RoboRocks
Chairman of Selectors
Guys I thought this might me fun to do.
We are going to create a test match XI from the greatest ever test match players.
The way were going to go is the Richie Benuad/Don Bradman way where we have the player who go into the side and reserve players for 2 back up teams.
You nominate the person who should go into side and who should go into the back up side, the players will need 6 votes to become a nominee then the nominee's go into a poll then the best player/s go in to the squad.
Just to know we are doing it in the following stages:
1. Opening Batsmen (6 nominee's)
2. Number 3 (3 nominee's)
3. Middle Order (To be decided)
4. All Rounders (To be decided)
5. Wicket Keeper (3 nominee's)
6. Bowlers (To be decided)
Remember don't let anybody influese your desion, its your opinion.
Can I ask a favor, for the poll can I set the poll to see what you have put?
Mods I will need your approval to change the poll when we go to the next stage.
Good luck to all.
P.S Its very confusing to get around so if you have any questions feel free to post them.
Votes so far
They need 6 votes to become a nomanie.
Opener Nomanies
Sunil Gavaskar
Len Hutton
Jack Hobbs
Herbert Sutcliffe
Matthew Hayden
Number 3 Votes
Ricky Ponting (5 Votes) nomaniee
Don Bradman (4 Votes) nomaniee
Wally Hammond (4 Votes) nomaniee
Brian Lara (2 Votes)
Michael Vaughan (1 Vote)
George Headley (1 Vote)
Openers
Jack Hobbs
Profile
Jack Hobbs was known as the "master" for very good reason.
He was perfect with his footwork, his techique, his timing and placement and he was good on both front and back foot on both sides of the wicket.
By everyone who has seen him he is the best player ever seen on uncovered pitches, in 1928 in Australia, Hobbs and his most successful opening partner Herbert Sutcliffe bulid a stand of 150 on an sticky wicket with Hobbs making a hundred.
He could play any type of bowling on any type of wicket.
He could also make runs quickly too.
In 1906/07 South Africa brought 4 leg spin-googly bowlers over to England including Ernie Volger and Aubrey Faulkner in which other England batman has no clue of playing .
Jack Hobbs made 211 in the 2nd test at Lords against Faulkner and the leg spinning alrounder said "I only bowled you one googly." "Why," said Jack, "I did not know you bowled one." Faulkner said, "You hit the first one I bowled for 4. If you did not know it how did you know it would turn from the off?" "I didn't," answered Jack. "I watched it off the pitch."
Hobbs played his first FC game for Surrey against WG Grace's London County where Hobbs made 88 in the second innings in only 2 hours and WG said to a nearby fielder "He's goin' to be a good'un."
Hobbs was the model for Bradman and like the great Don he practiced using a stump to teach him to hit the ball from the middle of the bat.
In First Class Cricket, Jack made over 61,000 runs and scored a record 197 centuries and scored over 100 centuries after he was 40years old and is the oldest player to score a century at the age of 47.
Against Somerset he beat the record number of centuries held by WG Grace (126) by making a century in each innings.
He would of scored more runs if he had not modestely either given his wicket away or retired to give someone else a bat after he got his century
He wasn't a bad bowler in First Class cricket with 3 5 wicket hauls and a strike rate of 49.
He also was a good cover point fieldsman whom ran out Don Bradman in Melbourne in 1928/29.
Personally he was a quiet man but had a good sense of humor.
Matches
61
Innings
102
Not Out
7
Runs
5410
High Score
211 vs South Africa at Lords, 1924
Average
56.94
100's
15
50's
28
Catches
17
Debut
Australia v England at Melbourne - Jan 1-7, 1908
Last Match
England v Australia at The Oval - Aug 16-22, 1930
Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar was a great opening batsmen who had a solid defense against the top pace and spin bowlers and a huge range of attacking strokes in which he would compile 34 Test centuries which was a record number in test match cricket until broken by Sachin Tendulkar in 2006.
He was also the first test cricketer to score 10,000 runs.
"Sunny" was gritty and had heaps of concentration which against some of the best bowlers in hot conditions of the West Indies and India is extrodinary.
He was a good captian and a safe slip fielder.
Certainly one of the most mentally strong players to enter a cricket ground.
Sunny after finishing playing became a commentator for ESPN.
Matches
125
Innings
214
Not Outs
16
Runs
10122
Highest Score
236* vs West Indies in Madras, 1983
Average
51.12
100's
34
50's
45
Catches
108
Debut
West Indies vs India at Trinidad, Mar 6-10, 1971
Last Match
India vs Pakistan at Bangalore, Mar 13-17, 1987
Number 3
Don Bradman
Profile
Don Bradman is was with out doubt the worlds greatest ever batsman.
His 6996 runs coming at 99.94 per innings is the best ever recorded.
Don Bradman made his First Class debut in 1927 for New South Wales against South Australia and the in form Clarrie Grimmett he made a century in his first first class innings.
He made his test debut the following year at Brisbane where he didn't make too many, he faced a sticky wicket and England won convincingly.
Afterwards he was dropped for the second test and made 12th man but having been recalled for the 3rd test he made his first test century and never looked back from there.
In England in the 1930 series he made over 700 runs including a world 334 in the 3rd test at Headingley.
The return series was in Australia 1932/3 which was the infamous bodyline tour where England Captian Douglas Jardine and Harold Larwood made life uncomfortable for the run scoring machine where he only averaged 55 in the series.
After leg theory was dubbed illegal and Harold Larwood could not play test cricket again, life could return to normal for Don Bradman who made 758 runs at an average of 94 in the next series in England in 1934/5.
Don Bradman was named captian in 1938 and Australia never lost a series under his leadership.
England from the bodyline tour never had any answers to the Australians.
In 1948 Don Bradman captianed one of the best Austrlalian sides to come to England known as the "invincibles".
Australia won the series 4-0.
Don Bradman needed just 4 runs to finish his career with an average of 100 and 7000 runs, but he was out second ball for nought from legspinner Eric Hollies.
The Don was then knighted after he retired from FC cricket in 1949.
He was not a bad fielder at cover-point and a sometimes useful leg spin bowler.
Don Bradman will best remembered for his full locker of orthodox and unorthodox shots, his aggressive and high scoring innings, his consistancy and his great knowledge of the game of cricket.
Matches
52
Innings
80
Not Outs
10
Runs
6996
Highest Score
334 vs England at Headingley, 1930
Average
99.96
100's
29
50's
13
Catches
32
Debut
Australia vs England, 1st Test at Brisbane, 30 Nov-5 Dec, 1928
Last Match
England vs Austraila, 5th test at The Oval, Aug 14-18, 1948
Middle order
Votes
Viv Richards (3 Votes)
Brian Lara (3 Votes)
Sachin Tendulkar (3 Votes)
Graeme Pollock (2 Votes)
Inzamam Ul Haq (2 Votes)
Greg Chappell (1 Vote)
WG Grace (1 Vote)
Javed Miandad (1 Vote)
Gary Sobers (1 Vote)
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