Go away lads.
RedCafe Cricket Draft- UnitedFan101 vs Interval Level
- Thread starter KM
- Start date
United Fan 101
The overriding strength within the team is the batting line-up. Class batting with a bit of everything, power, style, doggedness. I fully expect to bat IL out of the match, posting a strong first innings score in excess of 500+ and further, in my second innings, I hope to establish a huge lead in which I will declare as to have ample time to rattle him out for a second time. My match tactics play-by-play, personnel-by-personnel are discussed in more detail and thoroughly examined in each player’s write-up, as I dissect my team’s plan to win this test match. The overriding message I hold, however, is that my top 6 batsmen will bat IL out of the match, and a declaration late in my second innings will give my bowlers ample time to take another 10 wickets and win the test match. My choice of bowlers was influenced by my batting line-up in that my bowling team are known for taking wickets at the expense of runs, which is a small opportunity cost as I know my batting will amass a high score, and thus runs won’t be the problem in concession, I just need to take the wickets which will be done when ample time is given to the bowlers. I feel that the only reason my bowling may be perceived as “weaker” than usual is only because it is viewed in comparison against the context of my entire team, which has it’s obvious strength in batting. I feel man for man my team is superior to IL’s side and as a resulting consequence I think the lads have enough in them to win the match.
Enjoy!
Leaders XI
The overriding strength within the team is the batting line-up. Class batting with a bit of everything, power, style, doggedness. I fully expect to bat IL out of the match, posting a strong first innings score in excess of 500+ and further, in my second innings, I hope to establish a huge lead in which I will declare as to have ample time to rattle him out for a second time. My match tactics play-by-play, personnel-by-personnel are discussed in more detail and thoroughly examined in each player’s write-up, as I dissect my team’s plan to win this test match. The overriding message I hold, however, is that my top 6 batsmen will bat IL out of the match, and a declaration late in my second innings will give my bowlers ample time to take another 10 wickets and win the test match. My choice of bowlers was influenced by my batting line-up in that my bowling team are known for taking wickets at the expense of runs, which is a small opportunity cost as I know my batting will amass a high score, and thus runs won’t be the problem in concession, I just need to take the wickets which will be done when ample time is given to the bowlers. I feel that the only reason my bowling may be perceived as “weaker” than usual is only because it is viewed in comparison against the context of my entire team, which has it’s obvious strength in batting. I feel man for man my team is superior to IL’s side and as a resulting consequence I think the lads have enough in them to win the match.
Enjoy!
Leaders XI
1. Andrew Strauss (vc): An opening batsman with solid technique and sound temperament, Strauss is an accumulator of runs rather than a big-hitter, he has the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over without the need to hit boundaries. This will be crucial, as his temperament as my opener will be key in setting up my innings. An ambitiously determined cricketer, he is unlucky not to captain the side, however it shows the leadership quality within my team that he is “only” VC. Scored a hundred on his Test debut, and repeated the trick in his first overseas Test and his first as captain. Nigh-on 100 tests, 41.74 batting average, simply put, what a player! Nearly 7000 tests runs scored.
2. Aamer Sohail: An attacking left-arm opener, Sohail made his Test debut against England in 1992 and represented his country in 47 Tests with a high score of 205. His style contrasts nicely with that of his more established partner Strauss. A batting average of 35.28 with nearly 3000 runs amassed. Another natural leader, Sohail captained the Pakistan side during the match-fixing controversy, and as one of the whistle-blowers, his off field actions are just as commendable as his on-field exploits. Also a very effective left-arm spinner, Sohail took 25 wickets at an average of just a touch over a respectable 40. This will be crucial in my bid to break up partnerships within Interval’s side. I feel Sohail and Strauss will effectively combine to give way to the middle order to truly bat IL out of the game.
3. Ricky Ponting (c): Where to start with arguably one of the greatest test match players of the last few decades? After making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Perth in 1995, Ponting has become one of Test cricket’s most prolific captains and batsman, averaging 52.75 over 165 tests, scoring in excess of 13 000 test match runs. Delving into his wide repertoire of shots, his abundance of determination and courage coupled with skill Ponting has been selected as captain and the main focal point of my batting line up. I feel once he comes to the crease, the runs on the board will be at an already healthy total and he can devastatingly put IL out of the game with a typical strong performance. Graeme Smith, described Ricky Ponting as the toughest competitor he had ever played against while Viv Richards declared Ponting was his favourite player to watch, slightly ahead of Tendulkar. His exceptional batting and outstanding captaincy aside, Ponting is also a more than adequate fieldsmen – vital to any top side.
4. Graham Thorpe: England’s most complete batsman of the last decade, able to attack or defend as the game requires, Thorpe is capable of steadying an innings, or exploding into life as the situation permits. The potential for him to strike a partnership with either Strauss or Ponting is dangerously catastrophic for IL, especially with an adequately able Bell and Healy to come. My dependable scored 6744 runs in exactly 100 tests at an average of 44.66 for England, notoriously hard to dismiss. By the end of his innings, I expect to have at the minimum 250-300 runs on the board thanks to my openers and next two batsmen.
5. Ian Bell: 77 tests, 5300+ runs and a batting average of 47.63 – not a bad man to have come to the crease when you’re 4 wickets down, now is it? There will be no rest bite for IL’s bowlers as Bell’s exquisite stroke play and technique will come to the fore. Capable of producing a huge score, Bell has scored 16 test centuries and one of only a few test players to score against every current test playing nation (excluding Zimbabwe). Bell’s role in the Ashes ’05 earned him an MBE, not without reason – his knocks in back-to-the-wall performances silenced critics. His exploits as a top batsmen showcase his potential to devastatingly take the game away from IL’s reach.
6. Ian Healy (wk): Between 1988 – 1999, Healy established himself as one of Australia’s greatest wicketkeepers of all time. In 119 tests he took 366 catches and 29 stumpings. He was a resilient batsman scoring 4356 runs at an average of 27.39. In total he scored 22 half centuries and 4 test hundreds including a highest score of 161 not out against the West Indies in 1996. His extraordinary performances in a struggling and poor-performing Australian side led to his recognition as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1994.
7. Irfan Pathan (all-rounder): By the time Pathan pads up, I expect my top 6 batsmen to have easily amassed a score in the region of 450-500 runs, perhaps even in excess of 500+ if Ponting and Thorpe stay at the crease for as long as we would all expect them too. A very talented swing and seam bowler and a very handy batsman down the order, Pathan has taken five wickets in an innings seven times in Test cricket, taking exactly 100 wickets at an average of a touch over 32. Twice, he has taken ten wickets in an innings. Pathan will be my opening bowler and a solid base to work from in defending the huge lead I believe I will hold after the first innings. I believe even if Pathan is not firing on all cylinders, the lead amassed from my batsmen prior will be more than enough when taking wickets. Pathan is no mug with the bat either, proving himself a more than adequate batsman by scoring 82 and 93 against Sri Lanka, opening the batting in the December 2005 New Delhi Test, when regular opener Virender Sehwag was ruled out due to illness. A batting average of 31+ for my number 7, particularly after following the best batting line up in the draft is quite simply staggering. It is for this reason that Pathan has been chosen as the all-rounder of my team, an extremely influential figure among the lads.
8. Harbhajan Singh: An exceptionally talented specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner. It was indeed in “that” series, that he became a household name in India in 2001 after taking 32 wickets against Australia, which included a hat-trick, the first Indian to do so in Test cricket. 406 wickets over 98 matches, at an average of 32.22 showcases the statistics to back up this man’s claim as an outstanding spinner. 5 wickets in an innings 25 times, 10 wickets in a match on five separate occasions, Singh will prove crucial in dismissing IL’s batting line-up. Career best bowling of 8/84, while impressive, does not surprise the knowledgeable cricket fan as Singh’s fantastic career spanning a decade has produced many memorable moments. A batting average of nearly 20 is also handy, however by the time he is batting in his first innings, a more than healthy total will have been reached. I expect if we bat first that he will not get a second innings as we will declare with a huge lead in an attempt to dismiss IL’s side in more than ample time.
9. Damien Fleming: Right then, the surprise package of not only my team, but the draft. He is regarded as one of Australian cricket’s premier pace bowlers, a recognised expert in the art of swing bowling. A career no doubt hampered by injury, his 20 tests yielding 75 wickets at an average of 25.89 was enough for me to envisage a place for him among my team. A hat trick on debut epitomised his showcasing of fine spells of bowling, and he would have had another hat trick if not for Warne dropping an easy catch in 2003 that cost him a third successive wicket. I feel he provides a great bowling option to supplement the attack of Singh, Pathan in conjunction with Patterson and Martin. A batting average of just under 20 is quite good for a specialist bowler, however as I previously mentioned above, I do not expect him to have to play any sort of meaningful role with the bat, such is my confidence in my top 6 order along with Pathan backing. If Fleming and Singh can contributed a few dozen runs combined, I see no way back for IL.
10. Patrick Patterson: A former fast right-arm bowler for the West Indies, Patterson took 4 for 29 on the first day of his Test debut and 7 for 73 in the match. His bowling could torment on pitches that offered any pace and lift, shown by his figures of 93 test wickets in 28 matches at an average of 30.90. 5 times he took 5 wickets in an innings, and I suspect he will cause some unexpected damage to IL’s lineup. Along with Fleming, Pathan and Singh his variety will cause problems, not least when looking at Graham Gooch’s evaluation of his bowling “his fastness frightened me”. His slightly high average of 30.9 was owing to his excessively attacking nature and subsequent field settings, which always provided opportunity for runs as well as wickets. The concession of runs will not be a problem for my side due to the undoubted strength in batting, so I take comfort in the knowledge that while Patterson may go for runs, HE WILL take wickets, which should prove crucial.
11. Chris Martin: Martin is one of four New Zealand Test cricketers to have taken 200 wickets. 218 wickets in 65 tests at an average of 33.33 show his ability to cause havoc for opposition batsmen. A regular in taking five wicket hauls in an innings, Martin in 2011 was recognised as New Zealand's premier cricketer, when he was awarded the inaugural Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, at the New Zealand cricket awards ceremony. I expect in conjunction with Pathan, Fleming, Patterson and Singh, Martin will be able to add effectively to the scalping of 20 wickets over the course of the match. I feel that while my obvious strength is the pure class in batting my side possesses, there is more than enough resources within my bowling line up to dispose of IL’s batting twice over the course of the match.
12th man – Boeta Dippenaar: A versatile batsmen, occasional bowler and fielder, Dippenaar has played as a specialist batsman in most of his matches, and has played Test cricket in all batting positions from one through seven. He bats right-handed and bowls occasional off breaks, also known for his able fielding ability. 38 test matches for a batting average of 30+, with a top score of 177* just epitomises the overall batting quality inherent within my line up.
2. Aamer Sohail: An attacking left-arm opener, Sohail made his Test debut against England in 1992 and represented his country in 47 Tests with a high score of 205. His style contrasts nicely with that of his more established partner Strauss. A batting average of 35.28 with nearly 3000 runs amassed. Another natural leader, Sohail captained the Pakistan side during the match-fixing controversy, and as one of the whistle-blowers, his off field actions are just as commendable as his on-field exploits. Also a very effective left-arm spinner, Sohail took 25 wickets at an average of just a touch over a respectable 40. This will be crucial in my bid to break up partnerships within Interval’s side. I feel Sohail and Strauss will effectively combine to give way to the middle order to truly bat IL out of the game.
3. Ricky Ponting (c): Where to start with arguably one of the greatest test match players of the last few decades? After making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Perth in 1995, Ponting has become one of Test cricket’s most prolific captains and batsman, averaging 52.75 over 165 tests, scoring in excess of 13 000 test match runs. Delving into his wide repertoire of shots, his abundance of determination and courage coupled with skill Ponting has been selected as captain and the main focal point of my batting line up. I feel once he comes to the crease, the runs on the board will be at an already healthy total and he can devastatingly put IL out of the game with a typical strong performance. Graeme Smith, described Ricky Ponting as the toughest competitor he had ever played against while Viv Richards declared Ponting was his favourite player to watch, slightly ahead of Tendulkar. His exceptional batting and outstanding captaincy aside, Ponting is also a more than adequate fieldsmen – vital to any top side.
4. Graham Thorpe: England’s most complete batsman of the last decade, able to attack or defend as the game requires, Thorpe is capable of steadying an innings, or exploding into life as the situation permits. The potential for him to strike a partnership with either Strauss or Ponting is dangerously catastrophic for IL, especially with an adequately able Bell and Healy to come. My dependable scored 6744 runs in exactly 100 tests at an average of 44.66 for England, notoriously hard to dismiss. By the end of his innings, I expect to have at the minimum 250-300 runs on the board thanks to my openers and next two batsmen.
5. Ian Bell: 77 tests, 5300+ runs and a batting average of 47.63 – not a bad man to have come to the crease when you’re 4 wickets down, now is it? There will be no rest bite for IL’s bowlers as Bell’s exquisite stroke play and technique will come to the fore. Capable of producing a huge score, Bell has scored 16 test centuries and one of only a few test players to score against every current test playing nation (excluding Zimbabwe). Bell’s role in the Ashes ’05 earned him an MBE, not without reason – his knocks in back-to-the-wall performances silenced critics. His exploits as a top batsmen showcase his potential to devastatingly take the game away from IL’s reach.
6. Ian Healy (wk): Between 1988 – 1999, Healy established himself as one of Australia’s greatest wicketkeepers of all time. In 119 tests he took 366 catches and 29 stumpings. He was a resilient batsman scoring 4356 runs at an average of 27.39. In total he scored 22 half centuries and 4 test hundreds including a highest score of 161 not out against the West Indies in 1996. His extraordinary performances in a struggling and poor-performing Australian side led to his recognition as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1994.
7. Irfan Pathan (all-rounder): By the time Pathan pads up, I expect my top 6 batsmen to have easily amassed a score in the region of 450-500 runs, perhaps even in excess of 500+ if Ponting and Thorpe stay at the crease for as long as we would all expect them too. A very talented swing and seam bowler and a very handy batsman down the order, Pathan has taken five wickets in an innings seven times in Test cricket, taking exactly 100 wickets at an average of a touch over 32. Twice, he has taken ten wickets in an innings. Pathan will be my opening bowler and a solid base to work from in defending the huge lead I believe I will hold after the first innings. I believe even if Pathan is not firing on all cylinders, the lead amassed from my batsmen prior will be more than enough when taking wickets. Pathan is no mug with the bat either, proving himself a more than adequate batsman by scoring 82 and 93 against Sri Lanka, opening the batting in the December 2005 New Delhi Test, when regular opener Virender Sehwag was ruled out due to illness. A batting average of 31+ for my number 7, particularly after following the best batting line up in the draft is quite simply staggering. It is for this reason that Pathan has been chosen as the all-rounder of my team, an extremely influential figure among the lads.
8. Harbhajan Singh: An exceptionally talented specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner. It was indeed in “that” series, that he became a household name in India in 2001 after taking 32 wickets against Australia, which included a hat-trick, the first Indian to do so in Test cricket. 406 wickets over 98 matches, at an average of 32.22 showcases the statistics to back up this man’s claim as an outstanding spinner. 5 wickets in an innings 25 times, 10 wickets in a match on five separate occasions, Singh will prove crucial in dismissing IL’s batting line-up. Career best bowling of 8/84, while impressive, does not surprise the knowledgeable cricket fan as Singh’s fantastic career spanning a decade has produced many memorable moments. A batting average of nearly 20 is also handy, however by the time he is batting in his first innings, a more than healthy total will have been reached. I expect if we bat first that he will not get a second innings as we will declare with a huge lead in an attempt to dismiss IL’s side in more than ample time.
9. Damien Fleming: Right then, the surprise package of not only my team, but the draft. He is regarded as one of Australian cricket’s premier pace bowlers, a recognised expert in the art of swing bowling. A career no doubt hampered by injury, his 20 tests yielding 75 wickets at an average of 25.89 was enough for me to envisage a place for him among my team. A hat trick on debut epitomised his showcasing of fine spells of bowling, and he would have had another hat trick if not for Warne dropping an easy catch in 2003 that cost him a third successive wicket. I feel he provides a great bowling option to supplement the attack of Singh, Pathan in conjunction with Patterson and Martin. A batting average of just under 20 is quite good for a specialist bowler, however as I previously mentioned above, I do not expect him to have to play any sort of meaningful role with the bat, such is my confidence in my top 6 order along with Pathan backing. If Fleming and Singh can contributed a few dozen runs combined, I see no way back for IL.
10. Patrick Patterson: A former fast right-arm bowler for the West Indies, Patterson took 4 for 29 on the first day of his Test debut and 7 for 73 in the match. His bowling could torment on pitches that offered any pace and lift, shown by his figures of 93 test wickets in 28 matches at an average of 30.90. 5 times he took 5 wickets in an innings, and I suspect he will cause some unexpected damage to IL’s lineup. Along with Fleming, Pathan and Singh his variety will cause problems, not least when looking at Graham Gooch’s evaluation of his bowling “his fastness frightened me”. His slightly high average of 30.9 was owing to his excessively attacking nature and subsequent field settings, which always provided opportunity for runs as well as wickets. The concession of runs will not be a problem for my side due to the undoubted strength in batting, so I take comfort in the knowledge that while Patterson may go for runs, HE WILL take wickets, which should prove crucial.
11. Chris Martin: Martin is one of four New Zealand Test cricketers to have taken 200 wickets. 218 wickets in 65 tests at an average of 33.33 show his ability to cause havoc for opposition batsmen. A regular in taking five wicket hauls in an innings, Martin in 2011 was recognised as New Zealand's premier cricketer, when he was awarded the inaugural Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, at the New Zealand cricket awards ceremony. I expect in conjunction with Pathan, Fleming, Patterson and Singh, Martin will be able to add effectively to the scalping of 20 wickets over the course of the match. I feel that while my obvious strength is the pure class in batting my side possesses, there is more than enough resources within my bowling line up to dispose of IL’s batting twice over the course of the match.
12th man – Boeta Dippenaar: A versatile batsmen, occasional bowler and fielder, Dippenaar has played as a specialist batsman in most of his matches, and has played Test cricket in all batting positions from one through seven. He bats right-handed and bowls occasional off breaks, also known for his able fielding ability. 38 test matches for a batting average of 30+, with a top score of 177* just epitomises the overall batting quality inherent within my line up.
Vs.
Interval Level
I think I have a balanced team.
Batting: I bat till Akram post which I have a couple of guys who can plant their bat. But my batting plays till 8. I have a mixture of talented cricketers and established stars. I look at his bowling and I think there is not much damage he can do.
Bowling: again, depth and variety. 4 seamers. Akram: left hand swing. Cork: right hand swing. Gul: right arm quick and watson with his accurate bowling. Mushtaq is a truly great offie with capacity to run through batting
WK: reliable McCullum
I think I can outplay him in all departments of the game.
Interval's XI
For the full profiles with Pictures and Videos, go to
https://www.redcafe.net/f12/redcafe-cricket-draft-356314/index30.html#post12021517
https://www.redcafe.net/f12/redcafe-cricket-draft-356314/index31.html#post12021528
I think I have a balanced team.
Batting: I bat till Akram post which I have a couple of guys who can plant their bat. But my batting plays till 8. I have a mixture of talented cricketers and established stars. I look at his bowling and I think there is not much damage he can do.
Bowling: again, depth and variety. 4 seamers. Akram: left hand swing. Cork: right hand swing. Gul: right arm quick and watson with his accurate bowling. Mushtaq is a truly great offie with capacity to run through batting
WK: reliable McCullum
I think I can outplay him in all departments of the game.
Interval's XI
Gautam Gambhir: A tale of 2 halves career. For those who don’t remember, this guy was “IT” at his peak between 2008-10. He could handle pacers, spinners. Could play leg side, offside, straight. Was great at building innings or exploding right away, one of the most complete batsman of this era.
Shane Watson: Probably the most talented player on the circuit as far as overall ability counts. The guy has really underachieved in his career. But even on his 3rd gear, he has amazing and match changing skills. Comfortable facing quickies and spin alike, he can dominate and make any bowler go into his shell. While bowling, he is quick, accurate and can make the ball nip either way.
Robin “The Judge” Smith:
At his best he hammered fast bowling with supersonic cuts and hooks and visibly enjoyed the regular snatches of chin music from the West Indian quicks. He had a hammer of a cut and loved playing against fast bowlers. Archetypal English bat, he loved anything short. My earliest memories of cricket as a 5 year old was a cut shot of his against Shastri in the ’92 WC which went for a flat six and my mom cursing Shastri.
Due to his ability against the quicks, I’m sending him up to no 3.
Jimmy Adams
In the first half of his career, Jimmy Adams generated phenomenal statistics. After 12 Tests, only Bradman had a better record than his 1132 runs at 87 average. He was a gifted stroke player and could build innings. He later went on to captain West Indies. He somehow never took it off in the second half of his career but at his peak of as much as 27 tests, he was scoring above 60 runs a match.
Oh and he was an amazing fielder
Shivnaraine Chanderpaul:
Everyone knows what he is about. Absolute grit, determination, doggedness and obviously, scary face paint. He is the anchor who will make the opposition cry after my first 4 score 250 and they see him stroll out. He has aged like wine and a great fielder. 25 hundreds, 61 fifties over 10,000 test runs, he is truly one of the most outstanding batsman of this generation.
Over the last 6 years, he has scored at an average of over 66
Darren Lehmann:
He hasn’t had the longest of test careers. Only 27 matches. A superbly talented player, Darren Lehmann is a free-scoring left-hand batsman, and an underestimated left-arm orthodox spin bowler. Lehmann has built an imposing record in both his home country and with the county team Yorkshire. He achieved a telling milestone by playing more first-class games and scoring more runs than any other Australian - until Michael Hussey - before making his Test debut in Bangalore in 1998. He will add solidity to my lower middle order.
Brendon McCullum:
While not the most steady of players, he can bruise any attack. He will lend strength to my lower order. He has 173 catches and 11 stumpings putting him close to the all time NZ record.
At his peak, he was playing at both no 2 and no 7 position having seasons with 50+ average in both
Wasim Akram
One of the greatest Quickies of all time. End story. Can bat. Highest score of 257.
Dominic Cork
One of those childhood heroes. Could swing the ball late and was deadly with the seam. He is probably one of the best English quickies of recent times and took 5wickets 5 times. Could bat, ie was a proper hang in there tail wagger with 3 fifties.
Saqlain Mushtaq:
One of the most talented spinners. Again few videos will prove it. Another tail ender who annoyed, ask any Indian fan. Has a hundred to his name.
Umar Gul
Wanted somebody quick, who could swing and most importantly, reverse swing. Umar Gul has lately become one of the most deadly bowlers on the planet with his Yorkers.
Can do this:
Taken 158 wickets in 45 matches at the average of 33. He hasn't been able to convert some of his great form in other forms to test matches but he is still a deadly bowler to have in the armory
Shane Watson: Probably the most talented player on the circuit as far as overall ability counts. The guy has really underachieved in his career. But even on his 3rd gear, he has amazing and match changing skills. Comfortable facing quickies and spin alike, he can dominate and make any bowler go into his shell. While bowling, he is quick, accurate and can make the ball nip either way.
Robin “The Judge” Smith:
At his best he hammered fast bowling with supersonic cuts and hooks and visibly enjoyed the regular snatches of chin music from the West Indian quicks. He had a hammer of a cut and loved playing against fast bowlers. Archetypal English bat, he loved anything short. My earliest memories of cricket as a 5 year old was a cut shot of his against Shastri in the ’92 WC which went for a flat six and my mom cursing Shastri.
Due to his ability against the quicks, I’m sending him up to no 3.
Jimmy Adams
In the first half of his career, Jimmy Adams generated phenomenal statistics. After 12 Tests, only Bradman had a better record than his 1132 runs at 87 average. He was a gifted stroke player and could build innings. He later went on to captain West Indies. He somehow never took it off in the second half of his career but at his peak of as much as 27 tests, he was scoring above 60 runs a match.
Oh and he was an amazing fielder
Shivnaraine Chanderpaul:
Everyone knows what he is about. Absolute grit, determination, doggedness and obviously, scary face paint. He is the anchor who will make the opposition cry after my first 4 score 250 and they see him stroll out. He has aged like wine and a great fielder. 25 hundreds, 61 fifties over 10,000 test runs, he is truly one of the most outstanding batsman of this generation.
Over the last 6 years, he has scored at an average of over 66
Darren Lehmann:
He hasn’t had the longest of test careers. Only 27 matches. A superbly talented player, Darren Lehmann is a free-scoring left-hand batsman, and an underestimated left-arm orthodox spin bowler. Lehmann has built an imposing record in both his home country and with the county team Yorkshire. He achieved a telling milestone by playing more first-class games and scoring more runs than any other Australian - until Michael Hussey - before making his Test debut in Bangalore in 1998. He will add solidity to my lower middle order.
Brendon McCullum:
While not the most steady of players, he can bruise any attack. He will lend strength to my lower order. He has 173 catches and 11 stumpings putting him close to the all time NZ record.
At his peak, he was playing at both no 2 and no 7 position having seasons with 50+ average in both
Wasim Akram
One of the greatest Quickies of all time. End story. Can bat. Highest score of 257.
Dominic Cork
One of those childhood heroes. Could swing the ball late and was deadly with the seam. He is probably one of the best English quickies of recent times and took 5wickets 5 times. Could bat, ie was a proper hang in there tail wagger with 3 fifties.
Saqlain Mushtaq:
One of the most talented spinners. Again few videos will prove it. Another tail ender who annoyed, ask any Indian fan. Has a hundred to his name.
Umar Gul
Wanted somebody quick, who could swing and most importantly, reverse swing. Umar Gul has lately become one of the most deadly bowlers on the planet with his Yorkers.
Can do this:
Taken 158 wickets in 45 matches at the average of 33. He hasn't been able to convert some of his great form in other forms to test matches but he is still a deadly bowler to have in the armory
For the full profiles with Pictures and Videos, go to
https://www.redcafe.net/f12/redcafe-cricket-draft-356314/index30.html#post12021517
https://www.redcafe.net/f12/redcafe-cricket-draft-356314/index31.html#post12021528
I already pondered about this for a bit. I do agree with you UnitedFan101 that your batting is better than IL's especially that 3-6. But your bowling just does not hold up. Seems to be dependent on Bhajji . Two of your main bowlers have less than 20 matches under their belt. On the flip side, IL has Akram and Saqlain. I rate the latter a lot despite whatever figures he may have. Bar Chanderpaul, his batting does seem susceptible to a collapse every now and then. It is just that I don;t think you have the bowling to take advantage of that. So my vote goes to IL in this one.
I'll post this and then discuss with UF101 tomorrow since he won't be on tonight.
1. My batting is not very weak itself. It bats all the way till Akram with McCullum appearing at No. 7 giving it strength in depth. I think his middle order marginally shades it but I think my lower order is superior to his as I don't rate Pathan much tbh.
2. He will struggle to take wickets. Even though my batting may seem inferior, his bowlers aren't that good as to run through them.
3. Think my bowlers are better. He just doesn't have an answer for quality like Mushtaq and Akram.
4. Both our bowling has great depth. He has a good number of bowlers too but I think mine are better.
5. I think he is also susceptible to a collapse. I expect Sohail to be out quick. and also, I would like to point out that Healy and Pathan are useful batsmen but not all out batsmen.
Any critique is welcome.
1. My batting is not very weak itself. It bats all the way till Akram with McCullum appearing at No. 7 giving it strength in depth. I think his middle order marginally shades it but I think my lower order is superior to his as I don't rate Pathan much tbh.
2. He will struggle to take wickets. Even though my batting may seem inferior, his bowlers aren't that good as to run through them.
3. Think my bowlers are better. He just doesn't have an answer for quality like Mushtaq and Akram.
4. Both our bowling has great depth. He has a good number of bowlers too but I think mine are better.
5. I think he is also susceptible to a collapse. I expect Sohail to be out quick. and also, I would like to point out that Healy and Pathan are useful batsmen but not all out batsmen.
Any critique is welcome.
UnitedFan's batting is superb.
Strauss and Sohail
Ponting
Bell
Thorpe
Its just that I cannot see his bowling taking 20 wickets in the match.
Interval has issues as well.
His opening partnership is brittle. Robin Smith wouldn't last more than a few overs if he had to face a decent quality offspinner like Harbhajan. Chanderpaul and Adams while solid can make it difficult to win a match because they bat so slow.
His bowling will take 20 wickets though Cork and Gul are both very inconsistent. Even so, they'll be decent support for Saqlain and Akram.
I started out feeling confident Interval would win it easy but i'm not so sure now.
Strauss and Sohail
Ponting
Bell
Thorpe
Its just that I cannot see his bowling taking 20 wickets in the match.
Interval has issues as well.
His opening partnership is brittle. Robin Smith wouldn't last more than a few overs if he had to face a decent quality offspinner like Harbhajan. Chanderpaul and Adams while solid can make it difficult to win a match because they bat so slow.
His bowling will take 20 wickets though Cork and Gul are both very inconsistent. Even so, they'll be decent support for Saqlain and Akram.
I started out feeling confident Interval would win it easy but i'm not so sure now.
Why consider only Cork and Gul? Watson is also there. Lehmann and Adams can chip in
Robin Smith, while fabled to be weak against spin, made a career in the middle order with a great average. He wasn't THAT rubbish against spin. Its like me claiming Mushtaq can easily account for Ponting.
My opening pair may be brittle but I genuinely see Gambhir as a solid player.
You aren't considering my lower order of Lehmann, McCullum who aren't mugs.
No I don't doubt your bowling. They'll get the wickets. You're right that I didn't really consider Watson plus Lehmann and Adams but even without them there's more than enough menace there.
No doubt i'm underrating Gambhir because of his test average over the last 3 years but he has been exposed against bounce and movement.
Robin Smith was really an offspinner's bunny...I'm telling you he was. If United Fan didn't have Harbhajan, it would be a different matter but as it stands, i'm discounting him.
Fair enough that I didn't consider the lower order. You're right that Lehmann can pick the pace up and McCullum is very useful at 7.
On the whole, I suppose you'd still win.
No doubt i'm underrating Gambhir because of his test average over the last 3 years but he has been exposed against bounce and movement.
Robin Smith was really an offspinner's bunny...I'm telling you he was. If United Fan didn't have Harbhajan, it would be a different matter but as it stands, i'm discounting him.
Fair enough that I didn't consider the lower order. You're right that Lehmann can pick the pace up and McCullum is very useful at 7.
On the whole, I suppose you'd still win.
UnitedFan has an excellent batting line-up, particularly the middle-order but I think IL's bowling would be too strong and ultimately I think they'll be more likely to get 20 wickets than UnitedFan's line-up and have enough batsmen to knock those runs off, even if the batting line-up is not as solid.
Tough call this but I'm going for IL.
Tough call this but I'm going for IL.
This is quite tough actually. Akram might just swing this one (forgive the pun), not to mention Mushtaq ... yeah, it's going to have to be. IL has enough solid batsmen to contend with the bowling, although there is a lot of reliance on Chanderpaul.
Ultimately UnitedFan's bowling is quite weak. I think IL wins this one.
Unitedfan has got a strong batting lineup but Pathan as an all-rounder is a weak pick and I hate Harbhajan Singh with a fervour (a bit strange that), so will be biased against him. Unitedfan's bowling attack looks weak compared to IL's.
My vote going to IL
My vote going to IL
UF has too weak a bowling unit to take advantage of ILs weaker batting compared to him. Would struggle to pick 20 wickets. IL to win pretty comfortably imo.
UF has a very good top order but the key to winning a test is taking 20 wickets, and I just don't see his team doing that. IL's batting might be weaker but I see them doing well against UF's bowling. IL's bowling is much better than UF's and with Akram and Mushtaq (and support from Cork, Gul and Watson) will be able to take 20 wickets IMO.
I have to go with IL, UF's bowling is way too weak with Singh being the best bowler.
I have to go with IL, UF's bowling is way too weak with Singh being the best bowler.
I'm going with IL here. His bowling is better than UF's, and his batting is also good, although maybe not better than UF's.
Edit - Damn, 10-0.
Edit - Damn, 10-0.
I'm going with IL here. His bowling is better than UF's, and his batting is also good, although maybe not better than UF's.
Edit - Damn, 10-0.
That's testament to UF's lack of a proper bowling attack. I think everyone's who voted just can't see him taking 20 wickets in a test. I certainly can't
Well to be fair to United Fan, he's right that his bowlers are wicket takers. Among the five of them, they average 10 wickets an innings. Its just that Fleming's the only one among them with an under 30 average and he's played only 20 tests. Plus I remember his swing bowling being very dependant on conditions. He's played relatively few tests abroad but his away figures are a dramatic drop-off from his home figures. If your strike bowler has these issues, it really handicaps you.
Basically, he's heavily dependant on Harbhajan to get him the wickets and while he was superb bowler in his early days, he's become a one-day bowler of late. More a stock than a strike bowler in tests.
Basically, he's heavily dependant on Harbhajan to get him the wickets and while he was superb bowler in his early days, he's become a one-day bowler of late. More a stock than a strike bowler in tests.
I'm not going to dignify a lot of what I perceive as wrong statements in the thread, there's simply no point at this stage, but what I will say is, there are 5 bowlers there, with one part-timer. If one gets 3+ wickets, the others only have to get 1-2 each. It's a massive overstatement to say they won't take 20 wickets; they will - yes it will be expensive, but it wouldn't matter because of the massive score the batsmen would knock up.
I won't delve in further, because again - there's no point.
EDIT: Congratulations IL. Well done. I'd take Ponting if I were you.
I won't delve in further, because again - there's no point.
EDIT: Congratulations IL. Well done. I'd take Ponting if I were you.
I'll give United Fan a solidarity vote as he didn't even vote for himself.
Voted United Fan because IL wants Fergie sacked.
Get in lads, rally the troops!Throw it in the IPO thread Excal, get everyone going against IL!
UF, i don't think you would lose this badly but i'm pretty convinced you'd lose this game.
For me there's no great team thats been built on a bunch of decent bowlers without having a single 'great' bowler.
For me there's no great team thats been built on a bunch of decent bowlers without having a single 'great' bowler.
Throw it in the IPO thread Excal, get everyone going against IL!
I don't want SAF gone
To be fair, Bhajji at his pomp was pretty fecking good. Someone like Saqlain does not have a performance like Bhajji against Oz 2001 to his name. His drop over the last few years have led to people overlooking him. Even Kumble went through a similar drop and could not get a place in test team for a while but he had a rejuvination while Bhajji seems to have dropped off all together unfortunately.
Yep, but forget it
no point at this stage of even correcting people who are overlooking certain factors, the people have spoken. Yep. I'd agree. But I'm facing the same problem with Gambhir. I think the entire Indian team has struggled in the last 2-3 years after being named the best test team.
Flatter to deceive as always.
UF, Its still another 9-10 hours for voting. If Stretch's game is anything to go by we can see atleast 10 more votes coming in.
Yep, but forget it
But you must see where they're coming from. Your batting attack is not that much better than mine. Its great but bats well only till Bell after which you have Healy and Pathan who aren't exactly out and out batsman.
Added to that, your pace attack will struggle to take wickets. Like R-I said, too reliable on Harbhajan. But I personally rate Saqlain higher than him simply because he had more variety and guile. As much as you rate Fleming, I don't think he was THAT good a bowler. Steady, yes. But that's it.
Kumble had shoulder surgery, and thereafter evolved to become an even shrewder operator. He always had the brains and diligence to succeed at the Test level. Harbhajan has suffered due to a lot of externalities, IMO, but it still doesn't take away from the fact that he could have had a reputation far exceeding his current one.
He plateaued. He never kept re-inventing himself. Never kept adding new variations, different lines and lengths and set pieces.
This looks like its done. Interval, you'll be taking Ponting I suppose.
Yeah, mostly. Need to strengthen that middle order. Don't know who I'll drop though. I guess it depends on the draw too. If I'm facing someone without a quality spinner then maybe Lehmann or Adams. Else Smith.