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

[footyfan1978]

I think that 631 from 16 innings opening in that period for Hilditch.
Trailed off at end when must have lost form that got him back into the team but not far off averaging 40 in that period as an opener.
Nothing to sneeze at.. I will consider.

 

[footyfan1978]

I'd argue as vice captain Marsh brought a fair bit to the side. Being AB's sounding board in the mid 80s can't have been much fun at times.

Agreed, he was great fielder in gully and wonderful vice captain for AB but I simply going to pick on opening results for my own vote.

So far I think he trails Wessels and Hilditch in how I going about this tricky task to decide.

 

[footyfan1978]

Kepler Wessels 1066 from 27 times out in 1980's as opener for us
Andrew Hilditch 621 from 16 times out in mid 80's as opener for us
Both just short of 40 average as opener

Time to look compared to Marsh as opener...

G R Marsh - Batting Analysis for Innings Batting as Opener

	Progressive
Date	Versus	Ground	Inns	How Dismissed	Runs	B/F	Aggr	Avg
13/12/1985​	India​	Adelaide Oval​	2nd​	not out​	2*​	21​	2​	​
26/12/1985​	India​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	2nd​	c L Sivaramakrishnan b R J Shastri​	19​	40​	21​	21.00​
02/01/1986​	India​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c S M Gavaskar b R J Shastri​	92​	304​	113​	56.50​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b N S Yadav​	28​	84​	141​	47.00​
21/02/1986​	New Zealand​	Basin Reserve​	1st​	c J V Coney b E J Chatfield​	43​	100​	184​	46.00​
28/02/1986​	New Zealand​	AMI Stadium​	1st​	b R J Hadlee​	28​	85​	212​	42.40​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b J G Bracewell​	15​	50​	227​	37.83​
13/03/1986​	New Zealand​	Eden Park​	1st​	c J V Coney b R J Hadlee​	118​	287​	345​	49.29​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b R J Hadlee​	0​	1​	345​	43.13​
18/09/1986​	India​	MA Chidambaram Stadium​	1st​	c Kapil Dev b N S Yadav​	22​	66​	367​	40.78​
​	​	​	2nd​	b R J Shastri​	11​	40​	378​	37.80​
26/09/1986​	India​	Arun Jaitley Stadium​	1st​	c †C S Pandit b C Sharma​	11​	42​	389​	35.36​
15/10/1986​	India​	Wankhede Stadium​	1st​	c S M Gavaskar b R R Kulkarni​	101​	300​	490​	40.83​
​	​	​	2nd​	b R J Shastri​	20​	83​	510​	39.23​
14/11/1986​	England​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	c †C J Richards b G R Dilley​	56​	161​	566​	40.43​
​	​	​	2nd​	b P A J De Freitas​	110​	311​	676​	45.07​
28/11/1986​	England​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c B C Broad b I T Botham​	15​	65​	691​	43.19​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b J E Emburey​	49​	148​	740​	43.53​
12/12/1986​	England​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	b P H Edmonds​	43​	137​	783​	43.50​
​	​	​	2nd​	c & b P H Edmonds​	41​	95​	824​	43.37​
26/12/1986​	England​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	c †C J Richards b I T Botham​	17​	47​	841​	42.05​
​	​	​	2nd​	run out​	60​	142​	901​	42.90​
10/01/1987​	England​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c M W Gatting b G C Small​	24​	57​	925​	42.05​
​	​	​	2nd​	c J E Emburey b G R Dilley​	14​	39​	939​	40.83​
04/12/1987​	New Zealand​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	c J G Bracewell b R J Hadlee​	25​	77​	964​	40.17​
​	​	​	2nd​	not out​	31*​	100​	995​	41.46​
11/12/1987​	New Zealand​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c E J Gray b R J Hadlee​	30​	127​	1025​	41.00​
26/12/1987​	New Zealand​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	c sub b R J Hadlee​	13​	36​	1038​	39.92​
​	​	​	2nd​	c J G Bracewell b R J Hadlee​	23​	85​	1061​	39.30​
29/01/1988​	England​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c †B N French b D J Capel​	5​	49​	1066​	38.07​
​	​	​	2nd​	c C W J Athey b J E Emburey​	56​	215​	1122​	38.69​
12/02/1988​	Sri Lanka​	WACA Ground​	1st​	b G F Labrooy​	53​	116​	1175​	39.17​
15/09/1988​	Pakistan​	National Stadium (Karachi)​	1st​	b M Iqbal Qasim​	8​	31​	1183​	38.16​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b Tausif Ahmed​	17​	80​	1200​	37.50​
23/09/1988​	Pakistan​	Iqbal Stadium​	1st​	b Tausif Ahmed​	51​	136​	1251​	37.91​
​	​	​	2nd​	b Abdul Qadir​	9​	24​	1260​	37.06​
07/10/1988​	Pakistan​	Gaddafi Stadium​	1st​	st Saleem Yousuf b M Iqbal Qasim​	64​	208​	1324​	37.83​
​	​	​	2nd​	not out​	84*​	136​	1408​	40.23​
18/11/1988​	West Indies​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	c A L Logie b C E L Ambrose​	27​	68​	1435​	39.86​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b C E L Ambrose​	2​	10​	1437​	38.84​
02/12/1988​	West Indies​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c R B Richardson b C A Walsh​	30​	87​	1467​	38.61​
​	​	​	2nd​	c A L Logie b M D Marshall​	6​	17​	1473​	37.77​
24/12/1988​	West Indies​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	b B P Patterson​	36​	122​	1509​	37.73​
​	​	​	2nd​	b B P Patterson​	1​	12​	1510​	36.83​
26/01/1989​	West Indies​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b M D Marshall​	2​	31​	1512​	36.00​
​	​	​	2nd​	b I V A Richards​	23​	64​	1535​	35.70​
03/02/1989​	West Indies​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b C E L Ambrose​	21​	74​	1556​	35.36​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †P J L Dujon b C E L Ambrose​	79​	172​	1635​	36.33​
08/06/1989​	England​	Headingley​	1st​	lbw b P A J De Freitas​	16​	63​	1651​	35.89​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †R C Russell b N A Foster​	6​	22​	1657​	35.26​
22/06/1989​	England​	Lord's​	1st​	c †R C Russell b G R Dilley​	3​	14​	1660​	34.58​
​	​	​	2nd​	b G R Dilley​	1​	12​	1661​	33.90​
06/07/1989​	England​	Edgbaston​	1st​	lbw b I T Botham​	42​	134​	1703​	34.06​
​	​	​	2nd​	b P W Jarvis​	42​	86​	1745​	34.22​
27/07/1989​	England​	Old Trafford​	1st​	c †R C Russell b I T Botham​	47​	100​	1792​	34.46​
​	​	​	2nd​	c R T Robinson b J E Emburey​	31​	94​	1823​	34.40​
10/08/1989​	England​	Trent Bridge​	1st​	c I T Botham b N G B Cook​	138​	382​	1961​	36.31​
24/08/1989​	England​	Kennington Oval​	1st​	c A P Igglesden b G C Small​	17​	62​	1978​	35.96​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b A P Igglesden​	4​	13​	1982​	35.39​

 

[footyfan1978]

Marsh averaging under Wessels and Hilditch with mid 30's average in this 80's period.
Sorry, I not going to vote for him on sentiment as much as I liked him.
He was opener in ODI side too and pretty stable but not going to let any of it cloud my decision in what way I vote.
I still going to see if I can find any better options than Wessels and Hildtich but right now they the leading guys to partner Boon as opener for my vote.

 

[footyfan1978]

Wayne Phillips started off with a bang with sensational 159 on debut.
Very good to watch but probably lost his way because he started keeping in ODI at first I think and was batting down order there so think his technique to open got muddled and lost his way there.

[TD valign="top"] W B Phillips - Batting Analysis for Innings Batting as Opener

	Progressive
Date	Versus	Ground	Inns	How Dismissed	Runs	B/F	Aggr	Avg
11/11/1983​	Pakistan​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c Tahir Naqqash b Mohammed Nazir​	159​	246​	159​	159.00​
25/11/1983​	Pakistan​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	b Rashid Khan​	46​	117​	205​	102.50​
09/12/1983​	Pakistan​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c †Wasim Bari b Azeem Hafeez​	12​	29​	217​	72.33​
​	​	​	2nd​	c Mudassar Nazar b Abdul Qadir​	54​	176​	271​	67.75​
26/12/1983​	Pakistan​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	lbw b Azeem Hafeez​	35​	104​	306​	61.20​
02/01/1984​	Pakistan​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c Saleem Malik b Sarfraz Nawaz​	37​	101​	343​	57.17​
​	​	​	2nd​	not out​	19*​	23​	362​	60.33​
16/03/1984​	West Indies​	Queen's Park Oval​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b J Garner​	4​	22​	366​	52.29​
​	​	​	2nd​	run out​	0​	0​	366​	45.75​
07/04/1984​	West Indies​	Antigua Recreation Ground​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b J Garner​	5​	18​	371​	41.22​
​	​	​	2nd​	b J Garner​	22​	24​	393​	39.30​
28/04/1984​	West Indies​	Sabina Park​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b J Garner​	12​	36​	405​	36.82​
​	​	​	2nd​	b J Garner​	2​	26​	407​	33.92​
22/11/1985​	New Zealand​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	b J G Bracewell​	31​	70​	438​	33.69​
​	​	​	2nd​	c J G Bracewell b S L Boock​	63​	187​	501​	35.79​
30/11/1985​	New Zealand​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c †I D S Smith b E J Chatfield​	37​	77​	538​	35.87​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †I D S Smith b E J Chatfield​	10​	59​	548​	34.25​
13/12/1985​	India​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c N S Yadav b Kapil Dev​	11​	17​	559​	32.88​
26/12/1985​	India​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	b N S Yadav​	7​	65​	566​	31.44​

[/TD]

 

[Pippen94]

Marsh averaging under Wessels and Hilditch with mid 30's average in this 80's period.
Sorry, I not going to vote for him on sentiment as much as I liked him.
He was opener in ODI side too and pretty stable but not going to let any of it cloud my decision in what way I vote.
I still going to see if I can find any better options than Wessels and Hildtich but right now they the leading guys to partner Boon as opener for my vote.

There's little case for Hildtich - he barely played in 80's.

 

[Pippen94]

Wayne Phillips started off with a bang with sensational 159 on debut.
Very good to watch but probably lost his way because he started keeping in ODI at first I think and was batting down order there so think his technique to open got muddled and lost his way there.

[TD valign="top"] W B Phillips - Batting Analysis for Innings Batting as Opener

	Progressive
Date	Versus	Ground	Inns	How Dismissed	Runs	B/F	Aggr	Avg
11/11/1983​	Pakistan​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c Tahir Naqqash b Mohammed Nazir​	159​	246​	159​	159.00​
25/11/1983​	Pakistan​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	b Rashid Khan​	46​	117​	205​	102.50​
09/12/1983​	Pakistan​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c †Wasim Bari b Azeem Hafeez​	12​	29​	217​	72.33​
​	​	​	2nd​	c Mudassar Nazar b Abdul Qadir​	54​	176​	271​	67.75​
26/12/1983​	Pakistan​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	lbw b Azeem Hafeez​	35​	104​	306​	61.20​
02/01/1984​	Pakistan​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c Saleem Malik b Sarfraz Nawaz​	37​	101​	343​	57.17​
​	​	​	2nd​	not out​	19*​	23​	362​	60.33​
16/03/1984​	West Indies​	Queen's Park Oval​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b J Garner​	4​	22​	366​	52.29​
​	​	​	2nd​	run out​	0​	0​	366​	45.75​
07/04/1984​	West Indies​	Antigua Recreation Ground​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b J Garner​	5​	18​	371​	41.22​
​	​	​	2nd​	b J Garner​	22​	24​	393​	39.30​
28/04/1984​	West Indies​	Sabina Park​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b J Garner​	12​	36​	405​	36.82​
​	​	​	2nd​	b J Garner​	2​	26​	407​	33.92​
22/11/1985​	New Zealand​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	b J G Bracewell​	31​	70​	438​	33.69​
​	​	​	2nd​	c J G Bracewell b S L Boock​	63​	187​	501​	35.79​
30/11/1985​	New Zealand​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c †I D S Smith b E J Chatfield​	37​	77​	538​	35.87​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †I D S Smith b E J Chatfield​	10​	59​	548​	34.25​
13/12/1985​	India​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c N S Yadav b Kapil Dev​	11​	17​	559​	32.88​
26/12/1985​	India​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	b N S Yadav​	7​	65​	566​	31.44​

[/TD]

Phillips a smokey for keeper but really Rod Marsh is a certainty.

Phillips, hilditch etc not getting in.

Only batsman you should take a second look at is Wood

 

[footyfan1978]

Bruce Laird after World Series Cricket was over...

I like him more than Marsh and if I was to include his effort against West Indies bowlers in late 70's in SuperTests he would probably get my vote but technically cannot include the century there or 92 and 75 against brilliant Windies in December of 1979.

[TD valign="top"] B M Laird - Batting Analysis for Innings Batting as Opener

	Progressive
Date	Versus	Ground	Inns	How Dismissed	Runs	B/F	Aggr	Avg
01/12/1979​	West Indies​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	c †D L Murray b J Garner​	92​	185​	92​	92.00​
​	​	​	2nd​	c sub b J Garner​	75​	218​	167​	83.50​
14/12/1979​	England​	WACA Ground​	1st​	lbw b I T Botham​	0​	4​	167​	55.67​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †R W Taylor b D L Underwood​	33​	115​	200​	50.00​
29/12/1979​	West Indies​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	c C H Lloyd b M A Holding​	16​	41​	216​	43.20​
​	​	​	2nd​	c J Garner b M A Holding​	69​	176​	285​	47.50​
26/01/1980​	West Indies​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c J Garner b C E H Croft​	52​	119​	337​	48.14​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b J Garner​	36​	68​	373​	46.63​
01/02/1980​	England​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	c D I Gower b D L Underwood​	74​	216​	447​	49.67​
​	​	​	2nd​	c G Boycott b D L Underwood​	25​	95​	472​	47.20​
27/02/1980​	Pakistan​	National Stadium (Karachi)​	1st​	lbw b Imran Khan​	6​	45​	478​	43.45​
​	​	​	2nd​	c Javed Miandad b M Iqbal Qasim​	23​	71​	501​	41.75​
06/03/1980​	Pakistan​	Iqbal Stadium​	1st​	c †Taslim Arif b Sarfraz Nawaz​	0​	4​	501​	38.54​
18/03/1980​	Pakistan​	Gaddafi Stadium​	1st​	b Tausif Ahmed​	17​	59​	518​	37.00​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †Taslim Arif b Tausif Ahmed​	63​	147​	581​	38.73​
28/08/1980​	England​	Lord's​	1st​	c †D L Bairstow b C M Old​	24​	64​	605​	37.81​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †D L Bairstow b C M Old​	6​	45​	611​	35.94​
13/11/1981​	Pakistan​	WACA Ground​	1st​	c †Wasim Bari b Imran Khan​	27​	84​	638​	35.44​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †Wasim Bari b Imran Khan​	85​	201​	723​	38.05​
27/11/1981​	Pakistan​	Brisbane Cricket Ground​	1st​	c Zaheer Abbas b Ijaz Faqih​	44​	110​	767​	38.35​
​	​	​	2nd​	not out​	3*​	8​	770​	38.50​
11/12/1981​	Pakistan​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	lbw b M Iqbal Qasim​	35​	85​	805​	38.33​
​	​	​	2nd​	c Sarfraz Nawaz b M Iqbal Qasim​	52​	132​	857​	38.95​
26/12/1981​	West Indies​	Melbourne Cricket Ground​	1st​	c †D A Murray b M A Holding​	4​	18​	861​	37.43​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b C E H Croft​	64​	146​	925​	38.54​
02/01/1982​	West Indies​	Sydney Cricket Ground​	1st​	c P J L Dujon b J Garner​	14​	51​	939​	37.56​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †D A Murray b C E H Croft​	38​	137​	977​	37.58​
30/01/1982​	West Indies​	Adelaide Oval​	1st​	c †P J L Dujon b A M E Roberts​	2​	16​	979​	36.26​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †P J L Dujon b C E H Croft​	78​	224​	1057​	37.75​
26/02/1982​	New Zealand​	Basin Reserve​	1st​	not out​	27*​	113​	1084​	38.71​
12/03/1982​	New Zealand​	Eden Park​	1st​	c †I D S Smith b G B Troup​	38​	79​	1122​	38.69​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b R J Hadlee​	39​	123​	1161​	38.70​
19/03/1982​	New Zealand​	AMI Stadium​	1st​	c †I D S Smith b G B Troup​	12​	46​	1173​	37.84​
​	​	​	2nd​	c †B A Edgar b M C Snedden​	31​	65​	1204​	37.63​
22/09/1982​	Pakistan​	National Stadium (Karachi)​	1st​	run out​	32​	76​	1236​	37.45​
​	​	​	2nd​	c Mansoor Akhtar b Imran Khan​	3​	17​	1239​	36.44​
30/09/1982​	Pakistan​	Iqbal Stadium​	1st​	lbw b Abdul Qadir​	8​	48​	1247​	35.63​
​	​	​	2nd​	c Mudassar Nazar b Abdul Qadir​	60​	134​	1307​	36.31​
14/10/1982​	Pakistan​	Gaddafi Stadium​	1st​	lbw b Abdul Qadir​	28​	102​	1335​	36.08​
​	​	​	2nd​	lbw b Tahir Naqqash​	6​	26​	1341​	35.29​

[/TD]

 

[footyfan1978]

There's little case for Hildtich - he barely played in 80's.

In a decade of no real stability as openers, his series against top pace attacks and averaging around 40 is something I considering.

 

[Pippen94]

In a decade of no real stability as openers, his series against top pace attacks and averaging around 40 is something I considering.

Marsh held top place for about 5 years - he was the only stability!!

 

[cricketnut14]

Lillee and Chappell retired in 82 so they cannot make it and in the 70's team. Marsh only played in ODI's after 1982 from memory and retired from Test cricket when Lillee and Chappell did but do not think he had made the decision until months later.

they all retired january '84 and given how poor australia were during this decade, they'd have to be in the conversation as the other contenders records don't stack up.

Lillee:
Before WSC 1970's : 32 tests - 171 wkts @ 23
During WSC and unofficial tests : 18 matches - 91 wkts @ 25
After WSC 1980's : 38 tests - 184 wkts @ 24

G.Chappell:
Before WSC 1970's : 51 tests @ 53 (14 tons)
During WSC and unofficial tests: 17 matches @ 63 (6 tons)
After WSC 1980's : 36 tests @ 55 (10 tons)

R.Marsh
Before WSC 1970's : 52 tests @ 33 (3 tons) 198 dismissals
During WSC and unofficial tests: 20 matches @ 22 (1 ton) 63 dismissals
After WSC 1980's: 44 tests @ 19 (0 tons) 157 dismissals

 

[footyfan1978]

ok. Laird and Boon are too alike so as much as I loved Stumpy I going to have to go with left hander Kepler Wessels to be the other opener.
Close enough to average 40 in that period to get my nod over others.
Graeme Wood compulsive hooking in era you face West Indies a lot is his flaw and his horrible running between wickets I cannot live with.
John Dyson dour and a trier but sorry, just no.
Geoff Marsh, decent opener but his average short of Hilditch and when I look at Hilditch run as opener it was against West Indies at height of their powers in mid 80's and he gets 70 and 113 against Windies at the MCG dodgy pitch. Actually impressive to see those scores. Then 119 and 80 against Poms at Headingly
Hadlee sorted him out at Gabba the first Test next summer and gone but whilst it lasted he is playing against high class bowling in tough conditions as it gets to open and nearly averaged 40 so he actually went close to get my vote which surprising but in end, left hander Wessels probably had more match winning ability and left hand option just the thing to help me decide in the end.
Apologies to Stumpy, Marsh and Hilditch.
No apologies to Wood, Weiner and Dyson.

So my vote for openers is Boon and Wessels.
That was very difficult to decide and the worst decade to be an opener I can remember seeing.

 

[Pippen94]

Boon, Border, Chappell, Jones & Hughes pick themselves. I think Marsh does also, but by all means look at Wood or even Kepler. Steve Waugh outsider if you want all rounder.
Forget Laird, Phillips....

 

[footyfan1978]

they all retired january '84 and given how poor australia were during this decade, they'd have to be in the conversation as the other contenders records don't stack up.

Lillee:
Before WSC 1970's : 32 tests - 171 wkts @ 23
During WSC and unofficial tests : 18 matches - 91 wkts @ 25
After WSC 1980's : 38 tests - 184 wkts @ 24

G.Chappell:
Before WSC 1970's : 51 tests @ 53 (14 tons)
During WSC and unofficial tests: 17 matches @ 63 (6 tons)
After WSC 1980's : 36 tests @ 55 (10 tons)

R.Marsh
Before WSC 1970's : 52 tests @ 33 (3 tons) 198 dismissals
During WSC and unofficial tests: 20 matches @ 22 (1 ton) 63 dismissals
After WSC 1980's: 44 tests @ 19 (0 tons) 157 dismissals

The problem I have with this is we are only going on 1980's scores so the 70's stuff irrelevant for 80's.
That stuff I considered for the 70's period, as it had World Series Cricket in it that I watched and why I would have picked guys like Barry Richards and Mike Proctor despite banned from Test cricket by being South African.

 

[footyfan1978]

Boon, Border, Chappell, Jones & Hughes pick themselves. I think Marsh does also, but by all means look at Wood or even Kepler. Steve Waugh outsider if you want all rounder.
Forget Laird, Phillips....

No way I am forgetting Laird. Averages better than Marsh as opener and handled West Indies at height of their powers better than any other opener then for us. Just a shame he retired around same period.
But yeah, I think Border and Hughes a lock. Chappell probably but he had bad run of outs v West Indies and retired early in decade so that going to be tricky.
I will have to look at Yallop too. The batting was a mess for much of middle of decade apart from Border and Boon so it not going to be easy to decide but easier than task was for openers.

 

[cricketnut14]

No way I am forgetting Laird. Averages better than Marsh as opener and handled West Indies at height of their powers better than any other opener then for us. Just a shame he retired around same period.

didn't even score a test ton though !!!!

 

[Pippen94]

The problem I have with this is we are only going on 1980's scores so the 70's stuff irrelevant for 80's.
That stuff I considered for the 70's period, as it had World Series Cricket in it that I watched and why I would have picked guys like Barry Richards and Mike Proctor despite banned from Test cricket by being South African.

No way I am forgetting Laird. Averages better than Marsh as opener and handled West Indies at height of their powers better than any other opener then for us. Just a shame he retired around same period.
But yeah, I think Border and Hughes a lock. Chappell probably but he had bad run of outs v West Indies and retired early in decade so that going to be tricky.
I will have to look at Yallop too. The batting was a mess for much of middle of decade apart from Border and Boon so it not going to be easy to decide but easier than task was for openers.

Outside those I mentioned nobody else scored many runs & all of those guys had bad records overall.

 

[footyfan1978]

didn't even score a test ton though !!!!

Scored a ton in something better. World Series Cricket Supertest.
Nothing tougher than facing West Indies pace barrage of era he opened in. Making a 50 was hard, let alone centuries.

 

[footyfan1978]

Outside those I mentioned nobody else scored many runs & all of those guys had bad records overall.

Border is only one of this era for Australia that comes out smelling roses.
Boon was very good but Border the only one that was a genuine gun.
As for openers, no guns hence the tough task to just find two to go with.

 

[footyfan1978]

Pretty certain they retired start of 1984

Turns out it was 1983/84 summer so correct.

 

[Flogwater]

Based solely on performances in the 1980s, here is my Australian Test XI.

1. Wessels
2. Boon
3. G Chappell (c)
4. K Hughes
5. Border
6. S Waugh
7. R Marsh
8. Lawson
9. Yardley
10. Lillee
11. Alderman

The spinner's role is a weakness in this side. Yardley's performances early in the decade took him ahead of the likes of Bright, Holland, Matthews and Hohns. I considered picking 4 seamers, but 3 seamers and a spinner gives the side more options and is better for team balance.

If I were selecting a West Indian XI for the 1980s, I would happily select 4 quicks from the superb array of options available and I would have no qualms about not selecting a specialist spinner. IVA Richards was handy with his offies anyway.

Steve Waugh edged out Jones for the number 6 spot.

 

[Pippen94]

Based solely on performances in the 1980s, here is my Australian Test XI.

1. Wessels
2. Boon
3. G Chappell (c)
4. K Hughes
5. Border
6. S Waugh
7. R Marsh
8. Lawson
9. Yardley
10. Lillee
11. Alderman

The spinner's role is a weakness in this side. Yardley's performances early in the decade took him ahead of the likes of Bright, Holland, Matthews and Hohns. I considered picking 4 seamers, but 3 seamers and a spinner gives the side more options and is better for team balance.

If I were selecting a West Indian XI for the 1980s, I would happily select 4 quicks from the superb array of options available and I would have no qualms about not selecting a specialist spinner. IVA Richards was handy with his offies anyway.

Steve Waugh edged out Jones for the number 6 spot.

Yardley was the best spinner for the 80's. Reminded me of Colin Miller as both were paceman & I think bowled with similar grips. Like Miller put together a good record in tests.

 

[Pippen94]

Border is only one of this era for Australia that comes out smelling roses.
Boon was very good but Border the only one that was a genuine gun.
As for openers, no guns hence the tough task to just find two to go with.

You can pick apart any record & ppl do generally to support their own prejudices. All main players performed well give or take certain series. Selecting players with small sample size with altogether poor records seems like a waste of time

 

[Gough]

Turns out it was 1983/84 summer so correct.

80s for me are split by their retirement. As usual the ACB/CA just thought they'd find a bunch of once in a generation players to replace them.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

I'll have Boon and Wessells as the openers.

I think that 631 from 16 innings opening in that period for Hilditch.
Trailed off at end when must have lost form that got him back into the team but not far off averaging 40 in that period as an opener.
Nothing to sneeze at.. I will consider.

Once the opposition worked out he couldn't handle the short ball that was the end of him.

The problem with picking a quality Australian team for the 80's is that it was a particularly poor period for Australia for both Batting and bowling. An 80's Australian team will be a weak one.