Draft: The Layer Cake Draft

[Ed Smith]

Quinton De Kock for me

 

[Bevab]

Les Ames will be my next pick, he was arguably the first world class keeper batsman in test history and his numbers are freakishly good nearly a century later. The Kent legend had the perfect blend of aggression and technique which made him a joy to watch and this translated to his work behind the stumps too. He was particularly noted for his exceptional positioning and anticipation leading to an admirable record of dismissals, particularly stumpings.

In my side, Ames' work behind the stumps will be crucial with two spinners already in the side and potentially one more to come. With the bat, Ames will probably play behind either Chase or another number five that I have not yet decided upon. Of course, if the side needs a quick flourish before a declaration or if the new ball is still plenty of overs away, expect Ames to stride out and entertain the crowd with his drives and pulls.

@CerealKiller

 

[CerealKiller]

I’ll go with Sir Frank Worrell, an excellent batsman, averaging almost 50 in Test cricket, and a useful left-arm medium pacer.

CerealKiller’s XI
1.
2.
3.
4. Ian Bell
5. Sir Frank Worrell
6. Jack Ikin
7. Mike Procter
8. Shane Warne
9. Dale Steyn
10. Bill O'Reilly
11. Dainty Ironmonger

@ahmedleo414

 

[ahmedleo414]

I'm going with Derek Underwood

Taken from his wiki

"Through much of his career, Underwood was regarded as one of the best bowlers in Test cricket. Although classified as a slow left-arm orthodox spin bowler, Underwood bowled at around medium pace and was often unplayable on seaming English wickets, particularly sticky wickets, earning his nickname 'Deadly', and accounting for the saying that England would "carry Underwood like an umbrella, in case of rain". Underwood was noted for his consistent accuracy, and his inswinging arm ball was particularly noted for dismissing batsmen leg before wicket."

1.
2. Paul Stirling (might move him down the order)
3.
4. Jacques Kallis
5. Andy Flower
6. Stuart Law (might move him up the order)
7.
8. Derek Underwood
9. Rangana Herath
10. Rubel Hossain
11. Courtney Walsh

@El Loco

 

[El Loco]

Dudley Nourse up next for us.

1. Alastair Cook
2. Ken Meuleman
3.
4. Dudley Nourse
5.
6.
7. Andrew Flintoff
8. Kapil Dev
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Sydney Barnes
11. Monty Panesar

@Master Bates
@Na Maloom Afraad

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

MB and NMA's XI
Adam Gilchrist†
Sachin Tendulkar
Steve Smith
-
Shakib Al Hasan
Lance Klusener
Fred Grace
-
-
Allan Donald
Simon Kerrigan

My next pick will be Lance Klusener. One of the best all-rounders to ever play for South Africa.

Your next @Aislabie

 

[Aislabie]

My pick is Everton Weekes

Test stats - 4,455 runs @ 58.61 (15 centuries, best 207) in 48 matches
First-class stats - 12,010 runs @ 55.34 (36 centuries, best 304*) in 152 matches

Everton Weekes was nothing more or less than a machine in Test cricket. The attacking flair of his play would suggest a risky approach, but the sheer consistency of his runs proved otherwise. He turned his first Test 50, against England at Kingston into 141, then followed it up with 128, 194, 162, 101 and (a relative failure) 90 in consecutive innings, breaking all kinds of records. Even more incredibly, his standards never really dropped after that. I even considered using him as an ad-hoc wicket-keeper, but I've decided to not to and just let the man bat.

1. Gordon Greenidge
2. Geoffrey Boycott
3. Younis Khan
4. Douglas Jardine
5. Everton Weekes
6.
7. Imran Khan
8. Scott Kremerskothen
9. George Lohmann
10.
11.

@Dutch if he's feeling it, but @blockerdave can go ahead

 

[blockerdave]

Why have 2 world class all rounders when you can have 3? My pick is Franklyn Stephenson. Roberts and Miller will have the new ball, with Stephenson to bowl 1st change allowing Rice to be a 4th seamer and absolute beast with the bat, which is his ideal role. Then of course the spin twins to attack later.

1) Barry Richards
2)
3)
4) Clive Rice
5) Ross Taylor
6) Keith Miller
7)
8) Franklyn Stephenson
9) Graeme Swann
10) Andy Roberts
11) Muttiah Muralitharan

@DalePlaysCricket

 

[Ed Smith]

Not having access to a laptop right now, can someone post my team as it stands please

 

[Aislabie]

Alec Stewart
Quinton de Kock
Ricky Ponting (L)
Denis Compton (L)
AB de Villiers
?
?
?
Steve Harmison (P)
Les Taylor (L)
Benjamin Aislabie (L)

@DalePlaysCricket - your team

 

[Ed Smith]

Ravi Ashwin

 

[Master Bates]

@Na Maloom Afraad are you trying to build an ODI XI?

 

[CerealKiller]

@Bevab

 

[Bevab]

Aubrey Faulkner, one of cricket's most tragic tales and South Africa's first legendary all-rounder in their rich tradition will be my next pick.

With both Tufnell and Chase being useful as defensive spinners, this side needed a more aggressive option to make the best use of spin friendly conditions and Ames' keeping. Faulkner offers that with his excellent googlies and variations that bamboozled batsmen of his era. Most importantly, he was a very capable batsman with a double century in Australia when his entire team was completely surprised by the foreign conditions down under.

A true all-rounder is a player who can make it into the side with either bat or ball and Faulkner can do that very easily.

That completes my top seven with a good mix of flamboyant and aggressive batsmen alongside the more gritty ones.

@CerealKiller

 

[CerealKiller]

My opener, and wicket-keeper, will be the legendary Hanif Mohammad, famous for playing the longest innings in Test history, at 970 minutes, making 337 after following on.

CerealKiller’s XI
1. Hanif Mohammad
2.
3.
4. Ian Bell
5. Sir Frank Worrell
6. Jack Ikin
7. Mike Procter
8. Shane Warne
9. Dale Steyn
10. Bill O'Reilly
11. Dainty Ironmonger

@ahmedleo414