Select an Australian Test team 1975-2015

[PaddyO]

Given the biggest knock on M.Waugh was also mental, demonstrated by his failure to go on and make big scores, I'm not quite sure why it's not a fair comparison.

There were no mental issues with M.Waugh. He just couldn't be arsed hanging around there to make a 300 when he'd already done the hard work for his 105 and the 3.05pm races were about to start.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Mark Taylor
Matthew Hayden
Ponting
G. Chappell
Mark Waugh
Alan Border
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
DK Lillee
Glen McGrath
Terry Alderman (if we're playing England in England)
Thommo (if we're playing anyone in Australia)


Symonds 12th.

Hard to leave Langer out, tough little bugger. Never a Steve Waugh fan. Loved watching Mark play. Beautiful batsman, bowled mediums early days then offies and could put him anywhere in the field, absolutely brilliant and extremely agile mentally and physically when half a chance presented itself.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

There were no mental issues with M.Waugh. He just couldn't be arsed hanging around there to make a 300 when he'd already done the hard work for his 105 and the 3.05pm races were about to start.

I have Afghanistan in my team but I do think he had at times mental issues. He'd get a searing short one or just short of a length that would climb on him and it would shake him up and I reckon most times if you bowled well enough, you were a chance of getting him very shortly after. Whereas someone like Mark Taylor would get the same, he'd look at it and think, s**t, that was a beauty, then get his head down ready for the next one. He was the archetypal, play each ball on its merits player.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

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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Roy Fredricks v Lillee and Thommo at the WACA in 1975.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

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

It's funny, I clearly remember when Hayden and Matthew Elliot were basically fighting for the same spot, they played in an Australia A game or something in Tassie. Elliot made 150 and looked all class, Hayden made 200 and looked scratchy the whole time and gave / had heaps of chances. Elliot got picked.

I was living in Cairns at the time and all the Queenslanders were in an uproar about it. I was playing cricket at the time and asked any of my team mates complaining if they'd actually watched both innings, which of course they hadn't.

Fast forward and Elliot imploded and disappeared and Hayden kept on chugging along.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Couldn't fit them all into the team but in all seriousness would definitely have Dodemaide ahead of O'Donnell (not for the 50-over game, obviously).
His (Dodemaide's) debut was a memorable one, he had a decent summer that year, and on reflection was probably unlucky to lose his spot so quickly - I'd like to see how Dodemaide vs. O'Donnell's records stack up at state level, Dodemaide gave a lot for a long time; very handy performer. I know O'Donnell was captain for a fair while, but my memory is that he took his time to live up to his potential, even at state level.

Siddons could have possibly gone top of the order ahead of the Interloper ... Paul Hibbert or Dav Whatmore actually represented their country (actually I think Dav was born in Sri Lanka, but definitely an honourary Victorian).

Dimattina unlucky against another ring-in (actually was Wade originally a Vic before moving to Tas, then back again? not sure) ..

What about Simon Cook? Crib Point boy, took 5 on debut at the G, Boxing Day when he replaced an injured McGrath. (a bit of bias here, apart from the Vic angle, I was in the Navy and played cricket for Crib Point 3 or 4 years before he played for Australia and he used to be around a bit)

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Martyn didn't lose us that Test, the whole team failed and was bowled out for a touch over 100, if I recall. Martyn was simply made the scapegoat and unfortunately it derailed his career for several years. But he was eventually able to fight back and force his way into the strongest batting line-you the world. A genuine talent.

It was the same sort of thing with Justin Langer. I remember his debut series, opening against the WI, and getting hit from pillar to post. He never shirked it. He was a spare parts player for the first 6 or 7 years of his international career.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

.. disappointed you couldn't find room for the feared WA pace combo of Jo Angel and Chris Matthews.
seriously, those two really stunk up their test careers after dominating at shield level consistently for a long time ..

Was it Matthews in Tassie that bowled a heap of the biggest wides that test cricket has ever seen?

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Fast forward and Elliot imploded and disappeared and Hayden kept on chugging along.

I remember Hayden's first Test 100 here in Adelaide against the West Indies. If it was possible to make a poor 100, this was one such occasion, and I wasn't convinced about any long term Test spot for Hayden. As you say, in the early stages of their careers, you'd have picked Elliott ahead of Hayden every time.

If this team was selected from 1970, Ian Chappell would be number 3 and captain, but as it's only from 1975:
1. Mark Taylor (captain)
2. Matthew Hayden
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Greg Chappell (vice captain)
5. Michael Clarke
6. Allan Border
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Shane Warne
9. Dennis Lillee
10. Glenn McGrath
11. Bruce Reid
12th Mark Waugh

If the team was picked 5 years from now, I have a feeling Warner and Smith could be in it.

Wouldn't lose too many Tests with that line up

 

[Cursed Cat]

Was it Matthews in Tassie that bowled a heap of the biggest wides that test cricket has ever seen?

I thought it might have been at his home ground at the WACA, but I could well be wrong (?)

To be fair he and Jo Angel dominated the Shield scene for a few seasons, but the Windies made very, very short work of them. When they could land them on the pitch, that is

 

[Cursed Cat]

What about Simon Cook? Crib Point boy, took 5 on debut at the G, Boxing Day when he replaced an injured McGrath. (a bit of bias here, apart from the Vic angle, I was in the Navy and played cricket for Crib Point 3 or 4 years before he played for Australia and he used to be around a bit)

Cook was a handy contributor for sure; played more for NSW than for Victoria didn't he (started with the Vics though) .. ?

To be honest my list was cobbled together fairly quickly as a semi-serious joke ... one of my favourite Vics of all-time only played a solitary test for Australia, and didn't take a wicket - Simon Davis. I remember him coming into the one-day side the summer that New Zealand spanked Australia, and he had an immediate impact. Didn't take a ton of wickets (but took his share) - but he bowled a really tight line and length and was a huge contributor.
As I said, he never made a successful transition to test cricket, and his Shield performances were a bit patchy (from memory) - but he did really well on the ODI .. until Ian Botham got after him one day at the WACA and mauled him; he never recovered after that ...

 

[DrEvil_]

1. Langer
2. Hayden
3. Ponting
4. Hussey
5. Clarke
6. Steve Waugh
7. Gilchrist
8. Warne
9. Johnson
10. Harris
11. McGrath
12th man: Brett Lee

Hardest to pick was Langer/Warner for 1, picking two out of Johnson, Harris and Lee, as well as not being able to find a spot for Steve Smith.

Bit young so I've only included players that I've watched, hence why they are have played since 2000.

Brett Lee is vastly overrated, will take Gillespie over Lee in a heartbeat.

 

[charcoalchicken]

What about S. Watson?!?

 

[eth-dog]

Brett Lee is vastly underrated on BigFooty. Everyone says he's overrated.

 

[The_Reaper]

Martyn was just beautiful to watch. Style over substance, though.

His knock vs South Africa when recalled for Hodge goes underrated.

Martyn's problem is that his great innings were overseas.

Also won us our only test series win in India in decades (against a strong Indian side as well)

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Was it Matthews in Tassie that bowled a heap of the biggest wides that test cricket has ever seen?

He probably bowled some of the most wayward spells by an Australian before an early Mitchell Johnson, but didn't play a Hobart test.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

IMO there is only a couple of positions to be discussed. Consideration in averages needs to be given to the opponents and conditions of the time

Opener and 3rd quick.

The rest pick themselves IMO

I'll go with

Taylor
Hayden
Chappell, G
Ponting
Waugh, S
Border
Gilchrist
Warne
Gillespie*
Lillee
McGrath

* if their bodies had held up, Harris or Reid could have sat in here. Equally Alderman missed many prime years of a career here and like Johnson had some stellar series intermixed with some average ones.

The pitch would also play a part as the 4th most damaging wicket taker in that era was Macgill.

There are blokes that might have better averages, but many of those blokes stood up against the might of the Windies.

 

[JackFlash]

1. Hayden
2. Langer
3. Ponting
4. G.Chappell
5. Border
6. S.Waugh* Captain
7. Gilchrist WK
8. Warne
9. Lillee
10. Thomson
11. McGrath

12th Man Walters.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Brett Lee is vastly underrated on BigFooty. Everyone says he's overrated.

Brett Lee took 310 TEST wickets as a member of one of the most successful bowling attacks in Test cricket history, and yet there are idiots on this forum who don't rate him. Just shows what some people know about cricket.

 

[Blue1980]

Brett Lee took 310 TEST wickets as a member of one of the most successful bowling attacks in Test cricket history, and yet there are idiots on this forum who don't rate him. Just shows what some people know about cricket.

Ok he's not s**t but here is a list of bowlers berate higher from 75-15

McGrath
Lillee
Gillespie
Thommo
McDermott
Merv
Johnson

Harris and Reid probably too even though they were cut down by injury

He was good to very good but would prefer any of the others in my team. He was basically Patrick Patterson with more longevity.

 

[eth-dog]

Ok he's not s**t but here is a list of bowlers berate higher from 75-15

McGrath
Lillee
Gillespie
Thommo
McDermott
Merv
Johnson

Harris and Reid probably too even though they were cut down by injury

He was good to very good but would prefer any of the others in my team. He was basically Patrick Patterson with more longevity.

Lee was better than the following IMO.

 

[Blue1980]

IMO there is only a couple of positions to be discussed. Consideration in averages needs to be given to the opponents and conditions of the time

Opener and 3rd quick.

The rest pick themselves IMO

I'll go with

Taylor
Hayden
Chappell, G
Ponting
Waugh, S
Border
Gilchrist
Warne
Gillespie*
Lillee
McGrath

* if their bodies had held up, Harris or Reid could have sat in here. Equally Alderman missed many prime years of a career here and like Johnson had some stellar series intermixed with some average ones.

The pitch would also play a part as the 4th most damaging wicket taker in that era was Macgill.

There are blokes that might have better averages, but many of those blokes stood up against the might of the Windies.

I feel Langer > Taylor he also made runs in tough conditions (was our best bat in 2005 against an excellent England attack). Taylor's trough was pretty rough but overall still a fine batsmen but still prefer Langer

 

[JackOutback]

Lee was better than the following IMO.

Lee and Gillespie is line ball, marginally ahead of Johnson because of better consistency, agree he's well ahead of McDermott and Merv.

 

[iluvparis]

Brett Lee took 310 TEST wickets as a member of one of the most successful bowling attacks in Test cricket history, and yet there are idiots on this forum who don't rate him. Just shows what some people know about cricket.

How's his average look compared to every other Australian to take 250 wickets plus - awful.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Brett Lee took 310 TEST wickets as a member of one of the most successful bowling attacks in Test cricket history, and yet there are idiots on this forum who don't rate him. Just shows what some people know about cricket.

Depends on what you call rating?

He was a test quality bowler. Not a star, but a decent enough test contributor. If that is "not rating" him - then put me in that camp. I don't think he was a star and would have him behind 8-10 Australian bowlers in that era.

Quantum of wickets is largely a function of opportunity. In about 12 months, Nathan Lyon is likely to surpass the wicket taking of Stuart MacGill. He isn't a patch on Macgill as a bowler though - he just had more opportunity.

Lee's white ball bowling is elite and arguably he is our finest white ball bowler in history.