Draft: The Block(er)Chain Draft

[Yash.]

Shaun Pollock

The all rounder spot in my team. Pretty lethal with the ball, more than competent with the bat. Handy addition.

1. Sir Jack Hobbs
2. ?
3. Sir Vivian Richards
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Allan Border
   
6. ?
7. Shaun Pollock
   
8. Anil Kumble
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Sydney Barnes
    
11. Muttiah Muralidaran

@qpeedore

 

[qpeedore]

Interesting that I haven't yet had to use my chain break, and I still don't have to.

Now you think of great spinners and the usual suspects come to mind, most of whom have already been picked. Warne, Murali, Kumble, Mushtaq (he of the not-Saqlain variety) even the earlier guys like Verity and so on. But there's a guy who has picked up over 350 scalps in Tests yet you'd never really consider him an all-time great. Weird. And the guy can bat, too.

At number 8 in my squad is Daniel Vettori.

A more than handy spinner and a good batsman, he'll be the first spin option in my team, and if only for the opportunity to see him bowling left arm orthodox at one end while Sobers does some chinaman at the other...I'm salivating at that prospect.

1. Gordon Greenidge
2. Matthew Hayden
3. Mahela Jayawardene
4. Sir Everton Weekes
5. Sir Clyde Walcott
6. Sir Garry Sobers
7. Johnny Douglas
8. Daniel Vettori
9. Sir Curtly Ambrose
10.
11.

One might think I'm leaving the seamers out. I still have a chain break, mind you. And my Olympic hero Johnny Douglas is a fast-medium bowler. Then there's Sobers, who could probably make it into a squad on the basis of his own fast-medium bowling alone. Ambrose won't be alone here. Fear not.

@CerealKiller next, I believe.

 

[qpeedore]

Vids are horribly rare, but thanks to the YouTube generation we have such an excellent source of classic footage.

Sobers bowling left arm chinaman...

Sobers bowling left arm fast-medium with a slinger action (something I did not know he did until very recently before seeing this video)...

Sobers (et al) bowling left arm orthodox...

And of course, those famous six sixes...he could have, should have, been caught off of the fifth. But he wasn't.

I want to go on the record as saying that it just isn't possible for a human being to be that damn good. And yet he lives on and has played the game. Greatest batsman? Okay, I'll give you Aussies your Bradman. Greatest cricketer? Sobers. No question.

 

[CerealKiller]

Allan Donald completes my bowling attack. He did play a couple Tests against Vettori

CerealKiller's XI
1. Hanif Mohammad
2. Graeme Pollock
3. Sir Donald Bradman
4.
5.
6. Ian Botham
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Wasim Akram
9. Rangana Herath
10. Dale Steyn
11. Allan Donald

@Dale88

 

[Ed Smith]

Needed a wicket keeper. Who better than Boucher? Most test dismissals by a wicketkeeper. Aye that'll do...

1. Mark Taylor
2. Wilfred Rhodes
3. Len Hutton
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Clive Lloyd
6. Mark Boucher
   
7. Waqar Younis
8. Stuart Broad
9. 
   
10. 
    
11. Michael Holding

@blockerdave I think

 

[blockerdave]

Mark Waugh not only keeps me in with a power-house batting line up of legends but also gives me a top class slip fielder and a more than handy 2nd spinner. His briskish medium is unlikely to be needed given the plethora of bowling options in the team, but it's handy to have.

I've been picking this team more or less by the seat of my pants, no strategy and just seeing who jumps to mind when I've had a pick. Given this, I'm happy i've kept a reasonable balance so far!

1. Barry Richards
2. Graham Gooch
3. Wally Hammond
4. Mark Waugh
5. Steve Waugh
6. -
7. Imran Khan
8. -
9. Bart King
10. Joel Garner
11. Mushtaq Ahmed

@ahmedleo414 is next

 

[ahmedleo414]

After both of my next picks were taken, i had to scramble to find another one. I feel like I have made a decent selection in Chaminda Vaas, my chain break still has not been used

Here is my team as it stands now.

1. ?
2. Herbert Sutclliffe
3. Ricky Ponting
   
4. Brian Lara
5. Zaheer Abbas
6. Jacques Kallis
7. Andy Flower
   
8. ?
9. Chaminda Vaas
10. Courtney Walsh
11. Lance Gibbs

@Dale88 you have the next pick

 

[Ed Smith]

Marvan Atapattu. My batting looked a bit meh and Marvan loved a double ton.

1. Mark Taylor
2. Wilfred Rhodes
3. Marvan Atapattu
   
4. Len Hutton
5. Kevin Pietersen
6. Clive Lloyd
7. Mark Boucher
   
8. Waqar Younis
9. Stuart Broad
10. 
    
11. Michael Holding

[DOUBLEPOST=1605602752][/DOUBLEPOST]@Aislabie

 

[ahmedleo414]

I think I've figured out my last two players, good thing I have back to back picks. Now I just gave to hope neither player gets picked otherwise I'm screwed

 

[blockerdave]

I think I've figured out my last two players, good thing I have back to back picks. Now I just gave to hope neither player gets picked otherwise I'm screwed

ive already used my break and we’re in the wrong era for who I’d like to pick and I’ve not much of a plan B!

 

[Aislabie]

- X - X - X - // CHAIN BREAK // - X - X - X -​

Steven Smith

Test stats: 7,227 runs @ 62.84 (26 centuries, best 239) in 73 matches
Batting VARP (top order): 108.47%
First-class stats: 11,707 runs @ 57.95 (42 centuries, best 239) in 131 matches

Steven Smith is an absolute monster in Australia's top order. In that role, he averages 71.64. His hypothetical replacement player averages a mere 36.87, and scores slightly slower than Smith does. He has to slot in at his favourite number four, right below Sangakkara. Chappell and de Villiers shuffle down to five and six to make room.

Aislabie's XI so far:
1. Virender Sehwag
2.
3. Kumar Sangakkara
4. Steven Smith
5. Greg Chappell
6. AB de Villiers
7. Mike Procter
8. Alan Davidson
9. Hedley Verity
10. Shane Warne
11. Glenn McGrath

@blockerdave

 

[qpeedore]

You're not taking into consideration that man named @Aislabie who can and will screw everyone over with an amazing pick and thus leave us catching at straws.

Oh, actually he just picked and wasn't that bad at that either. I can work with this, providing nobody uses a break before me.

 

[Aislabie]

You're not taking into consideration that man named @Aislabie who can and will screw everyone over with an amazing pick and thus leave us catching at straws.

*hides Round 10 pick with 100+ VARP*

Whatever do you mean?

 

[qpeedore]

Well, to be fair I got Sobers, Weekes, and Walcott for absolutely nothing so I guess we're even. Though you took Verity, Warne and McGrath.

 

[blockerdave]

Well what I really need is a keeper, but if you’re having Smith it feels churlish and even foolish to overlook MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE.

Made up first name, unpronounceable second name, freakish talent.

Now if we could somehow get to people who have played with Jack Russell, Bob Taylor, Alan Knott, Jeffrey Dujon or Deryck Murray by my next go, I’ll be pleased muchly. Ta.

1. Barry Richards
2. Graham Gooch
3. MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE
4. Mark Waugh
5. Wally Hammond
6. Steve Waugh (c)
7. Imran Khan
8. -
9. Bart King
10. Joel Garner
11. Mushtaq Ahmed

[DOUBLEPOST=1605639704][/DOUBLEPOST]@qpeedore is next