Richie Benaud XI Draft
- Thread starter shravi
- Start date
Well he can pick now, because I can reveal to those who are waiting with baited breath...
Allan Border
Tests: 156
Runs: 11174 - retired as cricket's leading run scorer.
Avg: 50.56
HS: 205 v NZ, Adelaide Oval, 1987/88
100s: 27
My 2nd left hander, bringing some steel and mongrel to the middle order. Border managed to excel in all conditions, averaging more away from Australia than at home (almost 10 runs more). Was an excellent player of spin as his good record against India and Pakistan shows. He wasn't a pretty batsman, more of a grafter who preyed on anything short, particularly the cut shot which he hit with amazing force. I think that Border will be a great balance in my middle order surrounded by Richards and Sobers with his more reserved style. One thing I especially like about Border was his resilience. He played 153 Tests in a row, and he also captained Australia for 93 Tests in a row, both are records by a long way and it would have been easy to excuse himself from some of those games, during one of the lowest periods in Australian cricket where even NZ was beating us
Border also holds a unique record: the only man to score over 150 in both innings of a Test match, making 150 and 153 vs Pakistan in Lahore. But his best match might have been against the West Indies in Trinidad, 1984. He was battling illness and came in at 3/16, and gritted his way to 98* as Australia were bowled out for 255. Then in the 2nd innings again he was the rock as everyone else fell around him. He and last man in Terry Alderman batted out almost 2 hours to save the match, Border finishing on exactly 100*. All told, he faced around 600 balls in the match, batting for almost 11 hours without being dismissed against the Windies at their best with very little help.
And again, he was an excellent fielder. Had very reliable hands and took some great catches in the slips/gully area and was one of the best at finding the stumps with his throws. Wasn't a bad left arm orthodox change bowler either, once skittling the West Indies with 7/46 at the SCG.
1 Sir Len Hutton
2 Herbert Sutcliffe
3
4 Allan Border
5 Sir Viv Richards
6 Sir Garfield Sobers
7 Imran Khan (*)
8
9
10
11
Allan Border
Tests: 156
Runs: 11174 - retired as cricket's leading run scorer.
Avg: 50.56
HS: 205 v NZ, Adelaide Oval, 1987/88
100s: 27
My 2nd left hander, bringing some steel and mongrel to the middle order. Border managed to excel in all conditions, averaging more away from Australia than at home (almost 10 runs more). Was an excellent player of spin as his good record against India and Pakistan shows. He wasn't a pretty batsman, more of a grafter who preyed on anything short, particularly the cut shot which he hit with amazing force. I think that Border will be a great balance in my middle order surrounded by Richards and Sobers with his more reserved style. One thing I especially like about Border was his resilience. He played 153 Tests in a row, and he also captained Australia for 93 Tests in a row, both are records by a long way and it would have been easy to excuse himself from some of those games, during one of the lowest periods in Australian cricket where even NZ was beating us
Border also holds a unique record: the only man to score over 150 in both innings of a Test match, making 150 and 153 vs Pakistan in Lahore. But his best match might have been against the West Indies in Trinidad, 1984. He was battling illness and came in at 3/16, and gritted his way to 98* as Australia were bowled out for 255. Then in the 2nd innings again he was the rock as everyone else fell around him. He and last man in Terry Alderman batted out almost 2 hours to save the match, Border finishing on exactly 100*. All told, he faced around 600 balls in the match, batting for almost 11 hours without being dismissed against the Windies at their best with very little help.
And again, he was an excellent fielder. Had very reliable hands and took some great catches in the slips/gully area and was one of the best at finding the stumps with his throws. Wasn't a bad left arm orthodox change bowler either, once skittling the West Indies with 7/46 at the SCG.
1 Sir Len Hutton
2 Herbert Sutcliffe
3
4 Allan Border
5 Sir Viv Richards
6 Sir Garfield Sobers
7 Imran Khan (*)
8
9
10
11
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I'm torn for my keeper pick. Should I go for an excellent gloveman, or someone like Flower who could bat really really well. I have last picks for the top 3, I could use more batting strength, but going by principal I always prefer a good pure keeper.
^Hmm yes it's always tough. When it's so close between the keepers, I just generally go with what balances the team best. So for me with Sobers at #6, I don't think I really need much more batting, so my keeper will be a more 'pure' one. I guess you just need to look at Mankad and Dev. Would you be happy with them at 6 and 7, or does the batting depth concern you? If so, pick Flower and bump them down a spot. If not, pick anyone 
And now I've got my top 7 sorted out. The last man in is...
Ricky Ponting
Tests: 152
Runs: 12363
Avg: 53.51
HS: 257 v India, MCG, 2003/04
100s: 39
From 1999-2008, Ponting was the #1 batsmen in the world, scoring more runs than anyone else in that time, and at a higher average than his peers. That 9 year stretch netted 8722 runs at an average of 63.66, with 32 100s. During the 2006/07 Ashes he attained a rating on the ICC player ratings that hadn't been seen since Len Hutton in 1954 (and hasn't been neared since). Every attack that came to Australia got hammered by Ponting, from India to South Africa to England. He also made plenty of runs away from home in that time too, the only real blip came during the 2001 tour of India where he couldn't get going against Harbhajan.
Of course, since then he's been shown to be a bit more human, tainting one of the great records of the modern day. After the 2006/07 whitewash of England, Ricky Ponting's career average stood at almost 60: 59.29. Now it's down to 53.51. I'd love to see him recapture that form of a few years back because it's the best sustained batting period that I've ever seen.
As a bonus, even if you don't think Ponting's batting is as great historically as I do, then at the very least he should break the tie with his competition due to his fielding. I would argue that Ponting is perhaps the finest all-round fieldsman to play the game. He's quick over the ground, dives and stops shots with the best, has a strong arm, knocks down the stumps a lot, and has a fantastic pair of catching hands.
1 Sir Len Hutton
2 Herbert Sutcliffe
3 Ricky Ponting
4 Allan Border
5 Sir Viv Richards
6 Sir Garfield Sobers
7 Imran Khan (*)
8
9
10
11
Oohhh yeah...now there's a top 7. 2 careful English gentlemen, followed by 2 tough, hard headed Aussies, followed by 2 swashbuckling and powerful West Indians. Great mix of attack and defense, as well as the old and the new. Now to find some bowlers...
And now I've got my top 7 sorted out. The last man in is...
Ricky Ponting
Tests: 152
Runs: 12363
Avg: 53.51
HS: 257 v India, MCG, 2003/04
100s: 39
From 1999-2008, Ponting was the #1 batsmen in the world, scoring more runs than anyone else in that time, and at a higher average than his peers. That 9 year stretch netted 8722 runs at an average of 63.66, with 32 100s. During the 2006/07 Ashes he attained a rating on the ICC player ratings that hadn't been seen since Len Hutton in 1954 (and hasn't been neared since). Every attack that came to Australia got hammered by Ponting, from India to South Africa to England. He also made plenty of runs away from home in that time too, the only real blip came during the 2001 tour of India where he couldn't get going against Harbhajan.
Of course, since then he's been shown to be a bit more human, tainting one of the great records of the modern day. After the 2006/07 whitewash of England, Ricky Ponting's career average stood at almost 60: 59.29. Now it's down to 53.51. I'd love to see him recapture that form of a few years back because it's the best sustained batting period that I've ever seen.
As a bonus, even if you don't think Ponting's batting is as great historically as I do, then at the very least he should break the tie with his competition due to his fielding. I would argue that Ponting is perhaps the finest all-round fieldsman to play the game. He's quick over the ground, dives and stops shots with the best, has a strong arm, knocks down the stumps a lot, and has a fantastic pair of catching hands.
1 Sir Len Hutton
2 Herbert Sutcliffe
3 Ricky Ponting
4 Allan Border
5 Sir Viv Richards
6 Sir Garfield Sobers
7 Imran Khan (*)
8
9
10
11
Oohhh yeah...now there's a top 7. 2 careful English gentlemen, followed by 2 tough, hard headed Aussies, followed by 2 swashbuckling and powerful West Indians. Great mix of attack and defense, as well as the old and the new. Now to find some bowlers...
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cricket_icon
International Cricketer
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2011
My middle order picks:
Javed Miandad: The great Sir Vivian Richards once said, that if he ever had to pick a batsman to pick a player to bat for his life, it would be Miandada. A tencious fighter, who could flay any bowling attack oh his day, was as great in tests as he was in ODIs. Throughout a career that lasted 2 decades, his average NEVER dropped below 50, which is seen as a mile stone of greatness. Miandad could be elegant to watch when he wanted, but most of the time he was a street fighter, giving the games greatest fast bowlers all they could handle.
Tests 124
Runs 8832
Average 52.57
Highest Score 280*
100s 23
Wally Hammond: Wisden described him as one of the four greatest batsmen of all time. That may not be a fact any more and something I totally agree with, but in the middle order there are few who have batted better. He was often stodgy at the crease, unwilling to give his wicket away and in the age of timeless tests in Australia, he had all the time in the world. That is not to say he couldn't murder attacks, as he did so with the Australians in 1928-29, scoring 905 runs at an average of 113, with 2 double centuries. Much of his career was spent being compared to the colossal Don Bradman, which is a great injustice to such a legendary batsman. Not to mention his 50, 000+ first class runs. He still remains England's leading century scorer and at one time held the record for the highest single innings score.
Tests 85
Runs 7,249
Average 58.45
Highest Score 336
100s 22
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[/COLOR]Openers coming up shortly
Javed Miandad: The great Sir Vivian Richards once said, that if he ever had to pick a batsman to pick a player to bat for his life, it would be Miandada. A tencious fighter, who could flay any bowling attack oh his day, was as great in tests as he was in ODIs. Throughout a career that lasted 2 decades, his average NEVER dropped below 50, which is seen as a mile stone of greatness. Miandad could be elegant to watch when he wanted, but most of the time he was a street fighter, giving the games greatest fast bowlers all they could handle.
Tests 124
Runs 8832
Average 52.57
Highest Score 280*
100s 23
Wally Hammond: Wisden described him as one of the four greatest batsmen of all time. That may not be a fact any more and something I totally agree with, but in the middle order there are few who have batted better. He was often stodgy at the crease, unwilling to give his wicket away and in the age of timeless tests in Australia, he had all the time in the world. That is not to say he couldn't murder attacks, as he did so with the Australians in 1928-29, scoring 905 runs at an average of 113, with 2 double centuries. Much of his career was spent being compared to the colossal Don Bradman, which is a great injustice to such a legendary batsman. Not to mention his 50, 000+ first class runs. He still remains England's leading century scorer and at one time held the record for the highest single innings score.
Tests 85
Runs 7,249
Average 58.45
Highest Score 336
100s 22
----------
[/COLOR]Openers coming up shortly
Last edited:
shravi
National Board President
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2005
- Profile Flag
- India
I don't know, I mean Dravid is just made for number three. He is that specialist player, the archetypal number 3, innings requirement or not. However, I alone cannot tell you to change. I don't consider him a #4 or #5 but let's see if we reach a general consensus over this.
Also, it was 10 innings max, not at least. Meaning, he could have played 10 less innings max in the middle order than at number 3. If it was 10+ then it is no longer valid. What are the stats?
Also, it was 10 innings max, not at least. Meaning, he could have played 10 less innings max in the middle order than at number 3. If it was 10+ then it is no longer valid. What are the stats?
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Gaurav_7
Executive member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2010
- Profile Flag
- India
If it is the general consensus, I'd say what Shravi said. I mean I don't see Dravid playing anywhere other than number 3 actually.
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Number 3
All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo
Numbers 4 and 5
All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo
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Number 3
All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo
Numbers 4 and 5
All-round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo
cricket_icon
International Cricketer
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2011
No, I think the rules state that a player has to play 10 or more innings at a certain position, not that the difference between that and another position has to be 10 innings.
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Ok, wait, just read the rules, majority of innings have to be at 4-7....shizzle. Ok I'll have to change mine
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Ok, wait, just read the rules, majority of innings have to be at 4-7....shizzle. Ok I'll have to change mine
Gaurav_7
Executive member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2010
- Profile Flag
- India
This.
