Team Samid
Batting
A destructive opening batsman,
Gordon Greenidge (Avg 45.03 @ 64.92) ended up with 11 centuries and 31 fifties from his 128 matches.
"
In full flight, he was a glorious sight, and impossible to contain. So awesome was his power, so complete his authority, that once a bombardment was under way not a ball could be bowled to him. In this mood he was like an orator suddenly aroused with passion, devouring opposition with a tongue-lashing which was vivid, inspired and devastating.[
1]"
Between 1979 and 1989 when scores and averages were low, only 8 batsmen managed to average above 40. Amongst these were Greenidge and
Zaheer Abbas (Avg 47.62 @ 84.80) who were averaging either side of 50. They made batting look ridiculously easy for their respective countries.
Abbas may only have played 62 matches but he left a serious mark on the shorter format, racking up 20 scores of 50+ including 7 centuries. 5 of those centuries came at better than a run a ball. His hunger for runs was unquestionable, ending up with 50 000+ career runs, over 140 centuries and the nickname the Asian Bradman. He scored runs everywhere he went. Abbas was the first batsman to score 3 consecutive centuries in ODIs, a record only beaten last year by Sanga in the WC. Hitting 3 consecutive tons was an achievement in its self but what’s even more impressive is that in an era where any SR over 75 was revolutionary, these 3 tons came at strike rates of 137, 128, 114.
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When Zaheer was at the crease, the whole thing looked ridiculously simple. Upright and elegant, he was equally at ease off front foot or back, but such were his reflexes that he quite often switched from one to the other mid-shot. Stylish and graceful, he never seemed to hurry a stroke or offer a false one. At the top of a back-lift with more twirls than a cheerleader's baton he seemed to pause for a fraction of a second before bringing the bat crashing down at the last moment to send the ball scorching away to the boundary.[
2]"
He broke into the international circuit as a teenager, was rated as the best young batsman in the world and retired as New Zealand's most prolific run scorer.
Martin Crowe (At 4: 48.69 @ 77.98) is still seen as the benchmark for every talented NZ batsman that makes it to the international level. Crowe was a classic textbook batsman who seemed to have all the time in the world to play his shots. Perfect technique and balance.
Crowe captained NZ at the 1992 World Cup and inspired his team to a heroic semi final. In his 9 matches he scored 456 runs at an sensational average of 114 and rightfully became the first ever player to be named man of the tournament at a World Cup.
For the first few years of his career
Paul Collingwood (At 5: 43.28 @ 81.50) was seen as a bits and pieces cricketer. It was only when he got a prolonged stint at no. 5 that he showed his true value to the team. That's why it is important to see the impact he had at no. 5 rather than his overall numbers which suffer because of the uncertainty surrounding his role in the team. At no. 5 Collingwood batted 80 times with a solid average of 43.28.
One of the finest fielders that has ever lived, Collingwood was an amazing athlete. He could adapt to any situation. And when England hadn't won an away trophy for nine years, Collingwood smashed two centuries to lead his team to a tri-series victory in Australia.
Walking in at 6 would be the guy that introduced the word 'finisher' to the cricket dictionary.
Michael Bevan (At 6: 56.71 @ 77.33) is arguably the greatest ODI specialist ever. Bevan never got out in crunch situations and always steered his team to victory. Time after time again he walked in when 3-4 wickets were down within the first 20 overs and you could put your house on Bevan staying at the crease, keeping his composure yet playing at a quick rate and salvaging a victory very late in the innings. His career average of 53 is world class and more than anything it shows how dedicated and determined Bevan really was.
Along with Greenidge I've got
Brad Haddin (Avg 31.53 @ 84.24) opening the bating. A clean and effortless hitter, Haddin has 12 scores of 50+ including 2 centuries in under 50 games at the top of the order.
Walking in at 7 is
Thisara Perera (Avg 17.32 @ 108.77). His SR is the 9th highest in the history of the game (excluding non test nations). And in his first match in South Africa he did this:
. This is the left hander who hits it long and is a decentish bowler I believe