Black Thunder
25 Mar 2003, 11:21
Sachin Tendulkar 7 innings, 381 runs at 54.42, SR: 91.14, 4 50s.
Adam Gilchrist 8 innings, 328 runs at 41.00, SR: 101.86, 3 50s.
Ricky Ponting 8 innings, 395 runs at 65.83, SR: 91.22, 2 100s, 1 50.
Damien Martyn 6 innings, 221 runs at 55.25, SR: 82.15, 3 50s.
Aravinda de Silva 7 innings, 226 runs at 32.28, SR: 91.86. 8 wkts at 31.62, ER: 4.77.
Ramnaresh Sarwan 3 innings, 154 runs at 154.00, SR: 97.46, 1 50
Andy Symonds 3 innings, 234 runs at 234.00, SR: 94.35. 2 wkts at 43.50, ER: 4.34.
Brad Hogg 8 matches, 12 wkts at 24.25, E/R: 4.43, BB: 3/46
Brett Lee 8 matches, 18 wkts at 19.66, E/R: 5.11, BB: 5/42
Ashish Nehra 6 matches, 13 wkts at 19.07, E/R: 4.59, BB: 6/23
Glenn McGrath 8 matches, 14 wkts at 18.07, E/R: 3.77, BB: 3/29
Shane Bond (12th man) 6 matches, 11 wkts at 22.09, E/R: 4.18, BB: 6/23
Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath opening the bowling.
Stats only include matches against Test playing nations except Bangladesh.
The stats pages can be seen here:
For batsmen: http://www.wisden.com/wizard/bat.as...e=2&whichpage=1
For Bowlers: http://www.wisden.com/wizard/bowl.a...e=1&pagesize=25
For All Rounders: http://www.wisden.com/wizard/all.as...e=2&whichpage=1
The formula i use for the all rounders is (runs*1 + wkts*15 + ct*5 + st*5)/matches played
There are 6 Aussies there, but i think when you look at their performances there aren't really any other players who deserve to be there in front of them.
My Reasons for each players selection:
Tendulkar picks himself, while Gilly has been the second best opening bat in the tournament even if he hasn't provided the usual sparks. Plus the fact hes the best keep going puts him in there.
Ponting has been senstaional throughout the whole tournament. Martyn has been hot and cold, but has generally been hot. Before the final I wouldn't have had him in there but that performance sealed it.
Gibbs is a bit unlucky not to seal one of those spots (even if he isn't a middle order bat) as he performed well but probably suffered abit from South Africa's poor performances.
Aravinda de Silva performed solidly and score quickly which is what you want from a number 5, while he will make up the majority of the 5th bowlers overs (if not he'll bowl all 10) as he's bowling in the world cup was great.
Ramnaresh Sarwan came into the World Cup in great form, and outside of Australia is probably in the best 2 or 3 middle order bats in the game. He's good hitting seals him the spot at 6.
Symonds has been the revelation and really picks himself on form. He'll also be the 6th bowler and bowl if de Silva isn't on his game. He Could bat Six and Sarwan Seven, but Sarwan is generally a number 4 or 5 batsmen, so we don't want to play him to far down as that could mess him up a bit.
Hogg at 8. I still believe he didn't deserve he's spot in the team, but hes made everything a winner. Was the best spinner in the tournament by a fair way as Murilitharan didn't do all that much. He's also been very economical for a chinaman bowler.
McGrath was my first choice bowler with Nehra securing the spot as first change bowler based on their brilliant world cups. The last bowling spot came to a choice between Lee, Bichel, Vaas, Bond and Khan.
I ruled Bichel out because his 7/20 was really hes only top performance with the ball in the World Cup. He did well but not good enough to warrant an opening bowlers spot in the WC XI. Khan was the next to go because he's economy rate was high and his strike rate wasn't low enough to counter for that.
Which left me Vaas - economical, Bond - another economical but slightly more aggresive bowler and Lee - the aggressive bowler but did go for a few.
I went for Lee because of his sheer pace and his number of wicketsi n the tournament. His 18 wickets against test nations was four more than anyone else in the tournament at under 20 is just sensational. Picked up a wicket less than every 4 overs as well.
Other peoples teams??
Adam Gilchrist 8 innings, 328 runs at 41.00, SR: 101.86, 3 50s.
Ricky Ponting 8 innings, 395 runs at 65.83, SR: 91.22, 2 100s, 1 50.
Damien Martyn 6 innings, 221 runs at 55.25, SR: 82.15, 3 50s.
Aravinda de Silva 7 innings, 226 runs at 32.28, SR: 91.86. 8 wkts at 31.62, ER: 4.77.
Ramnaresh Sarwan 3 innings, 154 runs at 154.00, SR: 97.46, 1 50
Andy Symonds 3 innings, 234 runs at 234.00, SR: 94.35. 2 wkts at 43.50, ER: 4.34.
Brad Hogg 8 matches, 12 wkts at 24.25, E/R: 4.43, BB: 3/46
Brett Lee 8 matches, 18 wkts at 19.66, E/R: 5.11, BB: 5/42
Ashish Nehra 6 matches, 13 wkts at 19.07, E/R: 4.59, BB: 6/23
Glenn McGrath 8 matches, 14 wkts at 18.07, E/R: 3.77, BB: 3/29
Shane Bond (12th man) 6 matches, 11 wkts at 22.09, E/R: 4.18, BB: 6/23
Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath opening the bowling.
Stats only include matches against Test playing nations except Bangladesh.
The stats pages can be seen here:
For batsmen: http://www.wisden.com/wizard/bat.as...e=2&whichpage=1
For Bowlers: http://www.wisden.com/wizard/bowl.a...e=1&pagesize=25
For All Rounders: http://www.wisden.com/wizard/all.as...e=2&whichpage=1
The formula i use for the all rounders is (runs*1 + wkts*15 + ct*5 + st*5)/matches played
There are 6 Aussies there, but i think when you look at their performances there aren't really any other players who deserve to be there in front of them.
My Reasons for each players selection:
Tendulkar picks himself, while Gilly has been the second best opening bat in the tournament even if he hasn't provided the usual sparks. Plus the fact hes the best keep going puts him in there.
Ponting has been senstaional throughout the whole tournament. Martyn has been hot and cold, but has generally been hot. Before the final I wouldn't have had him in there but that performance sealed it.
Gibbs is a bit unlucky not to seal one of those spots (even if he isn't a middle order bat) as he performed well but probably suffered abit from South Africa's poor performances.
Aravinda de Silva performed solidly and score quickly which is what you want from a number 5, while he will make up the majority of the 5th bowlers overs (if not he'll bowl all 10) as he's bowling in the world cup was great.
Ramnaresh Sarwan came into the World Cup in great form, and outside of Australia is probably in the best 2 or 3 middle order bats in the game. He's good hitting seals him the spot at 6.
Symonds has been the revelation and really picks himself on form. He'll also be the 6th bowler and bowl if de Silva isn't on his game. He Could bat Six and Sarwan Seven, but Sarwan is generally a number 4 or 5 batsmen, so we don't want to play him to far down as that could mess him up a bit.
Hogg at 8. I still believe he didn't deserve he's spot in the team, but hes made everything a winner. Was the best spinner in the tournament by a fair way as Murilitharan didn't do all that much. He's also been very economical for a chinaman bowler.
McGrath was my first choice bowler with Nehra securing the spot as first change bowler based on their brilliant world cups. The last bowling spot came to a choice between Lee, Bichel, Vaas, Bond and Khan.
I ruled Bichel out because his 7/20 was really hes only top performance with the ball in the World Cup. He did well but not good enough to warrant an opening bowlers spot in the WC XI. Khan was the next to go because he's economy rate was high and his strike rate wasn't low enough to counter for that.
Which left me Vaas - economical, Bond - another economical but slightly more aggresive bowler and Lee - the aggressive bowler but did go for a few.
I went for Lee because of his sheer pace and his number of wicketsi n the tournament. His 18 wickets against test nations was four more than anyone else in the tournament at under 20 is just sensational. Picked up a wicket less than every 4 overs as well.
Other peoples teams??