Select an Australian Test team 1975-2015

[Jascave]

It's a shame there's no footage of the 1978 tour of the West Indies, because how good would it be to watch Jeff Thomson take on one I.V.A Richards. People in the Caribbean still say that was the best bowler v batsman contest they've ever seen. The faster Thomson bowled, the more Richards hooked.


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[Super Hans]

Any team without Punter in it is taking the piss.

 

[Scotland]

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
G Chappell
Border (C)
S Waugh (VC)
Gilchrist
Warne
Thomson
Lillee
McGrath

Flying a little blind as I'm 31 and didn't watch cricket before about 1990. The opening combination is probably hardest to pick.

 

[Super Hans]

I'm not old enough to have seen much of Mark Waugh (and I know he won't be near this team), but what was he like as a batsmen? All the videos I've seen of him he seems to ooze class, but his average doesn't really reflect that.

My favorite batsman ever was Martyn and they look like they were pretty simular.

 

[Scotland]

Mark Waugh was painfully frustrating to watch, and Damien Martyn is a fair comparison.

Elegant strokemaker, but just not reliable. Still scored 8,000 runs but he really should be in the 10,000 @ 45+ club.

 

[the_interloper]

I'm not old enough to have seen much of Mark Waugh (and I know he won't be near this team), but what was he like as a batsmen? All the videos I've seen of him he seems to ooze class, but his average doesn't really reflect that.

My favorite batsman ever was Martyn and they look like they were pretty simular.

Mark Waugh made batting look easier than his teammates found it. I remember the day Curtly was really fired up in a one dayer (think Warney pissed him off when we were bowling) and he was absolutely smoke. Everyone was shitting themselves except for Waugh, doing his usual off the pads through mid wicket from outside off. His average suffered because he never really went on to make big scores once he got a ton, so his average doesn't represent his talent imo.

 

[eth-dog]

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
G Chappell
Border (c)
Waugh
Gilchrist (+)
Warne
Lee
Lillee
McGrath

 

[Stopher]

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
G Chappell
S Waugh
Border (c)
Gilchrist (+)
Johnson
Warne (vc)
Lillee
McGrath

- A proven, successful opening partnership that loved batting together.
- Grit, ability and runs by the bucket load at numbers 3-6. Good luck trying to get through that lot in a hurry.
- 58,910 Test runs in that top 6, with a lazy 177 centuries between them. Wowsers!
- Gilchrist at 7 is frightening behind that top 6. Also had good success with Warne and McGrath.
- Great bowling combination. Right-arm fast / Left-arm fast / Right-arm metronome / Leg spin
- The damage Johnson could do with the control of that legendary trio as back-up would be scary, given he would be perceived as the 'weak' link. Steve Waugh and Allan Border are hardly the worst options (121 Test wickets between them) to try and break a partnership in the very rare event it would be necessary.

 

[DaRick]

Ah yes, how could I not mention Jeff Thomson? He was an absolute firebolt of a bowler - even post-collarbone injury he was dangerous; he just shouldn't have gone on the 1985 Ashes tour.

However, Johnson's all-round game and left-arm variety bridges whatever gap there was between them IMO.

 

[Jascave]

Ah yes, how could I not mention Jeff Thomson? He was an absolute firebolt of a bowler - even post-collarbone injury he was dangerous; he just shouldn't have gone on the 1985 Ashes tour.

However, Johnson's all-round game and left-arm variety bridges whatever gap there was between them IMO.

Because of the 1985 rebel tour to South Africa, the talent pool was weakened by not having bowlers like Terry Alderman and Carl Rackemann go to England that year.


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[Royal Flash]

Mark Waugh was painfully frustrating to watch, and Damien Martyn is a fair comparison.

Elegant strokemaker, but just not reliable. Still scored 8,000 runs but he really should be in the 10,000 @ 45+ club.

Mark Taylor rated him extremely highly as Junior always made runs when the team needed them. Everyone remembers Steves double century when we finally regained the Frank Worrall Trophy in 1995 but everyone forgets Mark was right there with him making an equally important century. I also remember his match winning century against SA in SA in 1997 where on a minefield of a pitch against a peak Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Brian Macmillion, where he made it look easy stroking a ton when no other Australian got to 50 for the match (Waugh got himself out when the game was nearly over..typically).

I truly think Mark genuinely didn't give a stuff about averages. Who can ever forget him getting himself out reverse sweeping to Phil Tufnell after he made a ton and easy runs were there to be had? Bob Simpson got stuck into him in the dressing room afterwards asking him why he'd do something so stupid in a test match and when had he last played that shot and Junior replied that he'd never played a reverse sweep in his life but since he was a hundred why not give it a go. Simpson could only walk away shaking his head.

 

[DaRick]

Because of the 1985 rebel tour to South Africa, the talent pool was weakened by not having bowlers like Terry Alderman and Carl Rackemann go to England that year.


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Ah I forgot about that. Yes, those rebel tours hardened Allan Border's views when it came to player rights.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I'm finding the openers hard to pick. I'm assuming the team is for a modern, not so turning, SCG. Not that a second spinner would get picked anyway probably (maybe MacGill against the right opponents).

Langer
Warner (would not get a look in on any slower ground than this)
Ponting
G Chappell
K Hughes (his numbers don't stack up like the others, but the guy was a genius who was targeted from without and within; also considered Clarke, S Waugh)
Border (capt.)
Healy (easily the best gloveman I've seen, though I don't recall Knott very well)
Warne
Lillee
McGrath
Alderman (surprised myself a little with this pick - could have gone McDermott, Lawson, Thompson, Gillespie, would have been Reid if he played more)

 

[Ok Boomer]

Warner
Langer
Ponting
Greg Chappell
Clarke
Stephen Waugh
Gilchrist
Johnson
Warne
Lillee
McGrath

 

[StillAtLarge]

(..........would have been Reid if he played more)

This. If Reid hadn't been made out of straw he'd walk into this team. The sports science guys would have a field day with him, they'd be resting him every second game and he'd probably need to go through a thorough stretching regime before tying his shoelaces.
Can you imagine his responses to the 'wellness' feedback forms they do now!

Describe the state of your body with 10 representing no aches, tightness or fragility and 1 representing extreme pain, lack of mobility and/or loss of function.
Test player number 334: Bruce Reid
Hamstrings: 4
Shoulders: 3
Glutes: 4
Knees: 2
Back:

 

[JackOutback]

- Langer
- Hayden
- Ponting
- G Chappell
- Border*
- S Waugh
- Gilchrist+
- Warne
- Gillespie
- Lillee
- McGrath

This would probably be mine. You could swap Gillespie for Thommo or maybe Mitch Johnson, but I can't see much wrong with this. Rod Marsh, Clarke and Hussey all a bit stiff, but simply no one they could dislodge.

 

[The Speaker]

Most of these teams are going along the same lines.

Opener one
Opener two
Ponting
G Chappell
Border
S Waugh
Gilchrist
Warne
Pace bowler
Lillee
McGrath

 

[bird_man]

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
G Chappell
Border (c)
S Waugh
Gilchrist
Johnosn
Warne
Lillee
McGrath

12th Harris

For me the side picked itself, except for that 3rd quick which was a toss up between Harris and Johnson. I guess Johnson's batting got him over the line but both were great bowlers at his best. Harris unfortunate his body let him down so often as he could have been one of the all time greats. Special mention to Thommo also.

 

[bird_man]

Most of these teams are going along the same lines.

Opener one
Opener two
Ponting
G Chappell
Border
S Waugh
Gilchrist
Warne
Pace bowler
Lillee
McGrath

Those guys pretty much pick themselves, I would have thought Hayden did too.

 

[cricketnut14]

Most of these teams are going along the same lines.

Opener one
Opener two
Ponting
G Chappell
Border
S Waugh
Gilchrist
Warne
Pace bowler
Lillee
McGrath

i think the above 8 pick themselves along with hayden.
the other 2 spots you could throw a blanket over and it's not so straight forward.
i'd like to see "big footy's" combined XI so that we could all have a crack at a 2nd XI, that'd be more interesting.

here's mine:

Hayden
M.HUSSEY (even though he spent most of his time for Aust in the middle order)
Ponting
G.Chappell
Border
S.Waugh
Gilchrist
Warne
GILLESPIE
Lillee
McGrath

 

[cricketnut14]

ok so the people of bigfooty have spoken.

18 people have had their say and this is what we've come up with, with 25 players nominated at some point:

Best XI (1975-2015)
J.Langer (12 votes)
M.Hayden (10)
R.Ponting (17)
G.Chappell (17)
A.Border (16)
S.Waugh (17)
A.Gilchrist (17)
M.Johnson (8)
S.Warne (18)
D.Lillee (17)
G.McGrath (18)

Others nominated:
D.Boon (5 votes) , D.Warner (4), J.Thomson (4), M.Hussey (3), J.Gillespie (3), M.Clarke (3), M.Taylor (2), K.Hughes (1), I.Healy (1), S.MacGill (1), T.Alderman (1), R.Harris (1), B.Lee (1) , M.Slater (1).

Taking those gun XI players out, I'd be more interested to see everyones thoughts for a 2nd XI for that same time frame. Still going to be some unlucky players to miss a 2nd XI.

 

[PaddyO]

Taylor *
Warner
Ponting
G.Chappell
S.Waugh
Border
Gilchrist +
Warne
Gillespie
Lillee
McGrath

12th- Johnson

 

[PaddyO]

Seconds:

Slater
Langer
I. Chappell
Hussey
Clarke
Walters
Healy
Johnson
Harris
Thomson
MacGill

12th- Smith

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

This. If Reid hadn't been made out of straw he'd walk into this team.

Agreed. I've always said he's one of the three best Australian pace bowlers I've seen. A brilliant bowler.

 

[bird_man]

Seconds:

Slater
Langer
I. Chappell
Hussey
Clarke
Walters
Healy
Johnson
Harris
Thomson
MacGill

12th- Smith

Matty Hayden kick ya dog?