Redcafe ODI Cricket Draft- Interval vs Varun

Who will win based on players in their prime, team tactics and balance?

  • Total voters
    12
  • Poll closed .

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,917
Blah, blah....
 
Please vote on basis of performances post 1990 only

Interval's 11
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

Explanation
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.


v/s


Varun's 11
Hashim Amla
Gary Kirsten
Shane Watson
Misbah Ul Haq
Carl Hooper
Kamran Akmal
Justin Kemp
Anil Kumble
James Anderson
Michael Kasprowicz
Muttiah Muralitharan

12th man: Tsosobe

Explanation
Varun_Utd said:
Hashim Amla
Gary Kirsten
Shane Watson
Misbah Ul Haq
Carl Hooper
Kamran Akmal
Justin Kemp
Anil Kumble
James Anderson
Michael Kasprowicz
Muttiah Muralitharan

12th man- Tsotsobe

Batting: Great South African opening pair in Amla and Kirsten. Wonderful strokemaker in Amla to give the innings a brisk start combined with the solidity and calmness that Kirsten will bring to the lineup. Amla is someone who is great at building innings so thats another big plus. These 2 will be followed by Watson who's another fantastic player. Big hitter of the ball and scores big knocks.

Misbah will provide the fulcrum to the team to play around. Steady player who can accelerate later. His best performances come when playing at the No 4 slot and thats where i'l be playing him. He's followed by the very talented Carl Hooper. Very good against both pacers and spinners, he'l give the team impetus or stability as needed.

Akmal and Kemp will give the team the late flourish it needs. 7 batsmen, more than enough for an ODI when they are of this quality.

Bowling: Murali and Kumble. 2 of the greatest spinners Cricket has seen in the same lineup. Both economical bowlers and great at picking wickets. Can bowl at any point of time depending on the situation. 20 top quality overs of spin by the wizards supplemented by another spell by Hooper will be very handy against most teams.

Anderson with his swing bowling will open the innings supported by Kasprowicz. Not the best of opening bowlers admittedly but with excellent support in the likes of Watson and Kemp, i have lots of bowling options and with such variety, teams wont have it easy. Hooper is another option in attack with lots of wickets in ODIs, quality all rounder.

Overall, i think its a wonderfully balanced team with lots of strokemakers ably supported by stable batsmen to play with. This team can post huge totals and with the genuises in Murali and Kumble supported by Anderson Kaspro Watson Kemp and Hooper, i'd back my bowlers to make life very difficult for most lineups. 3 quality allrounders in the team in Watson, Kemp and Hooper which is much needed in ODIs.
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Jimmy Anderson...
I'd play Tsotsobe over him..

Think Varun's team has a few too many ordinary players..
 
I really want to vote for Varun's team due to Hooper, Kumble and Murali, but I just can't.. I'm going to think some more, but am leaning IL.
 
IL's team has a lot of innings builders but not many batsmen that can score quickly. Also, his bowling attack will depend on both Pathan and Razzaq bowling their full quota which is a big ask.

Admittedly, my opening bowlers arent great but they have very good pace support in Watson and Kemp. I also have both Murali and Kumble who are brilliant spinners.

Anyways, got 2 bloody presentations to make but just my 2 cents on the matchup and why i should have the edge.

Also feel my batting lineup is being underrated here. Very good mix of attacking strokemakers and players who can play the long knock.
 
Varun's main strength in his bowling comes from his 2 spinners working in tandem. But I really don't have any players who you could say struggled against spin. In fact, almost all of my batsmen would just milk the spinners for singles and wait for them to finish their quota.

I can see my team getting off to a great start considering his opening bowlers are going to be Anderson and Kasprowicz. I can see Dilshan and Anwar really taking them for runs in the fielding restrictions forcing varun to put Murali and Kumble on in the first 15 which can be quite disastrous.

On the batting front, if McGrath or Fleming can remove 1 of the openers, I can see Varun's team struggling. Misbah isn't the strongest against good swing bowling. He doesn't have even 1 ODI hundred to his name. Watson can be quite flakey in his batting. Again, none of the middle 3 have a repertoire of building innings and scoring big hundreds which I think will go against him. I can see Ajmal really throttling his middle order and Razzaq and Pathan landing some crucial blows.
 
Varun_Utd said:
IL's team has a lot of innings builders but not many batsmen that can score quickly. Also, his bowling attack will depend on both Pathan and Razzaq bowling their full quota which is a big ask.
1. Dilshan
2. Anwar wasn't exactly a slow types
3. Lara and Jaya can both step up a gear with ease
4. Razzaq and Pathan can add big shots later

Admittedly, my opening bowlers arent great but they have very good pace support in Watson and Kemp. I also have both Murali and Kumble who are brilliant spinners.
You're awfully reliant on Murali to pick wickets

Anyways, got 2 bloody presentations to make but just my 2 cents on the matchup and why i should have the edge.

Also feel my batting lineup is being underrated here. Very good mix of attacking strokemakers and players who can play the long knock
I'm struggling to see the innings builders here, Varun. With all due respect to Hooper, Misbah and Watson, they aren't going to craft big knocks in tough conditions. Probably Hooper is the best out of those 3 who can do it.
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There you go. Good luck for your presentations.
 
I will abstain from voting in this unless Varun is fine with me voting since I assisted IL with choosing some of the players.
 
Congrats IL.

Stretch said:
I will abstain from voting in this unless Varun is fine with me voting since I assisted IL with choosing some of the players.
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Should have voted mate. Not a problem at all :)
 
Interval Level said:
Glad people remember him :)

Just to show what Arjuna offers as a captain
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Remember him? Easily the only batsman to rival Sachin in the late 90s. I used to imagine an Anwar-Sachin opening combo and wank myself silly*.

Also, watching that Murali video's made me remember just how difficult it was for him to overcome all these initial mental obstacles and finish where he did.

*Yes
 
Donaldo said:
Remember him? Easily the only batsman to rival Sachin in the late 90s. I used to imagine an Anwar-Sachin opening combo and wank myself silly*.

Also, watching that Murali video's made me remember just how difficult it was for him to overcome all these initial mental obstacles and finish where he did.

*Yes
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heh, yes. Anwar isn't exactly ancient, but most people here seem to rate and remember only recent players.

Murli was a victim if you ask me. I can only imagine his mental state after things like this. Really is a superstar of a player
 
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