Ian Bishop at 8.
When you have to be one of the successors to the awesome foursome and you're entering a team that already has Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, you have a lot of expectations ahead of you. Bishop had no problems stepping into the West Indian team and announcing himself to the world in just his second Test, picking up a 6-for against India that included the wickets of greats such as Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ravi Shastri, among others.
He was genuinely quick, express even, and had accuracy from an amazingly textbook bowling action. Bishop would deliver from side-on, get the ball to swing away in the air, and have batters fumbling to play. Just when you think you've got the outswing covered, he'll bring one back into you.
Injuries plagued him for his entire career, forcing him to have to remodel his action more than once. By the end of his playing days, he was more of a front-on bowler. But it still looked like it came straight out of a coaching manual. He ended up with an overall career average of something like 24 with the ball (not too shabby), and he keeps reminding us that he's good enough with the bat to have had a First Class century (he actually has two).
We currently know him as, in my opinion, one of THE voices of cricket throughout the world. His professional approach to the commentary booth all but ensures that he's there for those game-changing moments. Lara making 400? He was on commentary. Brathwaite hitting 4 sixes to win the T20 Cup? He was the one who told the world to remember the name.
There are a lot of cricketers named Ian who are around 8 in the order. I am extremely happy to put IR Bishop above all of them.
EDIT:
@mohsin7827
Just FYI, this draft is considering more the first class and test stats rather than od.. Eoin isn't someone I'd have on my first class team
I dunno, his average is only mid-30s I think. But I've seen him play some gems for Middlesex.
for a spinner,
