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

[Till Valhalla]

Others available: Venogupal Rao

It should have been me.

 

[ddrap14]

@Na Maloom Afraad please pick asap

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: Khan Research Labs vs pakistan Telecommunications, 2003/04
Ahmed's player... Saeed Ajmal

A real mystery spinner, Saeed Ajmal has courted issues with his bowling action during his career, but has also delivered success.
Others available: Mohammad Asif, Yasir Arafat

Aislabie's game: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 1993-94
Aislabie's player... Wasim Akram

Well that solves the bowling issue here.
Others available: Andy Flower, Javed Miandad, Waqar Younis

Aravind's game: Gloucestershire vs New Zealanders, 1949
Aravind's player... Fen Cresswell

I personally think there were better options, but Fen Cresswell is a solid pace bowler who's definitely the best of his type here.
Others available: Tom Goddard, Tom Graveney, Bert Sutcliffe

CerealKiller's game: Lahore vs Gujranwala, 1985
CK's player... Ijaz Ahmed

You wouldn't use Ijaz to teach batting, but he's a very handy addition to any side.
Others available: Ijaz Ahmed (the other one)

My game: Kent vs Derbyshire, 1978
My player... Eddie Barlow

Perhaps it's a risk to take Barlow now and leave myself hunting two front line bowlers in the final two rounds. But he's BPA by a mile.
Others available: Peter Kirsten, Bob Taylor, Derek Underwood

Icyman's game: West Indies vs India, 1975/76
Icyman's player... Andy Roberts

With Icyman's bowling group in shambles, Viv Richards was discarded (the only appropriate time to do this) and Roberts taken over Michael Holding.
Others available: Viv Richards, Michael Holding, Sunil Gavaskar

Mohsin's game: Auckland vs Wellington, 1945/46
Mohsin's player... Merv Wallace

I was surprised not to see Jack Cowie. But Mohsin really has four bowlers already, and Wallace is one of the most underrated cricketers ever - his prime years were robbed by the war, but even before then, he averaged 50 on a tour of England.
Others available: Jack Cowie

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Boland vs Western Province, 1993/94
NMA's player... Claude Henderson

NMA gets a second spinner. This one is Not Good.
Others available: Adrian Kuiper

Neptune's game: Natal vs Eastern Province, 1983/84
Neptune's player... Khaya Majola

Neptune got a Howa Bowl game, the competition for black and coloured South Africans during Apartheid. Given the tournament's obscurity, he did well to find the best of the bunch in Majola, the premier all-rounder of the competition.
Others available: Stephen Draai

Paranoid Kendroid's game: Somerset vs Kent, 1927
Kendroid's player... Les Ames

Well that solves the keeper position
Others available: Tich Freeman, Frank Woolley (taken)

Perfect Square's game: Natal B vs Orange Free State, 1980/81
Perfect Square's player... Yacoob Omar

Remember the Howa Bowl from earlier? Yacoob Omar was the only player to be (considered) good enough to beat racism and play in the main domestic competitions.
Others available: Robin Smith

Pillowprocter's game: Kent vs Gloucestershire, 2015
Procter's player... Darren Stevens

This game was abandoned with just 15 overs played. Stevens played no role but the cult hero still gets the nod here.
Others available: Joe Denly, Sam Northeast

Sherlock Holmes' game: Leeward Islands vs Barbados, 2008/09
Sherlock Holmes' player... Kemar Roach

Ryan Hinds of all people made 240 in this game, but the clear pick for a bowling-starved Sherlock was still his teammate Kemar Roach.
Others available: Sulieman Benn, Pedro Collins

Supreme's game: Otago vs Canterbury, 1928/29
Supreme's player... Jack Newman

I thought Supreme fell for the Sutcliffe trick - but this is the correct Jack Newman, a player with 2000 FC wickets - and a batting average of 25 to boot.
Others available: Alby Roberts

Till Valhalla's game: Essex vs Northamptonshire, 1984
TV's player... Graham Gooch

Nine picks, nine England or Pakistan players. This one has 67000 runs at senior representative level.
Others available: Keith Fletcher, half of Aislabie's 90s England Playthrough starting squad

Viper's game: Leicestershire vs Nottinghamshire, 1911
Viper's player... John Gunn

Gunn was perhaps a worse batsman than his brother George, but he got the pick because of his bowling ability that comes additional.
Others available: George Gunn, Joe Hardstaff sr, Dodger Whysall

Welwyn's game: Karnataka vs Kerala, 1987/88
Welwyn's player... Roger Binny

Binny would best be described as a "useful" allrounder. However, with two India keepers in the team...
Others available: Syed Kirmani, Brijesh Patel

Yash's game: East Zone vs North Zone, 2018/19
Yash's player... Taijul Islam

The first Bangladeshi round of this, and a spinner is predictably taken - I'd have gone batsman though
Others available: Mominul Haque, Mohammad Ashraful, Sohag Gazi

 

[ddrap14]

@Viper. @Yash. @Sherlock Holmes @Paranoid Kendroid @Aravind.
if yall get this done in the next 18 hours or so I can get out a round tomorrow probably, and then R11 can go over my work schedule this week

 

[Viper.]

Bro should try to give me scorecards where I know at least one player then

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Bro should try to give me scorecards where I know at least one player then

Where's the fun in that?

 

[ddrap14]

Bro should try to give me scorecards where I know at least one player then

There were no less than six Test players in this one

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: Sussex vs Cambridge, 1956
Ahmed's player... Ted Dexter

Ahmed desperately needed a star batsman and he gets one of England's finest ever.
Others available: Jim Parks

Aislabie's game: Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands, 2021/22
Aislabie's player... Devon Smith

A pool filled with sub-Test quality Test players here, Devon Smith being the best of them on his day.
Others available: Rakheem Cornwall, Rovman Powell

Aravind's game: Kent vs New Zealanders, 1973
Aravind's player... Glenn Turner

Turner's greatness can be summed up in many ways, but the best one is that Turner averaged 66 against the West Indies. Those West Indies.
Others available: Alan Knott, Derek Underwood

CerealKiller's game: Australians vs MCC, 1946/47
CK's player... Don Bradman

The first and only time he will be a 10th-round pick.
Others available: You have all day? Miller, Morris, Evans, Compton, Hassett... (Hutton and Hammond taken)

My game: Essex vs Hampshire, 1900
My player... Walter Mead

ANOTHA SPINNA
Others available: Charles Kortright (taken)

Icyman's game: Punjab vs Jammu and Kashmir, 2001/02
Icyman's player... Yuvraj Singh

Yuvi was an obvious selection here, but it does mean that Icyman has to select a keeper option from the last round.

Mohsin's game: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 1997/98
Mohsin's selection: Andy Flower

There's a genuine argument that Andy Flower is the best keeper-batsman in history (at the Test level at least). Shame for a lot of people, then, that he goes to a team with the other candidate, Adam Gilchrist, already involved.
Others available: Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Surrey vs Leicestershire, 1952
NMA's player... Jim Laker

NMA's team gets even spin heavier... in a round with Alec Bedser available. I question if this is the right pick for the situation even if Laker is elite.
Others available: Alec Bedser, Tony Lock, Peter May

Neptune's game: Leicestershire vs Essex, 2013
Neptune's player... Ryan Ten Doeschate

A solid argument that, barring getting greedy and holding out for Sobers or Kallis from your last pool, Ryan ten Doeschate is the perfect player for Team Neptune's needs.
Others available: Matthew Hoggard, Owais Shah

Paranoid Kendroid's game: Western Province vs Boland, 2022/23
Kendroid's player... George Linde

Kyle Verreynne made a double ton in this game - I'm surprised he wasn't the selection as a specialist bat, although you'll see later that that's kinda fortunate.
Others available: Kyle Verreynne, Tony de Zorzi, Nandre Burger

Perfect Square's game: Auckland vs Wellington, 1895/96
Perfect Square's player... Ernest Upham

I expected a throwaway WK pick. Didn't expect a genuinely good bowler from absolutely nowhere. Kudos on the research.

Pillowprocter's game: Oxford University vs Surrey, 1886
Procter's player... George Lohmann

I'd say that Lohmann vs Students was bullying... except Surrey batted so badly that the students led after the first innings
Others available: Bobby Abel

Sherlock Holmes' game: Worcestershire vs Gloucestershire, 1959
Sherlock's player... Tom Graveney

This team will bat deeeeeeeeeep.
Others available: Ron Headley, Barrie Meyer

Supreme's game: Netherlands vs Scotland, 2009/10
Supreme's player... Majid Haq

In the absence of Ten Doeschate, the pick here opens up, and Supreme took a punt on Majid Haq, the consistent Scottish spinner.
Others available: Richie Berrington, Wesley Barresi, Pieter Seelaar

Till Valhalla's game: Surrey vs Leicestershire, 1923
TV's player... Harry Peach

Uhhhhhhh
Others available: Percy Fender, George Geary (Jack Hobbs taken)

Viper's game: Lancashire vs Hampshire, 1928
Viper's player... Lord Tennyson (?)

Dude, IDK who the wielder of the omnitrix is, but I assume "The Lord" is Lionel Tennyson.

Welwyn's game: Lancashire vs Kent, 1881
Welwyn's player... Dick Pilling

I'm surprised that this was the one case of someone locking in their keeper this round instead of next. There was a superstar available. But Pilling certainly is a great defensive keeper, so worth it I guess.
Others available: Johnny Briggs, George Hearne, Dick Barlow

Yash's game: Nottinghamshire vs Warwickshire, 2024

Post automatically merged: Dec 3, 2024

oops
Yash's player... Kyle Verreynne

And here's why Kendroid turning down Verreynne matters - he had the tiebreaker. But instead Yash gets him.
Others available: Sam Hain

 

[Welwyn]

Wish I'd have gambled now!!

 

[ddrap14]

Final round will be done before Sunday. As an aside... new draft posted.

 

[ddrap14]

Ahmed's game: Glamorgan vs Somerset, 1948
Ahmed's player... Harold Gimblett

Most known for his 123 in an hour on debut, Gimblett was a solid batsman although not the perfect one.
Others available: Allan Watkins

Aislabie's game: Griqualand West vs Boland, 2010/11
Aislabie's player... Stiaan van Zyl

"By Default"

Aravind's game: Tasmania vs South Australia, 2011/12
Aravind's player... Ben Hilfenhaus

In an era where Australia produced a lot of inconsistent and/or injury prone seamers, Hilfie and Peter Siddle were the two you knew would be fit and consistent all season. Also once hit a six to beat my Heat in the BBL.
Others available: George Bailey, James Faulkner, Jackson Bird

CerealKiller's game: Middlesex vs Hampshire, 1913
CK's player... Patsy Hendren


Perfect loophole. Well done.
Others available: Frank Tarrent, JT Hearne, Phil Mead (taken already, by CK in fact)

My game: Guyana vs Leeward Islands, 1988/89
My player... Winston Benjamin

There was a better player in my pool. However, my best quicks were Eddie Barlow and... uh...
Others Available: Richie Richardson, Roger Harper, Kenny Benjamin

Icyman's game: Sikkim vs Nagaland, 2021/22
Icyman's player... Chetan Bist

Awful pool, but the best player in it was a wicketkeeper, so perfect for Icy.

Mohsin's game: Warwickshire vs Lancashire, 2002
Mohsin's player... Shaun Pollock

Surprisingly, this is the only member of the Pollock family to be drafted.
Others available: Stuart Law, Ian Bell

Na Maloom Afraad's game: Hampshire vs Kent, 1990
NMA's player... Steve Marsh

NMA tried to pull the same trick as Hendren with David Gower.... but he was already picked. Desperation pick then.
Others available: Gower (taken), Robin Smith

Neptune's game: South Africans vs London, 1904
Neptune's player... JWHT Douglas

I think Neptune will in fact want him to hit.
Others available: Tom Richardson, WG Grace (taken)

Paranoid Kendroid's game: South Australia vs NSW, 1951/52
PK's player... Sid Barnes

Well, he takes George Linde and then gets Richie Benaud. Fired a round too early I guess. Ah well, Barnes is a great batsman in his own right.
Others available: Richie Benaud, Alan Davidson

Perfect Square's game: India vs England, 1918/19
Perfect Square's player... Walter Livsey

Apparently a very good defensive keeper... but he isn't one of the HMs. Shame said HMs can't play WK.
Others available: CK Nayudu, Maharaja of Patiala

Pillowprocter's game: Pakistan vs Australia, 1983/84
Procter's player... Javed Miandad

That's now five of this Pakistan team - and zero of the Australians - who are taken.
Others available:

Sherlock Holmes' game: Somerset vs Sussex, 2014
Sherlock's player... Ben Brown

I'd have taken Craig Kieswetter here tbh, but Brown is also a fair pick.
Others available: Kieswetter, Ed Joyce

Supreme's game: Boland B vs Transvaal B, 1994/95
Supreme's player... Roger Telemachus

The only option here.

Till Valhalla's game: Northern Gas Pipelines vs Zarai Taraqiati Bank, 2013/14
TV's player... Babar Azam

A surprisingly solid pool for the Pakistani league but it's got a clear top talent
Others available: Abdul Razzaq, Yasir Shah, Sharjeel Khan

Viper's game: Sussex vs Glamorgan, 1957
Viper's player... Jim Parks

This isn't the all rounder with the single season record, this is his son who was a VERY handy batsman and keeper in his own right.
Others available: Watkins, yet again

Welwyn's game: Tasmania vs England, 1979/80
Welwyn's player... Richard Hadlee

I don't need to say anything here other than that the Shield once had overseas players routinely, do I?
Others available: Gooch (taken), Gower (taken), Willis (taken), Derek Underwood, David Boon

Yash's game: Baroda vs Maharashtra, 1986/87
Yash's player... Shrikant Kalyani

Not much competition here. And we finally get one of those really good zero-Test Indian batsmen.
Others available: Anshuman Gaekwad

Thank you everyone!

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Sherlock Holmes' game: Somerset vs Sussex, 2014
Sherlock's player... Ben Brown

I'd have taken Craig Kieswetter here tbh, but Brown is also a fair pick.
Others available: Kieswetter

Kieswetter is a more limited overs guy. For red ball, Brown made better sense.

 

[ddrap14]

A Team Of Players Not Selected In This Draft
Rules: The player must have been available

1. Bill Woodfull (R8)
2. Sunil Gavaskar (R9)
3. Viv Richards (R1)
4. Lindsay Hassett (R10)
5. Ramnaresh Sarwan (R5)
6. Rod Marsh (R7)
7. Keith Miller (R2)
8. R Ashwin (R3)
9. Alan Davidson (R11)
10. Anil Kumble (R4)
11. Glenn McGrath (R6)

 

[Perfect Square]

A Team Of Players Not Selected In This Draft
Rules: The player must have been available

1. Bill Woodfull (R8)
2. Sunil Gavaskar (R9)
3. Viv Richards (R1)
4. Lindsay Hassett (R10)
5. Ramnaresh Sarwan (R5)
6. Rod Marsh (R7)
7. Keith Miller (R2)
8. R Ashwin (R3)
9. Alan Davidson (R11)
10. Anil Kumble (R4)
11. Glenn McGrath (R6)

Not picking Viv is wild.

 

[ddrap14]

Not picking Viv is wild.

Viv was unpicked twice - the second time was very understandable though as that team had no good bowlers and Michael Holding was available