Draft: The Layer Cake Draft

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 1...

To be clear, he's the one who's been hit here - not the bowler.

Scott Kremerskothen

Nominated by: @Aislabie

Rejected by: None

First-class stats: 1,266 runs @ 26.93 (best 82*) and 44 wickets @ 36.00 (best 4/63) in 37 first-class matches

The bits-and-piecesest of bits-and-pieces all-rounders, Scott Kremerskothen doesn't especially offer anything much to a team given the calibre of player we've already seen floating around. Whoever gets him will not be overjoyed.

And the player goes to... @Aislabie (well that backfired)

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 2...

Ian Bell

Nominated by: @DalePlaysCricket

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 7,727 runs @ 42.69 (22 centuries, best 235) in 118 matches
First-class stats: 20,256 runs @ 43.93 (57 centuries, best 262*) in 307 matches

Arguably England's most aesthetically pleasing right-hander, certainly in their recent history, Ian Bell tends to be underrated by fans who struggle to remember him making many match-defining contributions. At his worst, he was the Bell of the 2005 Ashes, but at his best he was the Bell who dominated the series eight years later.

And the player goes to... @CerealKiller

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 3...

Simon Kerrigan

Nominated by: @blockerdave

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 0 wickets for 53 in 1 match
First-class stats: 322 wickets @ 30.57 (13 5WI, best 9/51) in 104 matches

Did you know Simon Kerrigan has only just recently turned 30? I certainly didn't - and from cricket alone he has packed in the life experiences (both highs and frightful lows) of a far older man. Nowadays though, he makes his living outside the game although he did turn up for a Northants seconds game last year and did well enough.

And the player goes to... @Master Bates

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 4...

Ricky Ponting

Nominated by: @ahmedleo414

Rejected by: @Master Bates

Test stats: 13,378 runs @ 51.85 (41 centuries, best 257) in 168 matches
First-class stats: 24,150 runs @ 55.90 (82 centuries, best 257) in 289 matches

Ricky Ponting was a colossus of the Australian team for well over a decade; he arguably stayed on for too long after his powers had waned, but he did so for the good of an Australian team that did not have any better player to replace him with. His average topped out at 59.99, which it did against England in 2006 - his 107th Test.

And the player goes to... @DalePlaysCricket

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 5...

Keith Miller

Nominated by: @Master Bates

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 2,958 runs @ 36.97 (7 centuries, best 147) and 170 wickets @ 22.97 (7 5WI, best 7/60) in 55 matches
First-class stats: 14,183 runs @ 48.90 (41 centuries, best 281*) and 497 wickets @ 22.30 (16 5WI, best 7/12) in 226 matches

An absolute action man of an all-rounder, Keith Miller would have been successful in any walk of life at any time in history. As it was, he got the opportunity to be an exciting, devil-may-care presence in the post-WWII Australian Test team, who he represented with absolute distinction.

And the player goes to... @blockerdave (seriously, you already had Clive Rice)

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 6...



Les Taylor

Nominated by: @blockerdave

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 4 wickets @ 44.50 (best 2/34) in 2 matches
First-class stats: 581 wickets @ 25.21 (18 5WI, best 7/28) in 218 matches

Another properly obscure player straight out of Dave's brain, I'm sure Taylor was better than his Test numbers, but he did fall into the stereotype of being a certain kind of English county bowler. But like Gilchrist last night, it's Taylor who I'm almost too sleepy to write tonight. I promise I'll make a better effort tomorrow!

And the player goes to... @DalePlaysCricket

 

[Aislabie]

The teams so far

@ahmedleo414
Jacques Kallis (P)
?
?
?
?

@Aislabie
Imran Khan (P)
Scott Kremerskothen
?
?
?

@Bevab
Sunil Gavaskar (P)
?
?
?
?

@blockerdave
Clive Rice (P)
Keith Miller
?
?
?

@CerealKiller
Ian Bell
Shane Warne (P)
?
?
?

@DalePlaysCricket
Ricky Ponting
Steve Harmison (P)
Les Taylor
?
?

@Dutch
David Gower (P)
?
?
?
?

@El Loco
Sydney Barnes (P)
?
?
?
?

@Master Bates
Adam Gilchrist (P)
Simon Kerrigan
?
?
?

Tomorrow (hopefully) the rest of the Lucky Dip.

 

[Bevab]

Miller and Rice in the same side is overkill!

 

[blockerdave]

Les Taylor was actually a good bowler, who due to his test batting average of 0 was nearly in my budget draft team.

He bizarrely went on the first English rebel tour because he thought he’d never get picked for England as he used to be a miner! He was England’s best bowler on the tour, and against a lineup of Richards, Cook, Kirsten, Pollock, Rice and Procter took 11 wickets in 3 “Tests” at 18.

basically he was good enough that if I got him in the lucky dip, I wouldn’t mind; but if someone else got him he wasn’t so good I’d be upset!

still, Ponting, Taylor and Harmison is a bloody good start to the team for @DalePlaysCricket.

I’m pretty happy with Rice and Miller too!!

 

[CerealKiller]

Obviously would’ve preferred Ponting, but don’t mind Bell at all

 

[Ed Smith]

Obviously would’ve preferred Ponting, but don’t mind Bell at all

You're welcome

 

[blockerdave]

Obviously would’ve preferred Ponting, but don’t mind Bell at all

Given how hopeless he was against Warne, you’ve done well to get Bell and Warne on the same team.

 

[Aislabie]

Given how hopeless he was against Warne, you’ve done well to get Bell and Warne on the same team.

I'd love to see that dynamic in the dressing room though.

I guess I'll just have to put Kremerskothen at eight in the Andrew McDonald role or something

 

[blockerdave]

I'd love to see that dynamic in the dressing room though.

I guess I'll just have to put Kremerskothen at eight in the Andrew McDonald role or something

“Hey Shermanator,”...
“It’s Ian...”
“How long has it been Shermanator?...”
“...Ian”
“10 years? 12? I remember I said ‘here comes the zooter’ Shermanator...”
“Ian...”
“And you looked like you were gonna cry... I didn’t know what the fearsome tweak was gonna come out my hand, but it sure wa’nt gonna be a zooter, what’s one of them anyway? Do you remember Shermanator?”
“Look, it’s Ian, and my mum said I don’t look like him anyway, I’m much more like Oz...”
“You played all round a straight one, out for a duck! That’s the Shermanator”
“...Ian...”
“And Dizzy shouted - hey, ‘I think he’s gonna piss himself again’... ha ha ha”
“Yeah, great one Warney...”
“That’s Mr Warne to you, you little prick.”

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 7...

Roston Chase

Nominated by: @blockerdave

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 1,695 runs @ 31.38 (5 centuries, best 137*) and 59 wickets @ 42.37 (2 5WI, best 8/60) in 32 matches
First-class stats: 4,361 runs @ 38.25 (9 centuries, best 137*) and 134 wickets @ 32.32 (6 5WI, best 8/60) in 80 matches

Roston Chase might not be the first name on anyone's team sheet, but he's the sort of guy who'll do a job regardless of whether he looks good doing it. On his day he can do remarkable things, like take eight-for against England or score an unbeaten century against England, but he he will be remembered most clearly as the non-striker for "WHY DID HE DO THAT?!"

And the player goes to... @Bevab