Draft: The Panesar Draft

[Master Bates]

FAWAD ALAM​

Test Caps - 49/50

01. Sid Barnes
02. Walter Giffen
03. Dion Ebrahim
04. Fawad Alam
05. Saba Karim
06. Mike Procter
07. Allan Steel
08. Jack Crawford
09. Sajedul Islam
10. Monty Panesar
11. Euan McIntyre

@Yash. to finish it off!

 

[Yash.]

My last pick would be Arthur Dudley Nourse

Actually I was going to pick Kepler Wessels, but went to him because of his way superior batting. He made almost 3000 runs at an average of 53 in Test cricket. In first class cricket, he made over 12000 runs at an average of 51 with 41 centuries. He has the most runs for any player who played less than 40 test matches. He’ll slot at no. 4 for me with Hodge going to no. 3.

Cap Count - 44/50
@Aislabie Fin.

If you get the time, it would be great to see your analysis of the teams

 

[Yash.]

​

1. Jimmy Cook
2. Maharaj of Vizianagram
   
3. Brad Hodge
4. Dudley Nourse
   
5. Saait Magiet
   
6. Franklyn Stephenson
   
7. George Pope
   
8. Barney Gibson
   
9. Francis Otieno
10. Michael Beer
    
11. Anurag Thakur

This could be my lineup. Just hoping Vizzy could stand for 2 to 3 balls.

 

[CerealKiller]

A cricksim tournament would be really fun
Could have a knockout phase, the surviving three teams could play against each other, and the top two play the final @Aislabie ?

 

[Aislabie]

Okay, so it's time to complete @DalePlaysCricket 's team

1. Prithvi Shaw (4 caps)
2. Desmond Lewis (3 caps)
3.
4. Clive Rice (0 caps)
5. Mehrab Hossain (U)
6. Philip Hutchinson (U)
7. Glen Chapple (0 caps)
8.
9. Aijaz Ali (U)
10. Mason Crane (U)
11. Rubel Hossain (U)

First pick: George Lohmann

Test stats: 213 runs @ 8.87 (best 62*) and 112 wickets @ 10.75 (9 5WI, best 9/28) in 18 matches
First-class stats: 7,247 runs @ 18.67 (3 centuries, best 115) and 1,841 wickets @ 13.73 (176 5WI, best 9/28) in 293 matches

I genuinely can't believe he's still available; statistically the best bowler in cricket history, George Lohmann's medium-pace cutters and swingers left even the world's best batsmen baffled. He'd played his last cricket match by just 31 years of age, having spent the last couple of years of his career battling the tuberculosis that would eventually claim his life. Even then, in a physical mess, he still ran through batting line-ups like mushrooms run through me (it's a food allergy joke, btw). Still though, an absolute steal to pick up at such a late stage.

Second pick: Stanley Jackson

Test stats: 1,415 runs @ 48.79 (5 centuries, best 144*) and 24 wickets @ 33.29 (1 5WI, best 5/58) in 20 matches
First-class stats: 15,901 runs @ 33.83 (31 centuries, best 160) and 774 wickets @ 20.37 (42 5WI, best 8/54) in 309 matches

And to finish the draft, a top-class batting all-rounder from the same era. He'll probably batting a bit high at number three, but a Test average of nearly 50 after 20 Tests, spread over more than a decade, suggest that he'd be plenty good enough to adjust. His brisk medium pace will come in handy I think, complementing a seam attack of Rice, Chapple and Rubel; I'm thinking of Lohmann as more of a Mendis-esque spinner than a Harris-esque seamer.

And so completes the team:

1. Prithvi Shaw (4 caps)
2. Desmond Lewis (3 caps)
3. Stanley Jackson (20 caps)
4. Clive Rice (0 caps)
5. Mehrab Hossain (U)
6. Philip Hutchinson (U)
7. Glen Chapple (0 caps)
8. George Lohmann (18 caps)
9. Aijaz Ali (U)
10. Mason Crane (U)
11. Rubel Hossain (U)

 

[CerealKiller]

Am i the only one seeing flags like this?

 

[Yash.]

Am i the only one seeing flags like this?
View attachment 232335

Me too.

 

[MattW]

Am i the only one seeing flags like this?

That's strange - I was just trying to add in some new ones so it should hopefully just be a browser refresh.

 

[Ed Smith]

Okay, so it's time to complete @DalePlaysCricket 's team

1. Prithvi Shaw (4 caps)
2. Desmond Lewis (3 caps)
3.
4. Clive Rice (0 caps)
5. Mehrab Hossain (U)
6. Philip Hutchinson (U)
7. Glen Chapple (0 caps)
8.
9. Aijaz Ali (U)
10. Mason Crane (U)
11. Rubel Hossain (U)

First pick: George Lohmann

Test stats: 213 runs @ 8.87 (best 62*) and 112 wickets @ 10.75 (9 5WI, best 9/28) in 18 matches
First-class stats: 7,247 runs @ 18.67 (3 centuries, best 115) and 1,841 wickets @ 13.73 (176 5WI, best 9/28) in 293 matches

I genuinely can't believe he's still available; statistically the best bowler in cricket history, George Lohmann's medium-pace cutters and swingers left even the world's best batsmen baffled. He'd played his last cricket match by just 31 years of age, having spent the last couple of years of his career battling the tuberculosis that would eventually claim his life. Even then, in a physical mess, he still ran through batting line-ups like mushrooms run through me (it's a food allergy joke, btw). Still though, an absolute steal to pick up at such a late stage.

Second pick: Stanley Jackson

Test stats: 1,415 runs @ 48.79 (5 centuries, best 144*) and 24 wickets @ 33.29 (1 5WI, best 5/58) in 20 matches
First-class stats: 15,901 runs @ 33.83 (31 centuries, best 160) and 774 wickets @ 20.37 (42 5WI, best 8/54) in 309 matches

And to finish the draft, a top-class batting all-rounder from the same era. He'll probably batting a bit high at number three, but a Test average of nearly 50 after 20 Tests, spread over more than a decade, suggest that he'd be plenty good enough to adjust. His brisk medium pace will come in handy I think, complementing a seam attack of Rice, Chapple and Rubel; I'm thinking of Lohmann as more of a Mendis-esque spinner than a Harris-esque seamer.

And so completes the team:

1. Prithvi Shaw (4 caps)
2. Desmond Lewis (3 caps)
3. Stanley Jackson (20 caps)
4. Clive Rice (0 caps)
5. Mehrab Hossain (U)
6. Philip Hutchinson (U)
7. Glen Chapple (0 caps)
8. George Lohmann (18 caps)
9. Aijaz Ali (U)
10. Mason Crane (U)
11. Rubel Hossain (U)

Thanks buddy

 

[Master Bates]

Would have picked Lohmann but could not risk on batting as we needed it.[DOUBLEPOST=1588815698][/DOUBLEPOST]Now all we need is some @Aislabie meme teams review!

 

[Samarth27.09]

​

 

[Samarth27.09]

My Last pick will be:

Sunil Narine
​

Sunil Narine got to play only 6 test matches. Though I believe he deserved more opportunities than that. He has proved his mettle in IPL as well as ODIs but unfortunately didn't get enough chances to prove it in intentional Test Cricket.[DOUBLEPOST=1588835565][/DOUBLEPOST]Test Caps Used: 36/50

 

[Aislabie]

@ahmedleo414 (50 caps)

1. W.G. Grace (22 caps)
2. "Jack" Russell (10 caps)
3. Wally Edwards (UD)
4. Giff Vivian (7 caps)
5. Billy Wade (11 caps)
6. Nawaz Sharif (UD)
7. Wilbur Slabber (UD)
8. Brian Vitori (UD)
9. Ajit de Silva (UD)
10. Don Shepherd (0 caps)
11. Allan Jones (0 caps)

I mean... you've got WG. He was so far ahead of his contemporaries that it wasn't even funny, and his general bellendery is going to wind up oppositions so much they may struggle to perform normally.
It sounds weird to say, but your Panesars are a strength. Edwards, Vitori and de Silva are all pretty good players, and definitely won't be weak links in your side.
With a whole world of uncapped talent available, you went for Allan Jones to open the bowling. It puts a lot of pressure on Shepherd as a non-Panesar to take your wickets.

- - -

@Aislabie (47 caps)
1. Alan Melville (11 caps)
2. Frank Tarrant (0 caps)
3. George Headley (22 caps)
4. Marnus Labuschagne (14 caps)
5. Sabbir Rahman (L)
6. Bill Alley (0 caps)
7. George Codrington (L)
8. John Wisden (0 caps)
9. Susantha Karunaratne (L)
10. Alamgir Kabir (L)
11. Seymour Clark (L)

I am incredibly happy with my top four, in particular Headley and Marnus at three and four: two of the very best apart from Bradman. Just imagining that top four against the likes of Clive Rose...
I'm very happy with my three uncapped all-rounders. Alley and Tarrant should be recognised more as all-time great all-rounders, but that's a difficult club to break into when it's full of household names.
I don't have anyone who bowls particularly quick; there's a chance that Alamgir Kabir might actually be my quickest bowler, which is a bit of a problem.

- - -

@Bevab (50 caps)

1. Vijay Merchant (10 caps)
2. Stewie Dempster (10 caps)
3. Babar Azam (26 caps)
4. Virat Kohli (UD)
5. Lee Irvine (4 caps)
6. Rolland Beaumont (UD)
7. Cec Pepper (0 caps)
8. Vince van der Bijl (0 caps)
9. Darren Pattinson (UD)
10. Anwar Hossain Monir (UD)
11. Krishna Kumar (UD)

That top five is absolutely devastating. Helped out by the absolute gift of Kohli in the Unlucky Dip, but around him are 50 caps well spent on top-class batting talent.
Van der Bijl and Cec Pepper are two excellent uncapped picks as well: Pepper's stats might not be outstanding, but he's the sort of presence who'd bring the best out of his teammates.
I do get the feeling that this side is a bowler short though; Pattinson with the new ball and Monir as first change seamer must be a little bit of a concern.

- - -

@blockerdave (44 caps)

1. Barry Richards (4 caps)
2. Raman Subba Row (13 caps)
3. Shantanu Sugwekar (0 caps)
4. Eddie Paynter (20 caps)
5. Ollie Pope (7 caps)
6. Roland Pope (UD)
7. Stephen Jefferies (0 caps)
8. Clive Rose (UD)
9. Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (UD)
10. Mohammod Khalil (UD)
11. George Gladstone Marais (UD)

First of all, full credit for a truly outstanding opening pair at the cost of only 17 caps. I doubt anyone will be better equipped at the top of the order than this side.
The rest of the top five is also well-stocked with big run-scorers. Ollie Pope might not be officially great yet, but by the end of his career he will be.
You pointed it out yourself - the bowling here is very reliant on your Panesars. They're not bad Panesars, but this isn't a bowling attack to strike fear into your heart.

- - -

@CerealKiller (48 caps)

1. Raja Maharaj Singh UD
2. Archie Jackson (8 caps)
3. K.S Duleepsinhji (12 caps)
4. Jamie Siddons (0 caps)
5. Stuart Law (1 caps)
6. Wasim Haider UD
7. Garth le Roux (0 caps)
8. Sanaullah Khan UD
9. Jack Blatherwick UD
10. Bill O'Reilly (27 caps)
11. Pommie Mbangwa UD

The most obvious thing here is that this is a pretty well-balanced team. You've got four good bowlers, in particular Tiger O'Reilly and Garth le Roux, and you've got six proper batsmen.
Players like Siddons, Law and Le Roux enabled you to spend big on O'Reilly without a big drop in quality by picking uncapped and barely-capped players.
You've opened the batting with a non-cricketer in his 70s; the poor guy's going to have to face up to Mike Procter. Also Jack Blatherwick will actually be called on to bowl in this side.

- - -

@DalePlaysCricket (45 caps)

1. Prithvi Shaw (4 caps)
2. Desmond Lewis (3 caps)
3. Stanley Jackson (20 caps)
4. Clive Rice (0 caps)
5. Mehrab Hossain (UD)
6. Philip Hutchinson (UD)
7. Glen Chapple (0 caps)
8. George Lohmann (18 caps)
9. Aijaz Ali (UD)
10. Mason Crane (UD)
11. Rubel Hossain (UD)

Proper batting down to eight or nine is exceptional in this draft; maybe slightly lacking that one outstanding batsman, but these guys are all more than good enough to put away some of our Panesars.
Lohmann, Rice and Chapple are a great set of players to lead the bowling attack; Jackson, Crane and Rubel aren't the worst guys to have in support.
I know they're not always easy to find, but this side does kind of lack a match-defining batsman. Although Prithvi Shaw and Clive Rice can both get on top of an opposition.

- - -

@deleted member (36 caps)

1. Michael di Venuto (0 caps)
2. Terryn Fray (UD)
3. Manoj Tiwary (0 caps)
4. Shawn Findlay (UD)
5. Ryan ten Doeschate (0 caps)
6. Jamie Dalrymple (UD)
7. Hemantha Devapriya (UD)
8. Sunil Narine (6 caps)
9. Charles Kortright (0 caps)
10. Lasith Malinga (30 caps)
11. Sailung Zorinliana (UD)

Your uncapped players are excellent - di Venuto and Tiwary both strengthen the batting, while Kortright offers the express pace every side should have been looking for.
Lasith Malinga might not have set Test cricket alight in his playing career, but most of our players (even the non-Panesars) will have never faced anything like him.
You'd saved up 20 caps for your last pick and rather than picking Bond, Peel or Spofforth, you went for Sunil Narine. A really weird decision if you wanted to strengthen your bowling.

- - -

@El Loco (47 caps)

1. John Langridge (0 caps)
2. Ajay Sharma (UD)
3. Ranjitsinhji (15 caps)
4. Vinod Kambli (17 caps)
5. Phil Mead (17 caps)
6. Geoff Humpage (0 caps)
7. Peter Sainsbury (0 caps)
8. Brijal Patel (UD)
9. Pankaj Singh (UD)
10. Alfred Luseno (UD)
11. Chris Martin (UD)

You're another one whose Panesars are a strength. Having Pankaj, Martin and Ajay Sharma before you even make a pick must have been phenomenally helpful when you were considering your choices.
That top six is outstanding: I don't know much about Langridge, but I do know about the rest of them enough to know that Alamgir Kabir isn't going to trouble anyone here.
You're probably one high-quality bowler short. It's tricky when you've got so many tail-enders already, but it might have been worth investing in someone like a Lohmann early on.
- - -

@Master Bates (49 caps)

1. Sid Barnes (13 caps)
2. Walter Giffen (UD)
3. Dion Ebrahim (UD)
4. Fawad Alam (3 caps)
5. Saba Karim (1 cap)
6. Mike Procter (7 caps)
7. Allan Steel (13 caps)
8. Jack Crawford (12 caps)
9. Sajedul Islam (UD)
10. Monty Panesar (UD)
11. Euan McIntyre (UD)

Mike Procter must have been most people's first choice, and you were fortunate enough to pick him up. With him in the side already, you know that most opposition teams' Panesars are going to be toast.
It's at the cost of opening with Walter Giffen, but you have genuinely good batsmen all the way down to number eight. Add to that the obvious quality of Barnes and Fawad, and you're laughing.
There's not much to dislike in this team really - even Sajedul ends up being utilised in the best way he could be - as a fifth utility bowler capable of odd spells of seam and spin.

- - -

@Na Maloom Afraad (50 caps)

1. Alan Jones (0 caps)
2. Jim Parks (1 cap)
3. Graeme Pollock (23 caps)
4. Robert Whyte (UD)
5. Aubrey Faulkner (25 caps)
6. Bart King (0 caps)
7. Kyle Mills (UD)
8. Rony Stanyforth (UD)
9. Sridharan Jeganathan (UD)
10. Charlie Parker (1 cap)
11. Mark Lawrence (UD)

Graeme Pollock and Aubrey Faulkner in the same team is a terrifying thought; especially as the man next in would be Bart King, who would have played dozens of Tests if he'd not been American.
Your selections of Parks, King and Parker freed up a huge amount of budget, but without compromising on quality at all. That's a very neat trick indeed.
The workload on Faulkner, King and Mills, who all bat in the top seven but are key parts of the bowling attack, will be huge. By the fourth innings of a game I'd imagine they'd be knackered.

- - -

@Nilay_60 (50 caps)

1. Aakash Chopra (UD)
2. Monkey Hornby (UD)
3. Shreyas Iyer (0 caps)
4. Amol Muzumdar (0 caps)
5. Ben Foakes (5 caps)
6. Colin de Grandhomme (24 caps)
7. Alec Douglas-Home (UD)
8. Harold Larwood (21 caps)
9. Bill Bell (UD)
10. Ranjan Das (UD)
11. Rajinder Goel (0 caps)

One of your very first priorities was something I overlooked: an express pace bowler to knock over our Panesars. Larwood will do an excellent job of that.
You're another one who got good Panesars - a ready-made opening pair and three competent bowlers is a great haul.
I'm amazed that you didn't choose to get an outstanding batsman into your team; Iyer and Muzumdar are good, but that's probably the second-most fragile top six in the draft,

- - -

@Yash. (44 caps)

1. Jimmy Cook (3 caps)
2. Maharaj of Vizianagram (UD)
3. Brad Hodge (6 caps)
4. Dudley Nourse (34 caps)
5. Saait Magiet (0 caps)
6. Franklyn Stephenson (0 caps)
7. George Pope (1 cap)
8. Barney Gibson (UD)
9. Francis Otieno (UD)
10. Michael Beer (UD)
11. Anurag Thakur (UD)

Nourse and Stephenson offer some particular star power to this side, with the support of Cook and Hodge who were both excellent in their own right.
It's always hard to judge with isolation-era non-white South Africans, but if Saait Magiet is as good as his stats then he's one of the steals of the draft.
With so many of your caps being spent on Nourse, it became difficult to balance your team. Sending out Vizzy as a sacrifice was certainly one approach to the problem.

- - -

Eleven players we all missed out on (96 caps)

1. Chris Rogers (25 caps)
2. George Patterson (0 caps)
3. Charlie Davis (15 caps)
4. David Hussey (0 caps)
5. Ken McEwan (0 caps)
6. Albie Morkel (1 cap)
7. Albert Trott (5 caps)
8. Shane Bond (18 caps)
9. Fred Spofforth (18 caps)
10. Tony Gray (5 caps)
11. Bob Appleyard (9 caps)

Obviously some of these were a bit difficult to fit into sides that had been lumbered with as many as four or five number elevens, and 25 caps on Chris Rogers wouldn't be the best investment, but there are guys like Shane Bond who could have been huge.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

The workload on Faulkner, King and Mills, who all bat in the top seven but are key parts of the bowling attack, will be huge. By the fourth innings of a game I'd imagine they'd be knackered.

My Panesars were really bad, I couldn't have possibly let them be my bowling attack. I had to go for players that play up in the order and can also lead my bowling.[DOUBLEPOST=1588942406][/DOUBLEPOST]

2. George Patterson (0 caps)

I almost went for him instead of Allan Jones as my last pick, and I can't remember why I chose him over Patterson now.

 

[ahmedleo414]

Thanks @Aislabie your post draft analysis are one the best parts of these drafts