring feats. It was also believed that he could have been a far greater run scoring batsman than he was if he had a greater affinity for bigger scores, as he had a knack of deliberately giving his wicket away to a deserving bowler soon after reaching three figures in an innings. As a batsman, he generally preferred to play off the back foot and was among the first to develop a technique based on strong forearms and quick foot movement that helped him master all types of bowling - be it spin or pace, in all types of conditions over the world.

Despite not setting the world alight during his first couple of Test series where he averaged a measly 36.17 with a highest of 83, he provided a glimpse of his rare talent by scoring 539 runs at 67.37 against South Africa in 1909/10 to cement his place in the English side. His success against their googly trio of Reggie Scwarz, Aubrey Faulkner and Bert Vogler in particular caught the attention of the cricketing world, and later against Australia in the 1911/12 Ashes down under where he scored 662 runs at 82.75 with 3 centuries in a resounding 4-1 series victory for England - his run aggregate at the time being the highest for a Test series, led to him being labelled as the leading batsman of the world. At this point of his career, he was generally considered an attacking batsman and did not yet reach the consistency levels of his later years. That was soon to change with the advent of the First World War in 1914, which like many of his generation is said to have robbed him of what could have been his peak years as a batsman.

After the War and following a struggle with appendicitis which almost claimed his life in 1921, he dramatically altered his batting approach to become a far more cautious batsman relying more on placement than power. It led to far greater run scoring returns for him at both Test and first-class level as he turned 40 in 1922. He would go on to score 98 of his 197 (or 199) first-class centuries after his 40th birthday at an average of 58.62 compared to a career average of 50.70 from 834 first-class matches. Some of his best performances in the Ashes came during the period between 1924 and 1928, where he scored 1510 runs at an average of 62.92 and began his famous opening partnership with Herbert Sutcliffe, with whom he would go on add 3249 runs at an average of 87.81 from 38 innings - making them statistically Test cricket's greatest opening pair. He scored what turned out to be his final Test century aged 46 years and 82 days during the 1928/29 Ashes, incidentally Bradman's first as a Test cricketer, to become Test cricket's oldest centurion. Age, it seemed had finally caught up with him during his next Ashes series in 1930 where he could manage only 301 runs at 33.44 from 9 innings, prompting him to announce his retirement from Tests though he would play on at first-class level until 1934.

Overall, he scored 5410 runs at 56.94 at Test level with 15 centuries between 1908 and 1930, including 3636 at 54.26 in the Ashes with a total of 12 centuries to his name, the second highest behind only Bradman in terms of runs and centuries. Between 1910 and 1929, he averaged a staggering 65.55 in Test cricket and broke many records in the process such as the most runs in Test history, most runs in a Test series, the most centuries in Ashes Tests, the highest batting average by an opening batsman - many of which were later broken by Don Bradman and Len Hutton respectively. His record for most runs (61760) and centuries (197 or 199, a number which is often disputed) in first-class cricket however, along with that of being the oldest player to score a Test century stand to this day. Apart from his batting, he was also one of the finest cover points the game has ever known and a talented medium pace bowler who could get the ball to swing in helpful conditions averaging a surprisingly good 25.03 with the ball at first-class level with 3 five-fers, but didn't bowl as much for fear it would affect his batting. He was nicknamed "The Master" and became the first professional cricketer to be knighted in 1953.

Playing role

Being arguably the greatest opening batsman in Ashes history, Hobbs will obviously claim one of my two opening slots. As a batsman he can both attack and defend well, so his presence should take considerable pressure off my other opener who will most likely be a more aggressive batsman.

VC's XI

1. Jack Hobbs
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. Sydney Barnes

@CerealKiller​

 

[Aislabie]

Overall Pick #5: Steve Waugh

Profile
My first pick in this draft was a difficult easy choice between Allan Border and of one of Australia's most successful Ashes batsmen and captains, who accrued no fewer than ten Ashes centuries and won all but one of his Ashes Tests as captain. Despite a well-publicised slow start to his Test career, Waugh turned himself into one of the world's most complete batsmen: in the last ten years of his Test career, he made nearly 8,000 runs at 56 with 26 centuries. That is a record that compares favourably with other luminaries of a similar era such as Kallis, Lara, Ponting, Sangakkara and Tendulkar. He achieved the overwhelming majority of his success at number five, utterly dispensing with the conventional but misguided wisdom that a team's best batsman simply must bat at number three. Ultimately though, Waugh will always be remembered above all else for his one-legged unbeaten 157 in his final Test innings in England.

Statistics
ASHES - 3,200 runs @ 58.18 (10 centuries, best 177*) and 22 wickets @ 41.54 (1 5WI, best 5/69) in 46 matches
ALL TESTS - 10,927 runs @ 51.06 (32 centuries, best 200) and 92 wickets @ 37.44 (3 5WI, best 5/28) in 168 matches
FIRST-CLASS - 24,052 runs @ 51.94 (79 centuries, best 216*) and 249 wickets @ 32.75 (5 5WI, best 6/51) in 356 matches

Overall Pick #8: Steve Smith

​

Profile
They say that the mark of a true all-rounder is that their batting average is higher than their bowling average. On balance, Steve Smith is the asterisk that proves the rule, as his value in Ashes cricket can be expressed best by listing his last 30 Ashes innings. They are: 138* and 7, 31 and 0, 6 and 23*, 111 and 15, 19, 115 and 7, 33 and 33, 215 and 58, 7 and 8, 6 and 5, 143, 141*, 40 and 6, 239, 76 and 102*, 83, 144 and 142, 92. If he has any real weakness (and that really is an "if" given that he is in the middle of the most consistent run of scores in the history of Test matches between any pair of teams) then it's 96 mph bouncers, and even that is more a weakness of human physiology than it is of Smith's own game. He's a run-scoring machine, the best Test batsman in the world and arguably the best since Bradman.

Statistics
ASHES - 2,404 runs @ 61.64 (10 centuries, best 239) and 6 wickets @ 61.00 (best 3/18) in 25 matches
ALL TESTS - 6,577 runs @ 63.24 (25 centuries, best 239) and 17 wickets @ 55.76 (best 3/18) in 66 matches
FIRST-CLASS - 10,802 runs @ 58.38 (39 centuries, best 239) and 67 wickets @ 53.08 (1 5WI, best 7/64) in 120 matches


Aislabie's XI so far:
1.
2.
3.
4. Steve Smith (Pick #8)
5. Steve Waugh (Pick #5)
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

 

[CerealKiller]

Glenn McGrath as the 11th pick? I'll take it with both hands. 157 wickets at almost 21 runs apiece. He dominated in almost every series he played. Who knows what would've happened if he hadn't stepped on that ball in Edgbaston in 2005, as he averaged better in England than at home.

@Survivor

 

[Deleted member 193590]

KEN BARRINGTON



was another who raised his game against the old enemy (2,111 runs at 63.96, compared to an overall average of 58). He curbed his attacking instincts to become one of England’s most dogged battlers. His highest score was 256 against Australia at Old Trafford in 1964.

1.
2.
3. Ken Barrington
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Shane Warne
10.
11.


@blockerdave

 

[Aislabie]

KEN BARRINGTON

Shame, I wanted to pick Barrington. Not only for his batting exploits, but for his stunning resemblance to Carl Fredricksen from Up

 

[blockerdave]

Will write up later, but Wally Hammond

@CerealKiller

 

[CerealKiller]

Dennis Lillee for me

@Survivor

 

[Deleted member 193590]

ARTHUR MORRIS
the left-handed opener, had failed in his first three Test innings, but put his career on track when he scored 155 at Melbourne in 1946. Back-to-back centuries followed at Adelaide. He then struck three Test centuries for Don Bradman’s Invincibles on the 1948 tour, and had an Ashes avarage of 50.


1. Arthur Morris
2.
3. Ken Barrington
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Shane Warne
10.
11.

@VC the slogger

 

[VC the slogger]

​

An all-rounder in the truest sense, Keith Miller was not only a great all-round cricketer but also a very good Aussie Rules footballer good enough to play at the highest level and a wartime hero to boot; he once crash landed a Mosquito with a bomb attached to it, one of many near death experiences whilst serving his country during the Second World War. That along with his Hollywood star-like looks, irreverent personality and frequent run-ins with authority made him something of a larger than life figure and fan favorite not just in Australia but pretty much wherever he played.

As a cricketer, he was a generally attacking batsman with a good technique but who had the ability to strike the ball a long way; as a bowler he generally bowled fast with the ability to reach high speeds with the ball and troubled many great batsmen of his era with his bouncers delivered at pace. At the same time, he had the cunning to unsettle them with medium-paced off breaks, leg breaks and cutters even when he wasn't bowling fast. His style of play was also in complete contrast to that of Don Bradman, the central figure in Australian cricket during his time, for he loved to play in closely fought contests and often appeared uninterested if his team were in a very dominant position in a match - one instance during the 1948 Invincibles tour where Australia had amassed 721 runs in a single day's play, but Miller coming in at 2/364 backed away and allowed himself to be bowled for a golden duck much to Bradman's disapproval. He also had a good tactical mind and led his state team New South Wales to three Shield victories in his four seasons as skipper, although his irreverent manner and a not particularly smooth relationship with members of the establishment, Bradman chief among them, contributed to him being overlooked for Test captaincy following the retirement of Lindsay Hassett after 1953. Many including Richie Benaud believed him to be the greatest captain Australia never had.

Interestingly though, it was as an obdurate batsman that Miller first made his mark at first-class level, scoring 181 against Tasmania aged just 18 during his first Shield season in 1937/38, and later a century against a South Australian bowling lineup containing the legendary Clarrie Grimmett the following year. At this point in his career, he was nothing more than an occasional bowler for his state team, not taking a single first-class wicket until his third season in 1940/41. His experiences in the War would however change his perspective about life and cricket. By the time he reemerged during the 1945 Victory Tests he was already showing signs of developing into a genuine Test class all-rounder with his eye catching strokeplay and fast bowling, scoring 443 runs at 63.28 and 10 wickets at 27.70 from 5 'Test' maches for the Australian Services team. He made his official Test debut the following year against New Zealand in a match that was retrospectively granted Test status, scoring 30 and claiming 2 for 6 with the ball in a comfortable innings victory.

In his first Ashes series in 1946/47, he scored 384 runs at 76.80 and claimied 16 wickets at 20.87 to finish second on both batting and bowling averages to Don Bradman (97.14) and Ray Lindwall (20.38) respectively. The series also began his famed bowling partnership with Lindwall that would trouble batsmen all over the world with their hostile pace bowling until Miller's retirement in 1956. He was a key member of the 1948 Invincibles who toured England under the captaincy of Bradman in his final act as a Test cricketer and went through the entire tour unbeaten, a feat considered impossible until then. Miller proved far less prolific with the bat in a lineup that contained Bradman himself, Arthur Morris, Sid Barnes, Lindsay Hassett and Neil Harvey among others who did the bulk of the run scoring, leaving Miller with only 184 runs at 26.28 although he played a greater role with the ball claiming 13 wickets at 23.15 to finish third on wickets to Lindwall and Bill Johnston for Australia despite being plagued by back trouble, which forced him to play as a specialist basman in one of the five Tests which Australia won by a 4-0 margin. Miller's performances were praised by Bradman who was somewhat critical of his aggression claiming that he was someone "whose limitations were caused mainly by his own failure to concentrate".

Miller played four more Ashes series in 1950/51 (350 runs at 43.75 & 17 wickets at 17.70), 1953 (223 runs at 24.77 & 10 wickets at 30.30), 1954/55 (167 runs at 23.85 & 10 wickets at 24.30) and 1956 (203 runs at 22.55 & 21 wickets at 22.23) before retiring, not winning one after 1950/51 as Australia entered a period of transition with the core of Bradman's team declining and heading towards retirement. He was nevertheless prolific against other Test nations during this period, scoring 801 runs at 53.40 and claiming 40 wickets at 25.97 from 10 matches against the West Indies; along with 399 runs at 33.25 and 30 wickets at 21.03 against South Africa. John Goddard, the skipper of a West Indian team that contained the three Ws in Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott at the time was quoted as saying "Give us Keith Miller and we'd beat the world".

Overall, he finished with 2958 runs at 36.97 with 7 centuries and 170 wickets at 22.97 which included 7 five-fers between 1946 and 1956; this included 1511 runs at 33.57 with a best of 145* and 87 wickets at 22.40 with a best of 7/60 in the Ashes. He proved far more prolific at first-class level with 14183 runs at 48.90 with 41 centuries an a best of 281*, and 497 wickets at 22.30 with a best of 7/12 from 7.3 overs after drinking from dusk till dawn in celebration of the birth of his fourth child. He was named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year in 1953, and formed a great friendship-rivarly with Denis Compton in the Ashes over the years leading to the formation of the Compton-Miller medal which is now given to the Player of the Series at the end of every Ashes series. When asked about the pressures of playing cricket at the highest level, he quite typically replied "Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse, playing cricket is not".

Playing role

Miller is capable of batting anywhere between Nos 3 to 7, but in my team he shall come in at No 6 to play the role of the aggressor after some solid accumulation at the top from the likes of Hobbs. As a fast bowler, he will most likely come in at first change as I've already got Barnes and will aim for another genuine quick to supplement him.

VC's XI

1. Jack Hobbs
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Keith Miller
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. Sydney Barnes


@Sinister One​

 

[Master Bates]

Billy Barnes

@Aislabie