Draft: The Layer Cake Draft

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 8...

Douglas Jardine

Nominated by: @Aislabie

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 1,296 runs @ 48.00 (1 century, best 127) in 22 matches
First-class stats: 14,848 runs @ 46.83 (35 centuries, best 214) in 262 matches

Cricket's very own comic-book villain, Jardine's brutally utilitarian tactics in the Bodyline series were reminiscent of the British rule of India, Jardine's birthplace. But putting that to one side, he was a prolific if dour batsman, and one cursed with an almost Rootian conversion rate of only one century from eleven fifty-plus Test innings. Out of his entire career, he was dismissed below 18 only five times, and scored at over 2.5 runs per over only once.

And the player goes to... @Aislabie (Seriously - why does Random.org keep giving me my own players? Although I'm happier with him than Kremerskothen)

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 9...

Sachin Tendulkar

Nominated by: @ahmedleo414

Rejected by: @Aislabie / @blockerdave / @El Loco

Test stats: 15,921 runs @ 53.78 (51 centuries, best 248*) and 46 wickets @ 54.17 (best 3/10) in 200 matches
First-class stats: 25,396 runs @ 57.84 (81 centuries, best 248*) and 71 wickets @ 61.74 (best 3/10) in 310 matches

So what is there to say about Sachin Tendulkar that hasn't already been said? One of his generation's leading players. Arguably his country's best-ever player. At risk of being controversial, I do think that all of India's hero worship of him and a good dollop of recency bias has led to him being overrated, that doesn't mean he's not likely a top-ten or -twenty batsman of all time. And three of us have rejected him, so we're all out of the race.

And the player goes to... @Master Bates

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 10...

Fred Grace

Nominated by: @CerealKiller

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 0 runs from 1 match
First-class stats: 6,906 runs @ 25.02 (8 centuries, best 189*) and 329 wickets @ 20.06 (17 5WI, best 8/43)

In his day, Fred Grace was a pretty decent all-rounder although to be real about it he did only get picked for England because he was WG's brother. He did not have a successful Test debut; the only real thing he did successfully was to take a spectacular skier off the bat of George Bonnor. Within two weeks of what would prove to be his only Test match he had died of pneumonia, and would never get the chance to improve his record.

And the player goes to... @Master Bates again

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 11...



Ken Meuleman

Nominated by: @CerealKiller

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 0 runs in 1 match
First-class stats: 7,855 runs @ 47.60 (22 centuries, best 234*) in 117 matches

There doesn't seem to be a consistent explanation as to why Ken Meuleman played only one Test match, especially given his utterly outstanding record as a Sheffield Shield opening batsman. Fortunately, he found great success as a coach once his playing career was over.

And the player goes to... @El Loco

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 12...

Rubel Hossain

Nominated by: @Bevab

Rejected by: @CerealKiller

Test stats: 36 wickets @ 76.77 (1 5WI, best 5/166) in 27 matches
First-class stats: 97 wickets @ 54.03 (4 5WI, best 7/51) in 60 matches

Where to even start with Rubel Hossain's red ball career. Well, in any other country he wouldn't have one. But in Bangladesh, by virtue of being able to crank it up reasonably fast, he has played 27 Test matches. And he's played them badly.

And the player goes to... @ahmedleo414

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 13...

Clyde Walcott

Nominated by: @El Loco / @Bevab

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 3,798 runs @ 56.68 (15 centuries, best 220), 11 wickets @ 37.09 (best 3/50) and 38 keeping dismissals (27 catches, 11 stumpings) in 44 matches
First-class stats: 11,820 runs @ 56.55 (40 centuries, best 314*), 35 wickets @ 36.25 (1 5WI, best 5/41) and 33 stumpings in 146 matches

Clyde Walcott is one of cricket's most overlooked legends. A man who had a Test batting average of nearly 57, while also being good enough to open the bowling, and being a Test quality wicket-keeper is unique. But such is the sheer number of quality players to have come out of the Caribbean, Walcott somehow manages to be overlooked by this generation of cricket fans.

And the player goes to... @Dutch (you lucky man)

 

[Dutch]

Welcome home Clyde you bloody legend!

His numbers are unbelievable!

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 14...

Muttiah Muralitharan

Nominated by: @ahmedleo414

Rejected by: @Aislabie / @DalePlaysCricket

Test stats: 800 wickets @ 22.72 (67 5WI, best 9/51) in 133 matches
First-class stats: 1,374 wickets @ 19.64 (119 5WI, best 9/51) in 232 matches

The greatest spinner in cricket history, bar none. Seriously just look at those numbers: they really do speak for themselves. Nothing I say can possibly make 67 Test five-fors any more impressive than they already are. The man was a monster, and he single-handedly turned Sri Lanka into one of the best Test teams going.

And the player goes to... @blockerdave (who already has Rice and Miller)

 

[blockerdave]

Ooh I’ll have that! Upgrade on Roston Chase!!

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 15...

Phil Tufnell

Nominated by: @DalePlaysCricket

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 121 wickets @ 37.68 (5 5WI, best 7/47) in 42 matches
First-class stats: 1,057 wickets @ 29.35 (53 5WI, best 8/29) in 316 matches

Phil Tufnell was not an athlete. Phil Tufnell was not an especially good left-arm spinner (although he was definitely better than Ashley Giles). Phil Tufnell was also not a batsman, or a fielder. And yet Phil Tufnell was one of the most popular cricketers England have had in recent decades, thanks to the infectious joy with which "The Cat" approached the game.

And the player goes to... @Bevab

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 16...

Alastair Cook

Nominated by: @Dutch

Rejected by: @ahmedleo414 / @Bevab / @blockerdave / @DalePlaysCricket

Test stats: 12,472 runs @ 45.35 (33 centuries, best 294) in 161 matches
First-class stats: 23,667 runs @ 47.61 (67 centuries, best 294) in 304 matches

I actually really miss watching Alastair Cook bat. It seems like well over 18 months since he made his heroic farewell hundred against India, and since then he has continued to churn out moderate County Championship runs for Essex but without exactly pulling up trees. Therefore, he likely retired at about the right time, sad though it was to see him go. Sadder still is that we'll likely never see that sexy T again.

And the player goes to... @El Loco

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 17...

Bill O'Reilly

Nominated by: @Master Bates

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 144 wickets @ 22.59 (11 5WI, best 7/54) in 27 matches
First-class stats: 774 wickets @ 16.60 (63 5WI, best 9/38) in 135 matches

Bill O'Reilly is another one of those great cricketers who's a little overlooked by modern fans, although those who remember the Classic XI from Brian Lara Cricket 2005 will remember the name. He was phenomenally effective, bowling leg-breaks and googlies at a brisk medium pace: basically the Rashid Khan of his day. Indeed, their actions look relatively similar from the photo shown above.

And the player goes to... @CerealKiller

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 18...

Younis Khan

Nominated by: @ahmedleo414

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 10,099 runs @ 52.05 (34 centuries, best 313) in 118 matches
First-class stats: 17,116 runs @ 49.90 (56 centuries, best 313) in 229 matches

Some legends come to define their teams, some even get to define an entire era. Younis Khan... didn't really, and the only reason I can really think of is that his batting was often ungainly, certainly not the elegant flowing strokes of Mohammad Yousuf, or the somehow motionless power of Inzamam Ul-Haq. Yet, statistically Younis was at worst the equal of them, but most likely the best of the three.

And the player goes to... @Aislabie (I'm very happy with this)

 

[blockerdave]

Lucky Dip Player 18...

Younis Khan

Nominated by: @ahmedleo414

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 10,099 runs @ 52.05 (34 centuries, best 313) in 118 matches
First-class stats: 17,116 runs @ 49.90 (56 centuries, best 313) in 229 matches

Some legends come to define their teams, some even get to define an entire era. Younis Khan... didn't really, and the only reason I can really think of is that his batting was often ungainly, certainly not the elegant flowing strokes of Mohammad Yousuf, or the somehow motionless power of Inzamam Ul-Haq. Yet, statistically Younis was at worst the equal of them, but most likely the best of the three.

And the player goes to... @Aislabie (I'm very happy with this)

I was a massive Yousuf fan, but Younis was bloody great too

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 19...

Gordon Greenidge

Nominated by: @Dutch

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 7,558 runs @ 44.72 (19 centuries, best 226) in 108 matches
First-class stats: 37,354 runs @ 45.88 (92 centuries, best 273*) in 523 matches

Gordon Greenidge spent most of his career being considered the epitome of West Indian flair, so it's easy to forget that he was raised in Reading, started his career batting with Barry Richards for Hampshire as a teenager, and was eligible to represent England right up until the West Indies picked him up instead. Counting only Test matches they played against Greenidge, England would use no fewer than nineteen opening batsmen of varying quality. Imagine what a Boycott/Greenidge or Gooch/Greenidge partnership could have been.

And the player goes to... @Aislabie