Best team of all time

[Jascave]

Which team is the best side to have played against Australia in international cricket?

Is it the West Indies side of 1984-85, the South African side of 1969-70, The England 'Bodyline' team of 1932-33, or the current England side 2010-11?

Post your thoughts here.

 

[courtjester]

Windies in the 80s...best team ever

 

[maka]

Windies in the 80s...best team ever

+1 agree with the poster above

 

[The Passenger]

windies 80's for sure.

 

[Kram]

This is almost a bit of a waste of time really, the West Indies by an absolute mile.

 

[damochandler]

Windies of the early 80s by a mile

 

[Kram]

What are the odds that eddiesmith voted for England

 

[Jascave]

If there was a match between the West Indies side of 1984-85 and the South African team of 1970, there wouldn't be much in it. The South African tour of 1970 could be known as the tour which sowed the seeds for the revolution that was to be World Series Cricket in 1977.

 

[courtjester]

Greenidge
Haynes
Richardson
Gomes
Richards
Lloyd
Dujon
Marshall
Holding
Garner
Walsh

 

[Jascave]

And to think that the West Indies side of 1984-85 actually lost two games throughout the whole tour-the 5th Test in Sydney (Holland & Bennett picking up a dozen wickets on a dusty SCG pitch) and the 1st Final of the World Series Cup (Border 127 no).

 

[Wallaby]

If we are going back into History: -
1928/29 England - Hobbs, Hammond, Sutcliffe, Tate, Larwood. They had Patsy Hendren and George Tyldesley in reserve as batsmen, who both hit 100 100s in their career.

1911/12 England - Hobbs, Rhodes, Barnes - one of the top 5 batsmen of all time, and one of the top 5 bowlers, and one of the top 5 all-rounders (according to some).

 

[western royboy]

If there was a match between the West Indies side of 1984-85 and the South African team of 1970, there wouldn't be much in it. The South African tour of 1970 could be known as the tour which sowed the seeds for the revolution that was to be World Series Cricket in 1977.

You are right in saying that was the tour that broke the camel's back but you have to take that into consideration when evaluating the SA performance. No doubt they were a very good side with players that should hae been test greats such as Pollock, Procter, Richards and Lindsay.

However Australia went to South Africa straight after three to four months and 5 Tests in India in conditions barely best described as 3rd World. A vast number of players lost significant amounts of weight and were hammerred when the arrived.

Upon arrival the met a great team at the height of their power and combined with a pop gun attack, fairly average (biased) umpiring, they had no hope.

West Indies early '80's by a long space.

 

[Simple Jack]

Surely whoever picked England 2010-11 is trolling.
England 2010-11 would lose every test by 2 innings in a series against the 80's Windies

 

[Majinbuu]

West Indies in the 80's

 

[courtjester]

Greenidge
Haynes
Richardson
Gomes
Richards
Lloyd
Dujon
Marshall
Holding
Garner
Walsh

Perfect team apart from the lack of a great spinner. Definately the most intimidating team ever...

 

[Jascave]

Cricket historians in South Africa talk about a period of play during the 2nd Test on the 1970 Australian tour of South Africa as one of the greatest hours in South African cricket history. The test was at Old Kingsmead, and Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards tore Australia apart. Two greats of the South African team trying to outdo each other in terms of strokemaking. Pollock made 274, Richards 140 with the partnership for the 3rd wicket stand 103.

BTW, who was the ACB board member in 1969 that had the far-from-bright idea to send the Australian side to South Africa straight after the conclusion of the Indian tour? One minute the Australians were playing on dusty, dry surfaces in India...next minute, they're off to South Africa where the Australians had to deal with playing on totally different surfaces, and also had to play against Barlow, Richards, Lindsay, and Pollock, who were some of the best players in the world. The result-Australia got smashed 4-0.

 

[Gazza_11]

From my era probably South Africa of 2008-09 and India of 2003-04.

 

[western royboy]

Greenidge
Haynes
Richardson
Gomes
Richards
Lloyd
Dujon
Marshall
Holding
Garner
Walsh

Swap Walsh for Andy Roberts and you've got me.

 

[Kram]

Perfect team apart from the lack of a great spinner. Definately the most intimidating team ever...

I guess you don't really need a spinner when you have the luxury of 4 great fast bowlers.

 

[courtjester]

Swap Walsh for Andy Roberts and you've got me.

I'd be the same mate, just looked at who played in the first test that series...

 

[thecatattack]

The invincibles? There's a reason they're called that.

 

[Kram]

The invincibles? There's a reason they're called that.

The poll actually says against Australia.

 

[thecatattack]

The poll actually says against Australia.

My bad!