Draft time: World Cup history - ALL FINISHED!!

[Gaurav_7]

If it can be done, either by Chewie (thanks ), User or Zorax or anyone, that would be brilliant. We could post the results here and make a round-robin table - 2 pts for win, 1 pt for tie etc.... After we've played each other once, the top 2 could go for the final.

Chewie is doing it, I think. And Smurf, there is an app Cricket Simulator in which we can create fantasy teams. We then can select the lineups for the teams and sim the match. It takes into consideration the averages of the players.

AP, it is good that Chewie is doing it but, I doubt anyone doing it would be biased. It is just a fun thing.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Seems simple enough, I guess. Wouldn't mind having a dabble at this sim stuff myself - would you know where I can download it from?

 

[Gaurav_7]

Syedur Rahman's Cricket Simulator

There.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Ahh, ok, I get it now You have to make up the average for each player yourself, and I assume you used the WC averages?

 

[Gaurav_7]

Ahh, ok, I get it now You have to make up the average for each player yourself, and I assume you used the WC averages?

Yeah, I used WC averages. But, if realistic results are to be achieved you need to set a certain range for the averages. Like you will not give an average higher than 'x' to a batsman and an average lower than 'y' to a bowler.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Yeah, I understand your converstaion with Zorax earlier a lot better now - it would be hard to achieve realistic results. If you set certain parameters (not above x and not below y), what happens to players whose WC average is beyond those parameters? And no.of matches played would also be a concern then. Hmm, tricky business this, simming.

 

[shravi]

Though traditionally an opener, Gibbs can bat in the middle order as he showed in the World Cup in 2007. In fact, with a closer look at his overall record (just for the purposes of defending that he can actually bat there if I wanted him to), his average is pretty much equal to his career average so it doesn't affect him too much, I don't think. He also had an average of 48 in the 2007 World Cup, batting in the middle order with 3 fifties in 7 innings, 2 of them coming against both of the World Cup finalists- Australia and Sri Lanka. Overall, however, his record is even more breathtaking and is just something I could not look past simply because he is traditionally an opener. He is South Africa's highest ever run getter in World Cups with 1067 runs in 23 innings (25 matches) at an average of 56! This includes 2 hundreds and 8 fifties that came at a strike rate of 87.

I think that rounds off a very explosive middle order comprising of Kevin Pietersen, Herschelle Gibbs and Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Glenn Turner ('75, '79, '83- 612 runs @ 61, 2 hundreds, 2 fifties)
Marvan Atapattu ('99, '03- 521 runs @ 43, 2 hundreds, 3 fifties)
Kevin Pietersen ('07- 444 runs @ 56, 2 hundreds, 3 fifties)
Herschelle Gibbs ('99, '03, '07- 1067 runs @ 56, 2 hundreds, 8 fifties)
Navjot Singh Sidhu ('87, '96- 454 runs @ 45, 6 fifties)
6.
* Imran Khan ('75, '79, '83, '87, '92- 666 runs @ 35, 34 wickets @ 19)
Thomas Odoyo ('96, '99, '03, '07- 361 runs @ 26, 20 wickets @ 34)
Shane Warne ('96, '99- 32 wickets @ 19.50)
Boyd Rankin ('07- 12 wickets @ 27)
Courtney Walsh ('87, '96, '99- 27 wickets @ 20)

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Indeed explosive. Bowling attack could be a bit thin with both Rankin and Odoyo tho.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Shaun Pollock​

SA's leading run-scorer in WC's for the No.7 position, Shaun Pollock is my Protea pick. The fact that he could bowl a bit was just an added bonus.

Pollock came from a huge family of cricketers - just look at the number of relatives on his cricinfo profile. Most infamous ofcourse was his uncle - Graeme. And if you don't know who Graeme Pollock is, stop reading and get out. If you are still reading, then ofcourse you would know that he's the greatest left-hander of all-time, after Sobers ofcourse.

So what about Shaun? In 4 WC's, he managed to make his uncle proud, and scored a whopping 279 runs at an impressive SR of 75 with even a more impressive average of 17. If these stats don't suggest run machine, I don't know what will.

From time-to-time he bowled too, attempting to bowl a-la-McGrath. He was ok, managed to pick up some measly 31 wickets at an average just above 30. Not too much to brag on about here.

For being a first-class performer with the bat, and being able to chip-in with the ball from time to time, Shaun Pollock makes my WC XI with final stats of:

WC Stats:

Matches: 31
Runs: 279
Batting Average: 17.43
Batting SR: 75.60
100/50: 0/1

Wickets: 31
Bowling Average: 31.29
Bowling SR: 52.0
Econ: 3.60

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Papa's WC XI:

1) A Gilchrist (+)
2) J Davison
3) I Richards (*)
4) Z Abbas
5) A Ranatunga
6)
7) S Pollock
8) P Strang
9) D Patel
10) R Willis
11) J Srinath

 

[shravi]

Graeme Pollock was his uncle. Peter Pollock was his father.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

You are ... correct. I thought he was as well, but mis-read the cricinfo page

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Going to be busy later on guys, so I'll make my final pick in a bit

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Michael Bevan​

Dubbed as Australia's greatest ODI batsman, Michael Bevan makes the final pick of my all time WC team. Arguably the greatest finisher of all-time alongside Klusner, Bevan was a beast down the order.

Klusner was the sort of finisher who came and hit his side to victory, whereas Bevan was the sort to guide his side. I guess in terms of modern players, Klusner was a more consistent Razzaq, while Bevan a like-so Eoin Morgan.

So what about the WC Bevan? He was brilliant. Across 3 WC's, he averaged 44.75. If you exclude his upper order stint, he averaged 51.80 batting between 6-7, and hit all of his 5 match-winning fiftie's at that position. He can also bowl some part-time chinaman, picking up 3 wickets at 96 WC.

For being one of the greatest finishers ever, Bevan makes my WC XI with final stats of:

World Cup stats:

Matches: 26
Runs: 537
Average: 44.75
SR: 64.38
HS:74*
100/50: 0/50

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Papa's WC XI:

1) A Gilchrist (+)
2) J Davison
3) I Richards (*)
4) Z Abbas
5) A Ranatunga
6) M Bevan
7) S Pollock
8) P Strang
9) D Patel
10) R Willis
11) J Srinath
_________________________________________________________________
I'm quite pleased with that. Explosive openers to get me off to a flyer. Richards to keep up the momentum and take the game away. Abbas to anchor. Ranatunga to chase down any score. Bevan to finish, with Pollock and Strang to support. Strang's average in the 96 WC was above 50 - so it's hard to see him getting out, meaning the tail of Patel, Willis and Srinath will rarely get exposed.

Bowling-wise - I've got Willis opening with Patel. Both were excellent economically, and Willis struck as well. They complement each other well - pure aggressive express pace at one end, and annoyingly tight off-spin at the other. With my explosive starts with batting and tight low-scoring bowling, I can ensure my first 10 overs will be better than my opponent's. Those first 10 overs are important - they usually decide the course of the innngs.

At first change, I've got Pollock, who can keep things quiet. He will be complemented by my army of spinners - Strang and Davison, with Bevan and Richards for support. Ranatunga can bowl some useful medium pacers, so he can come on if need be. And finally, I've got Srinath, who's deadly bowling with the old ball, along with tons of experience, will be useful at the death.

The trophy is good as mine

 

[sifter132]

cricket, late by 28 minutes.
Can I post my pick now or I'll have to wait till next round.

Make your pick whenever you are able to. I'm trying not to punish people too much for missing the window, it's just that I want the draft to keep moving as well. So it's rizzie's pick technically, but you can jump in with yours whenever you like.

And Zorax you can make your round 11 pick if you want to, or just wait until you make your SA pick. Up to you.

We've got some solid looking teams coming together now too Not sure if any of them will be good enough to topple my mighty XI though In saying that, this SA round is almost as bad as the England round... I don't like ANYBODY here, so I think I'm going to have to go for a wildcard pick - something out of the box.

 

[AngryPixel]

My bowling lineup is enough to topple any team Freddie-White Lightening-Big Bird-Genius. Fear ye mortal

 

[sifter132]

My bowling lineup is enough to topple any team Freddie-White Lightening-Big Bird-Genius. Fear ye mortal

And led by a modest manager too I think there's a couple of issues to address though before I crown your attack super awesome. 1) None of those 4 bowled better in World Cups than outside of them - Flintoff maybe the exception, so there is a bit of a case that the names are more impressive than the deeds, 2) There's no spinner, 3) all 4 of them did better against the minnows than everyone else. If you adjust their World Cup averages so they are against the top 8 teams only, all 4 of them go above 25. Wasim Akram's in almost 30. Garner's is only just over 25 in that case, but apart from that 5/38 final his average is almost 40 against the top 8 teams.

I don't mean to pick holes harshly, my attack will have faults too Just pointing out those 4 quite aren't as awesome in World Cup history as their otherwise very famous names would suggest. Still pretty good though, especially considering where you picked them in each round.