The obscure XI's you've always wanted to make but never found the appropriate place thread

[boncer34]

Ah, he opened in one of his 329 innings'. But you know that wasn't my point.

Strike rate of 150.

Killed it.

 

[eth-dog]

A "what could have been" XI (ten tests or less)

Stewie Dempsey
Barry Richards
Vijay Merchant
Brad Hodge
Martin Donnelly
Jack Russell
Pieter van der Bijl (+)
Mike Procter
Ranji Hordern
Shabbir Ahmed
JJ Ferris

Cue Kram melting in 3, 2, 1...

Strike rate of 150.

Killed it.

Made 15. Just blazed instead of being patient against the new ball.

 

[boncer34]

Just blazed instead of being patient against the new ball.

80% of his runs came of boundaries. No need to run when you hit the fence.

 

[PhatBoy]

All time "regional" squad grouping (Asia, South Pacific, Africa, North Atlantic)

Asia (Ind/SL/Pak/Ban/Afg)

Sunil Gavaskar
Virender Sehwag
Kumar Sangakkara (+)
Sachin Tendulkar
Younis Khan
Mahela Jayawardena
Imran Khan (c)
Kapil Dev
Waqar Younis
Anil Kumble
Muttiah Muralidaran

Sanath Jayasuriya, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Yousuf, Shakib Al Hasan, Wasim Akram, Chaminder Vaas, Rangana Herath

South Pacific (Aus/NZ)

Stewie Dempsey
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Greg Chappell
Allan Border (c)
Steve Waugh
Adam Gilchrist (+)
Richard Hadlee
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee
Glenn McGrath

Bob Simpson, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, BJ Watling, Keith Miller, Alan Davidson, Clarrie Grimmett

Africa (SA/Zim)

Barry Richards
Graeme Smith (c)
Jacques Kallis
Graeme Pollock
AB de Villiers
Andy Flower (+)
Aubrey Faulkner
Shaun Pollock
Hugh Tayfield
Dale Steyn
Allan Donald

Gary Kirsten, Hashim Amla, Dudley Nourse, Eddie Barlow, Heath Streak, Paul Pollock, Bert Vogler

North Atlantic (Eng/WI)

Jack Hobbs (c)
Herbert Sutcliffe
George Headley
Wally Hammond
Garfield Sobers
Vivian Richards
Clyde Walcott (+)
Malcolm Marshall
Jim Laker
Curtly Ambrose
James Anderson

Gordon Greenidge, Denis Compton, Everton Weekes, Rohan Kanhai, Michael Holding, Ian Botham, Lance Gibbs

Yes I deliberately left Bradman off. Kind of cheating with Walcott and Hammond as keepers but I really don't care. I included Streak just because I didn't want it to be South Africa plus Flower.

I think North Atlantic would hold the edge given how much quality they have everywhere. Went with Compton as the back up allrounder due to Sobers' versatility.

no Prince of Trinidad. Shattered

 

[eth-dog]

no Prince of Trinidad. Shattered

Could have gotten the spot over Compton but an allrounder who averages 50 with the bat?

 

[Pippen94]

All time "regional" squad grouping (Asia, South Pacific, Africa, North Atlantic)

Asia (Ind/SL/Pak/Ban/Afg)

Sunil Gavaskar
Virender Sehwag
Kumar Sangakkara (+)
Sachin Tendulkar
Younis Khan
Mahela Jayawardena
Imran Khan (c)
Kapil Dev
Waqar Younis
Anil Kumble
Muttiah Muralidaran

Sanath Jayasuriya, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Yousuf, Shakib Al Hasan, Wasim Akram, Chaminder Vaas, Rangana Herath

South Pacific (Aus/NZ)

Stewie Dempsey
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Greg Chappell
Allan Border (c)
Steve Waugh
Adam Gilchrist (+)
Richard Hadlee
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee
Glenn McGrath

Bob Simpson, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, BJ Watling, Keith Miller, Alan Davidson, Clarrie Grimmett

Africa (SA/Zim)

Barry Richards
Graeme Smith (c)
Jacques Kallis
Graeme Pollock
AB de Villiers
Andy Flower (+)
Aubrey Faulkner
Shaun Pollock
Hugh Tayfield
Dale Steyn
Allan Donald

Gary Kirsten, Hashim Amla, Dudley Nourse, Eddie Barlow, Heath Streak, Paul Pollock, Bert Vogler

North Atlantic (Eng/WI)

Jack Hobbs (c)
Herbert Sutcliffe
George Headley
Wally Hammond
Garfield Sobers
Vivian Richards
Clyde Walcott (+)
Malcolm Marshall
Jim Laker
Curtly Ambrose
James Anderson

Gordon Greenidge, Denis Compton, Everton Weekes, Rohan Kanhai, Michael Holding, Ian Botham, Lance Gibbs

Yes I deliberately left Bradman off. Kind of cheating with Walcott and Hammond as keepers but I really don't care. I included Streak just because I didn't want it to be South Africa plus Flower.

I think North Atlantic would hold the edge given how much quality they have everywhere. Went with Compton as the back up allrounder due to Sobers' versatility.

Do you need Walcott as keeper with that batting line up? Knott would slot in well at 7.
James Anderson wouldn't make 80s west indies team.

 

[eth-dog]

Do you need Walcott as keeper with that batting line up? Knott would slot in well at 7.
James Anderson wouldn't make 80s west indies team.

Probably not, and I'd probably go Ames over Knott as well.

See, Anderson is a pure swing bowler, I don't think just having raw pace is the answer

 

[Pippen94]

Probably not, and I'd probably go Ames over Knott as well.

See, Anderson is a pure swing bowler, I don't think just having raw pace is the answer

Fair enough - Botham could fill that role & strengthen batting

 

[PhatBoy]

Could have gotten the spot over Compton but an allrounder who averages 50 with the bat?

the only one I’d actually have question marks over there would be Hammond tbh. Unarguably a great player but his figures are a little inflated by his record against minnows of the time - he averages 51 against Australia, still awesome don’t get me wrong, but he got to play 52 test matches against SA, NZ, India and West Indies who at the time were all really ordinary - though oddly enough half those games were against the Windies and he genuinely struggled against them.
Still doesn’t look out of place though so fair play

 

[eth-dog]

Fair enough - Botham could fill that role & strengthen batting

Anderson is a better bowler for me.

the only one I’d actually have question marks over there would be Hammond tbh. Unarguably a great player but his figures are a little inflated by his record against minnows of the time - he averages 51 against Australia, still awesome don’t get me wrong, but he got to play 52 test matches against SA, NZ, India and West Indies who at the time were all really ordinary - though oddly enough half those games were against the Windies and he genuinely struggled against them.
Still doesn’t look out of place though so fair play

It's a really interesting thing. I have Lara as probably the third or fourth best bat I've seen but can't even get him in this squad.

 

[PhatBoy]

Players who started as one thing and became another:
Need another middle order player - preferably a bowler who became a batsman

1. Tom Blundell (wk) - recency bias. Reserve keeper stuck behind a good one in BJ Watling. Stuck at the top of the order as there is literally no other option and makes a ton.
2. Ravi Shastri - Takes 125 wickets and averages 33 with the bat as a middle order all rounder. Basically Stops bowling for the last quarter of his career and averages 44 opening the

3. Steve Smith - leg spinner cum batsman
4. Thilan Samaraweera - nearly 400 first class wickets at 25, iirc was picked as a bowler to start. Averaged 48 with the bat and hardly bowled
5.
6. Andrew Symonds - picked as a bitser with bat and seam, turned his hand to offspin
7. Vettori - started as a good spinner batting at 11. Finished his career as a dependable batsman who’s spin was capable but inferior to what it had been
8. Roger Harper - picked as the token spinner for a West Indies side that probably didn’t need one, who could bat. In the end was ordinary at both but nearly worth his spot as the world’s only specialist fielder
9. Heath Streak - in his first 36 test matches passed 50 four times and averaged 17. In his next 29, hit a century and 7 50s And averaged 30 for the remainder of his career
10. Stuart Broad - came into the side as a reasonable enough bowler who could really bat. Now a strike bowler who wouldn’t look out of place in a Chris Martin XI
11. Colin Miller - seamer who got picked almost exclusively to bowl off spin

 

[PhatBoy]

Anderson is a better bowler for me.

It's a really interesting thing. I have Lara as probably the third or fourth best bat I've seen but can't even get him in this squad.

numerically it’s not hard to see why. Some fantastic figures, and doesn’t even include Barrington who averaged nearly 60

 

[eth-dog]

Players who started as one thing and became another:
Need another middle order player - preferably a bowler who became a batsman

1. Tom Blundell (wk) - recency bias. Reserve keeper stuck behind a good one in BJ Watling. Stuck at the top of the order as there is literally no other option and makes a ton.
2. Ravi Shastri - Takes 125 wickets and averages 33 with the bat as a middle order all rounder. Basically Stops bowling for the last quarter of his career and averages 44 opening the

3. Steve Smith - leg spinner cum batsman
4. Thilan Samaraweera - nearly 400 first class wickets at 25, iirc was picked as a bowler to start. Averaged 48 with the bat and hardly bowled
5.
6. Andrew Symonds - picked as a bitser with bat and seam, turned his hand to offspin
7. Vettori - started as a good spinner batting at 11. Finished his career as a dependable batsman who’s spin was capable but inferior to what it had been
8. Roger Harper - picked as the token spinner for a West Indies side that probably didn’t need one, who could bat. In the end was ordinary at both but nearly worth his spot as the world’s only specialist fielder
9. Heath Streak - in his first 36 test matches passed 50 four times and averaged 17. In his next 29, hit a century and 7 50s And averaged 30 for the remainder of his career
10. Stuart Broad - came into the side as a reasonable enough bowler who could really bat. Now a strike bowler who wouldn’t look out of place in a Chris Martin XI
11. Colin Miller - seamer who got picked almost exclusively to bowl off spin

Nasser Hussain maybe?

 

[eth-dog]

numerically it’s not hard to see why. Some fantastic figures, and doesn’t even include Barrington who averaged nearly 60

Or Eddie Paynter.

 

[Wallaby]

Players who started as one thing and became another:
Need another middle order player - preferably a bowler who became a batsman

1. Tom Blundell (wk) - recency bias. Reserve keeper stuck behind a good one in BJ Watling. Stuck at the top of the order as there is literally no other option and makes a ton.
2. Ravi Shastri - Takes 125 wickets and averages 33 with the bat as a middle order all rounder. Basically Stops bowling for the last quarter of his career and averages 44 opening the

3. Steve Smith - leg spinner cum batsman
4. Thilan Samaraweera - nearly 400 first class wickets at 25, iirc was picked as a bowler to start. Averaged 48 with the bat and hardly bowled
5.
6. Andrew Symonds - picked as a bitser with bat and seam, turned his hand to offspin
7. Vettori - started as a good spinner batting at 11. Finished his career as a dependable batsman who’s spin was capable but inferior to what it had been
8. Roger Harper - picked as the token spinner for a West Indies side that probably didn’t need one, who could bat. In the end was ordinary at both but nearly worth his spot as the world’s only specialist fielder
9. Heath Streak - in his first 36 test matches passed 50 four times and averaged 17. In his next 29, hit a century and 7 50s And averaged 30 for the remainder of his career
10. Stuart Broad - came into the side as a reasonable enough bowler who could really bat. Now a strike bowler who wouldn’t look out of place in a Chris Martin XI
11. Colin Miller - seamer who got picked almost exclusively to bowl off spin

I would have thought Wade might get a gig - start as a keeper, dropped, gets back in as a pure batsman (and handy seamer ).

 

[PhatBoy]

I would have thought Wade might get a gig - start as a keeper, dropped, gets back in as a pure batsman (and handy seamer ).

I did consider him actually as I was struggling for a keeper beyond the usual suspects like De Villiers etc

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Players who started as one thing and became another:
Need another middle order player - preferably a bowler who became a batsman

1. Tom Blundell (wk) - recency bias. Reserve keeper stuck behind a good one in BJ Watling. Stuck at the top of the order as there is literally no other option and makes a ton.
2. Ravi Shastri - Takes 125 wickets and averages 33 with the bat as a middle order all rounder. Basically Stops bowling for the last quarter of his career and averages 44 opening the

3. Steve Smith - leg spinner cum batsman
4. Thilan Samaraweera - nearly 400 first class wickets at 25, iirc was picked as a bowler to start. Averaged 48 with the bat and hardly bowled
5.
6. Andrew Symonds - picked as a bitser with bat and seam, turned his hand to offspin
7. Vettori - started as a good spinner batting at 11. Finished his career as a dependable batsman who’s spin was capable but inferior to what it had been
8. Roger Harper - picked as the token spinner for a West Indies side that probably didn’t need one, who could bat. In the end was ordinary at both but nearly worth his spot as the world’s only specialist fielder
9. Heath Streak - in his first 36 test matches passed 50 four times and averaged 17. In his next 29, hit a century and 7 50s And averaged 30 for the remainder of his career
10. Stuart Broad - came into the side as a reasonable enough bowler who could really bat. Now a strike bowler who wouldn’t look out of place in a Chris Martin XI
11. Colin Miller - seamer who got picked almost exclusively to bowl off spin

Shane Watson stiff to miss out on an opening spot?

 

[Gough]

the only one I’d actually have question marks over there would be Hammond tbh. Unarguably a great player but his figures are a little inflated by his record against minnows of the time - he averages 51 against Australia, still awesome don’t get me wrong, but he got to play 52 test matches against SA, NZ, India and West Indies who at the time were all really ordinary - though oddly enough half those games were against the Windies and he genuinely struggled against them.
Still doesn’t look out of place though so fair play

Hammond would make a mad shaggers XI easily.

 

[PhatBoy]

Hammond would make a mad shaggers XI easily.

ok good idea

Gayle - strip club in his house says it all
Hammond
Sobers - legendary man of the night at his oeak
Garner - based on his 8-foot-6 ‘proportion’ comment
Shoaib - got an STD if I remember rightly

Feel free to add

 

[Gough]

ok good idea

Gayle - strip club in his house says it all
Hammond
Sobers - legendary man of the night at his oeak
Garner - based on his 8-foot-6 ‘proportion’ comment
Shoaib - got an STD if I remember rightly

Feel free to add

Steve Waugh, had a girl in every port.

 

[PhatBoy]

Steve Waugh, had a girl in every port.

actually Mike Whitney I’ve been told by a former nsw second xi teammate was very busy with the night tools and was partial to disregarding the presence of a roommate

 

[eth-dog]

ok good idea

Gayle - strip club in his house says it all
Hammond
Sobers - legendary man of the night at his oeak
Garner - based on his 8-foot-6 ‘proportion’ comment
Shoaib - got an STD if I remember rightly

Feel free to add

Warne has to be front and centre.

 

[Wallaby]

Keith Miller just for Princess Margaret alone.

 

[eth-dog]

So we have:

Chris Gayle
???
Wally Hammond
Garry Sobers
Steve Waugh
Keith Miller
???
Shane Warne
Joel Garner
Shoaib Akhtar
Mike Whitney

de Kock for the keeper just for his name?

 

[PhatBoy]

So we have:

Chris Gayle
???
Wally Hammond
Garry Sobers
Steve Waugh
Keith Miller
???
Shane Warne
Joel Garner
Shoaib Akhtar
Mike Whitney

de Kock for the keeper just for his name?

bad taste to suggest Ntini?