Test Cricket Draft

[bladescape]

Pick:Donald Bradman
Explanation:
Why else?
He's the best batsman in the history of cricket.

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[Jakester1288]

1.01 Bladescape - Don Bradman
1.02 mrtwisties -
1.03 King Pietersen
1.04 Dare
1.05 metallics2006
1.06 Jakester1288
1.07 King Cricket
1.08 Crew of Black
1.09 aussie_ben91
1.10 Feelin Blue?

2.01 Feelin Blue?
2.02 aussie_ben91
2.03 Crew of Black
2.04 King Cricket
2.05 Jakester1288
2.06 metallics2006 
2.07 Dare
2.08 King Pietersen
2.09 mrtwisties
2.10 Bladescape

 

[aussie_ben91]

Just out of curiousity, how are you going to judge the winner?

 

[Jakester1288]

Just out of curiousity, how are you going to judge the winner?

I'm not.

It's up to PlanetCricket to decide. I made an earlier post about it. I am going to make a thread with everyone's team, and if they write a description of it, a description as well. Then the results on the poll will decide the winner.

 

[bladescape]

As far as I know,we do a knock out tournement after the draft has finished.

EDIT:Ooops,I was wrong!

 

[King Cricket]

I'm not.

It's up to PlanetCricket to decide. I made an earlier post about it. I am going to make a thread with everyone's team, and if they write a description of it, a description as well. Then the results on the poll will decide the winner.

What? Polls?

 

[metallics2006]

Obviously.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Hurry up mrtwistiessssssssssssssssssssssss

from King Pietersen

 

[mrtwisties]

There are more conventional second draft picks, but I'm persuaded that this is the right one. Without further ado...

Pick: Shane Warne
Explanation: You just can't have a great Test team if you don't have a great spin bowler. On some pitches, against many batsmen and on the last days of matches it is the spin bowler who dominates. If your opponent has a great spinner and you don't, you'll find yourself conceding a lot of matches to them before a ball is bowled. Add to that the rarity value of truly great spinners and the fact they can bowl more top quality overs at a faster rate than a pace bowler (which means you get more bang for your buck) and they're an absolute priority draft pick.

Amongst the few true kings of spin, Warne stands out. The great spinners of the past were assisted by uncovered pitches, weren't subject to video analysis and didn't have to face the armoured modern batsman with his heavy bats and tiny grounds. Since this era began, only two spinners have cast their long shadows over the game, winning match after match in every country around the world. When they are gone, it is not clear that there will ever be anyone worthy to take their place.

Of those two, not much separates their bowling statistically. They have similar strike rates, similar economy rates and similar performances while away. But Warne has an X-factor that the other can never match. He was the master of psychological warfare, inspiring fear in more teams and for a longer time. He possessed a first-class cricketing brain, famously leading the hopeless Rajasthan Royals to IPL glory. But more than all of that, he single-handedly resurrected spin in the modern era.

Warne is a true great who will be talked about in reverent terms long after we all are dead and gone.

As for his selection as captain, he's the greatest Test captain that Australia never had. We missed a trick there - captaincy brings the best out in him, both as a player and as a person. His appointment as captain would have prolonged his career and cut down on his off-field shenanigans. Captaincy is also his forte as much as his bowling ever was. He is cunning, unorthodox, unpredictable and inspiring. He lifts players to deliver more than their best, keeps his opponents guessing and second-guessing and forces matches to be played on his terms.

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[King Pietersen]

Pick: Malcolm Marshall
Explanation: Wanted Warne, but Marshall was another that I was desperate for, so that as good as settles it for me. A pace bowler that was genuinely quick, was capable of getting wickets on flat decks and had a superb record. Easy pick.

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[mrtwisties]

Solid pick. Probably my favourite or second-favourite player of all time. It was painful to choose Warne, knowing that meant I wouldn't get Marshall.

 

[metallics2006]

As for his selection as captain, he's the greatest Test captain that Australia never had. We missed a trick there - captaincy brings the best out in him, both as a player and as a person. His appointment as captain would have prolonged his career and cut down on his off-field shenanigans. Captaincy is also his forte as much as his bowling ever was. He is cunning, unorthodox, unpredictable and inspiring. He lifts players to deliver more than their best, keeps his opponents guessing and second-guessing and forces matches to be played on his terms.

Agree with this part. He said that he deliberately allowed the Cobras to score runs just to test how his team's batting line-up would react to pressure in the recent RR warm-up game. Unorthodox for sure.

 

[Dare]

Pick: Sir Garfield Sobers
Explanation: Who else but the best all-rounder of all time. Without his bowling he is still one of the best batsman to ever play the game. Add his bowling and you have the best cricketer player of all time.

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[metallics2006]

Pick: George Headley

Reason: Missed out on the real Don. So I chose the batsman who was arguably the best next batsman in test cricket.

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[Dare]

great choice.