Your best Australain side 1960 - 2002

[Kristin5]

Good topic, but it's very difficult! My team is similar to yours in that the bowlers remain the same, yet I've changed the batsmen a tiny bit (going by my personal faves of course!):

Geoff Marsh
Matthew Hayden
Mark Waugh
Greg Chappell
Steve Waugh
Allan Border
Ian Healy
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee
Jeff Thompson
Glenn McGrath


It's a real toss-up between Ian Healy and Rod Marsh - the only reason I've gone for Healy is that I remember more of his matches (I am a little too young to fully remember Rod Marsh).


"I'm sure people see me as a screaming redhead with a big pair of boobs, but I like to think I've got things to say." Geri Halliwell, former member of the Spice Girls

[Donny]

Yeah, tough. Could go with a few combinations but settled for this one.

Bob Simpson - vice captain
Bill Lawry
Ricky Ponting
Greg Chappell
Steve Waugh - captain
Alan Border
Alan Davidson
Wally Grout
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee
Glen McGrath

The reason I went with Grout ahead of Gilly or Heals came down to keeping ability. Grout rates with the best ever Aussie glovemen and with those 7 batsmen above him, Wally's lesser batting ability is not a big factor. It's more important to have the best keeper possible, esp. with the calibre of the bowlers in this eleven.

Davo edges out Thommo for a couple of reasons. A wonderful all-rounder to take the #7 spot and his left armers would provide a more well balanced attack.

Ponting only just edges out Chappelli and Neil Harvey but I'd be happy with any of those in the vital #3 spot.




Donny.
GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[couragous cloke]

ok! mine is............

hayden
taylor
border
S. waug
ponting
gilchrist
warne
lillie
mc grath
thompson

footy ROX!

[Bartros]

Heres my team here:


Taylor (v.c)
Hayden
Ponting
Greg Chappell
Steve Waugh
Border (c)
Healy
Warne
Lillee
Alderman
McGarth

12th man K.Hughes



Long Live the mite and power of
Shane Morwood (member of 1990 team,1988 Vic rep)

[This message has been edited by Bartros (edited 16 December 2002).]

[This message has been edited by Bartros (edited 19 December 2002).]

[BJ]

May not be the best, but my fav 12:
Hayden
Tubs - Captain
Boony
G Chappelli
Border - V.C
Steve Waugh
Gilchrist
Warne
Lillee
Merv Hughes - Extremely Underrated
McGrath

12th man - Dean Jones

BJ

BJ'S QUOTE: NEVER CONFUSE BAD MANAGEMENT WITH DESTINY.

[This message has been edited by BJ (edited 16 December 2002).]

[Fradam]

Lawry (c)
Elliott
Stackpole
Jones
Redpath
O'Donnell
Dodemade
Warne
Reifell
Flemming
Hughes


Fradam Wrote This

[This message has been edited by Fradam (edited 16 December 2002).]

[Donny]

I wondered how Bartros managed to fit Alderman in to his eleven. Upon further examination, I found out. Lol. If this team was to play in England, you'd have to include 'the smiling assassin' instead of Thommo.

I've picked my 'best' XI.

Here's my 'favourites' team.

Simpson (vc)
Lawry
Yallop
Jones
Border
S Waugh(c)
Gilchrist
Warne
Reiffel (only just edged out Tangles)
Hughes
Lillie

12th. Ponting

Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[This message has been edited by MAGFAN8 (edited 17 December 2002).]

[gobbles21]

Bartros u have 12 in ya team.

Mine would have to be:

Taylor (VC)
Hayden
Boon
M.Waugh
Border (C)
S.Waugh
Gilchrist
Warne
Lillee
Thompson
McGrath

12th - Greg Chappell

With Ian Chappell, Terry Aldermann, Ponting, Simpson and Davidson all very unlucky. Marsh would be the best keeper in this eara (just ahead of healy), but Gilchrist adds another batsamn to the team and can turn a match without much effort. A batting average of 56 I nearly put Marsh keeper and Gilly as a batsman, but would have been wasting a batting position for someone else (probably M.Waugh).

"I'm such a good lover because I practice a lot on my own." - Woody Allen

[Brown26]

Simpson
Hayden
Boon
G.Chappell
N.Harvey
S.Waugh
Healy
Warne
Lillie
Thompson
McGrath

The bowlers pick themselves - best leg spinner ever, best paceman of the modern era, two (more) of the best of all time.

I was originally going to put Simpson and Taylor, but Hayden compliments either Tayloe or Simpson better then they do each other, and I went for Simpson over Taylor, hard choice, both great first slips too but maybe simpson just a little better. Controverial.

Boon or Ponting? Probably will be Ponting when he finishes his career but, call me crazy, there's something about the stumpy tasmanian that just wont lie down and die, I like that. Plus he can play fast or slow, depending on which opener goes ouot and the situatiobn.

Chappell (G) and Waugh (S), very nearly had both the waugh brothers in just for team balance, but atm G Chappell probably did more to earn his spot that M Waugh.

Neil Harvey - I can't beleive you guys didn't include this champion!! (last test 62 btw, so he's fair game) WHAT A LEGEND!!! scores faster than a sailor in a br... you get the idea. Legend.
Order can be changed dependig on team balance and situation, but this guy ROCKS!

Healy or Marsh, Heals proved he can keep to Warne like no other, so he gets the tick. Could Marsh have done it? Probably, but heals has the points on the board, so he gets the go. Gilchrist's keeping is not in the same league as these guys, sorry gilly!

12th man - so many unlucky people, but probably have to go with ponting not just for his batting but his incredible feilding, and he can roll his arm over if needs be. Plus he was very unlucky to miss out.

nice topic!

- Ben


Pies for Premiers 2002, 3, 4, 5, 6....

[Donny]

Magpie Greg, I've resubmitted my best XI so you don't have to scroll up.

Bob Simpson - vice captain - ave.46.81
Bill Lawry - ave. 47.15
Ricky Ponting - ave. 49.35
Greg Chappell - ave. 53.86
Steve Waugh - captain - ave 49.44
Alan Border - ave. 50.56
Alan Davidson
Wally Grout
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee
Glen McGrath

Ponting only just edges out Chappelli and Neil Harvey but I'd be happy with any of those in the vital #3 spot.
-----------------------------------------------------
I agree Ian Chappell was a strong leader but it would be hard to stuff it up with Lillee and Thommo to lead the bowling attack, backed up by (at various times) Tangles, Massie and Rowdy Mallett, and batsmen like Greg Chappell, Stacky, Redpath and Doug Walters. Although Chappelli himself hit just 14 tons and averaged only 42.42 in 75 Tests, he was an attacking batsman (and top slipper) and I recognised him in my footnote. The other #3 I mentioned, Neil Harvey, averaged 48.41 and hit 21 tons in 79 Tests. And I haven't just selected on average alone. eg Hayden averages better than both my openers.

Yes, m8, I picked Yallop in my 'favourite' team, because I grew up in Victoria (and still follow the Vics in state cricket) and that's why I included Deano, Pistol and Merv as well - quite unashamedly. They remain my favourite cricketers along with Lillee, AB, Gilly and Steve Waugh. Warne makes both my teams as he's simply the best bowler I've seen in my 44 years of following Test cricket. AND he's a Victorian. Lol.


Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[Northern Pie]

M. Taylor
R. Simpson
M. Waugh
I. Chappell(vc)
A. Border
S. Waugh(c)
R. Marsh
S. Warne
D. Lillie
J. Thompson
G. Mcgrath

12th Man - G. Chappell

is very difficult to pick really as there is a lot of talent left out of this side....

I think if you pick Lillie in the side the you have to include Rod Marsh...they were a lethal combination...but I agree for pure talent..Wally Grout was the better gloveman. Healy was great but in my opionion not the best, just cememnted himself in the spot, Gilchrist was much better than Healy but just never got the chance.

Batsman hard to leave off for me were K. Hughes, D. Boon, D. Jones, M. Hayden, B. Lawry, D. Walters & I. Redpath, Marsh, Wood.

Bowlers hard to leave off: J. Lawson, R. Hogg, P. Taylor, T. Alderman, C. McDermott


Others: Hookes, Gilchrist, Healy

there are others but the memory is fading fast....
great topic.......
cheers

"NEVER LEAVE, NEVER GIVE UP ON THEM AND ALWAYS BE THERE AT THE END TO CLAP THEM OFF THE GROUND. WE ARE COLLINGWOOD SUPPORTERS SON, EVEN IF THEY BEAT US, WE ARE STILL BETTER THAN THEM!"(quote from my mum when I was 8 years old)