G’day Matt
I thought the reigning Pride Cup champion should have his say too!
I have to start by saying that, being born in 1971, I didn’t see a lot of 1970s cricket (too young and not really all that interested) and only started watching cricket from the early 80s onwards. For this reason I have not chosen some players who otherwise could be in the team, or perhaps deserve to be, like the Chappell brothers and Doug Walters.
Another point to note is that I deliberately did not read the other teams picked before I picked mine so as to not let other’s thoughts influence me.
My team;
1. Matt Hayden – dominated bowling attacks in all conditions (including the subcontinent), an enforcer, a must have, great average for an opening bat and a great team man.
2. Justin Langer – the 2nd opening bat was a tough choice but I’m going for Langer just over Boon and Taylor. Boonie at his best was tough to go past and you’d love him in your team but Langer formed a great combination with Hayden and scored many more centuries than the other two in a similar number of tests.
3. Ricky Ponting – Punter’s form in the last couple of years has suffered however at his peak (which was over quite a long period) he is a must have. Great competitor and even on pure stats alone (39 tons, over 12,000 runs and 150 tests) he has to be in.
4. Mark Waugh – as classy a batsman as you would ever see and a great strokemaker plus a brilliant slips fieldsman to boot. Has to be in at number 4 for mine.
5. Alan Border (C) – not as classy as some but his pure grit and toughness and ability to score runs in the toughest of conditions (think in the Caribbean when the Windies bowlers were at their peak) means you can’t go past AB. Held the Australian team together during that dark period in the 80s and a great captain for mine also.
6. Steve Waugh (VC) – hardly think I’d have to justify this selection. The boy grew into a man and a legend. I’ll never forget those big tons against the Poms in 89 or the double ton in the Caribbean when we finally broke the Windies dominance. Handy bowler too early in his career.
7. Adam Gilchrist – the keeper position is the one likely to polarise people the most. My view is that, whilst perhaps Marsh and Healy were slightly better glovemen, you have to select Gilchrist for his superb batting. When I needed my keeper and number 7 to go out and score a 100 when the game was almost lost, I’d turn to Gilly every time. It may be unfair on the other two but that’s the way I see it.
8. Shane Warne – greatest spinner of all time – nuff said.
9. Merv Hughes – at his best I have to have Merv in the team for his aggression, team spirit and matchwinning ability. He’s the type that is the “glue” that binds a team together.
10. Denis Lillee – Whilst I didn’t see an awful lot of him I saw enough and have read enough and listened to enough others speak about him to know he vies with McGrath as the best Aussie paceman of the last 40 years. Tough, skilful, great competitor, bowling craftsman are some of the words that spring to mind to describe him.
11. Glenn McGrath – perhaps not as fashionable as some other fast men but pigeon was as reliable and consistent as they come. He had batsman beaten mentally before they had even faced a ball (think Graeme Smith or Nasser Hussain). Scored a test 50 too!!!
12th man. David Boon – almost went with M Hussey for his fielding but decided upon Boonie for his contribution to dressing room team spirit – another beer Boonie??!!
Hope you like it.
Cheers,
