Test Cricket Draft Game
- Thread starter Sabre
- Start date
**Team Selections now complete.**
**Players selected:** Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Allan Donald, Ricky Ponting, Courtney Walsh, Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, David Warner, Steve Waugh, AB De Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Steve Smith, Mark Boucher, Brett Lee, Anil Kumble, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Rahul Dravid, Curtly Ambrose, Stuart MacGill, Mark Waugh, Dale Steyn, Dan Vettori, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Mitchell Johnson, Andrew Flintoff, Mitchell Starc, Michael Vaughan, Ian Healy, VVS Laxman, Waqar Younis, Ross Taylor, Younis Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Mahela Jayawardene, Chris Cairns, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shaun Pollock, Sarfaz Ahmed, Justin Langer, Jason Gillespie, Ryan Harris, Andy Flower, Kevin Pietersen, Mohammad Yousef, Stephen Fleming, Michael Clarke, Hashim Amla, Michael Hussey, Alastair Cook, Virender Sehwag, Kane Williamson, Graeme Smith, Craig McDermott, Chris Gayle, Mark Taylor, Herschel Gibbs, David Boon, Simon Katich, Michael Slater, Brad Haddin, Martin Crowe, Jimmy Anderson, Abdul Razzaq, Damien Martyn, Nathan Astle, Andrew Strauss, Sanath Jayasuriya, Graham Gooch, Gary Kirsten, Shakib Al Hasan, Danish Kaneria, Chaminder Vaas, Nathan Lyon, Virat Kohl, Alec Stewart, Makhaya Ntini, Nasser Hussain, Stuart Broad, Imran Kahn, Inzamam Ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Heath Streak, Graeme Swann, Allan Border, Mohammad Azharuddin, Phillip Hughes, Shoaib Ahktar, Carl Hooper, Michael Atherton, Angus Fraser, Kapi Dev, Peter Siddle, Morne Morkel, Thilan Samaraweera, Ben Stokes, Rangana Herath, Brendon McCullum, Andrew Symonds, Javagal Srinath, Graham Thorpe, Zaheer Khan, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ian Bishop, Sourav Ganguly, Andrew Caddick, Angelo Mathews, Darren Gough, Ian Bell, Marcus Trescothick, Saqlain Mushtaq, Merv Hughes, Ishant Sharma, Tim Southee, Jonathon Trott
**Players selected:** Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Allan Donald, Ricky Ponting, Courtney Walsh, Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, David Warner, Steve Waugh, AB De Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Steve Smith, Mark Boucher, Brett Lee, Anil Kumble, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Rahul Dravid, Curtly Ambrose, Stuart MacGill, Mark Waugh, Dale Steyn, Dan Vettori, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Mitchell Johnson, Andrew Flintoff, Mitchell Starc, Michael Vaughan, Ian Healy, VVS Laxman, Waqar Younis, Ross Taylor, Younis Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Mahela Jayawardene, Chris Cairns, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shaun Pollock, Sarfaz Ahmed, Justin Langer, Jason Gillespie, Ryan Harris, Andy Flower, Kevin Pietersen, Mohammad Yousef, Stephen Fleming, Michael Clarke, Hashim Amla, Michael Hussey, Alastair Cook, Virender Sehwag, Kane Williamson, Graeme Smith, Craig McDermott, Chris Gayle, Mark Taylor, Herschel Gibbs, David Boon, Simon Katich, Michael Slater, Brad Haddin, Martin Crowe, Jimmy Anderson, Abdul Razzaq, Damien Martyn, Nathan Astle, Andrew Strauss, Sanath Jayasuriya, Graham Gooch, Gary Kirsten, Shakib Al Hasan, Danish Kaneria, Chaminder Vaas, Nathan Lyon, Virat Kohl, Alec Stewart, Makhaya Ntini, Nasser Hussain, Stuart Broad, Imran Kahn, Inzamam Ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Heath Streak, Graeme Swann, Allan Border, Mohammad Azharuddin, Phillip Hughes, Shoaib Ahktar, Carl Hooper, Michael Atherton, Angus Fraser, Kapi Dev, Peter Siddle, Morne Morkel, Thilan Samaraweera, Ben Stokes, Rangana Herath, Brendon McCullum, Andrew Symonds, Javagal Srinath, Graham Thorpe, Zaheer Khan, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ian Bishop, Sourav Ganguly, Andrew Caddick, Angelo Mathews, Darren Gough, Ian Bell, Marcus Trescothick, Saqlain Mushtaq, Merv Hughes, Ishant Sharma, Tim Southee, Jonathon Trott
**FIRST VOTE: OPENING BATSMEN**
Opening the Stats Period for people to put forth their case for the players they have chosen. This will end at midnight tomorrow. Voting will open on Friday 4 December.
**PLAYERS ARE:**
Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Aravinda De Silva
Chris Gayle
David Warner
Gary Kirsten
Graeme Smith
Graham Gooch
Hashim Amla
Herschelle Gibbs
Justin Langer
Marcus Trescothic
Mark Taylor
Michael Atherton
Michael Slater
Mohammad Azharuddin
Phillip Hughes
Ross Taylor
Saeed Anwar
Sanath Jayasuriya
Simon Katich
Virender Sehwag
Opening the Stats Period for people to put forth their case for the players they have chosen. This will end at midnight tomorrow. Voting will open on Friday 4 December.
**PLAYERS ARE:**
Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Aravinda De Silva
Chris Gayle
David Warner
Gary Kirsten
Graeme Smith
Graham Gooch
Hashim Amla
Herschelle Gibbs
Justin Langer
Marcus Trescothic
Mark Taylor
Michael Atherton
Michael Slater
Mohammad Azharuddin
Phillip Hughes
Ross Taylor
Saeed Anwar
Sanath Jayasuriya
Simon Katich
Virender Sehwag
Bazzinator
New member
1\. Mark Taylor 93 Tests 6306 Runs 334 *HS 43.49 Ave 41.48 SR 15 100's 35 50's 147 Catches
2\. Marcus Trescothic 76 Tests 5825 Runs 219 HS 43.79 Ave 54.51 SR 14 100's 29 50's 95 Catches
2\. Marcus Trescothic 76 Tests 5825 Runs 219 HS 43.79 Ave 54.51 SR 14 100's 29 50's 95 Catches
1 Herschelle Gibbs..90 Tests 6167 runs 41.95 ave 50.26 S/R 14 100's 26 50's H/S 228.
2 Phillip Hughes..26 Tests 1535 runs 32.65 ave 53.55 S/R 3 100's 7 50's
H/S 160.
3 Ian Bell..118 Tests 7727 runs 42.69 ave 40.46 S/R 22 100's 46 50's H/S 235.
4 Kevin Pietersen..104 Tests 8181 runs 47.28 ave 61.72 S/R 23 100's 35 50's H/S 227.
5 Damien Martyn..67 Tests 4406 runs 46.37 ave 51.41 S/R 13 100's 23 50's
H/S 165
6 Imran Khan (A/R).. 88 Tests 3807 runs 37.69 ave 3 100's 18 50's H/S 136.
Wkts 362 @ 22.81 Econ 2.54 5w 23 10w 6.
7 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (WK).. 90 Tests 4875 runs 38.09 ave 59.11 S/R
6 100's 33 50's H/S 224 Dismissals 294 CT 256 ST 38.
8 Anil Kumble.. 132 Tests 619 Wkts 29.65 ave 2.69 Econ S/R 66.9 5w 35 10w 8.
9 Dale Steyn .. 81 Tests 492 Wkts 22.56 ave 3.24 Econ S/R 41.7 5w 25 10w 5.
10 Zaheer Khan..92 Tests 311 Wkts 32.94 ave 3.27 Econ S/R 60.4 5w 11 10w 1.
11 Glenn McGrath..124 Tests 563 Wkts 21.64 ave 2.49 Econ S/R 51.9 5w 29 10w 3.
Coach…Michael Clarke's Dog Jerry
2 Phillip Hughes..26 Tests 1535 runs 32.65 ave 53.55 S/R 3 100's 7 50's
H/S 160.
3 Ian Bell..118 Tests 7727 runs 42.69 ave 40.46 S/R 22 100's 46 50's H/S 235.
4 Kevin Pietersen..104 Tests 8181 runs 47.28 ave 61.72 S/R 23 100's 35 50's H/S 227.
5 Damien Martyn..67 Tests 4406 runs 46.37 ave 51.41 S/R 13 100's 23 50's
H/S 165
6 Imran Khan (A/R).. 88 Tests 3807 runs 37.69 ave 3 100's 18 50's H/S 136.
Wkts 362 @ 22.81 Econ 2.54 5w 23 10w 6.
7 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (WK).. 90 Tests 4875 runs 38.09 ave 59.11 S/R
6 100's 33 50's H/S 224 Dismissals 294 CT 256 ST 38.
8 Anil Kumble.. 132 Tests 619 Wkts 29.65 ave 2.69 Econ S/R 66.9 5w 35 10w 8.
9 Dale Steyn .. 81 Tests 492 Wkts 22.56 ave 3.24 Econ S/R 41.7 5w 25 10w 5.
10 Zaheer Khan..92 Tests 311 Wkts 32.94 ave 3.27 Econ S/R 60.4 5w 11 10w 1.
11 Glenn McGrath..124 Tests 563 Wkts 21.64 ave 2.49 Econ S/R 51.9 5w 29 10w 3.
Coach…Michael Clarke's Dog Jerry
GNR4LIFE
Well-known member
1\. Graeme Smith
Matches: 117
Runs scored: 9,265
Batting average: 48.25
100s/50s: 27/38
Top score: 277
2\. Gary Kirsten
Matches: 101
Runs scored: 7,289
Batting average: 45.27
100s/50s: 21/34
Top score: 275
Matches: 117
Runs scored: 9,265
Batting average: 48.25
100s/50s: 27/38
Top score: 277
2\. Gary Kirsten
Matches: 101
Runs scored: 7,289
Batting average: 45.27
100s/50s: 21/34
Top score: 275
@Geo. said:
Fixed that for you.
Relax mate, we are only looking at opening bats at the moment. I'm gonna open up a 24 hour period before each vote to look at these stats. Gibbs' average is bloody higher than i thought it would be too. That;s where this period is good, I wouldn't have realised his stats would be THAT good.
@Sabre said:
It's done…24 hrs seems a bit long that's 6 days of non voting...then waiting for people to vote...that often took days in the NRL games...
Just sayin...
foreveratiger
New member
@Geo. said:
Yeah I agree let's just vote I'd say.
I'm sure everyone has done there homework on the players. My mind won't be changed just cause of averages people are putting up.
Can we agree on the same stats site for this? I reckon ESPNCricinfo.
1\. Saeed Anwar (PAK) 1990-2001
Matches: 55
Runs scored: 4,052
Batting average: 45.52
100s/50s: 11/25
Top score: 188*
2\. Simon Katich (AUS) 2001-2010
Matches: 56
Runs scored: 4,188
Batting average: 45.03
100s/50s: 10/25
Top score: 157
Matches: 55
Runs scored: 4,052
Batting average: 45.52
100s/50s: 11/25
Top score: 188*
2\. Simon Katich (AUS) 2001-2010
Matches: 56
Runs scored: 4,188
Batting average: 45.03
100s/50s: 10/25
Top score: 157
foreveratiger
New member
@Sabre said:
His average is only 41.95 not that high…..average.
Gibbs was a fantastic opener which had an unbelievable pull shot stroke like Ricky Ponting, they seriously made it look effortlessly IMO
foreveratiger
New member
If people are basing there order of selection just purely on averages? Well you might aswell just put them in order by there averages and forget voting if that's the case IMO.
Averages come into it when voting but for me there is alot more to it…..as usually there is an opener that his role is to hold up the crease and support the other batsman and averages are affected for this sort of role being played.
Averages come into it when voting but for me there is alot more to it…..as usually there is an opener that his role is to hold up the crease and support the other batsman and averages are affected for this sort of role being played.
happy_tiger
Well-known member
Aravinda Da Silva 93 tests 42.97 batting average , top score 267 ,20 test centuries ,22 50's , took 29 wickets and 43 catches Had to play most of his career with Arjuna Ranatunga (must be worth a few votes LOL )
Mohammad Azharuddin 99 tests , batting average 45.03 , Top score 199 ,22 test centuries , 21 50's ,
Mohammad Azharuddin 99 tests , batting average 45.03 , Top score 199 ,22 test centuries , 21 50's ,
source: ESPN Cricinfo
Virender Sehwag 104 tests, average @ 49.34, top score 319, 23 centuries and 32 50s including 1233 4s, and 91 6s,
also took 40 test wickets @ 47.35, and took 91 catches
David Warner 46 tests so far, average @ 50.48, top score 253, 15 centuries and 19 50s - including a phenomenal 505 4s and 41 6s (14 balls never recovered, so they say)
also took 4 test wickets @ 63.50, and took 34 catches
Virender Sehwag 104 tests, average @ 49.34, top score 319, 23 centuries and 32 50s including 1233 4s, and 91 6s,
also took 40 test wickets @ 47.35, and took 91 catches
David Warner 46 tests so far, average @ 50.48, top score 253, 15 centuries and 19 50s - including a phenomenal 505 4s and 41 6s (14 balls never recovered, so they say)
also took 4 test wickets @ 63.50, and took 34 catches
Amended, in best (20,) to worst (1.)
**20\. Graeme Smith** - 9/10 - Was going to be one of my picks, bit of a bunny against Australia, but was otherwise very good everywhere else. Never forget him coming out at the end of the Test at the SCG with a broken hand to try to see us off. I'll never forget that reception he received and nearly went the distance. Tough bloke and oversaw a great South African team.
**19\. Virender Sehwag** - 8/10 - The original Dave Warner. Strike rate above 80, averaged 52 as an opener, played well virtually everywhere. Scored 300 a couple of times as well.
**18\. David Warner** - 8/10 - If I took all forms of the game into consideration he'd get a 10, especially for being a T20 player who reverse engineered his game to become a consistent Test player. Phenomenal on Australian and South African tracks, otherwise struggles away from home, pretty ordinary in India IIRC and has been shown up in England quite a bit. Brilliant S/R, can really get a team on the back foot in the first session of an innings if he's firing.
**17\. Mohammad Azharuddin** - 8/10 - Another guy who averaged well in the golden era of bowlers. I envied him as a kid as I hated how well he could play off his pads, something to this day I still struggle with.
**16\. Justin Langer** - 8/10 - Pommy basher. One of the few who went well in India as well. Averaged 50 as an opener and for a little bloke had some power on his strokes, formed a brilliant combination with Haydos.
**15\. Alastair Cook** - 8/10 - Englands best ever bat that I've seen, and will likely finish up their highest run scorer. Only 30 and played 120 matches. Performs well in Australia and can anchor an innings. Still like any good bat, prone to lulls in form, until this year the last couple of years haven't been kind to him.
**14\. Marcus Trescothic** - 8/10 - Another one of those batsmen who struggled against us but performed very well everywhere else. Had a good drive on him and tied up an end well.
**13\. Gary Kirsten** - 7/10 - Averaged 45 against in an era of brilliant bowlers. Didn't have many memorable innings against Australia and used to get bogged down (not necessarily a bad thing if you're stabilising an innings,) but otherwise a very good opener.
**12\. Graham Gooch** - 7/10 - Was great against everyone but the Aussies. Watching him against us I always thought of him to be one of those guys that just couldn't convert his 50's. Only played until 1995 though, and his last two seasons were pretty ordinary.
**11\. Herschelle Gibbs** - 7/10 - Struggled against us and the Indians, still a very respectable record.
**10\. Michael Slater** - 7/10 - Powerful stroke player, and another Pommy basher. Was a bunny for the Indians though.
**9\. Chris Gayle** - 7/10 - Have to admit I'm really going off his form against Australia and a few Tests I've seen him play against the Poms and Indians. Has always scored really well against us here. Less threatening against the Poms and the Indians always used to have him fairly well contained. Obviously being from the Caribbean he would fare much better against the quicks than the spinners.
**8\. Mark Taylor** - 7/10 - Always remembered Tubby for having an up and down career. His 334 was epic though especially so late in his career and to average near on 44 in an era of brilliant bowlers is no mean feat.
**7\. Sanath Jayasuriya** - 7/10 - Another player that helped Sri Lanka become a considerable opponent in the Test arena. Exceptional player in the subcontinent but did struggle against us, the Poms, Saffas and Windies.
**6\. Andrew Strauss** - 6/10 - Bit of a minnow basher. Struggled against the form teams during his career in Australia, South Africa and India. Never really rated him.
**5\. Michael Atherton** - 6/10 - Never rated Atherton. Always found him boring to watch, he struggled against us and largely struggled away from home.
**4\. Hashim Amla** - 10/10 - I know ABDV is probably the best bat in the world at the moment, but I think over the course of their careers Amla is the better batsman. Has the wood on us and scores well regularly against everyone. Scores well all over the world too. Would have loved to have seen him come in a decade earlier to see how he would have handled Walsh, Ambrose, McGrath, Warne, Akram and Younis. **EDIT - Have revoted him down as I thought he'd opened more then two games, for the sake of consistency with other voters. Still the best bat in this list IMO.**
**3\. Aravinda De Silva** - 7/10 - Instrumental in Sri Lanka rising from minnows to a competitive mid-tier team. Went for years, and was still scoring really well late into his career, despite starting in 1984\. Had a great pull shot on him. **EDIT - Have revoted him down as I thought he'd opened more then what he did, must have got him confused with ODI's, for the sake of consistency with other voters. Still the best bat in this list IMO.**
**2\. Ross Taylor** - 6/10 - Plays well against us, averaging close to 50, and 46 against everyone else but I cannot recall him ever opening, so I'm a little perplexed by this pick and have voted down as such.
**1\. Phillip Hughes** - 5/10 - Given how his career ended and how good a bloke he was I feel awful scoring him low, but apart from belting South Africa he didn't do much of note. Was technically deficient on the short ball as well which many teams figured out and exploited.
**Saeed Anwar** - My player so I will not rate him.
**Simon Katich** - My player so I will not rate him.
**20\. Graeme Smith** - 9/10 - Was going to be one of my picks, bit of a bunny against Australia, but was otherwise very good everywhere else. Never forget him coming out at the end of the Test at the SCG with a broken hand to try to see us off. I'll never forget that reception he received and nearly went the distance. Tough bloke and oversaw a great South African team.
**19\. Virender Sehwag** - 8/10 - The original Dave Warner. Strike rate above 80, averaged 52 as an opener, played well virtually everywhere. Scored 300 a couple of times as well.
**18\. David Warner** - 8/10 - If I took all forms of the game into consideration he'd get a 10, especially for being a T20 player who reverse engineered his game to become a consistent Test player. Phenomenal on Australian and South African tracks, otherwise struggles away from home, pretty ordinary in India IIRC and has been shown up in England quite a bit. Brilliant S/R, can really get a team on the back foot in the first session of an innings if he's firing.
**17\. Mohammad Azharuddin** - 8/10 - Another guy who averaged well in the golden era of bowlers. I envied him as a kid as I hated how well he could play off his pads, something to this day I still struggle with.
**16\. Justin Langer** - 8/10 - Pommy basher. One of the few who went well in India as well. Averaged 50 as an opener and for a little bloke had some power on his strokes, formed a brilliant combination with Haydos.
**15\. Alastair Cook** - 8/10 - Englands best ever bat that I've seen, and will likely finish up their highest run scorer. Only 30 and played 120 matches. Performs well in Australia and can anchor an innings. Still like any good bat, prone to lulls in form, until this year the last couple of years haven't been kind to him.
**14\. Marcus Trescothic** - 8/10 - Another one of those batsmen who struggled against us but performed very well everywhere else. Had a good drive on him and tied up an end well.
**13\. Gary Kirsten** - 7/10 - Averaged 45 against in an era of brilliant bowlers. Didn't have many memorable innings against Australia and used to get bogged down (not necessarily a bad thing if you're stabilising an innings,) but otherwise a very good opener.
**12\. Graham Gooch** - 7/10 - Was great against everyone but the Aussies. Watching him against us I always thought of him to be one of those guys that just couldn't convert his 50's. Only played until 1995 though, and his last two seasons were pretty ordinary.
**11\. Herschelle Gibbs** - 7/10 - Struggled against us and the Indians, still a very respectable record.
**10\. Michael Slater** - 7/10 - Powerful stroke player, and another Pommy basher. Was a bunny for the Indians though.
**9\. Chris Gayle** - 7/10 - Have to admit I'm really going off his form against Australia and a few Tests I've seen him play against the Poms and Indians. Has always scored really well against us here. Less threatening against the Poms and the Indians always used to have him fairly well contained. Obviously being from the Caribbean he would fare much better against the quicks than the spinners.
**8\. Mark Taylor** - 7/10 - Always remembered Tubby for having an up and down career. His 334 was epic though especially so late in his career and to average near on 44 in an era of brilliant bowlers is no mean feat.
**7\. Sanath Jayasuriya** - 7/10 - Another player that helped Sri Lanka become a considerable opponent in the Test arena. Exceptional player in the subcontinent but did struggle against us, the Poms, Saffas and Windies.
**6\. Andrew Strauss** - 6/10 - Bit of a minnow basher. Struggled against the form teams during his career in Australia, South Africa and India. Never really rated him.
**5\. Michael Atherton** - 6/10 - Never rated Atherton. Always found him boring to watch, he struggled against us and largely struggled away from home.
**4\. Hashim Amla** - 10/10 - I know ABDV is probably the best bat in the world at the moment, but I think over the course of their careers Amla is the better batsman. Has the wood on us and scores well regularly against everyone. Scores well all over the world too. Would have loved to have seen him come in a decade earlier to see how he would have handled Walsh, Ambrose, McGrath, Warne, Akram and Younis. **EDIT - Have revoted him down as I thought he'd opened more then two games, for the sake of consistency with other voters. Still the best bat in this list IMO.**
**3\. Aravinda De Silva** - 7/10 - Instrumental in Sri Lanka rising from minnows to a competitive mid-tier team. Went for years, and was still scoring really well late into his career, despite starting in 1984\. Had a great pull shot on him. **EDIT - Have revoted him down as I thought he'd opened more then what he did, must have got him confused with ODI's, for the sake of consistency with other voters. Still the best bat in this list IMO.**
**2\. Ross Taylor** - 6/10 - Plays well against us, averaging close to 50, and 46 against everyone else but I cannot recall him ever opening, so I'm a little perplexed by this pick and have voted down as such.
**1\. Phillip Hughes** - 5/10 - Given how his career ended and how good a bloke he was I feel awful scoring him low, but apart from belting South Africa he didn't do much of note. Was technically deficient on the short ball as well which many teams figured out and exploited.
**Saeed Anwar** - My player so I will not rate him.
**Simon Katich** - My player so I will not rate him.
I though voting was to start tomorrow and we just ranked players from 1 through 20 not each player out of 10…