Greatest World Cup XI

[Kram]

It would be interesting to see how the World Cup stats for players stack up if you took out all the games against minnows. I mean take Gary Kirsten's 188 not out against the UAE or McGrath's 7 wickets for 15 against Namibia shouldn't count for much..

 

[footyfan1978]

Ponting played his whole World Cup career at 3. Viv played 11/21 at 4 and scored 1 century, 3 half centuries at number 4.

Probably true but also sure at some stage both Viv and Ponting played at 4 when needs be. Both very capable of batting in either position. Not fussed whom is 3 and 4 out of both of them but both were gun one day batsman. I just have more memory of Viv being 3 because Ponting batting a lot at 4 in Tests too. Seems more logical to give Viv 3 and Ponting 4. I not strictly picking a team on only World Cup games. Personally my own team takes into account best team over all the one dayers. Obviously doing well in World Cup does earn more credit though.

 

[gandaal]

Nothing controversial about mine, except that I chose 5 bowlers rather than relying on all rounders. If you can get through my top 6 then good luck to you, I'm sure Bradman would agree.

World XI
1. Sanath Jayasuriya
2. Adam Gilchrist
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Viv Richards
5. Sachin Tendulkar
6. Brian Lara
7. Shane Warne
8. Brett Lee
9. Wasim Akram
10. Muttiah Muraltharan
11. Glenn McGrath

 

[footyfan1978]

Nothing controversial about mine, except that I chose 5 bowlers rather than relying on all rounders.

You certainly do not have same team as me but the only one so far that had same stucture. I too had 5 bowlers and 6 bats with Gilchrist very handy dual role of opener and keeper meaning traditional all round can skip over. My 5 bowlers being Wasim Akram, Richard Hadlee, Brett Lee, Joel Garner and Shane Warne. I remember in first half of 1980's when Windies were a supreme cricket power plenty of time they went with 4 pace bowlers and 1 spinner like Roger Harper. His fielding was so good, half the time I reckon he got in the side based on that.

 

[footyfan1978]

November 1981 in a one day international West Indies played with 5 fast bowlers in one dayer against Australia.
Holding, Roberts, Marshall, Garner and Croft all playing together. Amazing to have to face.
Not one spinner played or bowled in the match for either team. Of all places at the SCG.
It backfired for West Indies. 8 for 236 off 49 overs. Greendige, Haynes, Richards and Lloyd getting most of the runs.
Chasing 237 in the night session Australia opened with Bruce Laird and Rick Darling.
Michael Holding got Darling out cheaply and then Andy Roberts got Greg Chappell for 1
Australia was 2 for 8.
Border then got run out for 29 and were 3 for 90.
Kim Hughes came to the wicket with Bruce Laird and took us to victory with 147 run partnership against the five man express pace attack.
Bruce Laird was 117 not out and Kim Hughes 62 when they got the runs with two overs to spare.

In January they also played 5 paceman against us at same ground. This time the 5th pace bowler was Sylvester Clarke rather than Colin Croft.
They lost again. Who would have thought ?

 

[Yoda_]

Probably true but also sure at some stage both Viv and Ponting played at 4 when needs be. Both very capable of batting in either position. Not fussed whom is 3 and 4 out of both of them but both were gun one day batsman. I just have more memory of Viv being 3 because Ponting batting a lot at 4 in Tests too. Seems more logical to give Viv 3 and Ponting 4. I not strictly picking a team on only World Cup games. Personally my own team takes into account best team over all the one dayers. Obviously doing well in World Cup does earn more credit though.

Ponting batted at 5 once in World Cups, Richards batted (a large portion of the time) at 4.

 

[Yoda_]

Just on the keeper situation.

AB De Villiers has more world cup centuries (3) than AC Gilchrist (1) and a superior strike rate to that of his contemporary (104 versus 98). Not bad for a bloke who finishes the innings.

 

[gandaal]

You certainly do not have same team as me but the only one so far that had same stucture. I too had 5 bowlers and 6 bats with Gilchrist very handy dual role of opener and keeper meaning traditional all round can skip over. My 5 bowlers being Wasim Akram, Richard Hadlee, Brett Lee, Joel Garner and Shane Warne. I remember in first half of 1980's when Windies were a supreme cricket power plenty of time they went with 4 pace bowlers and 1 spinner like Roger Harper. His fielding was so good, half the time I reckon he got in the side based on that.

Garner was replaced at the last minute by Brett Lee in my team. I had two criteria for selecting my bowlers:
1. Performance and record at World Cups.
2. Variety of bowling attack that a captain would want when bowling out an opposition.

With line and length, swing, pace, off spin and leg spin I think I have all bases covered.

 

[footyfan1978]

Garner was replaced at the last minute by Brett Lee in my team. I had two criteria for selecting my bowlers:
1. Performance and record at World Cups.
2. Variety of bowling attack that a captain would want when bowling out an opposition.

With line and length, swing, pace, off spin and leg spin I think I have all bases covered.

My criteria involves not picking an off thrower, even if rules were bent to allow him to be deemed legal delivery action.

 

[gandaal]

Nothing controversial about mine, except that I chose 5 bowlers rather than relying on all rounders. If you can get through my top 6 then good luck to you, I'm sure Bradman would agree.

World XI
1. Sanath Jayasuriya
2. Adam Gilchrist
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Viv Richards
5. Sachin Tendulkar
6. Brian Lara
7. Shane Warne
8. Brett Lee
9. Wasim Akram
10. Muttiah Muraltharan
11. Glenn McGrath

Here's a team for them to play against:
1. Mark Waugh
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Matthew Hayden
4. Michael Clarke
5. Jacques Kallis
6. Steve Waugh
7. AB Devilliers
8. Anil Kumble
9. Michael Holding
10. Joel Garner
11. Curtly Ambrose

Would be a fascinating match to watch.

 

[eth-dog]

Here's a team for them to play against:
1. Mark Waugh
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Matthew Hayden
4. Michael Clarke
5. Jacques Kallis
6. Steve Waugh
7. AB Devilliers
8. Anil Kumble
9. Michael Holding
10. Joel Garner
11. Curtly Ambrose

Would be a fascinating match to watch.

Surely Dhoni would get the keepers spot? Brilliant finisher

 

[getthefooty]

Nothing controversial about mine, except that I chose 5 bowlers rather than relying on all rounders. If you can get through my top 6 then good luck to you, I'm sure Bradman would agree.

World XI
1. Sanath Jayasuriya
2. Adam Gilchrist
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Viv Richards
5. Sachin Tendulkar
6. Brian Lara
7. Shane Warne
8. Brett Lee
9. Wasim Akram
10. Muttiah Muraltharan
11. Glenn McGrath

I think taking 6 batsmen (no matter how good they are) into any ODI is asking for trouble. Especially as all the batsmen you have listed are naturally inclined to attack. A few quick wickets and that team could quite easily be rolled for 200, especially as the tail is not all that great either. IMO you definitely need at least one all rounder, probably two, a batsman like a Bevan or Kallis that can resurrect an innings by just pushing it around, and batting down to 7.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Lack of Michael Hussey frustrates me [emoji14] no one better at 6 or 7 i reckon

Gilly
Tendulkar
Ponting
Viv
AB
Huss
Kallis
Warne
Akram
Ambrose
McGrath

 

[Slax]

Team of all-rounders

1. Gilchrist
2. Jayasuriya
3. Richards
4. Tendulkar
5. Kallis
6. Symonds
7. Imran
8. Cairns
9. Akram
10. Marshall
11. Hadlee

Hadlee below Marshall, sorry but not in any lifetime would that happen. Would also have Flintoff or Kapil Dev well before even considered Symonds

 

[Kram]

Did M.Hussey really do much special in World Cups though? That's the point of the thread. I can't remember tbh..

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Did M.Hussey really do much special in World Cups though? That's the point of the thread. I can't remember tbh..

I was going more off of greatest XI to take into a world cup kind of thinking. On performances in world cups. I really dont know, I havent ever really look at world cup specific stats and have only watched 3 in my life time. Maybe a bit of a 4th

 

[footyfan1978]

Lack of Michael Hussey frustrates me [emoji14] no one better at 6 or 7 i reckon

Tend to agree although Bevan and Chris Cairns worth a close look for same type of batting spot.
Like you I was picking my team based on all one dayers, not restricted to small number of World Cup matches. Bevan or Hussey at 6 is ideal in my book.

 

[Kram]

I was going more off of greatest XI to take into a world cup kind of thinking. On performances in world cups. I really dont know, I havent ever really look at world cup specific stats and have only watched 3 in my life time. Maybe a bit of a 4th

Have a look at the link in the OP to jog your memory. I'd probably have Huss close to a world XI but not a WC one, my team that I picked would be quite different probably if it was an all time OD team rather than performances/impact in the WC.

 

[gandaal]

Surely Dhoni would get the keepers spot? Brilliant finisher

Ahead of AB?

 

[eth-dog]

Ahead of AB?

You could make an argument of dropping one of the top 3 and moving everybody up the order. Dhoni is one of the best finisher's the world's seen IMO

 

[gandaal]

You could make an argument of dropping one of the top 3 and moving everybody up the order. Dhoni is one of the best finisher's the world's seen IMO

Not mine. Sorry.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Yeah i wouldnt have Dhoni near my side.

How can you when you have
1. Gilchrist
2. AB
3. Sangakarra
And even some who werent included in the list like McCullun

No thnx to Dhoni

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Yeah i wouldnt have Dhoni near my side.

How can you when you have
1. Gilchrist
2. AB
3. Sangakarra
And even some who werent included in the list like McCullun

No thnx to Dhoni

Jeepers, Dhoni is a long way ahead of McCullum at least.

 

[Yoda_]

Surely Dhoni would get the keepers spot? Brilliant finisher

Nuh, AB De Villiers. Better strike rate, more hundreds and already more ODI WC runs that sir MS

 

[Yoda_]

Statistically speaking, would be close to the best XI in there chosen batting positions. Was a toss up between Shaun Pollock and Chris Harris (NEw Zealand vet who played till he was 36). Kluesener had one good world cup but what a domination it was. Not the greatest statistically but compiled what I would think to be the best number 1, number 2, number 3 etc.

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Sanath Jayasuriya
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Viv Richards
5. AB De Villiers
6. Kapil Dev
7. Shaun Pollock
8. Lance Kluesner
9. Chaminda Vaas
10. Muttiah Muraliatharan
11. Glenn McGrath

Took AB over Gilly at the top as AB already has more centuries and a better strike rate than his contemporary whilst the man replacing Gilly (Sanath) can provide just as dynamic a batsmen and also some handy left arm off spin.

Viv was the greatest ODI player pre 1990 and still one of the best number 4's in ODI WC history. Averaging 63 in that day was remarkable.

Dev would share the new ball with McGrath whilst Kluesner, Vaas and Pollock could all provide able support with the ball. Murali, Sachin, VIV could all provide support on the slow bowling front.


May be bowling heavy but with that batting line up, you shouldn't need to bat deep


Any questions, come at me