The 606v2 all time test XI - all-rounder spot

Right I thought it was time we resurrected this old series, so here we go again; Reminder: so far the team looks like this

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
Lara

And now it's time to vote on the all-rounder spot. Personally I think Sobers is a shoe-in, but what do you think?

PS: if you wish to vote for someone else not on that list, please state in your post.

Botham for me.

Sobers.
Offers variety with the ball if 3 seamers plus Murali/Warne are picked.

Gary Sobers. Record is outstanding.

I would even have Richard Hadlee over Botham

Hadlee was a better bowler but was no number six or seven.

yeah thought about having Hadlee on the list, but his batting average was 27, and I reckoned that a batting average of at least 30 was needed here.

Liam and Stella, one of you musn't have voted, as I voted for Sobers and he only has two votes right now...

Voted now.

Who's the other person that voted for Botham?

Can't we have Sobers as a batting all-rounder and Imran as a bowling one?

course we can hoggy, there's basically going to be one spot up for grabs once we've selected our keeper, two seamers and a spinner, so we could have a bowling allrounder there...

Fair enough.
Sobers at 6 as a batting all-rounder and Imran at 7 as a bowling one for me then.

I would pick my best bowler if he coming in at 7/8.

Imran could obviously bat but would he be required that often?

But even with a great top 6, you wouldn't want 4 complete rabbits as your tail, would you?
Especially as, in the case of Imran, there's not much to choose between him and specialist bowlers on bowling itself.
In addition, playing a bowling all-rounder at 7 would allow you to pick a 'keeper based more on his 'keeping than on his batting.

matter of opinion isn't it Hoggy, I have Wasim Akram and Shane Warne in my world XI, so on't need to worry about the tail

Marshall was no rabbit.

I see your point but I would rather have the best bowlers in this particular team, not that Imran was to far behind.

true Imran's bowling record (362 wickets at a touch over 22) is superb, he'll probably be on the nominee list for fast bowlers anyway (that's a list I'll probably ask your help for)

Hadlee was a better bowler would would also make a good number eight.

Stella wrote:Hadlee was a better bowler would would also make a good number eight.

Ah, but having Sobers at 6 and Imran at 7 would allow you to have Knott at 8, giving you as much (if not more) batting depth than if you'd chosen Gilchrist (or Flower) at 7 and then 4 bowlers, and a better 'keeper, without having to comprise on bowling to any great degree.
Oh well, each to their own.

Hoggy_Bear wrote:

Stella wrote:Hadlee was a better bowler would would also make a good number eight.

Ah, but having Sobers at 6 and Imran at 7 would allow you to have Knott at 8, giving you as much (if not more) batting depth than if you'd chosen Gilchrist (or Flower) at 7 and then 4 bowlers, and a better 'keeper, without having to comprise on bowling to any great degree.
Oh well, each to their own.

We could argue all day...year....century about this.

That's what makes it fun I suppose.

Stella wrote:

Hoggy_Bear wrote:

Stella wrote:Hadlee was a better bowler would would also make a good number eight.

Ah, but having Sobers at 6 and Imran at 7 would allow you to have Knott at 8, giving you as much (if not more) batting depth than if you'd chosen Gilchrist (or Flower) at 7 and then 4 bowlers, and a better 'keeper, without having to comprise on bowling to any great degree.
Oh well, each to their own.

We could argue all day...year....century about this.

That's what makes it fun I suppose.

Exactly.
Other, possibly, than a couple of shoe-ins (Bradman, Sobers) everyone's got their own opinion on these things.
My opinion IS the correct one though.

Hoggy_Bear wrote:

Stella wrote:

Hoggy_Bear wrote:

Stella wrote:Hadlee was a better bowler would would also make a good number eight.

Ah, but having Sobers at 6 and Imran at 7 would allow you to have Knott at 8, giving you as much (if not more) batting depth than if you'd chosen Gilchrist (or Flower) at 7 and then 4 bowlers, and a better 'keeper, without having to comprise on bowling to any great degree.
Oh well, each to their own.

We could argue all day...year....century about this.

That's what makes it fun I suppose.

Exactly.
Other, possibly, than a couple of shoe-ins (Bradman, Sobers) everyone's got their own opinion on these things.
My opinion IS the correct one though.

of course :-)

I think most would have Marshall but yes Bradman and to a lesser extent Sobers, would be in most teams.

sobers for me.

What about Mike Proctor?

He played 7 tests. Doesn't even make my top 20 list.

Mike Procter just didn't play enough for me (tests), 7 tests and never passed fifty though his bowling record is pretty exceptional, so can't include him on the list. Who knows, had he played more he could well have been up there

Mind you he did have a terrific first-class record.

yeah but then again so do Ramps, Hick and Crawley... not to say that Procter wouldn't have been a very very fine test all-rounder, but we can't pick people for a world XI based on their first class records

Yeah I agree, just saying he had a terrific first-class record.

procter cant be considered, he didnt play enough tests.

And his batting in them tests is not up to scratch.

Sobers of course..... As a "shoe in" for the all time great test team he is pretty much up with Bradman.

sobers must be there

Although Sobers is the greatest all-rounder i'm surprised Khan hasn't had any votes.

Liam_Main wrote:Although Sobers is the greatest all-rounder i'm surprised Khan hasn't had any votes.

Me to.

Botham with four surprises me a little.

Agreed, interested to see who voted for Botham.

It has to be Sobers.

If you want a second but different type of all rounder, you could do a lot worse than pick Richie Benaud. Besides runs, wickets and catches, your team would gain one of the greatest cricketing brains of all time ....

Sobers

Kallis

Imran and Botham

would be my top 3/4 (in that order)

Sobers

Imran

Kallis

Botham

Hadlee

Dev

Think Kapil Dev was more of an allrounder than Hadlee.
Hadlee is not an allrounder IMO.

Hadlee was a bowling all-rounder as was Dev

Liam_Main wrote:Hadlee was a bowling all-rounder as was Dev

I think a minimum batting average of 30 is needed to classify as an Allrounder tbh.

Clive Rice could have been on that list.

Stella wrote:Clive Rice could have been on that list.

As could Aubrey Faulkner, Trevor Goddard and Eddie Barlow.
Indeed SA could probably put together a pretty good 'all-rounders' XI.

Goddard
Barlow
Kallis
Faulkner
Cronje(c)
De Villiers (wk)
Rice
MacMillan
Proctor
Pollock S.
Klusener

Nice team.

I did try but I could ot think of anymore decent players.

hoggy that is a very good side of all rounders lol.