MJJ
Aamir Sohail
A. Cook
Dravid
Inzamam
Yousuf
Mccullum
Harris
Maharoof
Streak
Vaas
Prasad
vs
Interval Level
Saeed Anwar
Tilakratne Dilshan
Brian Lara
Mahela Jayawardene
Arjuna Ranatunga ©
Alec Stewart (WK)
Abdul Razzaq
Irfan Pathan
Damien Fleming
Saeed Ajmal
Glenn McGrath
12th man: Brad Hogg
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.
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.
vs
Interval Level
Saeed Anwar
Tilakratne Dilshan
Brian Lara
Mahela Jayawardene
Arjuna Ranatunga ©
Alec Stewart (WK)
Abdul Razzaq
Irfan Pathan
Damien Fleming
Saeed Ajmal
Glenn McGrath
12th man: Brad Hogg
Saeed Anwar: 8824 runs in 247 matches at 39.2 and 20 hundreds. Long standing record for highest score of 194 against India
Tilakratne Dilshan: 6715 runs at 35 with 13 hundreds. Averages 43ish as opener. Picked up 60+ wickets
Brian Lara: 10,405 runs at 40 with 19 hundreds.
Mahela Jayawardene: 10,772 runs at 33 with 15 hundreds.
Arjuna Ranatunga: 7.5 thousand runs at 36 with 4 hundreds. Captain inspirational.
Alec Stewart: 4.6 thousand runs at 32 with 4 hundreds. 174 dismissals in 170 matches
Abdul Razzaq: 5000 runs at 30 with 3 hundreds. 269 wickets at an economy of 4.7. Played 265 matches.
Irfan Pathan: 1500 runs at 24 with 5 half centuries. 173 wickets in 120 matches at an average of 30.
Damien Fleming: 134 wickets in 88 matches at 23 average. Economy of 4.4.
Saeed Ajmal: 109 wickets in 71 matches at 23 and economy of 4.1.
Glenn McGrath: 381 wickets in 250 matches at 22 with an economy of 3.9 and 7 times 5wicket hauls. Probably one of the best fast bowlers in the draft.
Explanation:
Batting: All established stars with the middle order comprising of 2 10,000+ run getters. Openers contain a balance of aggression in Dilshan and elegant stroke making of who I consider one of the best opening bats of the 90s, Anwar. Arjuna and Stewart to back up the rear guard in case of loss of early wickets. Razzaq and Pathan can be sent early as pinch hitters in case we’re in the last 10 overs. Last 3 are bunnies but I bat till 8.
Bowling: Probably the best quickie in the draft with McGrath. Fleming to join him in opening having carried the aussie attack in the mid 90s. Razzaq and Ajmal to take over the bowling from them. With Pathan to be the 5th supplemented by Dilshan and Ranatunga who can both bowl a bit.
Overall: I have a team of match winners. With almost all established players all well known for their mental strength. This team can never be beaten until the final ball is bowled.
Brad Hogg (156 wickets in 123 @ 26.8 and economy of 4.5, batting average of 20 with 2 50s) can come in instead of Pathan in case an additional bowler is needed.
Tilakratne Dilshan: 6715 runs at 35 with 13 hundreds. Averages 43ish as opener. Picked up 60+ wickets
Brian Lara: 10,405 runs at 40 with 19 hundreds.
Mahela Jayawardene: 10,772 runs at 33 with 15 hundreds.
Arjuna Ranatunga: 7.5 thousand runs at 36 with 4 hundreds. Captain inspirational.
Alec Stewart: 4.6 thousand runs at 32 with 4 hundreds. 174 dismissals in 170 matches
Abdul Razzaq: 5000 runs at 30 with 3 hundreds. 269 wickets at an economy of 4.7. Played 265 matches.
Irfan Pathan: 1500 runs at 24 with 5 half centuries. 173 wickets in 120 matches at an average of 30.
Damien Fleming: 134 wickets in 88 matches at 23 average. Economy of 4.4.
Saeed Ajmal: 109 wickets in 71 matches at 23 and economy of 4.1.
Glenn McGrath: 381 wickets in 250 matches at 22 with an economy of 3.9 and 7 times 5wicket hauls. Probably one of the best fast bowlers in the draft.
Explanation:
Batting: All established stars with the middle order comprising of 2 10,000+ run getters. Openers contain a balance of aggression in Dilshan and elegant stroke making of who I consider one of the best opening bats of the 90s, Anwar. Arjuna and Stewart to back up the rear guard in case of loss of early wickets. Razzaq and Pathan can be sent early as pinch hitters in case we’re in the last 10 overs. Last 3 are bunnies but I bat till 8.
Bowling: Probably the best quickie in the draft with McGrath. Fleming to join him in opening having carried the aussie attack in the mid 90s. Razzaq and Ajmal to take over the bowling from them. With Pathan to be the 5th supplemented by Dilshan and Ranatunga who can both bowl a bit.
Overall: I have a team of match winners. With almost all established players all well known for their mental strength. This team can never be beaten until the final ball is bowled.
Brad Hogg (156 wickets in 123 @ 26.8 and economy of 4.5, batting average of 20 with 2 50s) can come in instead of Pathan in case an additional bowler is needed.