The Layer Cake Draft

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 27...

Graeme Swann

Nominated by: @DalePlaysCricket

Rejected by: @Aislabie

Test stats: 1,370 runs @ 22.09 (best 85) and 255 wickets @ 29.96 (17 5WI, best 6/65) in 60 matches
First-class stats: 7,811 runs @ 25.52 (4 centuries, best 183) and 739 wickets @ 32.12 (32 5WI, best 7/33) in 252 matches

Graeme Swann was someone who really showed the value in picking someone when they're ready for international cricket as opposed to beforehand, as well as the value of just being really good at one thing: in Swann's case, a ripping, drifting, fizzing off-break that was difficult for right-handers and devastating for left-handers. He also proudly continued the tradition of English spinners being a bit mad.

And the player goes to... @blockerdave (seriously I give up, you're picking last in every round)

 

[Ed Smith]

Nah. This is bent. Has to be

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 28...

Garfield Sobers

Nominated by: @Master Bates

Rejected by: @ahmedleo414 / @Aislabie / @Bevab / @blockerdave / @El Loco

Test stats: 8,032 runs @ 57.78 (26 centuries, best 365*) and 235 wickets @ 34.03 (6 5WI, best 6/73) in 93 matches
First-class stats: 28,314 @ 54.87 (86 centuries, best 365*) and 1,043 wickets @ 27.74 (36 5WI, best 9/49) in 383 matches

In cricketing terms at least, Garry Sobers was the all-rounder. One of the all-time greatest batsmen, who also happened to be a Test-class spinner and a Test-class swing bowler all in one package isn't something that happens every day. In the same way as Jacques Kallis, he was a batsman first, but perhaps unlike Kallis he often adopted a very cavalier style which has led to him being remembered very fondly by all who saw him.

And the player goes to... @Dutch

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 29...

KS Ranjitsinhji

Nominated by: @El Loco

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 989 runs @ 44.95 (2 centuries, best 175) in 15 matches
First-class stats: 24,692 runs @ 56.37 (72 centuries, best 282*) in 307 matches

KS Ranjitsinhji, when not busy in either his role as "Colonel Smith" in the British Army, or the Maharajah of Nawanagar, was one of Sussex's foremost batsman, and someone who did a great deal to move the game forward. He also scored many thousands of runs, owing in no small part to the fact that his invention - the leg glance - meant that bowlers could no longer simply bowl at the body and know that they wouldn't concede any runs.

And the player goes to... @Bevab

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 30

Andy Flower

Nominated by: @Bevab

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 4,794 runs @ 51.54 (12 centuries, best 232*) and 160 dismissals (151 catches and 9 stumpings) in 63 matches
First-class stats: 16,379 runs @ 54.05 (49 centuries, best 271*) and 382 dismissals (361 catches and 22 stumpings) in 223 matches

Andy Flower is weirdly overlooked in the conversation of all-time great keeper-batsmen and he really shouldn't be: a Test average of over 50 as wicket-keeper is an absolute unicorn feat: only one other player has ever been able to do it - AB de Villiers - and he was playing much more as a batsman who had been given the gloves. Flower was one of a kind, and has been overlooked just because Zimbabwe were a bit shit.

And the player goes to... @ahmedleo414

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 31...

Ian Botham

Nominated by: @Dutch

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 5,200 runs @ 33.54 (14 centuries, best 208) and 383 wickets @ 28.40 (27 5WI, best 8/34) in 102 matches
First-class stats: 19,399 runs @ 33.97 (38 centuries, best 228) and 1,172 wickets @ 27.22 (59 5WI, best 8/34) in 402 matches

Whole-career Beefy's numbers aren't outstanding, but they include the experiences of Well-Done Beefy, who had averages of 29.56 and 36.93 in his last 50 Tests; worse still were the averages of 20.84 and 55.62 in his last ten. By comparison, the first 50 showed averages of 36.45 and 22.89 - the first ten, 43.54 and 17.33. We shall assume for the sake of this draft that this is medium-rare Beefy.

And the player goes to... @Dutch (REALLY?! That's Sobers and Botham in the same team. Absolutely absurd.)

 

[El Loco]

Wtf I never asked for Panesar I'm confused??[DOUBLEPOST=1584060274][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh I totally missed the concept of a lucky dip ffs. Ah well.

 

[Ed Smith]

Wtf I never asked for Panesar I'm confused??[DOUBLEPOST=1584060274][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh I totally missed the concept of a lucky dip ffs. Ah well.

Aye I'd definitely have another go at this now I understand it. Could be much more bastardy with my lucky dips

 

[Bevab]

1. Gavaskar
2. Lloyd
   
3. ?
4. Ranji
   
5. Chase
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?
10. Tufnell
11. ?

Two world class players and three solid domestic performers, I'll take that although looking at the sides of @Aislabie and @blockerdave makes me quite jealous! That Panesar nomination and rejection was a proper good move, wonder why I hadn't simply thought of that.

@CerealKiller thanks for backing me up with that Rubel pick mate, was counting on ya.

 

[El Loco]

Aye I'd definitely have another go at this now I understand it. Could be much more bastardy with my lucky dips

For some dumb reason I was under the assumption that I had a good chance of ending up with the players I had nominated myself for the Lucky Dip. How bloody wrong I was shoulda paid more attention I guess

 

[ahmedleo414]

Lucky Dip Player 30

Andy Flower

Nominated by: @Bevab

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 4,794 runs @ 51.54 (12 centuries, best 232*) and 160 dismissals (151 catches and 9 stumpings) in 63 matches
First-class stats: 16,379 runs @ 54.05 (49 centuries, best 271*) and 382 dismissals (361 catches and 22 stumpings) in 223 matches

Andy Flower is weirdly overlooked in the conversation of all-time great keeper-batsmen and he really shouldn't be: a Test average of over 50 as wicket-keeper is an absolute unicorn feat: only one other player has ever been able to do it - AB de Villiers - and he was playing much more as a batsman who had been given the gloves. Flower was one of a kind, and has been overlooked just because Zimbabwe were a bit shit.

And the player goes to... @ahmedleo414

FINALLY! a good player other than Jacques Kallis

 

[Bevab]

FINALLY! a good player other than Jacques Kallis

The main reason why I went for him and Walcott was because they were 'under the radar' players who were unlikely to be nominated by anyone else and so I had a higher chance of getting them in the lucky dip.

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 32...

Steve Smith

Nominated by: @Master Bates

Rejected by: @ahmedleo414 / @blockerdave / @Dutch

Test stats: 7,227 runs @ 62.84 (26 centuries, best 239) and 17 wickets @ 56.47 (best 3/18) in 73 matches
First-class stats: 11,707 runs @ 57.95 (42 centuries, best 239) and 68 wickets @ 52.98 (1 5WI, best 7/64) in 131 matches

The spinning all-rounder of the early 2010s morphed into the greatest Test batsman of his generation in the middle of an innings in Perth when he decided to make a big step back and across his stumps to do... well to do something to his batting. Whatever that change was meant to do to his batting, it succeeded and more: since then, he has averaged over 70 as a Test batsman, which is frankly unfair on everyone else. He currently wears the "best since Bradman" label with pride.

And the player goes to... @Master Bates

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 33...

Stuart Law

Nominated by: @CerealKiller

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 54 runs (54*) in 1 match
First-class stats: 27,080 runs @ 50.52 (79 centuries, best 263) and 83 wickets @ 51.03 (1 5WI, best in 367 matches

It's quite some Test side that feels able to turn its back on a batsman of Stuart Law's quality after an unbeaten half-century on Test debut. He never got another chance at Test cricket in the remaining fourteen years of his career, but remained prolific throughout for Queensland and his three county sides.

And the player goes to... @ahmedleo414

 

[Aislabie]

Lucky Dip Player 34...

Dainty Ironmonger

Nominated by: @El Loco

Rejected by: None

Test stats: 74 wickets @ 17.97 (4 5WI, best 7/23) in 14 matches
First-class stats: 464 wickets @ 21.50 (36 5WI, best 8/31) in 96 matches

Imagine if your team plucked a 46-year-old amputee to make their Test debut. (If you're an Irish fan, imagine England doing that; y'all know our talent pool wouldn't keep that guy out.) Well, in 1928 that's what Australia did by picking Dainty Ironmonger... and he was outstanding, dominating most of Australia's Tests until well after his 50th birthday when he finally made way for a successor. As for the amputation - the stump of an index finger gave his bowling a unique floating trajectory, which I've since adopted as a variation because I can recreate it with my massive hands.

And the player goes to... @CerealKiller