It's been a while since we've had a draft, and they're usually good fun, so I was thinking it's about time to have another one.
But this time, there's a twist. Rather than picking the best team we possibly can like usual (with the one exception who doesn't know what's going on and picks a fairly unimpressive team), this time there will be a series of restrictions so tight that no-one will be able to pick a quality outfit. The usual restrictions are just based on era and/or country, but we're adding in something crucial: statistics.
To make these sides truly ordinary, the following restrictions are in place:
All players must have played at least ten Tests.
Specialist batsmen cannot average over 35.00.
Specialist bowlers cannot average under 35.00.
All-rounders have the above restrictions.
Players must have a batting average at least ten runs less than their bowling, unless they took less than ten wickets in Tests.
Wicket-keepers have the same restriction as batsmen, but must also be regarded as poor with the gloves.
You must pick one player from the ten Test playing nations that have played at least ten Tests (ie. all but Afghanistan and Ireland), which will leave you with two 'wildcard' picks.
Sound good?
Round 1
1. Art Vandelay_ - Fidel Edwards (West Indies)
2. Van_Dyke - Darren Sammy (West Indies)
3. 11kgm - Dilruwan Perera (Sri Lanka)
4. reggie - Kamran Akmal (Pakistan)
5. akkaps - Matt Renshaw (Aus)
6. cricketnut14 - Mahmudullah (Bangladesh)
7. The Speaker - Ashley Giles (England)
8. big_e - Javed Omar (Bangladesh)
Round 2
9. big_e - Grant Flower (Zimbabwe)
10. The Speaker - Artie Dick (New Zealand)
11. cricketnut14 - Andy Blignaut (Zimbabwe)
12. akkaps - KL Rahul (India)
13. reggie - Eldine Baptiste (West Indies)
14. 11kgm - Sean Williams (Zimbabwe)
15. Van_Dyke - Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka)
16. Art Vandelay_ - Mansur Ali Khan, Nawab of Pataudi (India)
Round 3
17. Art Vandelay_ - Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe)
18. Van_Dyke - Ray Price (Zimbabwe)
19. 11kgm - Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies)
20. reggie - Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh)
21. akkaps - Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
22. cricketnut14 - Jimmy Neesham (New Zealand)
23. The Speaker - Trevor Franklin (New Zealand)
24. big_e - Geraint Jones (England)
Round 4
25. big_e - Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
26. The Speaker - George Bonnor (Australia)
27. cricketnut14 - Chetan Sharma (India)
28. akkaps - Imran Tahir (South Africa)
29. reggie - Devon Malcolm (England)
30. 11kgm - Mustifizur Rahim (Bangladesh)
31. Van_Dyke - Jonny Bairstow (England)
32. Art Vandelay_ - Paul Harris (South Africa)
Round 5
33. Art Vandelay_ - Matthew Wade (Australia)
34. Van_Dyke - Habibul Bashar (Bangladesh)
35. 11kgm - Dinesh Ramdin (West Indies)
36. reggie - Neil Johnson (Zimbabwe)
37. akkaps - Nuwan Pradeep (Sri Lanka)
38. cricketnut14 - Ravi Ratnayeke (Sri Lanka)
39. The Speaker - Henry Olonga (Zimbabwe)
40. big_e - Ken Rutherford (New Zealand)
Round 6
41. big_e - Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka)
42. The Speaker - Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh)
43. cricketnut14 - Greg Blewett (Australia)
44. akkaps - Bryan Strang (Zimbabwe)
45. reggie - Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan (India)
46. 11kgm - Geoff Marsh (Australia)
47. Van_Dyke - Ramiz Raja (Pakistan)
48. Art Vandelay_ - Russel Arnold (Sri Lanka)
Round 7
49. Art Vandelay_ - Mark Butcher (England)
50. Van_Dyke - Pat Symcox (South Africa)
51. 11kgm - Ajit Wadekar (India)
52. reggie - Peter Kirsten (South Africa)
53. akkaps - Salman Butt (Pakistan)
54. cricketnut14 - Marlon Samuels (West Indies)
55. The Speaker - Rusi Surti (India)
56. big_e - Ajit Agarkar (India)
Round 8
57. big_e - Mohammad Sami (Pakistan)
58. The Speaker - Omari Banks (West Indies)
59. cricketnut14 - Alviro Petersen (South Africa)
60. akkaps - Liton Das (Bangladesh)
61. reggie - W.G. Grace (England)
62. 11kgm - Derek Randall (England)
63. Van_Dyke - Doug Bracewell (New Zealand)
64. Art Vandelay_ - John Bracewell (New Zealand)
Round 9
65. Art Vandelay_ - Imran Farhat (Pakistan)
66. Van_Dyke - Yuvraj Singh (India)
67. 11kgm - Gordon White (South Africa)
68. reggie - David Hookes (Australia)
69. akkaps - Liam Plunkett (England)
70. cricketnut14 - Yasir Hameed (Pakistan)
71. The Speaker - Graeme Hick (England)
72. big_e - Nixon McLean (West Indies)
Round 10
73. big_e - Temba Bavuma (South Africa)
74. The Speaker - Lahiru Thirimanne (Sri Lanka)
75. cricketnut14 - Kerry O'Keeffe (Australia)
76. akkaps - Shai Hope (West Indies)
77. reggie - Dean Brownlie (New Zealand)
78. 11kgm - Sikander Bakht (Pakistan)
79. Van_Dyke - Shaun Marsh (Australia)
80. Art Vandelay_ - Shahadat Hossain (Bangladesh)
Round 11
81. Art Vandelay_ - Peter Nevill (Australia)
82. Van_Dyke - Matthew Elliott (Australia)
83. 11kgm -
84. reggie -
85. Walt Kowalski -
86. cricketnut14 -
87. The Speaker -
88. big_e -
Round 12
89. big_e -
90. The Speaker -
91. cricketnut14 -
92. Walt Kowalski -
93. reggie -
94. 11kgm -
95. Van_Dyke -
96. Art Vandelay_ -
But this time, there's a twist. Rather than picking the best team we possibly can like usual (with the one exception who doesn't know what's going on and picks a fairly unimpressive team), this time there will be a series of restrictions so tight that no-one will be able to pick a quality outfit. The usual restrictions are just based on era and/or country, but we're adding in something crucial: statistics.
To make these sides truly ordinary, the following restrictions are in place:
All players must have played at least ten Tests.
Specialist batsmen cannot average over 35.00.
Specialist bowlers cannot average under 35.00.
All-rounders have the above restrictions.
Players must have a batting average at least ten runs less than their bowling, unless they took less than ten wickets in Tests.
Wicket-keepers have the same restriction as batsmen, but must also be regarded as poor with the gloves.
You must pick one player from the ten Test playing nations that have played at least ten Tests (ie. all but Afghanistan and Ireland), which will leave you with two 'wildcard' picks.
Sound good?
Round 1
1. Art Vandelay_ - Fidel Edwards (West Indies)
2. Van_Dyke - Darren Sammy (West Indies)
3. 11kgm - Dilruwan Perera (Sri Lanka)
4. reggie - Kamran Akmal (Pakistan)
5. akkaps - Matt Renshaw (Aus)
6. cricketnut14 - Mahmudullah (Bangladesh)
7. The Speaker - Ashley Giles (England)
8. big_e - Javed Omar (Bangladesh)
Round 2
9. big_e - Grant Flower (Zimbabwe)
10. The Speaker - Artie Dick (New Zealand)
11. cricketnut14 - Andy Blignaut (Zimbabwe)
12. akkaps - KL Rahul (India)
13. reggie - Eldine Baptiste (West Indies)
14. 11kgm - Sean Williams (Zimbabwe)
15. Van_Dyke - Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka)
16. Art Vandelay_ - Mansur Ali Khan, Nawab of Pataudi (India)
Round 3
17. Art Vandelay_ - Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe)
18. Van_Dyke - Ray Price (Zimbabwe)
19. 11kgm - Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies)
20. reggie - Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh)
21. akkaps - Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
22. cricketnut14 - Jimmy Neesham (New Zealand)
23. The Speaker - Trevor Franklin (New Zealand)
24. big_e - Geraint Jones (England)
Round 4
25. big_e - Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
26. The Speaker - George Bonnor (Australia)
27. cricketnut14 - Chetan Sharma (India)
28. akkaps - Imran Tahir (South Africa)
29. reggie - Devon Malcolm (England)
30. 11kgm - Mustifizur Rahim (Bangladesh)
31. Van_Dyke - Jonny Bairstow (England)
32. Art Vandelay_ - Paul Harris (South Africa)
Round 5
33. Art Vandelay_ - Matthew Wade (Australia)
34. Van_Dyke - Habibul Bashar (Bangladesh)
35. 11kgm - Dinesh Ramdin (West Indies)
36. reggie - Neil Johnson (Zimbabwe)
37. akkaps - Nuwan Pradeep (Sri Lanka)
38. cricketnut14 - Ravi Ratnayeke (Sri Lanka)
39. The Speaker - Henry Olonga (Zimbabwe)
40. big_e - Ken Rutherford (New Zealand)
Round 6
41. big_e - Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka)
42. The Speaker - Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh)
43. cricketnut14 - Greg Blewett (Australia)
44. akkaps - Bryan Strang (Zimbabwe)
45. reggie - Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan (India)
46. 11kgm - Geoff Marsh (Australia)
47. Van_Dyke - Ramiz Raja (Pakistan)
48. Art Vandelay_ - Russel Arnold (Sri Lanka)
Round 7
49. Art Vandelay_ - Mark Butcher (England)
50. Van_Dyke - Pat Symcox (South Africa)
51. 11kgm - Ajit Wadekar (India)
52. reggie - Peter Kirsten (South Africa)
53. akkaps - Salman Butt (Pakistan)
54. cricketnut14 - Marlon Samuels (West Indies)
55. The Speaker - Rusi Surti (India)
56. big_e - Ajit Agarkar (India)
Round 8
57. big_e - Mohammad Sami (Pakistan)
58. The Speaker - Omari Banks (West Indies)
59. cricketnut14 - Alviro Petersen (South Africa)
60. akkaps - Liton Das (Bangladesh)
61. reggie - W.G. Grace (England)
62. 11kgm - Derek Randall (England)
63. Van_Dyke - Doug Bracewell (New Zealand)
64. Art Vandelay_ - John Bracewell (New Zealand)
Round 9
65. Art Vandelay_ - Imran Farhat (Pakistan)
66. Van_Dyke - Yuvraj Singh (India)
67. 11kgm - Gordon White (South Africa)
68. reggie - David Hookes (Australia)
69. akkaps - Liam Plunkett (England)
70. cricketnut14 - Yasir Hameed (Pakistan)
71. The Speaker - Graeme Hick (England)
72. big_e - Nixon McLean (West Indies)
Round 10
73. big_e - Temba Bavuma (South Africa)
74. The Speaker - Lahiru Thirimanne (Sri Lanka)
75. cricketnut14 - Kerry O'Keeffe (Australia)
76. akkaps - Shai Hope (West Indies)
77. reggie - Dean Brownlie (New Zealand)
78. 11kgm - Sikander Bakht (Pakistan)
79. Van_Dyke - Shaun Marsh (Australia)
80. Art Vandelay_ - Shahadat Hossain (Bangladesh)
Round 11
81. Art Vandelay_ - Peter Nevill (Australia)
82. Van_Dyke - Matthew Elliott (Australia)
83. 11kgm -
84. reggie -
85. Walt Kowalski -
86. cricketnut14 -
87. The Speaker -
88. big_e -
Round 12
89. big_e -
90. The Speaker -
91. cricketnut14 -
92. Walt Kowalski -
93. reggie -
94. 11kgm -
95. Van_Dyke -
96. Art Vandelay_ -
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