Random Country Test Draft -- DONE. Time for comments/discussion

[King Pietersen]

Martin Crowe

Going to steal an article from BBC for this one:
Crowe was New Zealand's most stylish batsman in recent times and was ranked up in the top three batsmen in the world during his career.

He originally offered a threat with his bowling, but a back injury prevented him from developing fully into a quality Test all-rounder.

But he more than made up with his lack of overs with runs aplenty.

He notched 17 Test centuries including a mammoth 299 against Sri Lanka in Wellington.

His worth was not restricted to his batting prowess, but his tactical acumen as a captain won plaudits.

1. Barry Richards
2.
3.
4. Martin Crowe
5. Sir Garfield Sobers
6.
7.
8. Chaminda Vaas
9. George Lohmann
10.
11.

 

[shravi]

Yay, I get my pick! w00t! I know that since Zorax and hMarka cannot go for him.

Very good pick in Crowe. New Zealand's second best cricketer.

 

[Cricketman]

Yes, I had Crowe in as one of my potential picks as well. Narrowed it down to three guys but I decided to go with the bowler.

Great batsman though. Average solid in the 44ish region, 7k+ runs, plenty of hundreds to his name as well.

 

[Howsie]

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

Martin Crowe was quite possibly the best batsmen for a ten year period, or one of the best anyway. Between 1985-95 he scored 4739 runs at 53.85 with 16 100's. As you can see from the stats provided he played a lot less games then most batsmen during this time, up to 40 less yet he's the second highest 100 getter during that time.

He's underrated severely by todays generation IMO.

Anyway good draft fellas, will be keeping a eye on this one. I've quite enjoyed the read today.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I wanted Crowe And Bond was my backup!!

Luckily, I had a backup to my backup:

Stewie Dempster​

In his time, Stewie Dempster wasn't only the finest batsman NZ had produced, but he was also amongst the top batsmen in the world. In his first tour to England, not only did he top the batting averages (with 59.26), but he put on a still-NZ record 276 runs for the first wicket. He was then appointed captain for NZ for their tours to South Africa and England, where he was equally prolific, before retiring and settling in England to play domestic cricket there. In all, he played 10 tests, and finished with a batting average of 65.72. His domestic career in England was highly successful - in his 3 seasons with Leicestershire, he topped the run-scoring charts for them twice and hit 3 consecutive centuries in 3 innings on two occasions. He was chosen as one of Wisden's 5 Cricketers of The Year on 2 occasions. He was NZ's first great international batsman, and ranked amongst the top 6 batsmen in the world in his time, while being probably the best player of slow bowling.

He usually opened the batting for NZ, but his preferred position for Leicestershire was at number 4. He was also a splendid fielder, usually close to the wicket.


1.
2.
3. Jacques Kallis
4. Stewie Dempster
5.
6.
7.
8. Prasanna Jayawardene (+)
9. Malcom Marshall
10. Hedley Verity
11.

It was between Dempster or another Kiwi player. Tough choice, but in the end I went for Dempster.

I'm kinda regretting picking Verity so soon. Didn't account for the second England pick, could have picked him then and gone for someone I really wanted in the first pick

 

[pcfan123]

Nathan Astle

Don't know too much about the kiwis and could not find any decent players I knew enough about so went with a solid lower order pick for some quick fire runs after my main 5. Was going to pick Fleming but realized he only has 2 centuries in almost 200 innings!


1) Sir L Hutton
4) E Weekes
5) K Sangakarra
6) N Astle
10) D Steyn

 

[Dutch]

Mmmmm, interesting choice Harmy in Mr Astle. My man is still there but will he still be there at the end....we shall see! (*Grins mischievously as he knows he has first pick in the India draft!*)

 

[shravi]

I'll be honest with you Mark. I think you made a mistake by choosing Astle. He wasn't anywhere near as consistent as he should have been with talent like that. If you were going for a batsman, there were better choices out there, I feel.

Anyways, moving onto my pick...

Brendon Mccullum will no doubt go down as one of the finest glovemen of his generation, perhaps second only Mark Boucher. He's quick, agile, athletic, has quick glovework and good footwork, and takes some spectacular catches. One memory that will live with me forever is his catch of Rahul Dravid during India's most recent tour to New Zealand. McCullum saw that Dravid was aiming to push the ball to the leg side before the ball had even pitched and moved swiftly to his left. As expected, Dravid went through with the shot, and the ball landed right in his gloves, showing that he's not all about athleticism and agility, but is also a very good thinking cricketer. He has taken 162 catches and made 11 stumpings.

His batting has also come on leaps and bounds since his debut. In 52 tests and 87 innings he has scored 2862 runs at an average of 35. He has scored 5 centuries and 16 fifties but what is most striking about McCulllum is his ability to never lose hope and play well in what are seemingly losing positions. In a New Zealand side that often looks out of its depth in test cricket, McCullum has often breathed new life and hope with his aggressive batting style. His batting has only improved as he has gone on and he just recently got a 100 against a very good Australian bowling attack when most around him were struggling to get into double figures. He is only 28 so I think it's fair to say it's only up and up from here onwards for McCullum.

In McCullum, I get a fantastic wicketkeeper who isn't all that bad with the bat as his ever rising average shows.

1
2
3
Graeme Pollock
Sir Vivian Richards
6
+ Brendon McCullum
8
9
Sydney Barnes
Muttiah Muralitharan

 

[Dutch]

Yep, good choice Shravi. A good solid wicket keeper and as you say someone who can bat a bit as well. There is no doubting his qualities as a wicketkeeper and that alone should get him into a side but there are always going to be question marks around his batting: does he reach his full potential and does he really know how to read the situation of a game. There are many times that I have shaken my head when he has gone on the throttle too quickly. I always think he is also a good motivator for others, leads from the front as it were and really plays his part in supporting the team and the captain.

Now I have two choices to make: A Blackcap and an Indian player. I need to head off now but will try and get them up later on today.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

He's the third finest, behind Boucher and Prasanna Jayawardene

 

[King Pietersen]

Surely behind Gilchrist as well then considering you include Boucher in that list. I'd take MS Dhoni ahead of McCullum too.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Prasanna's still above them both in terms of glovework.

For keeper-batsmen, then yea, MSD and Gilly are ahead of Boucher, who is ahead of McCullum

 

[King Pietersen]

JFOS King of Stumpings > All of them.

 

[shravi]

Not much separating McCullum, Boucher and Jayawardene tbh. I gave the edge to Boucher because he's been around longer. Gilly is obviously the best keeper-batsman, but when you have the quality of batsmen that I am going to have, having a keeper who averages 50 with the bat isn't a must. McCullum's batting is a plus. I chose him because I didn't want to choose a Kiwi batsman or bowler when there are better alternatives from other countries (the exceptions are Crowe and Hadlee). He'll most probably be on par with Boucher when he retires.

If I take too long to make my India pick then I request Dan to make it for me as he already knows who I am going for. I have to go to school.

 

[Dutch]

Right here we go:

Two fine players are mine to pick, one from New Zealand, one from India.

For my Blackcap I pick Daniel Vetorri. He easily slots into the top 5 new Zealander all time players. He is a knowledgeable and clever captain who uses his cricketing insight to great effect considering the side he has to command. Of course the fact that the man can use a cricket bat is an added bonus but it is for his bowling that he comes into my side. He is a genuine match winner, a bowler who can make that break through and he can tie up an end like few can. Qualities that most bowlers only have one of at their disposal. Daniel has all three. With nearly four thousand runs to his name, a batting average of over 30, 325 test wickets and still 5 or 6 years ahead of him makes Daniel a compelling choice.

For India there is one man of course who stands head and shoulders above all others. There has been so much written about him, some of it complete drivel, especially on these forums, that I will not write too much about him.

The figures speak for themselves:

166 tests, 13447 runs at an average of 55.56, including 47 centuries.

Of course, The Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar.

So there we have it: at number 8 in my side Daniel Vetorri, at number 4 Sachin Tendulkar.

I am starting to like the look of my side!

1. G C Smith
2. S Jayasuriya
3.
4. S R Tendulkar
5.
6. I T Botham
7.
8. D L Vetorri
9.
10.
11. C E L Ambrose