Draft: 90s England Draft - It's Richard Blakey time
- Thread starter Aislabie
- Start date
Aislabie
Test Cricket is Best Cricket
Well that's annoying - all three of my candidates for an opening spot have gone out of the window. I now need to decide between either patching up my batting as best I can or just doubling down and picking some bowlers. I think I'll go for one of each.
David Gower
90s Tests - 848 runs @ 53.00 (3 centuries, best 157*) in 11 matches
Test career - 8,231 runs @ 44.25 (18 centuries, best 215) in 117 matches
First-class career - 26,339 runs @ 40.08 (53 centuries, best 228) in 448 matches
One of England's most visually pleasing batsmen, his output of runs only increased with age as he was England's highest-averaging batsman in the decade. He would ultimately retire with plenty of cricket still in his legs, pushed out of the England side by the attitudes and approach of Graham Gooch as England captain. His free-scoring style of play has persuaded me to pencil him in at number five, but he'll probably end up at number three because there aren't likely to be enough batsmen to go reasonably above him.
Angus Fraser
90s Tests - 168 wickets @ 26.86 (13 5WI, best 8/53) in 43 matches
Test career - 177 wickets @ 27.32 (13 5WI, best 8/53) in 46 matches
First-class career - 886 wickets @ 27.40 (36 5WI, best 8/53) in 290 matches
The treatment of England's best seam bowler in the 90s makes me question if they even wanted to win. By his own admission, Gus Fraser was a boring bowler who "spent 95% of [his] career bowling the same ball". The thing is, that is also a description that could be applied to bowlers like McGrath and Pollock. Fraser never quite reached their heights, but he was consistently excellent against the best opposition of his day. He also had a knack for running through teams, and spent the overwhelming majority of his career in the top 10 of the ICC bowling rankings (topping out at number 5 behind only Ambrose, Donald, McGrath and Pollock). Who is to say that with the actual backing of captains and selectors, Fraser couldn't have scaled even greater heights?
@Aislabie's XI so far:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. David Gower
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Angus Fraser
11.
@blockerdave
David Gower90s Tests - 848 runs @ 53.00 (3 centuries, best 157*) in 11 matches
Test career - 8,231 runs @ 44.25 (18 centuries, best 215) in 117 matches
First-class career - 26,339 runs @ 40.08 (53 centuries, best 228) in 448 matches
One of England's most visually pleasing batsmen, his output of runs only increased with age as he was England's highest-averaging batsman in the decade. He would ultimately retire with plenty of cricket still in his legs, pushed out of the England side by the attitudes and approach of Graham Gooch as England captain. His free-scoring style of play has persuaded me to pencil him in at number five, but he'll probably end up at number three because there aren't likely to be enough batsmen to go reasonably above him.
Angus Fraser90s Tests - 168 wickets @ 26.86 (13 5WI, best 8/53) in 43 matches
Test career - 177 wickets @ 27.32 (13 5WI, best 8/53) in 46 matches
First-class career - 886 wickets @ 27.40 (36 5WI, best 8/53) in 290 matches
The treatment of England's best seam bowler in the 90s makes me question if they even wanted to win. By his own admission, Gus Fraser was a boring bowler who "spent 95% of [his] career bowling the same ball". The thing is, that is also a description that could be applied to bowlers like McGrath and Pollock. Fraser never quite reached their heights, but he was consistently excellent against the best opposition of his day. He also had a knack for running through teams, and spent the overwhelming majority of his career in the top 10 of the ICC bowling rankings (topping out at number 5 behind only Ambrose, Donald, McGrath and Pollock). Who is to say that with the actual backing of captains and selectors, Fraser couldn't have scaled even greater heights?
@Aislabie's XI so far:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
David Gower6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Angus Fraser11.
@blockerdave
blockerdave
ICC Chairman
Darren Gough for me all day. Gus would have been my nailed on 2nd bowler pick after Dazza.
What a player Gough was, pace, swing both ways with old and new ball, plenty of heart... if he’d played in an era of better bowler management my god he’d have taken plenty more wickets and he took a few as it was!
@Yash.
What a player Gough was, pace, swing both ways with old and new ball, plenty of heart... if he’d played in an era of better bowler management my god he’d have taken plenty more wickets and he took a few as it was!
@Yash.
Ed Smith
Gaffer
Literally the pick before you
ahmedleo414
The Butcher
Andrew Flintoff, I'll add more detail later
ahmedleo414
The Butcher
Ed Smith
Gaffer
blockerdave
ICC Chairman
There's a real lack of wicket keeping talent in the pool. So for that reason, and him being an utter barmpot, I'm taking Jack Russell
View attachment 241318
5.
7.
im not picking Richard Blakey.
Ed Smith
Gaffer
Only other one I've even heard of is Chris Read
Aislabie
Test Cricket is Best Cricket
Devon Malcolm90s Tests - 127 wickets @ 36.07 (5 5WI, best 9/57) in 39 matches
Test career - 128 wickets @ 37.09 (5 5WI, best 9/57) in 40 matches
First-class career - 1,054 wickets @ 30.33 (46 5WI, best 9/57) in 290 matches
On his day, there was nobody in England for a great many years before or since who could bowl as fast or as well as Devon Malcolm. Of course a career average of 37 does indicate that his day didn't occur every day. He was catastrophically mismanaged, but as an unusually gentle and sensitive fast bowler it is all the more contradictory that he performed to his best under the leadership of Graham Gooch. Regardless, Malcolm will be tasked with bowling short, explosive spells at full pace.
Perhaps then we'll get outcomes like his dismantling of the usually courageous Gary Kirsten, whereby in three balls the left-hander was hit by one delivery, nearly decapitated by the second, then caught-and-bowled fending off the third while backing away as far as he could. If that three-ball duck proved anything, it's that Devon Malcolm was truly great that day.
@Aislabie's XI so far:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
David Gower6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Angus Fraser11.
Devon Malcolm@Dale88
Ed Smith
Gaffer
Ah you dick
Ed Smith
Gaffer
Wanted a fast bowler and only needed to make it through one pick to get him, so naturally he's gone... so I'll take Andy Caddick instead. Similar sort of player tbh, could be lethal, very often wasn't, and anyway performed well in a 2nd innings when the game was over. Also looks a bit like the Champions League Trophy...
5. Ian Botham
7. Jack Russell
11. Andy Caddick[DOUBLEPOST=1609099022][/DOUBLEPOST]@ahmedleo414
5.
Ian Botham 7.
Jack Russell11.
Andy Caddick[DOUBLEPOST=1609099022][/DOUBLEPOST]@ahmedleo414
Aislabie
Test Cricket is Best Cricket
UndeniablyAh you dick
Beats picking Steve Rhodes *shudders*
Also can I just say that I'm very much enjoying your write-ups
Ed Smith
Gaffer
Undeniably
Beats picking Steve Rhodes *shudders*
Also can I just say that I'm very much enjoying your write-ups
England in the 90s man. The stuff writes its self if you pick the right players
