Redcafe Cricket Draft- MJJ vs AldoRaine

[KM]

Please vote on basis of performances post 1990

Teams:
MJJ
Aamir Sohail
A. Cook
Dravid
Inzamam
Yousuf
Mccullum
Harris
Maharoof
Streak
Vaas
Prasad

v/s

Aldoraine

Here we go

 

[Interval]

Please vote on basis of performances post 1990

Teams:
MJJ
Aamir Sohail
A. Cook
Dravid
Inzamam
Yousuf
Mccullum
Harris
Maharoof
Streak
Vaas
Prasad

Spoiler

Aamir Sohail
A. Cook
Dravid
Inzamam
Yousuf
Mccullum
Harris
Maharoof
Streak
Vaas
Prasad

Ok, I have decided to go for an old-fashioned approach for this tournament. Rather than the slogging style currently in fashion, I have decided to built a team around solid batsmen with good technique who can accelerate when needed. I have a lot of sloggers in my lower middle order to built on the start that my top 5 will provide. One of the criticisms of my team so far has been that my middle order likes to built an innings rather than blast through it. To counter this, I have two openers who score at a fast rate and sloggers at the end who can push the total past 300 easily. I don't forsee this to be a problem anyway, as in Inzamam and Yousuf I have two batsmen who are masters of building an innings and accelerating at the right time. The Pakistani team with these two in it, would regularly score at least 270 and I expect my team to get wayyy more than that provided the quality of my openers. I also have Dravid at number 3, who after kallis is probably the best number 3 to have. Will rotate the strike and be the perfect anchor for the rest of my team to play off. In the end, I have the likes of mccullum,harris,streak,maharoof to slog in the last few overs to help me reach 350.

My bowling attack is admitting not the best but I feel it is good enough to restrict Aldo's side provided we get an early wicket or two with gilchrist being the key wicket. I have omitted Boje from my team for this match as I feel that most of Aldo's side play spin very well and don't feel he will make much of an impact.

I have aamir sohail and alaistair cook to open the batting for me.

Aamir was the last great pakistani opener along with Saeed Anwar. He had an average of 31.86 and was fond of playing stylish/aggressive shots to get pakistan off to a brisk start. Can bowl off-spin in the middle orders to kill some overs as well.

To open the innings with him, I have the current english captain Alastair Cook. He has an average of 40 with a SR off 79. These two will get me off to a brisk start which should my middle order will help stabilize

At numbers 3-5, I have Rahul' the wall' Dravid, Inzamam-ul-haq and Muhammad yousuf. No introduction needed there, so will bypass it.
Number 6, I have the explosive New Zealand WK mccullum. With a SR of 90 and an average of 30, I expect him to give my team a brisk finish.

At number 7, you have Harris. At his peak a very clinical finisher(average-29 and SR-70) and a useful bowler who was hard to hit.(economy rate of 4.27 and average of 37)

Number 8, you have maharoof. A very talented all-rounder who still hasnt fulfilled his potential. I expect him to be my 4th/5th change bowler. Another bowler who is hard to hit due to his bowling style and can slog it when needed.(average of 26 with an economy rate of 4.8).

Number 9, is Heath Streak. A bowler who had the misfortune of playing for zimbabwe and is vastly underrated. At his peak, he was one of the finest bowlers in the world and can hit the cricket bowl a long way as well.His figures are also on the lower side due to playing with vastly inferior players.(average-29 and economy of 4.9)

Number 10, the best SL bowler in history and one of the finest bowlers in the world. Chaminda Vaas. 400 wickets in ODIs with an average of 27 and economy rate of 4.18. Very useful with the bat for a number 10 as well.

To round it off, I have venkatesh prasad. The spearhead of the indian bowling attack along with srinath for a long time. The only player in my team who is helpless with the bat but has 196 wickets at an average of 32 and an economy of 4.7.

v/s

Aldoraine

Spoiler

My team :

Two openers who compliment each other and are a proven pair that led Australia throughout it's glory years. With Gilchrist smashing balls to every part of the ground on one side and Mark Waugh playing his elegant game and splitting the gaps with ease on the other. I expect them to give me a strong start in every game, without holding up the run rate, which is a must for every ODI innings. To follow them I have a set of graceful and determined middle order. All 3 players have captained their countries and have all it takes to build an innings and carry forward the cracking start given by the openers. And to finish the innings, I have the best in the game. Michael Bevan who would put the maximum price on his wicket and would be extremely valuable in a case where the team has suffered a rare collapse and needs an anchor to see it through. Cairns and Azhar are capable of hitting the big shots. Umar Gul is no mug with the bat either. The whole batting order played in the 90s against the best bowling attacks of all time.

Bowling has an excellent balance of strike rate and economy to it. Walsh and De Villiers are two of the most economical bowlers in the draft, and would build immense pressure and strangle the opposition. With Gul and Mendis at the other end being great wicket takes and providing the deliveries to exploit the pressure created by Walsh and De Villiers. Cairns would be the fifth bowler, who has over 200 wickets to his name, and Mark Waugh with another 100 odd comes in to provide the variety with his off spin.

The wicket keeper is also the best in the game, with multiple records to his name. With accurate bowlers such as Walsh and De Villiers, there are bound to be edges flying.

My team is a great fielding unit, starting with Gilly himself who was as athletic as they come. Mark Waugh is one of the finest slip fielders of all time. And in Azhar I have a mercurial fielder in the outfield. The rest of the team is in general very fit and would save loads of runs.

Opposition Tactics
While his team has an extremely strong batting order, it lacks the urgency needed in an ODI innings. My bowlers can slow down the run rate with ease.

Vaas, while is a good bowler, wouldn't be able to provide the team with early wickets against my strong opening pair. Prasad and Maharoof who are his 3rd and 4th strongest bowlers are very weak against a strong batting order.

Player Profiles :

Adam Gilchrist : He is considered to be one of the greatest wicket-keeper-batsmen in the history of the game. He holds the world record for the most dismissals by a wicket keeper in One Day International cricket. His 16 ODI centuries are the most by a wicket-keeper. He holds the unique record of scoring at least 50 runs in successive World Cup finals (in 1999, 2003 and 2007) and is one of only three players to have won three titles. Won the game in the 2007 final with a lightening quick century.

Mark Waugh : Waugh is regarded as one of the most elegant and gifted stroke makers to ever play the game. His three centuries at the 1996 Cricket World Cup made him the only batsman to ever achieve this feat, and a fourth century in the 1999 tournament made him the only Australian to score more than 1000 runs in World Cup competition and to score four centuries. He became the leading Australian run-scorer and century maker in ODIs during the 1999 tournament. Best slip fielder of his generation.

Richie Richardson : Captained West Indies, with 44 half centuries to his name and 5 tons. Flaboyant player who never cared to wear a helmet against the fastest of bowlers. A real livewire.

Javed Miandad : Greatest batsman Pakistan has ever produced. Adept to all styles of play, determined to win which was proven by his immense contribution in the 1992 Cricket World Cup with half centuries in most games including the semi final and final. He will bring great experience and quality to the team.

Mohammed Azharuddin : In his prime, he had a graceful, fluid batting style, comparable to that of his English contemporary, David Gower and Australian batsman Greg Chappell. Add to that, he was capable of accelerating when required, and had the fastest ODI century record at one time. The most succesful Indian captain in ODIs and a lightening quick fielder. At his very best he was as good as Sachin.

Michael Bevan : The best finisher the game has seen, who saw Australia through to most of their wins. Excellent in batting with the tail, extremely difficult when it comes to giving away his wicket, and has a wide variety of shots.

Chris Cairns : At his best the best all rounder in the world, as described by Warne. A great number 7 to have, with a history of being able to clear the boundary with ease. Also a fine bowler with over 200 wickets to his name.

Umar Gul : After the two Ws, the best Pakistani quickie in ODIs without the bad temperament of Akhtar. A wicked yorker and the ability to swing the ball both ways, Gul established himself is the spearhead of Pakistan and consistently took wickets on flat subcontinent tracks.

Courtney Walsh : One of the many great Windie quickies, Walsh was a tireless worker not afraid of running uphill and bowling with ferocious pace and accuracy. Very very hard to score against.

Fanie De Villers : Another miserly bowler who produced crucial wickets when needed. One of the few who troubled Sachin at his prime.

Ajantha Mendis : Still holds an average of 20 and an equally impressive strike rate. Had the perfect start to his career, and demolished all batsmen in sight. Can bowl 6 different balls in an over.

 

[Donaldo]

On paper this looks like aldo's win. But then if you scratch a bit, you get a poor/average fielding unit , a notoriously unreliable middle order (apart from Bevan), and lack of a genuine class wicket taker.

I do think MJJ fecked up with his batting choices...Inzy, Dravid and Youhana looks like a tasty middle order for Tests, not so sure about the shorter format. Vaas looks to be bearing the burden of the attack here.

Hmmm.

 

[Stretch]

I voted for aldo, will supply reasons later.

 

[TheBest]

Voted Aldo, I can see his opening pair having a good game, against MJJ's bowlers. I d o think that MJJ went a bit too conservative in the midfield.

 

[Interval]

Voting mjj. Think his team is marginally superior

 

[NM]

Think Aldo's superior bowling just edges out MJJ's batting.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Not really convinced about this one but if I had to pick one it would be Aldo. Not completely sure why but may be swayed by his bowling and Gilchrists quality.

 

[zing]

MJJ's bowling is a little too weak for me.

 

[crappycraperson]

On paper this looks like aldo's win. But then if you scratch a bit, you get a poor/average fielding unit , a notoriously unreliable middle order (apart from Bevan), and lack of a genuine class wicket taker.

I do think MJJ fecked up with his batting choices...Inzy, Dravid and Youhana looks like a tasty middle order for Tests, not so sure about the shorter format. Vaas looks to be bearing the burden of the attack here.

Hmmm.

Very good points. My vote for Aldo was perhaps too hasty but Gilchrist and Waugh opening + Bevan and Cairns to finish thing are two very big pluses for me. Bowling wise 3 of his bowlers are very tough to score off as well

 

[Red-Indian]

Aldo's got the better balance.

 

[mightberight]

Aldo's got the better balance.

Aye, that's swung it for me.

 

[Interval]

I think the current scoreline is unfair on MJJ

 

[Donaldo]

Definitely is. An actual match-up would've been mighty close. perhaps a 3-2 series. Aldo needs to choose correctly now to address some issues.

 

[Interval]

Definitely is. An actual match-up would've been mighty close. perhaps a 3-2 series. Aldo needs to choose correctly now to address some issues.

No choosing before the group stages end.

 

[Stretch]

My biggest issue with MJJs team was that his top 5 are all innings builders which is fine if you have 2 in the top 5, but not all 5. Who's going to accelerate the scoring when you need to bat at 6 po? Also, Aldo's frontline attack is better and 'stingier' if I could put it that way.

 

[MJJ]

Wasnt online but that result is a joke. Except dravid and cook, all of my top 5 can easily accelerate to make up for their slow start. Pakistan regularly use to get scores of 300 with inzamam and yousuf building an innings because they were masters at it. I also had harris and mccullum to increase the tempo later on.

 

[Varun]

Scorelines do not reflect how close the teams are. If everyone feels Aldo's team would win a series 3-2, MJJ wouldnt get any vote. So no point talking about the margin. I thought the teams were pretty equal but Aldo would just edge it.

 

[Stretch]

Wasnt online but that result is a joke. Except dravid and cook, all of my top 5 can easily accelerate to make up for their slow start. Pakistan regularly use to get scores of 300 with inzamam and yousuf building an innings because they were masters at it. I also had harris and mccullum to increase the tempo later on.

See my point again.

ALL of your top 5 are innings builders. It is fine if 2 or maybe 3 of your top 5 are innings builders but when you have 5 of them then I don't foresee you being able to accelerate at will. If this was the test draft then you'd have the best top 5 around, easily. But this is not test cricket. Just my opinion, also Harris and McCullum come in a bit after the fact. Maybe consider that for your next match.