Best XI of the 1980's (interactive voting thread)

Aug 27, 2014
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there are no other teams worthy
viv could easily bat at 4 or even 5 if you look at his record throughout the 80's.

i put viv at 3 only because of the candidates i've ultimately got at 4 and 5
Yeah, he could obviously but if first question of thread is whom is first drop it is a no brainer it was Viv for someone that grew up watching him.
Border probably be 4 or 5 when get to it, although also like Border at 6 too.
 

jle101

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Think I'll let people vote on the final batting order once the final XI is picked this time around.
 

CliffMcTainshaw

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A pair of West Indians for me.
Viv Richards - Awesome fieldsman, an under rated bowler who was very hard to get away
Malcolm Marshall - Also a more than handy batsman
Two of the all time greats for me.
 
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Aug 27, 2014
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there are no other teams worthy
Looked ahead of other spots and I sense I going to have 6 Windies in my team and I doubt I can find room for a spinner good enough to oust a pace bowler.
Viv and Border going to have to bowl a bit of their crappy spin to give the pace bowlers a break in the team I likely to pick.

P.S. If I took Hadlee out of my own 70's team to plonk in the 80's team I think I will be back to 5 West Indians.
I might just have to do that.
 

jle101

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Vale Mike Hendrick :-(
 
Vale Mike Hendrick :-(
Photo taken ten days ago in Derby.
1627429172862.png

Lever, Botham, Hendrick, Taylor, Miller, Arkle, Embers and Boycott.
 

jle101

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Poor Mike. Looked as skinny as a rake in that pic.
 

CliffMcTainshaw

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Sad news about Hendrick. He was a really good player with great movement through the air and off the seam. Always seemed to be at his best against Australia. Very handy with the bat down the order and he and Old always made it tough to get through the English tail. RIP Mike.
 

jle101

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Ok so it looks like the Master Blaster is an almost universal choice here, whilst Malcolm Marshall has thus far gained the most votes on the bowler's front.

1980's All-star XI (batting order subject to change)

01
02
03 IVA Richards
04
05
06
07
08
09 MD Marshall
10
11

Let's keep it moving by selecting two more MIDDLE ORDER BATSMEN to fill out the batting lineup. Will stage an additional vote at the end so we can shuffle the batting order around if needed.
 
Aug 27, 2014
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there are no other teams worthy
Was torn between Miandad and Crowe but having looked in more detail of their performances, Crowe had a wider spread of centuries against other nations in various parts of the world. I am a firm Martin Crowe vote after looking into it more. 188 v West Indies in the West Indies at the height of their power is impressive. 188 against Australia at the Gabba the next year also impressive. Only time a Kiwi team won a Test series in Australia, Crowe averaged around 70 v Australia that summer.
So Martin Crowe 4 and Allan Border 5 is my vote for today.
 
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STFU Donnie

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Apologies for pre-empting the all rounder discussion, but it is obviously going to come down to two main candidates. Here are their respective 80s records:

Firstly, Ian Botham
Capture2.PNG


And now, Imran Khan
Capture.PNG


Not even close!
 

STFU Donnie

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Was torn between Miandad and Crowe but having looked in more detail of their performances, Crowe had a wider spread of centuries against other nations in various parts of the world. I am a firm Martin Crowe vote after looking into it more. 188 v West Indies in the West Indies at the height of their power is impressive. 188 against Australia at the Gabba the next year also impressive. Only time a Kiwi team won a Test series in Australia, Crowe averaged around 70 v Australia that summer.
So Martin Crowe 4 and Allan Border 5 is my vote for today.

I was at the Adelaide Oval in 87/88 on day 2. Crowe started the day on 88*, and at the drinks break was 137. So, 49 in the first hour had me with hopes of a century before lunch. Alas he was dismissed by the first ball he face after the break.

Andrew Jones also made 150. He was an excellent player and it's a shame he isn't better remembered.
 
I was at the Adelaide Oval in 87/88 on day 2. Crowe started the day on 88*, and at the drinks break was 137. So, 49 in the first hour had me with hopes of a century before lunch. Alas he was dismissed by the first ball he face after the break.

Andrew Jones also made 150. He was an excellent player and it's a shame he isn't better remembered.
That was a filthy hot day from memory. AB flogged Billy from the Cathedral End.
 
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