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

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1. Adam Gilchrist
2. David Boon
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Viv Richards
5. Aravinda De Silva
6. Clive Lloyd
7. Ben Stokes
8. MS Dhoni
9. Wasim Akram
10. James Faulkner
11. Shane Warne
12th Man Mohinda Arminath

???
 
1. M Harris
2. E Cowan
3. M Labuschagne
4. P Handscomb
5. M Henriques
6. A Symonds
7. M Wade (+)
8. J Faulkner
9. A Noffke
10. J Holland
11. N Bracken

12. L Butterworth
 

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Bit full of all-rounders this one down the lower order. Have at it…

Alastair Cook
Victor Trumper
Kumar Sangakarra (+)
Eddie Paynter
Marvan Atapattu
Mohammad Ashraful
Shane Watson
Phil Simmons
Frank Laver
Bert Volger
Ernie Hayes
 
Herbert Sutcliffe
Saeed Anwar
Bruce Mitchell
Stanley Jackson
Michael Hussey
Andrew Flintoff
Rod Marsh
Ray Lindwall
Ian Johnson
Joel Garner
Bob Willis
 
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1.K. O'Keefe (opened 2nd inngs centenary test)
2. S. Barnes
3. S. Smith
4. G. Chappel (C)
5. P. Umrigar
6. A. Ranatunga
7. P. Emery +
8. F. Edwards
9. B. Lee
10.F. Edwards
11.D. Vettori
12.M.Ntini
 
The "Initials Going Immediately Backwards" XI
Usman T Khawaja
Matthew L Hayden
David C Boon
Steve R Waugh
Kim J Hughes
Shane R Watson
Kevin J Wright
Nathan M Hauritz
Geoff F Lawson
Stuart R Clark
Bruce A Reid
 
The "At Least 80 and Still Going" Aussie XI

Bill Lawry
Bob Simpson (c)
Neil Harvey
Bob Cowper
Ian Redpath
Keith Stackpole
Brian Taber (wk)
Tom Vievers
Graham McKenzie
Alan Connolly
Ian Meckiff
 
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I read a good long piece article on Graham McKenzie a few years ago while I was doing some research for an all time great test cricket draft game on another forum. Probably isn't in the all time great category but naturally all the obvious names for fast bowlers were picked up early. I had a look back and my first choice was Wasim Akram and my third choice was Tim Southee which gives an indicator of the pool of players to choose from. There was a minimum 30 test requirement which meant a guy like Shane Bond or Sydney Barnes could not be picked. McKenzie was an interesting player from what I found out. Very highly rated by his contemporaries and the press of the day but probably a bit undervalued in cricket circles after retirement. He was dropped during the 1970/71 Ashes just two wickets shy of Benaud's record as leading wicket taker for Australia. Dennis Lillee debuted at the end of the series and as we all know it was he who went on to break Benaud's record.
 

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The "At Least 80 and Still Going" Aussie XI

Bill Lawry
Bob Simpson (c)
Neil Harvey
Bob Cowper
Ian Redpath
Keith Stackpole
Brian Taber (wk)
Tom Vievers
Graham McKenzie
Alan Connolly
Ian Meckiff

A lot of Victorians back when state produced good cricketers
 
Bill Ponsford
Herbert Sutcliffe
Don Bradman
Vic Trumper
Len Hutton
Viv Richards
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Wes Hall
Waqar Younis
Glenn McGrath
 
I am not 100 percent familiar with every Australian player who was and wasn't dropped during their career, but here is a stab at the best Aussie XI who were dropped at one stage (because of poor form only).

Bob Simpson
Matthew Hayden
Don Bradman
Greg Chappell
Allan Border
Steve Waugh
Keith Miller
Richie Benaud
Don Tallon (w/k)
Shane Warne
Jeff Thomson



Keith Miller was initially not selected for the Australian team to tour South Africa in 1949-50 but was later taken to South Africa when Bill Johnston became injured.
After playing in the 1970-71 series versus England, Greg Chappell was dropped from the Australian team for the first two unofficial Tests versus the World XI in 1971-72.
 
Pretty sure Ponting and McGrath both got dropped early in the careers.

The only guy from the golden era that I definitely know who didn't get dropped was Gilchrist.

I don't think you could make an XI from players who didn't get dropped.
 
Pretty sure Ponting and McGrath both got dropped early in the careers.

The only guy from the golden era that I definitely know who didn't get dropped was Gilchrist.

I don't think you could make an XI from players who didn't get dropped.

Has Warner been dropped?!
 

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

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