Your all time favourite XI.

[thetank]

When you look at some of the all time great batsmen to average over 50, those that average over 50 away is very few. They are Kallis, Tendulkar*, Dravid*, Chappell, Younis Khan, Hammond*

*all average more away from home than at home, Hammond average a massive 16 runs more away than at home.

Great call on Hammond, if Bradman didn't exist then Hammond and George Headley would have been the standout batsmen of their generation. Both have been unfairly "forgotten" by modern fans.

 

[Ysaye]

This is a favourite test eleven based on whom we have watched? Then (balancing it all up to make a team):

Michael Vaughan (Stylish stroke maker that had enough temperament in his prime to be a class opener)
Alastair Cook (Great player with mass runs against decent bowling attacks before taking on the captaincy)
Allan Border (Gritty and oozing leadership in a time where we were really back against the wall - what you want at No.3)
Sachin Tendulkar (Most stylish and devastating player - you pay admission just to see him play at his prime)
Chris Cairns (Best batting all-rounder I ever saw, could really take a game away with some big hitting)
Jonty Rhodes (Most enthusiastic player even when chips were down, changed the art of fielding)
Jack Russell (Best keeper - just super slick)
Imran Khan (Scary swing bowler when on, also handy with the bat)
Anil Kumble (The gentleman warrior, perhaps not the best spinner but the fiercest competitor)
Curtley Ambrose (Just scary...and he would smile and then come and get them)
Alan Donald (Another scary fast bowler, but he never seemed to complain, just got on with the job)

Apologies Rahul Dravid, Mark Waugh, Kumar Sangakarra, David Gower, Jacques Kallis, Mike Hussey, David Richardson, Daniel Vettori, Shaun Pollock, Michael Holding, Terry Alderman!!!!!

 

[Beutbrute]

I wish I could have watched some of the following
Don Bradman
Victor Trumper
Greame Pollock
Garfield Sobers
Jeff Thomson pre injury

My favourite 11 that I have watched would be:
1. M. Hayden
2. D. Boon
3. V. Richards
4. S. Fleming (C) The best captain I have seen.
5. A. Border
6. I. Botham
7. A. Gilchrist (+)
8. W. Akram
9. S. Warne
10. C. Ambrose
11. B. Reid When he wasn't injured something always seemed to happen when he bowled

 

[Yoda_]

Ill put together an alternative looking one!

1. Michael Vaughan (possibly the greatest counter - attack in a Warne/McGrath led Ashes series)
2. Matt Hayden (should go down as one of the greatest openers we have seen)
3. Faf Du Plessi (Bloke is a genius, how he wasn't in the side earlier is astounding)
4. Andy Flower (possibly the greatest non full member batsmen we have seen)
5. Mike Hussey (How can you not squeeze Mr.Cricket into one of these sides?)
6. AB De Villiers (possibly my favourite player in world cricket)
7. Nathan Astle (fastest double hundred in test cricket [I think still?] says it all)
8. Shaun Pollock (led the Saffers attack superbly for many a year)
9. Dale Steyn (Best fast bowler in the world right now)
10. Shane Bond (The bloke was unplayable on his best days, sadly we hardly saw them)
11. Mustaq ahmed or Saglquain Mustaq for something a bit different as my spinner

 

[Hellgood]

3. Faf Du Plessi (Bloke is a genius, how he wasn't in the side earlier is astounding)

Not really. As with Hussey, the journey maketh the player. Was able to come into the side as an experienced hand who's played a lot of cricket in a variety of conditions. Don't forget he also had signed a Kolpak deal and was effectively locked in with Lancashire from 2008 to the end of 2010.

Edit: But yeah, he's a genius. Love these Hussey/Rogers/Misbah type stories rewarding perseverance.

 

[PaddyO]

If I go all time..

Len Hutton
Barry Richards
Viv Richards
Graham Pollock
Victor Trumper
Keith Miller *
AB DeVilliers +
Shane Warne
Joel Garner
Dennis Lillee
Waqar Younis

 

[HugeJohnson]

M Hayden
J Langer
R Ponting
M Clarke
M Hussey
A Symonds
A Gilchrist
M Johnson
B Lee
S Warne
G Mcgrath

All of them Australians but those are the players who I grew up supporting (Johnson obviously more recently but had to put him in)

That batting depth...

 

[Captain Boomer]

Sehwag
M Waugh
Lara
Sachin
Kallis
Sangakarra
Warne
Steyn
Ambrose
shoaib Akhtar
Waquar Younis

 

[Jascave]

1. Sir Leonard Hutton
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Sir Vivian Richards
4. Allan Border (c)
5. Graeme Pollock
6. Sir Richard Hadlee
7. Adam Gilchrist(wk)
8. Shane Warne
9. Dennis Lillee
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Glenn McGrath

 

[Caesar]

M Vaughan
D Gower
B Lara
D Martyn
M Waugh
M Crowe
M Boucher
D Vettori
S Warne
D Gough
B Reid

 

[RobbyRoy]

From my viewing years (Late 90's onwards)

J. Langer (always preferred him to his far more popular opening partner)
H. Gibbs (for some reason he was my first favourite player, awesome to watch on his day)
R. Ponting * (the countless times I saw him dominate bowling attacks, impossible not to have)
B. Lara (best I've seen)
K. Sangakkara + (was a big favourite of mine when he started but I never expected he'd reach these heights)
V.V.S. Laxman (a joy to watch)
S. Warne (freak)
C. Vaas (another random favourite, always did his job)
S. Bond (injury ruined something really special here)
S. Akhtar (not many greater sites than seeing a fit and firing Akhtar run in)
G. McGrath (genius)

Long tail but who really cares?! This was way tougher than I thought it would be.

 

[free at last]

Gavaskar
Hayden
Ponting
Tendulkar
Richards
Botham
Gilchrist
Akram
Warne
Lillee
McGrath

 

[Super Hans]

Gonna update mine with proper openers:

1. Marcus Trescothick
2. Greame Smith
3. Ricky Ponting (C)
4. Damien Martyn
5. Mahela Jayawardene
6. Michael Hussey
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Shaun Pollock
9. Daniel Vettori
10. Stuart Clark
11. Shane Bond

12. Kane Williamson

All players I got to see live. If I was going to include someone who I've only seen mostly on YouTube and only caught the back end of his career, it would be Mark Waugh.

 

[Yoda_]

We really were blessed to see some of the best bowling of all time through the 90's and 00's.

Akram, Younis, Bond, Pollock, Donald, the back end of the Windies, the Australian greats.

Would think perhaps only Jimmy Anderson and Dale Steyn of the current (still playing) cricketers could force an argument for greatness.

 

[Yoda_]

While I am here though; might update mine too

Test XI

Matthew Hayden
Michael Vaughan
Ricky Ponting
Sachin Tendulkar
Andy Flower
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist (wk)
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Shane Bond
Glenn McGrath

 

[FlowersByIrene]

My personal favourite players I have ENJOYED watching, as in they are greats AND i like them.

15 Man Squad would be..

1. Justin Langer
2. Graeme Smith
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Brian Lara
5. Michael Hussey
6. Jaques Kallis
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Andrew Flintoff
9. Shane Warne
10. Dale Steyn
11. Glen McGrath

12. A.B DeVilliers
13. Kumar Sangakarra
14. Mitchell Johnson
15. Daniel Vettorri

Langer over Hayden was always my preference, although Hayden is a star. I would normally take Hayden or even Warner over Smith but I wanted to get some internationals in there.

Going the twin all rounders in Kallis and Flintoff as the 4th and 5th bowling options, both can justify seclections as bowlers and Flintoff is an excellent bat at 8.

Steyn, McGrath and Warne pick themselves from my time watching.

Hussey the ultimate number 5, and my all time favourite player.

 

[eth-dog]

Yeah, I will as well.

G Smith (c)
M Hayden
K Sangakara
J Kallis
B Lara
AB de Villiers
A Gilchrist (+)
S Pollock
S Warne
D Steyn
G McGrath

 

[DT_fanatic]

Test XI

V Sehwag
S Anwar
S Fleming (c)
S Tendulkar
J Kallis
AB de Villiers
A Flower (w/k)
S Pollock
W Akram
S Mushtaq
S Bond

 

[DT_fanatic]

ODI XI

S Tendulkar
M Waugh
J Kallis
AB De Villiers
J Rhodes
MS Dhoni (c) (k)
A Symonds
L Klusener
S Pollock
W Akram
D Steyn

 

[Mr Commissioner]

Pretty simple, what is you all time favourite text XI? Don't have to be the best players, just ones you loved watching.

1. AB. De Villers
2. M. Hussey
3. R. Ponting
4. D. Martyn
5. S. Chanderpaul
6. A. Flintoff
7. A. Gilchrist
8. D. Vettori
9. A. Kumble
10. S. Bond
11. S. Clark

12th man: Mohammad Yousuf

I know I've got two blokes who didn't open a lot in tests opening, but I wanted them two in the team as well as an all rounder, so that I could play two spinners.

What's your XI?

Mcullum
Hayden
Ponting
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist
Warne
Vettori
Mcgrath
Gladstone Small

 

[Natho]

1. Justin Langer - nuggety batsman. Always found a way.
2. Sanath Jayasuriya - loved hitting the ball hard and good for quick runs.
3. Kane Williamson - could well be the best batsman NZ has ever produced. Super talented young player. Joy to watch.
4. AB De Villiers - freak and can do anything with the bat.
5. Michael Hussey (C) - my favourite player. Good for any situation. Great player for making runs with the tail.
6. Jacques Kallis - could bat anywhere in my side. But loved watching him bowl. So he's my allrounder at 6.
7. Adam Gilchrist (k) - super aggressive batsman. Very neat with the gloves. Super entertaining.
8. Dale Steyn - bowls with genuine pace. Aggressive and takes plenty of wickets.
9. Dan Vettori - heart and soul cricketer. Loved watching him bowl. Became an awesome bat too making 100s.
10. Chaminda Vaas - good to watch. Had plenty of variation.
11. James Pattinson - stormed onto the scene and loved watching him bowl fast. He's finally getting back his mojo. Hopefully more to come.

 

[eth-dog]

Might as well do my ODI XI:

Tendulkar
Gilchrist (+)
Ponting (c)
Kallis
de Villiers
Symonds
Hussey
Akram
Lee
Steyn
Muralidaran

 

[Stopher]

Sachin Tendulkar
Virender Sehwag
Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
AB De Villiers
Steve Waugh
Adam Gilchrist
Andrew Flintoff
Mitchell Johnson
Shane Warne
Shoaib Akhtar

I reckon that team could dominate just about all forms too at their peak.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Mark Taylor
Rahul Dravid
Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
Sachin Tendulkar
Andrew Flintoff
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Curtly Ambrose
Glenn McGrath

 

[nobbyiscool]

I think mine would change depending on the day. I'm a bit heavy on middle order players, and bit light on openers:

David Boon
AB De Villiers
Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
Kumar Sangakkara
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Waqar Younis
Curtly Ambrose
Glenn McGrath

Mark Waugh a bit unlucky - the V100 the first bat I ever got.