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In honour of Super Mitch's retirement, as well as it being Movember, I've come up with an Australian 'Mo' XI that features some great players and characters who have worn the baggy green over the years:
#1 CHARLES BANNERMAN
BEST KNOWN FOR: Facing the first ball, scoring the first run and scoring the first century in the history of Test Cricket way back in 1877. Also one of the first genuinely controversial characters that the game had seen.
#2 DAVID WARNER
BEST KNOWN FOR: His very aggressive style, both with and without the bat, both on and off the field! This included punching Joe Root in a pub. Oh and currently scoring runs like there's no tomorrow. A somewhat controversial selection in this team, due to the relatively average effort on his upper lip.
#3 IAN CHAPPELL
BEST KNOWN FOR: Taking on the cricket board of the time (headed by one Sir Donald Bradman), he guided the Australian team through the WSC revolution. He also never a series as Test captain. A real leader of men.
#4 DAVID BOON
BEST KNOWN FOR: Drinking 52 cans en route to England. Incredible. Was pretty handy with the bat too, scoring 21 Test tons. Also took one of the best catches on a hat-trick ball ever seen in the game.
#5 ALLAN BORDER
BEST KNOWN FOR: Where to begin? He captained Australia's first World Cup win in 1987, then started one of the longest eras of Ashes dominance by leading his team to destroy England on their own turf in 1989. For some barren years through the mid-80s, he was THE key wicket in the batting order, hard as nails. And there was the small matter of being the greatest run-scorer in Test history for a period (11,174). Legend.
#6 GREG 'MO' MATTHEWS
BEST KNOWN FOR: Other than those cringe worthy Advanced Hair ads, he has the unique honour of being the only man in history to take a wicket to tie a Test match, against India in 1986. A handy spinning all-rounder who scrapes into the XI on a technicality!
#7 ROD MARSH
BEST KNOWN FOR: Taking about a million catches off the bowling of Lillee and Thomson as they ran through teams in the 70s. Whilst his batting was more than handy, the less said about him as a selector, the better!
#8 MITCHELL JOHNSON
BEST KNOWN FOR: Bowling terrifying spells of pure intimidation. The list of batsmen that he has struck and injured is elite. His 2013/14 Ashes series reached a height not attained by most bowlers at any stage of their careers. He was also a fantastic striker of the ball. Will be sorely missed.
#9 MERV HUGHES
BEST KNOWN FOR: His mo, quite simply. One of the great ones seen in Test cricket. And that ^^ warm-up routine. He was a very good bowler when fit, highlighted by two successful Ashes tours in '89 & '93. Some of his one-liners to batsmen are worth the effort googling. Brilliant.
#10 MAX WALKER
BEST KNOWN FOR: His incredibly unusual bowling action that involved releasing the ball off the wrong foot, earning him the nickname 'Tangles'. A great foil to Thomson and Lillee through the 70s. The 12th Man's take on his commentary from back in the day is the stuff of legend. He is also in a select group of Test players who played league football.
#11 DENNIS LILLEE
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being one of the greatest fast bowlers the world has ever seen. He held the record for most Test wickets (355) until it was passed by the great Shane Warne. He's also the reason that Mitch became that bowler that he did.
Overall, a pretty well-balanced side. You could argue the batting line-up is a bit shallow, but given Allan Border was worth two wickets, I'd be happy with that. It's a side definitely capable of taking 20 wickets too. It's a genuine toss-up for who is captain though, as both Chappell and Border were brilliant leaders in very different situations.
Is there anyone you'd change from that lot?
#1 CHARLES BANNERMAN
BEST KNOWN FOR: Facing the first ball, scoring the first run and scoring the first century in the history of Test Cricket way back in 1877. Also one of the first genuinely controversial characters that the game had seen.
#2 DAVID WARNER
BEST KNOWN FOR: His very aggressive style, both with and without the bat, both on and off the field! This included punching Joe Root in a pub. Oh and currently scoring runs like there's no tomorrow. A somewhat controversial selection in this team, due to the relatively average effort on his upper lip.
#3 IAN CHAPPELL
BEST KNOWN FOR: Taking on the cricket board of the time (headed by one Sir Donald Bradman), he guided the Australian team through the WSC revolution. He also never a series as Test captain. A real leader of men.
#4 DAVID BOON
BEST KNOWN FOR: Drinking 52 cans en route to England. Incredible. Was pretty handy with the bat too, scoring 21 Test tons. Also took one of the best catches on a hat-trick ball ever seen in the game.
#5 ALLAN BORDER
BEST KNOWN FOR: Where to begin? He captained Australia's first World Cup win in 1987, then started one of the longest eras of Ashes dominance by leading his team to destroy England on their own turf in 1989. For some barren years through the mid-80s, he was THE key wicket in the batting order, hard as nails. And there was the small matter of being the greatest run-scorer in Test history for a period (11,174). Legend.
#6 GREG 'MO' MATTHEWS
BEST KNOWN FOR: Other than those cringe worthy Advanced Hair ads, he has the unique honour of being the only man in history to take a wicket to tie a Test match, against India in 1986. A handy spinning all-rounder who scrapes into the XI on a technicality!
#7 ROD MARSH
BEST KNOWN FOR: Taking about a million catches off the bowling of Lillee and Thomson as they ran through teams in the 70s. Whilst his batting was more than handy, the less said about him as a selector, the better!
#8 MITCHELL JOHNSON
BEST KNOWN FOR: Bowling terrifying spells of pure intimidation. The list of batsmen that he has struck and injured is elite. His 2013/14 Ashes series reached a height not attained by most bowlers at any stage of their careers. He was also a fantastic striker of the ball. Will be sorely missed.
#9 MERV HUGHES
BEST KNOWN FOR: His mo, quite simply. One of the great ones seen in Test cricket. And that ^^ warm-up routine. He was a very good bowler when fit, highlighted by two successful Ashes tours in '89 & '93. Some of his one-liners to batsmen are worth the effort googling. Brilliant.
#10 MAX WALKER
BEST KNOWN FOR: His incredibly unusual bowling action that involved releasing the ball off the wrong foot, earning him the nickname 'Tangles'. A great foil to Thomson and Lillee through the 70s. The 12th Man's take on his commentary from back in the day is the stuff of legend. He is also in a select group of Test players who played league football.
#11 DENNIS LILLEE
BEST KNOWN FOR: Being one of the greatest fast bowlers the world has ever seen. He held the record for most Test wickets (355) until it was passed by the great Shane Warne. He's also the reason that Mitch became that bowler that he did.
Overall, a pretty well-balanced side. You could argue the batting line-up is a bit shallow, but given Allan Border was worth two wickets, I'd be happy with that. It's a side definitely capable of taking 20 wickets too. It's a genuine toss-up for who is captain though, as both Chappell and Border were brilliant leaders in very different situations.
Is there anyone you'd change from that lot?
