Cricket draft - Donado vs akash/nair

Who will over a 3 match test series

  • Total voters
    12
  • Poll closed .

crappycraperson

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Hello and welcome to Group A round robin match of test cricket draft.

Please keep in mind that The voters are being asked to choose a team that will prevail over a three match series on these respective grounds.
  • Eden Gardens, Kolkatta
  • Lords, London
  • SCG, Sydney

akash02 said:
Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes - Mentioned together because they are synonymous with each other. The pair opened together for more than 13 years and to date there hasn't been a better opening partnership in test matches. They hold the record for the most runs scored as opening partners at an average nearly touching 47 which includes four 200 run stands.

Richie Richardson (C) - A fantastic number that perfectly compliments the his two West Indian teammates. Richardson will also captain the side. His record of losing only 1 series as captain is a good indicator of his leadership skills.

Graham Yallop - An average of 41 in the 70's and being appointed captain of Australia after just 8 matches should be enough to know that Yallop was very highly rated. Also in his list of achievements is his good performance against the fearsome quicks of the West Indies attack in his debut series.

Carl Hooper - Hooper averages more than 40 batting at his preferred number 5 position and add more West Indian flavour to the side. In addition to his batting he's a very steady bowler with more than 100 wickets at test level. The first player to score 5000 runs, take 100 wickets and 100 catches. Has achieved the feat in both forms of the game.

Arjuna Ranatunga - Averages 38 at number 6 and a very dogged batsman. You can always count on him to dig in and battle on no matter what the conditions. Also provides good leadership and motivational skills. Can also provide some useful seam up bowling given the right conditions.

Ian Botham - At his peak the best all rounder in world cricket. One of the very few people who could turn a game on it's head with either bat or ball and that's something he did with with great frequency especially against Australia. 14 hundreds and 27 5-wicket hauls is a testament to how good he was. Also holds the record for most catches by an England player (non-WK). An all rounder in every sense of the word.

Syed Kirmani (WK) - Top class wicket keeper who was at ease keeping wickets either against the spinners or the fast bowlers. As a batsmen he averaged a very respectable 28 for a keeper and was someone the team could count on to pitch in when in trouble.

Darren Gough - Englands's strike bowler and lead the attack with great success. An exponent of both the conventional swing and reverse swing. Averages 29 and has a very commendable strike rate of 51. Although he never played test cricket in India , his combined average of 25 in Pakistan and Srilanka shows that he was equally effective on the subcontinent.

Waqar Younis - Fast, accurate, swing and aggressive. All the ingredients you need for a world class bowler and Waqar was just that. His pace and reverse swing combined made him one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket. His bowling average of 23 is impressive but not as impressive as his strike rate of 41 which is the best in this draft.

Mushtaq Ahmed - His greatest strength as a bowler was that he was never afraid to get hit and was always prepared to flight the ball up. Has lots of variations in his locker but none better than his googly which has fooled many a player. His performances away from the spin friendly pitches in the subcontinent are excellent. Named as one of the Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1997.
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Terry Alderman (Sub) - Injury and a tour to South Africa restricted Alderman's test career but when he did play he was one of Australia's best bowlers. His haul of 42 wickets in the 1981 ashes is the fourth highest of all time. Has an average of 27 with a strike rate just under 60.



Donaldo has a good bowling lineup but in Haynes and Greenidge I have the best opening combination in the entire draft who are followed by an excellent number 3 in Richardson. All three have faced quality bowling lineups in the 70's and 80's and average well over 40. My team is pretty much guaranteed a good start. Once that is achieved the middle and lower middle order can cash in. At an average bowling average of nearly 40 in Australia/England/India Vettori will not be much of a threat to my middle order.

My bowling lineup is very well suited to take advantage of both the new ball and the old ball unlike Donaldo's. Waqar, Botham and Gough are all very effective with both the new ball and the old ball. In Mushtaq Ahmed I have a quality spin bowler who's very effecive even on pitches that might not traditionally favour spin bowlers. In Carl Hooper I have an excellent foil of Mushtaq Ahmed when he needs a rest or if the wicket is spin friendly.

Another strength of my team is leadership. Of the 11 starters, 7 have previously captained their side to various degrees of success. The team has character and resiliance in abundance and will never be short of ideas to try and nail the batsmen.
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Donaldo said:
When I looked at making the team in this draft, I aimed for balance, and a mix of top quality aggressive batsmen and bowlers capable of winning matches and a stability required at the highest level of the sport.

Matthew HAYDEN - One very burly half of probably the greatest opening combo in Test cricket. The sheer number of matches Hayden bludgeoned mercilessly away from the opposition established his credentials as a matchwinner, not just as a slogger at the top of the order. His strength lay in carrying an excellent run of form through the series, scoring at a rapid rate and hitting centuries in succession.
He smashed 30 centuries, hitting 8625 runs overall at 50.73.

Justin LANGER - The biggest mistake any opposition would make was to underestimate Langer as a grafter and blocker and focus their efforts on Hayden. An extremely accomplished strokemaker, Langer hit 23 centuries, with 7697 runs overall at 45 plus.

Rahul Dravid - I was thrilled to get him in this draft because I've wanted him in my team for the past two drafts. To my mind, among the top 3 Test batsmen of our generation, and one of the best No. 3's in this draft. A proven matchwinner, he has 36 centuries across the globe, with an astounding 21 away from home. Average of 52.33 with 13288 runs.

Aravinda de Silva - One of the greatest Sri Lankan batsmen, a batting mainstay in the 80s and 90s for an evolving Lankan team. His attacking prowess is well known, but he possessed a strong defensive mindset, and played some of the greatest fast bowlers of the time with great skill. 20 centuries at what seems to be a relatively low average of 43, but at a time when such averages were the key signs of a world class player.

Allan Lamb - Tough as nails, technically excellent, 14 Test hundreds, and a whopping 89 first class hundreds against some top quality international bowling. The legendary West Indian fast bowlers were a brand he particularly relished, and he scored 6 out of his 14 hundreds against them. A valuable no.5 batsman to have, and one who slots in perfectly in my team.

Hansie Cronje - Captain at 24, Hansie led SA to 27 victories and 11 losses in 53 Tests. A fantastic number 6 to have, with an average of 36, and 6 centuries. A career he threw away as he gave way to avarice, and that would remain the lasting regret for anyone who ever thinks of Hansie Cronje and remembers his battle of wits and technique with the best bowlers of the 90s. A handy bowler, he bowled regularly for SA with an average of 29.

Jeff Dujon - One of the top three keepers in the draft, IMO, and one of the finest of all time. At number 7, he comes in with an average of 32, and 5 Test centuries. And he's not going to drop anything. No chance.

Daniel Vettori - One of the most underrated Test cricketers, I feel.Blessed with a keen cricketing brain, Vettori has a stupendous record given that he plays and has played for a largely mediocre to decent outfit. 360 wickets, with 20 fifers and 3 tenners. On his way to being in the elite few who have 4000 runs and 400 wickets. 6 Test centuries at No. 8. My god.

Richard Hadlee - One of the all time greats and a legend of the sport. He would walk into most all time XI's. 431 wickets at a ridiculous 22.2. 36 fifers, 9 tenners. 2 Test centuries.
Fun fact: Has dismissed Haynes 7 times in 10 Test matches, with 3 ducks, and Greenidge 6 times in 10 matches.

Big Bruce Reid - As tall as Garner, and at his peak, as dangerous. In a career riddled with injuries, big Bruce had a career average of 24 odd, and a strike rate of 55. International class by any standard.

Andy Roberts - One of the greatest fast bowlers ever. I watched and adored him as a kid because my family was obsessed with the Windians. Superb control of the cricket ball, a phenomenal brain. Him and Hadlee with Reid to follow would be a fearsome combo to face. Average of 25, with a strike rate of 55.

This is a team which wouldn't even consider defeat as an option. Some absolute fighters, and a selection of some of the smartest cricketing brains.




All the best.
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Interesting bowling contest this

Waqar vs Roberts
Botham vs Hadlee
Mushtaq vs Vettori
Gough vs Reid

I think I marginally prefer akash's bowling here.

Donaldo's front 3 is probably the best in draft though but which opening combo do you prefer

Greenidge / Haynes vs Hayden / Langer

:drool:
 
If I were manikakash, I'd steer away from mentioning Yallop as a captain ;) His under-strength side were famously decimated 5-1 by the English in 78-79. And surely all Yallop is famous for is wearing a helmet against the Windies?

I have to say I'm not a huge fan of akash's batting. Yallop, Hooper and Ranatunga underwhelm in a Test draft full of top class talent. Greenidge/Haynes v Langer/Hayden is a null argument so I won't go there.

Kirmani keeping to Waqar and Botham would be an interesting sight...and his tail begins right there. I have batting quality right down till Hadlee. He has Gough, Waqar, Mushi, all sitting ducks.
 
crappycraperson said:
That Hadlee stat vs West Indian opening combo is interesting
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Yep, and telling. Because it's a row of single digit scores for both (barring a 213 :P when Hadlee had Greenidge bowled, and a 60 odd for Haynes in one inning). Playing for minnows like NZ against the mighty Windies, that's close to perfect.

I wouldn't get stuck on it though, because everyone knows how good both of them are.
 
I'm surprised to be leaning towards Akash here. I saw Donaldo's team summary in the thread and thought it was probably one of the best in the draft.

I actually don't fancy Donaldo's bowling much. Hadlee and Roberts are 1st class, but Vettorri is (for me) just not a good spin bowler - his average is simply terrible for a frontline spinner - but he's a handy batter to have lower down. I don't think Reid is nearly as dangerous as Garner, and Cronje is as likely to win a game for you as fix it.
 
NM said:
I'm surprised to be leaning towards Akash here. I saw Donaldo's team summary in the thread and thought it was probably one of the best in the draft.

I actually don't fancy Donaldo's bowling much. Hadlee and Roberts are 1st class, but Vettorri is (for me) just not a good spin bowler - his average is simply terrible for a frontline spinner - but he's a handy batter to have lower down. I don't think Reid is nearly as dangerous as Garner, and Cronje is as likely to win a game for you as fix it.
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But if I put a box of pastries in front of Mushi, Botham, Gough, Ranatunga, they'll do the same.
 
My middle order is no worse than Donaldo's. The batting averages of the numbers 4,5 and 6 are very similar for both teams. I'd say mine are slightly better than his I'd anything. Then you have Botham who's a much better batsman than his counterpart Hadlee. Dujon was only slightly better than Kirmani.

Also Daniel Vettori has a strike rate of nearly 80. Underrated or not he's not going to trouble my batsmen.
 
NM said:
I'm surprised to be leaning towards Akash here. I saw Donaldo's team summary in the thread and thought it was probably one of the best in the draft.

I actually don't fancy Donaldo's bowling much. Hadlee and Roberts are 1st class, but Vettorri is (for me) just not a good spin bowler - his average is simply terrible for a frontline spinner - but he's a handy batter to have lower down. I don't think Reid is nearly as dangerous as Garner, and Cronje is as likely to win a game for you as fix it.
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In all seriousness, akash has Waqar, who is top quality, Gough who is at best a middle rung Test bowler with a big heart, Botham, who is again quality but prone to major inconsistency by the end of his career. I don't rate Mushtaq, but that's a personal opinion. Professionally, he was a good leg spinner, who could range from good to wildly off target. His average against Australia, India and SL (where the majority of my top order comes from) is 42, 37 and 40, with strike rates of 78+.
 
Major issues I see

  • Lack of batting quality, and not a deep enough batting order
  • Lack of a decent quality fifth or sixth option (I can bring on de Silva and Hansie, while he only has Hooper)
  • Not enough firepower in the bowling to go through my batting twice, and that's required.
Ask yourself if he could bowl me out twice? My team says a resounding no.
 
I love reading the Pakistani player's stats, some of them have played under as many as 14 captains :lol:
 
I voted for Akash in the end. On second thought, that Hadlee stat is as per norm given he was the premier NZ pace bowler. Waqar with his ability to reverse swing also adds another dimension to akash's attack and I think Botham has that X factor to turn a match as well. I refer Vettori to Mustaq as a spinner but I don't think there is that much between Ranatunga and Cronje as test cricketers. I was leaning towards Donaldo, especially with Dravid at no.3 but in the end my estimation of Waqar as best bowler in this match up and Botham over Hadlee swung it towards akash.
 
crappycraperson said:
I voted for Akash in the end. On second thought, that Hadlee stat is as per norm given he was the premier NZ pace bowler. Waqar with his ability to reverse swing also adds another dimension to akash's attack and I think Botham has that X factor to turn a match as well. I refer Vettori to Mustaq as a spinner but I don't think there is that much between Ranatunga and Cronje as test cricketers. I was leaning towards Donaldo, especially with Dravid at no.3 but in the end my estimation of Waqar as best bowler in this match up and Botham over Hadlee swung it towards akash.
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Botham over Hadlee as a bowler?
 
As an all rounder for the side. Botham is more likely to win a match for you on his own than Hadlee
 
@Donaldo:lol:

Lack of batting quality? The top 3 are all fantastic and made their runs in more difficult times and pitches than yours who are all modern day batsmen. Your middle order is average at best.

Carl hooper has more test match wickets than cronje and de silva combined. So that's certainly not a point in your favour.

Give me a break. I have the bowler with the best strike rate in the draft whereas you have the one with the worst in Vettori.
 
crappycraperson said:
As an all rounder for the side. Botham is more likely to win a match for you on his own than Hadlee
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Fair enough, but can't say I agree with that reasoning in a draft pick.

Cheers for voting though, I was beginning to think I'd be talking to myself for most of the evening.
 
Donaldo said:
In all seriousness, akash has Waqar, who is top quality, Gough who is at best a middle rung Test bowler with a big heart, Botham, who is again quality but prone to major inconsistency by the end of his career. I don't rate Mushtaq, but that's a personal opinion. Professionally, he was a good leg spinner, who could range from good to wildly off target. His average against Australia, India and SL (where the majority of my top order comes from) is 42, 37 and 40, with strike rates of 78+.
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Well Botham was a top bowler though. I'm really surprised people rate Vettorri (at all) and ESPECIALLY over Saqlain. I haven't seen the individual stats, but in some cases you can just SEE that a player is better than another.

I'm not saying your team is bad - the names make it look amazing, but I don't see you bowling his team out.. And if you can't bow. his team out, you are in some trouble.
 
NM said:
Well Botham was a top bowler though. I'm really surprised people rate Vettorri (at all) and ESPECIALLY over Saqlain. I haven't seen the individual stats, but in some cases you can just SEE that a player is better than another.

I'm not saying your team is bad - the names make it look amazing, but I don't see you bowling his team out.. And if you can't bow. his team out, you are in some trouble.
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Err...Mushtaq Ahmed. The rotund one.
 
I don't see too many people rating Roberts here...he was absolutely deadly. And an opening combo of Hadlee and Roberts, with Reid to follow gives me immense variety. Waqar, Gough and Botham are similar bowlers in terms of style.
 
When people are looking at my middle order I hope they don't forget to consider Botham. The guy has more than twice the number of hundreds than Cronje and same number as lamb. And both of them are supposed to be genuine batsmen.

Waqar has dismissed both Cronje and De Silva 4 times each in tests.
 
Vettori is the one who sticks out for me.

Two pitches on which spinners will be required and I cannot see him winning matches.

Plus, Akash has Waqar who averages 21 in Asia.

That's the first match to Akash for me, as Donaldo's middle order is not particularly great.

Donaldo's first 3 are great, but Akash matches them with his openers. Think the benefit of having Dravid at #3 will not outweigh the other pluses I see Akash's team having.
 
Agree with Donaldo that Roberts is usually underrated. He was the leader of the WI attack when it also had Holding in it and remained to be a massive figure thoughout his career. It's tough to pick one between him and Waqar. No one can beat Waqar in stats as he's one of the most deadly wicket takers we have seen but Roberts could completely humiliate and demoralize the best out there, a lot of times it looked like he was out there to do nothing but hurt the batsman by bowling one dangerous bouncer after another. A proper pain in the ass for the best of batsmen at his time. Think I give the edge to Hadlee-Roberts over Botham-Waqar in terms of bowling alone.
 
I Anal Doer 18 said:
Agree with Donaldo that Roberts is usually underrated. He was the leader of the WI attack when it also had Holding in it and remained to be a massive figure thoughout his career. It's tough to pick one between him and Waqar. No one can beat Waqar in stats as he's one of the most deadly wicket takers we have seen but Roberts could completely humiliate and demoralize the best out there, a lot of times it looked like he was out there to do nothing but hurt the batsman by bowling one dangerous bouncer after another. A proper pain in the ass for the best of batsmen at his time. Think I give the edge to Hadlee-Roberts over Botham-Waqar in terms of bowling alone.
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Roberts will be bowling at West Indies top 3 though. Not sure if it matters too much but Greenidge and Haynes would have played him enough
 
Well that works both ways. Thing with Roberts is he is one of those who fears nothing and is just a mean guy. When asked if he regretted hurting batsmen over his career his reply was "if you can't take the heat, get out." :lol:
 
crappycraperson said:
Roberts will be bowling at West Indies top 3 though. Not sure if it matters too much but Greenidge and Haynes would have played him enough
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Must say I really don't agree with how look at drafts...you look at Botham's ability to win a match on his own, when most top players in this draft in most teams could do that. You look at Greenidge and Haynes being able to play Roberts easily..when really you should look at their performance against a similar level fast bowler, the only one who I can think of outside the Windies team was Lillee, and possibly Imran.
 
Another fun fact, Ranatunga has a highest score of 90 away from home, at an average of 30.

In all, my side has 142 Test hundreds, all the way down till Hadlee, while akash's checks in at 94, till his wicketkeeper.
 
I Anal Doer 18 said:
cricinfo must be getting some massive load since this draft started. :lol:
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:lol: It's a fabulous resource. I remember someone trying to compare Youhana with Richards when the former went on a mental run scoring spree. Cricinfo sorted out exactly the quality of opposition faced. Youhana looked like a chump compared to Richards.
 
Donaldo said:
:lol: It's a fabulous resource. I remember someone trying to compare Youhana with Richards when the former went on a mental run scoring spree. Cricinfo sorted out exactly the quality of opposition faced. Youhana looked like a chump compared to Richards.
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One guy I knew at school actually works for them now. Interviews Dravid and shows up on the videos etc. He's done good!
 
Donaldo said:
Another fun fact, Ranatunga has a highest score of 90 away from home, at an average of 30.

In all, my side has 142 Test hundreds, all the way down till Hadlee, while akash's checks in at 94, till his wicketkeeper.
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stats like this are misleading - especially when you consider the eras in which most of his players played in versus yours. Haynes and Greenidge would be the best openners (by far IMO) if they played at the same time as Langer and Hayden got most of their runs.
 
I Anal Doer 18 said:
Greenidge :drool: I can't think of a cleaner striker of the ball.
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If Donaldo can get through, and pick a good spinner and quick he is set though. Hayden/Langer/Dravid at the top is very damn good.
 
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