Draft: EARN ME BACK MY MONEY PLEASE (The First Class RNG Draft)

[pillowprocter]

what would happen if two people pick the same player, in the same round?

 

[ddrap14]

what would happen if two people pick the same player, in the same round?

Well, the big risk for that is gone because only one person got Jack Hobbs in Round 1. With that said, I do have a plan

 

[ddrap14]

@Viper. and @CerealKiller waiting (also Aislabie but I'm 99% sure he knows)

 

[CerealKiller]

Courtney Ambrose

Did they learn the fusion dance

 

[ddrap14]

Did they learn the fusion dance

oh dear

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: England vs Australia, 5th Test, 1982/83
Ahmed's player... Bob Willis

England's premier fast bowler of the late 70s and early 80s, few were faster than Willis.
Others available: Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Ian Botham

Aislabie's game: Peshawar vs United Bank Limited, 1986/87
Aislabie's player... Ashraf Ali

A traditional Aislabie move here - sort out the gloveman early. Let's hope he doesn't end up with as many as last draft.
Others available: Mansoor Akhtar, Sikander Bakht

Aravind's game: Punjab vs Hyderabad, 2009/10
Aravind's player... VVS Laxman

It feels like Laxman had less hype around him than the other Indian champions of the day, but he was just as world class as the rest of them.
Others available: Ambati Rayudu

CerealKiller's game: Hampshire vs Warwickshire, 1921
CerealKiller's player... Phil Mead

Simply a titan of the First Class scene, Mead played 800 games and scored 55000 runs.
Others available: Jack Newman, Lord Tennyson

My game: Sind vs Gujarat, 1943/44
My player... Jasu Singh
(no image)
Oh dear, I got the 1890s NZ of this one. At least Jasu Singh played for India and did okay I guess?

Icyman's game: Victoria vs M. C. C., 1946/47
Icyman's player... Len Hutton

Hutton held the record for most runs in a Test innings for 20 years. Absolutely dominant, and worth the pick.
Others available: :Aus: Keith Miller, Denis Compton, Alec Bedser

Mohsin's game: Bengal vs Gujarat, 2004/05
Mohsin's player... Rohan Gavaskar

Rohan was nowhere near as good as Dad, but a first class average of 44 and handy spin would be a handy addition here.
Others available: Deep Dasgupta

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Warwickshire vs Surrey, 1908
NMA's player... Jack Crawford

A truly elite all-rounder at the County level, he averaged 30 with the bat and 20 with the ball. So very good.
Others available: Tom Hayward

Neptune's game: New South Wales vs M. C. C., 1911/12
Neptune's player... Sydney Barnes

A truly dominant bowler, this is the best of an absolutely stacked cast from this game.
Others available: Victor Trumper, Frank Woolley, Wilfred Rhodes... and so on

Paranoid Kendroid's game: Karnataka vs Hyderabad, 1992/93
Kendroid's player... Venkatesh Prasad

Venkatesh Prasad didn't have a great bowling average as a Test player, but he's a very solid domestic player and probably was the best available in this situation.
Others available: Sunil Joshi, David Johnson, not Rahul Dravid thanks to Round 1

Perfect Square's game: Lancashire vs Yorkshire, 1957
Perfect Square's player... Johnny Wardle

Perhaps England's best ever left-arm spinner, Wardle played during a stacked time for English spin but still dominated at both levels.
Others available: Brian Statham, Fred Trueman, Cyril Washbrook

Pillowprocter's game: Glamorgan vs Kent, 1988
Pillowprocter's player... Ravi Shastri

Nowadays clearly the king of drip, in his day Ravi Shastri was a great batsman and bowler for India and for domestic teams such as Glamorgan.
Others available: Chris Tavare, Matthew Maynard

Sherlock Holmes's game: Pakistan vs New Zealand, 2018/19
Sherlock Holmes' player... Kane Williamson

The first of the big four to go is the one with I think the least matches. Kane is still a very good batsman though, and the best option of these.
Others available: Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, Babar Azam

Supreme's game: Kent vs Surrey, 1931
Supreme's player... Frank Woolley

One of the greatest statistical players of all time, Supreme has to be thanking the heavens that Sydney Barnes went earlier this round. But a valuable addition especially.
Others available: Les Ames, Percy Fender, Andy Sandham

Till Valhalla's game: Habib Bank Limited vs Northwest Frontier Province, 1978/79
Till Valhalla's player... Abdul Qadir

A truly great leg spinner, and the only pick for this round.
Others available: um

Viper's game: Hampshire vs Derbyshire, 1983
Viper's player... Gordon Greenidge

Gordon was an absolutely dominant batsman for the West Indies, playing all the way through their dynasty. Fun fact: he averaged 45 in Test, ODI and FC games.
Others available: not Malcolm Marshall... Geoff Miller???

Welwyn's game: Saurashtra vs Gujarat, 1983/84
Welwyn's player... KC Chauhan

Not Chetan Chauhan but averaged 40+ in FC anyway, so probably the right pick.
Others available: Karsan Ghavri

Yash's game: Warwickshire vs Leicestershire, 1990
Yash's player... Tom Moody

A very interesting pick - Tom Moody is the first Australian taken here and I think the first player taken in my last two drafts. Also fun player.
Others available: Gladstone Small, Chris Lewis, Jonathan Agnew

 

[ddrap14]

@icyman @Sherlock Holmes

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: Border vs KwaZulu-Natal, 2017/18
Ahmed's player... Marques Ackerman

There literally weren't any other options, to the point of me not even having Others Available for this pick. Smangaliso Nhlebela is genuinely the second best player in this game.

Aislabie's game: Somerset vs Glamorgan, 1960
Aislabie's player: Bill Alley

All I can say that he didn't already is that this is a really rare occurrence of someone taking the same player in very close drafts.
Others available: Colin McCool

Aravind's game: Lancashire vs Hampshire, 1981
Aravind's player... Clive Lloyd

There were three Windies legends in this game. With Malcolm Marshall already on Procter's team and Gordon Greenidge on Viper's, the third was an obvious pick.
Others available: David Lloyd

CerealKiller's game: Colts vs Galle, 1988/89
CerealKiller's player... Chaminda Mendis

CK gets his hand forced by an abysmal pool (again, no honorable mentions here) to take Sri Lanka's version of Jamie Siddons.

My game: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 1994/95
My player... Muttiah Muralitharan

Yeah, sorry CK...
Others available: Chaminda Vaas, Stephen Fleming, Aravinda da Silva

Icyman's game: Lancashire vs Nottinghamshire, 1878
Icyman's player... Billy Barnes

Nobody really talkes about Barnes, but a bowling average of 17 at first class level demands respect, especially as he was an above-average batsman of his day too.
Others available: William Scotton, A.G. Steel, Monkey Hornby

Mohsin's game: Hampshire vs Northamptonshire, 1998
Mohsin's player... Robin Smith

This one's insane all around. Firstly, this was the game that I assume gave Hansie Cronje the "double Innings forfeit" idea as it happened here too. Secondly, I misread and forgot to leave Graeme Swann as unavailable, meaning Smith was Mohsin's second pick of the round. Third... vibes
Others available: Devon Malcolm, Rob Bailey, Kevin Curran

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Warwickshire vs Surrey, 1952
NMA's pick... Eric Bedser

Not as good as his brother, but a very handy cricketer regardless, talented with the ball most but also a capable bat.
Others available: Eric Hollies, Peter Loader (Alec was not in this team, perhaps obviously)

Neptune's game: Services vs Delhi, 1965/66
Neptune's pick... Bal Dani
(no pic)
Another obscure game, but Bal Dani was a solid first class player for a while in India. By far the best pick.

Paranoid Kendroid's game: Nottinghamshire vs Northamptonshire, 1961
Kendroid's pick... Raman Subba Row

Someone who deserved more playing time than he got internationally, Subba Row was renowned as an opener but batted at first drop this game.
Others available: Reg Simpson

Perfect Square's game: Queensland vs South Australia, 1993/94
Perfect Square's pick... Matthew Hayden

It took three rounds for the Shield to come up and the pool is, obviously, instantly stacked. Hayden was clearly the best of the lot though.
Others available: Allan Border, Craig McDermott, Darren Lehmann

Pillowprocter's game: Khan Research Labs vs National Bank of Pakistan, 2000/01
Procter's pick... Saeed Anwar

Procter wasn't able to pick Misbah, but with a stacked field highlighted by Saeed, I'm doubtful he would have regardless.
Others available: Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat

Sherlock Holmes' game: Oxford vs Middlesex, 1938
Sherlock's pick... uh

Sherlock took a wilful auto here. That gets a penalty of Not Getting The Best Player, so Ian Peebles came off the table, leaving me and an arbiter - let's be honest, one person in this draft knows who the best players from 1938 Middlesex would be - to select Jack Robertson.
Others available: Walter Robins, Ian Peebles

Supreme's game: Karachi Urban vs Mumbai, 2007/08
Supreme's pick... Ajinkya Rahane

The Indian side of this game never worked out bar for Rahane, who was clearly the best option here.
Others available: Khurram Manzoor, Hasan Raza, Abhishek Nayar

Till Valhalla's game: Warwickshire vs Pakistanis, 1974
Till Valhalla's pick... Imran Khan

A brilliant all-rounder, and another whose presence nullified some unavailabilities (Zaheer Abbas and Bob Willis)
Others available: Alvin Kallicharran, Majid Khan, Mushtaq Mohammad

Viper's game: Border vs Western Province, 1992/93
Viper's pick... Gary Kirsten

A much stronger South African game gives Viper an early leader for "most dominant opening partnership"
Others available: Allan Lamb, Rod McCurdy

Welwyn's game: India vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test, 2024/25
Welwyn's pick... Virat Kohli

Well, this will easily be the most recent game of the draft
Others available: R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant

Yash's game: Durham vs Nottinghamshire, 2021
Yash's pick... Stuart Broad
View attachment 1730965926830.png
PTSD
Others avaliable: David Bedingham, Cameron Bancroft

 

[ddrap14]

@Viper.
@Sherlock Holmes

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: South vs North, 1876
Ahmed's player... WG Grace

Of course the OG cricketer was playing in what was basically an All-Star game.
Others available: George Ulyett, Tom Emmett

Aislabie's game: Boland vs Natal, 1997/98
Aislabie's player... Jonty Rhodes

I think this pic explains a lot.
Others available: Justin Ontong, Kevin Curran, Roger Telemachus

Aravind's game: Central Districts vs Wellington, 2023/24
Aravind's player... :Bwl: Ajaz Patel

One of the best spinners in the Subcontinent in recent years... pretty anonymous outside it.
Others available: Josh Clarkson, Doug Bracewell, Blair Tickner

Cerealkiller's game: Delhi vs Services, 1992/93
CerealKiller's player... Kirti Azad

In a game low on star power, only Azad from it had a decent international career.
Others available: Atul Wassan

My game: Tamil Nadu vs Karnataka, 1978/79
My player... Gundappa Viswanath

A strong match all around, but with me not needing a spinner, Viswanath was an easy choice.
Others available: Kris Srikkanth, Syed Kirmani, 3/4 of India's 1970s spin quartet

Icyman's game: Sussex vs Lancashire, 1986
Icyman's player... Dermot Reeve

I think this round tripped up Icyman a little - there were better options than Reeve, but none ever played more than the odd Test. Reeve is the biggest name.
Others available: :Bwl: Garth le Roux, Paul Allott, Alan Wells

Mohsin's game: Middlesex vs Sussex, 1864
Mohsin's player... V. E. Walker

Perhaps the best underarm bowler of cricket's pre-overarm history?
Others available: James Lillywhite Jr, Tom Hearne

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Hyderabad vs Andhra, 1959/60
NMA's player... C. S. Nayudu

While CS wasn't the best cricketer in his family, he was a very good player in his own right.
Others available: ML Jaisimha, Syed Abid Ali

Neptune's game: Surrey vs North, 1862
Neptune's player... Joseph Rowbotham
(no picture)
Joseph Rowbotham provides a keeper. And not much else.
Others available: Henry Jupp

Paranoid Kendroid's game: Chittagong Division vs Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 2000/01
Kendroid's player... Imran Farhat

I don't know why Farhat was in the Bangladeshi league at this point... but Kendroid isn't complaining.
Others available: Javed Omar, Habibul Bashar, Minhajul Abedin

Perfect Square's game: Gloucestershire vs New Zealanders, 1931
Perfect Square's player... Wally Hammond

The best of a group of legends in this game. Not much else to say about Wally.
Others available: Stewie Dempster, Tom Goddard, Reg Sinfield

Pillowprocter's game: Police SC vs Lankan CC, 2009/10
Pillowprocter's player... Gayan Sirisoma

Nobody in this game played internationals, but some would say Sirisoma deserved to with his 19 average with the ball.

Sherlock Holmes' game: Essex vs Derbyshire, 1902
Sherlock's player... :irl: Frederick Fane

Fane was the third best player here, but with the best being taken by someone later in this round, the second best became the auto penalty, so Fane it is.
Others available: Walter Mead (the auto penalty), the other guy

Supreme's game: Leicestershire vs Hampshire, 2002
Supreme's player... Michael Bevan

First class wasn't Bevan's strongest suit, but he's still a very worthy pick here.
Others available: Chris Tremlett, Alan Mullally, Phil deFreitas, Devon Malcolm

Till Valhalla's game: Sussex vs Glamorgan, 1956
TV's player... Don Smith

Smith was a solid County player. But I can't help but feel the honorable mentions are better...
Others available: Don Shepherd, Jim Parks

Viper's game: Essex vs Surrey, 1925
Viper's player... Bert Strudwick

The uber-specialist WK. Decent, but Viper's betting on a proper all-rounder now.
Others available: Andy Sandham, Percy Fender, JWHT Douglas

Welwyn's game: Zimbabwe Cricket Union President's Xi vs Indians, 1998/99
Welwyn's player... Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin and Kohli in the same team? Oh no
Others available: Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Harbhajan Singh

Yash's game: Warwickshire vs Essex, 1898
Yash's player... Charles Kortright

Charles Kortright was the player I described earlier for Sherlock; he was potentially the fastest bowler in County history.
Others available: Fane

 

[ddrap14]

@Neptune
@Sherlock Holmes (do not auto for my sanity, please)

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Sent

 

[ddrap14]

Aight. Will do this tomorrow morning, thanks for the quick responses team

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: Eagles vs Mountaineers, 2022/23
Ahmed's player... Peter Moor

A rare dual international, and an oddball one at that, Peter Moor will be keeping wicket for Ahmed.
Others available: Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine

Aislabie's game: Karachi vs Pakistan International Airlines, 1977-78
Aislabie's player... Mudassar Nazar

"Sometimes you have to go Route 1"
Others available: Talat Ali, Salahuddin, Aftab Baloch

Aravind's game: Lancashire vs Essex, 1906
Aravind's player... Willis Cuttell

Cuttell is an interesting choice - he's probably the best bowling option here, but I feel like there was a better AR.
Others available: Johnny Douglas, Johnny Tyldesley, (Archie MacLaren)

CerealKiller's game: Glamorgan vs South Africans, 1929
CerealKiller's player... Herbie Taylor

A true icon of the early South African teams, Herbie Taylor was the obvious pick here.

My game: India A vs West Indies A, 1998/99
My player... Chris Gayle

The West Indies A team might be one of the best A teams ever, as Gayle wasn't the only global star in it, but he was probably the best.
Others available: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ian Bishop, like six with 50 FC averages

Icyman's game: Pakistan National Shipping Corporation vs Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan, 1994/95
Icyman's player... Mansoor Rana

Not the most stacked game; Mansoor was probably the best option of those there.
Others available: Zahoor Elahi, Manzoor Elahi

Mohsin's game: Gentlemen vs Players, 1933
Mohsin's player... Hedley Verity

Simply one of the greatest spinners ever. Gentlemen vs Players is an unfair roll.
Others available: anyone who was good in 1933

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Army SC vs Lankan CC, 2012/13
NMA's player... Ajantha Mendis

While not the best Test bowler, Mendis will run through anyone not Test-standard with his beguiling variations.
Others available: Amila Aponso, Seekkuge Prasanna

Neptune's game: Warwickshire vs Yorkshire, 1954
Neptune's player... Fred Trueman

Truthfully, I expected this all-time quick to go when Johnny Wardle did. Instead, Neptune now has Barnes and Trueman. Scary
Others available: Eric Hollies, Bob Appleyard, (Wardle)

Paranoid Kendroid's game: Lancashire vs Nottinghamshire, 1961
Kendroid's player... Brian Statham

Speaking of all-time English quicks... here's another.
Others available: Geoff Pullar

Perfect Square's game: Leicestershire vs Worcestershire, 1903
Perfect Square's player... Ted Arnold

A dependable all rounder in county, Ted Arnold never found his game with the bat internationally but is still a worthy pick.
Others available: Albert Knight

Pillowprocter's game: Canterbury vs Auckland, 2005/06
Pillowprocter's player... Brendon McCullum

One of my favourite non-Aussies ever. Absolutely devastating on his day
Others available: Nathan Astle, Peter Fulton, Scott Styris

Sherlock Holmes's game: Habib Bank vs Pakistan Automobiles, 1986/87
Sherlocks' player... Azhar Khan

Didn't ever get much international recognition, but Azhar Khan was a quality domestic allrounder.
Others available: Um

Supreme's game: Karnataka vs Punjab, 2013/14
Supreme's player... KL Rahul

please open against us please please please
Others available: Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey, A Mithun

Till Valhalla's game: Khan Research Labs vs Pakistan International Airlines, 2013/14
Till Valhalla's player... Sarfaraz Ahmed

A solid choice in an underwhelming pool is a keeper and this is what TV did here.
Others available: Faisal Iqbal, Rahat Ali, Aizaz Cheema

Viper's game: Kent vs Warwickshire, 1955
Viper's player... Eric Hollies

A choice between two titans of spin; Hollies, the man who ruined Don Bradman's average, goes above Doug Wright here.
Others available: Doug Wright, Tom Cartwright

Welwyn's game: Himachal Pradesh vs Hyderabad, 2016/17
Welwyn's player... Mohammad Siraj

Indian Ben Hilfenhaus at the Test level tbh
Others available: S Badrinath

Yash's game: Europeans vs Indians, 1942/43
Yash's player... AG Ram Singh

Unlucky to never play Tests, Ram Singh was a competent all-rounder in a game not full of good players.

 

[Till Valhalla]

I am making a Pakistan domestic with a few overseas.