Draft: Over 30s Draft

[Aislabie]

Overall Pick #29: Colin de Grandhomme

Profile
If there's one thing that every side needs, it's a player who will get stuck in whatever the situation, and who isn't concerned about anything so trivial as looking good. If the situation calls for bowling gentle medium pace well outside off stump in order to avoid conceding runs, then that's what he'll do. If it means playing an ugly defensive rearguard that doesn't suit his natural game, then that's what he'll do. And very occasionally they'll get their reward, and will have the chance to let loose under grey skies, or to clobber the crap out of some flagging Bangladeshi seamers who've already spent about eight hours trying to get Tom Latham out.

Those very specific examples are plucked directly from the career of New Zealand's Colin de Grandhomme, whose rather late call-up was just reward for years of toil in the Plunket Shield, but only came after more glamorous options like Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham had exhausted their extended runs in the team. Ever since he has done an excellent job of any task asked of him, and he has been a credit to himself and his team.

Statistics
TESTS - 903 runs @ 39.26 (1 century, best 105) and 35 wickets @ 30.57 (1 5WI, best 6/41) in 18 matches
FIRST CLASS - 5,411 runs @ 37.06 (12 centuries, best 144*) and 168 wickets @ 29.57 (2 5WI, best 6/24) in 104 matches

Role in the Team
Colin the Bigman will take pretty much his exact role from the Black Caps team. In fact, his inclusion might end up enabling us to have a slightly ridiculous seven-man bowling attack rather than the original six that we had been planning.

Overall Pick #32: Brad Hodge

Profile
Imagine quite possibly being one of the best six or seven middle-order batsmen in the world, but finding that those above you on the list also played for your country? Such was the fate that befell Brad Hodge, the effortless Victorian whose career was unfortunate enough to coincide with those of Waugh, Waugh, Ponting, Martyn, Clarke and Hussey. When Hodge did get his occasional chances to wear a Baggy Green, he absolutely did it proud: Test innings of 60, 18, 23, 41, 203*, 7, 24, 6, 27*, 67 and 27 left him with a Test average of 55. In any other country at that time, he'd have been an automatic selection.

Nor were his runs cheap or easy runs: his double-hundred came against a feisty South African pace attack led by Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini, against which no other Australian batsman managed to score more than Ricky Ponting's first-innings 71. Even with the competition he faced, it's unclear why Hodge didn't play more for his country; evidently, he was an extremely talented square peg in a team that had barely any holes at all.

Statistics
TESTS - 503 runs @ 55.88 (1 century, best 203*) in 6 matches
FIRST CLASS - 17,084 runs @ 48.81 (51 centuries, best 302*) and 74 wickets @ 41.70 (best 4/17) in 223 matches

Role in the Team
Brad Hodge can go through the gears and really put an opposing team under pressure if he has the opportunity to get on top. Therefore, he will bat at number five, a real pivot position in the batting order. He's my team's crisis man.


Fields on Wheels so far:
1. WG Grace (Pick #3)
2.
3. David Steele (Pick #25)
4.
5. Brad Hodge (Pick #32)
6. Dave Houghton (Pick #20)
7. Colin de Grandhomme (Pick #29)
8.
9.
10. Stuart Clark (Pick #8)
11. Saeed Ajmal (Pick #13)

Next pick:
@Aalay

 

[Aalay]

My next pick is Mohammad Irfan from Pakistan. I will do the write-up later.

@CerealKiller

 

[CerealKiller]

I'll go with Ernie Toshack, left-arm pace (not too much though), from Australia.

Undisputed Era
1.
2.
3.
4. Jack Ryder
5. Mike Hussey
6. Basil D'Oliveira
7.
8. Clarrie Grimmett
9. Bob Appleyard
10. Ernie Toshack
11. Herman Griffith

@El Loco

 

[El Loco]

Charles Marriott

Da Team:
1. Brian Luckhurst
2.
3.
4. Patsy Hendren
5. Ken MacKay
6.
7. Ridley Jacobs
8.
9. Reggie Schwarz
10. Dainty Ironmonger
11. Charles Marriott[DOUBLEPOST=1574103061][/DOUBLEPOST]@Aislabie

 

[Aislabie]

Overall Pick #36: Andy Sandham

Profile
Once upon a time, there was Jack Hobbs. Around the same time, there was also Andy Sandham but nobody really talked about him. Hobbs racked up the immortal 199 (or maybe only 197?) first-class centuries that everyone remembers. Around the same time, Andy Sandham racked up 107. Unfortunately, it was like there was only room in most people's brains for one Surrey opening batsman.

Eventually the England selectors saw past this and picked a by-now 31-year-old Sandham to make his Test debut at The Oval, although Lord Tennyson's batting orders were drawn such that he was batting at six while Hampshire's George Brown opened. Anyway, they finally managed to get past that and he would eventually conclude his Test career with a triple-hundred. Like, literally conclude it with that. That was what happened in his final-ever Test at the age of 39.

Statistics
TESTS - 879 runs @ 38.21 (2 centuries, best 325) in 14 matches
FIRST CLASS - 41,284 runs @ 44.82 (107 centuries, best 325) in 643 matches

Role in the Team
Just going to slot in my top-class opener at the top of the order because of course I am. It gives me a very pleasing all-English top three.

Fields on Wheels so far:
1. WG Grace (Pick #3)
2. Andy Sandham (Pick #36)
3. David Steele (Pick #25)
4.
5. Brad Hodge (Pick #32)
6. Dave Houghton (Pick #20)
7. Colin de Grandhomme (Pick #29)
8.
9.
10. Stuart Clark (Pick #8)
11. Saeed Ajmal (Pick #13)

 

[Aalay]

I am going to go with George Bailey next. I have to take another rain check on write-up as I am in the middle of travelling.

Dad's Army

1. Vijay Hazare
2. Herbie Collins
3.
4.
5. George Bailey
6.
7. Mike Brearley
8. Ryan Harris
9. George Francis
10. Mohammad Irfan
11. Dilip Doshi

@CerealKiller

 

[El Loco]

@CerealKiller I believe 24 hours have passed again.

John Holt Jnr


Da Team:
1. Brian Luckhurst
2. John Holt
3.
4. Patsy Hendren
5. Ken MacKay
6.
7. Ridley Jacobs
8.
9. Reggie Schwarz
10. Dainty Ironmonger
11. Charles Marriott

 

[El Loco]

@Aislabie

 

[Aislabie]

Colin Miller please; at work so idk who's next

 

[El Loco]

Ah damn I screwed up the next pick was actually @Dutch

EDIT: Brought the first post up to date so nobody makes the same mistake I did again.

 

[Dutch]

Ah damn I screwed up the next pick was actually @Dutch

EDIT: Brought the first post up to date so nobody makes the same mistake I did again.

Thanks! Will have a contribution soon I hope!

 

[Dutch]

Our next pick is little know West Indian all-rounder Vasbert Drakes who had his debut at the age of 33 against bangladesh and having scored some 350 runs and taken 33 wickets in 12 tets matches proved his worth. Pacey and hard-hitting. He is however perhaps most renowned for his contribution in the West Indies world record fourth innings total of 418 against Australia in which he scored an unbeaten 27 to steer West Indies home. If you can play in a line up consisting of Gayle, Lara, Chanderpaul and others then you are welcome in my team! Welcome Vasbert and mind the step.

The Creaking Lumbagos:
1. Chris Rogers
2.
3.
4.
5. Adam Voges
6. Kevin O'Brein
7. Brad Haddin
8. Vasbert Drakes
9. Tim Murtagh
10. Rockley Wilson
11. James Sotherton

 

[El Loco]

@Aalay

 

[CerealKiller]

Didn't get any alert, for some reason

 

[CerealKiller]

My 'keeper is David Richardson, who most recently was chief executive of the ICC. He was a fixture behind the stumps for the first 7 years after South Africa were readmitted to international cricket, playing 42 Tests. The only reason he makes this draft is due to apartheid preventing him from debuting sooner.

Undisputed Era
1.
2.
3.
4. Jack Ryder
5. Mike Hussey
6. Basil D'Oliveira
7. David Richardson
8. Clarrie Grimmett
9. Herman Griffith
10. Bob Appleyard
11. Ernie Toshack


@Aalay