Draft: Selection: Impossible

[Bevab]

Bigby Wolf's - Dad Army XI

My next pick is Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar :IND:

The God of cricket as they call him in India. The most complete batsman of all time In my books. Little Matsero hero and role model for many cricketers in India.

He only played 2 Tests after after 40 but that is more than enough to make him qualify for Dad's Army


@Bevab you go next.

Gods damn it, he was going to be my next pick!

Back to the drawing board again.

 

[Bevab]

​

Every mission needs a level-headed person who can handle pressure. Someone who knows what is at stake and can equally be flippant about it and rise above the occasion. That to me would be someone like this...

Enter Keith Ross Miller, my second recruit and also coincidentally... the second member of the Order of Australia to be a part of this team. Miller was one of those larger than life figures whose presence transcended the mere sport. He could win you games with either bat or ball depending on the mood and need. Like Sobers, his captaincy was unconventional and at first glance appeared to be nothing more than "do your jobs lads" but it hid a very charismatic and keen mind that did it's job for New South Wales. Miller's international career took him in whatever direction the team needed; he was a classical batter who could bowl originally but in a period where the Don wanted him to be more of a bowler, he fulfilled that role instead by forming a lethal strike partnership with Lindwall. Miller ended up being one of the best bowlers of his period (had the third best bowling average in his playing time) and was an incredible match-winner with all of his five wicket hauls resulting in wins. The real danger in facing Miller was his unpredictability; he loved his quick bouncers but was equally willing to bowl a standard length ball that swung or a yorker if the need presented itself. Or, he could bowl leg-spin if the mood fancied him or to close the day out. He was equally exhilarating with the bat and arguably underachieved on the international stage due to the necessity of wanting him to be a bowler first and his own inability to concentrate to the extent of other batters in the side. Not to worry though since he'll primarily be our side's enforcer with the ball and his batting will be used to up the ante or rebuild after a collapse, both of which he is well suited to.

Garry Sobers
Keith Miller

@mohsin7827 has the next pick.

 

[mohsin7827]

Dick Tyldesley

1059 FC wickets at 17.21 in 397 matches.


Heinrich Klaasen
Dick Tyldesley

@ddrap14 to pick next

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

After pick 24 I have pick 44

Post automatically merged: Feb 18, 2024

I actually had no idea there were as many as 17 people in the draft

19. @Verified Enigma
.
.
.
50. @Verified Enigma

 

[ddrap14]

Michael di Venuto

The affable Australian-Italian isn't often mentioned in the discussion of "best to never play a Test" - but he should be. Very few other players have scored 25000 First Class runs and not won at least one honour. The issue for Di Venuto was never skill; as with many ineligible and eligible players for me (I won't say eligibles, but some who aren't include Brad Hodge, Stuart Law and pre-30s Mike Hussey), it was that there were some true legends in his way. di Venuto delivered for three counties, two nations and one Sheffield Shield team (Tasmania) over twenty years, and got just nine ODIs as a reward.

Obviously, he will open my batting.

@Aislabie - it's your pick but could you also please give me edit access to my longlist?

 

[Aislabie]

I certainly never thought this player would still be available by the time my second pick came along:

GLENN MCGRATH

Glenn McGrath has a genuine claim to the title of greatest seam bowler of all time. In his 124-Test career, McGrath claimed 563 wickets at an average of just 21.64 apiece, with 29 five-wicket hauls and a best match haul of 10 wickets for just 27 from 33 overs. If you had a hole in your batting technique, then Glenn McGrath would find it - and everyone has a hold in their batting technique. Some also assert that his body of work included the most impactful wickets of all time by any bowler, suggesting that he could easily have cashed in far more had he been used to mop up the tail more often.

A truly incredible bowler, and I'll pencil him in at number 10 for the time being, even though 128 of his 138 Test innings were at number 11; I just feel like I might end up with someone even less competent needing to bat below him.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Bob Taylor
8.
9.
10. Glenn McGrath
11.



@Na Maloom Afraad

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

I'll take Percy Fender

Percy Fender was the last survivor of those who had played county cricket regularly before the Great War: more important, he was one of the most colourful figures in the cricket world for many years after it and was widely regarded as the shrewdest county captain of his generation. In a career of 26 years he scored 19,034 runs with an average of 26.66, took 1,894 wickets at 25.05, made 21 hundreds and caught 599 catches. Six times he did the double. But he was not a cricketer who could be judged on figures.

@Bevab

 

[Bevab]

I’ll take Viv Richards please. Will do a writeup later.

@Viper.

 

[Viper.]

My third pick and the first one to add to my batting order would be the legendary Australian Captain and Batsman from the 1980s..



Allan Border, the man who lead Australia to the 1987 World Cup win, was a fluent Test player too. 11,174 runs in 265 innings at an average of 50.56, that consisted of 2 double tons, 27 centuries and 63 fifties. That will be a key addition to my middle order and leadership department.

---

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Allan Border
6.
7.
8. Wasim Akram
9. Rangana Herath
10.
11.

 

[Bevab]

@Viper. Do ensure that you tag the next member to make their pick (@icyman in this instance).

 

[icyman]

Harold Larwood
Couldn't think of anyone better than this fella to start off my bowling attack! A feared opponent, especially known for striking fear into the minds of the Aussies



Icy's line-up:
1. Hobbs
2. Collins
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Larwood
10.
11.

@Yash.

 

[Yash.]

I'll take Kane Williamson in my team

Post automatically merged: Feb 21, 2024

@mohsin7827

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

@mohsin7827 in case the tag didn't work

 

[mohsin7827]

My next pick will be australia Test bowling reserve and BBL 2024 catch of the tournament winner Michael Neser

Heinrich Klaasen
Michael Neser
Dick Tyldesley

@Till Valhalla

 

[Till Valhalla]

Time to get a keeper in before someone else takes them.

It was a tough choice on who to pick.
My second choice was Halhadar Das but I decided I need a match winner so I picked
Manvinder Bisla
@Aislabie