Wisden World XI

[lemmon]

Re: Wisden World XI

Instead of picking the twelve best players and making the leftover player 12th man would you be tempted to go with one of the great fieldsman of all time like Colin Bland as a specialist 12th man?

Don't mind the specialist fielder as 12th man, had Tiger as 12th with the view that he could be swapped for probably Pidge on the subcontinent. You definitely have me googling with the Colin Bland get though, name I haven't heard before! Other option would be to have Keith Miller mixing the drinks and as after hours party co-ordinator

[Twodogs]

Re: Wisden World XI

Don't mind the specialist fielder as 12th man, had Tiger as 12th with the view that he could be swapped for probably Pidge on the subcontinent. You definitely have me googling with the Colin Bland get though, name I haven't heard before! Other option would be to have Keith Miller mixing the drinks and as after hours party co-ordinator

Good call on Miller. He'd be an outstanding tour guide through the nightlife. And if Kallis's hamstring went twang then we'd have the perfect replacement.


I remember seeing film of Bland prowling in the covers and throwing the stumps down from miles away when I was a kid. He was quick. You wouldn't want to chance his arm.

[lemmon]

Re: Wisden World XI

Good call on Miller. He'd be an outstanding tour guide through the nightlife. And if Kallis's hamstring went twang then we'd have the perfect replacement.


I remember seeing film of Bland prowling in the covers and throwing the stumps down from miles away when I was a kid. He was quick. You wouldn't want to chance his arm.

Ah! Now you've got me going through Jonty Rhodes' videos on Youtube!

[Twodogs]

Re: Wisden World XI

Yep 300 in a day on the WACA against Lillee, successful county opener partnering Greenidge for a number of years, a Shield season bringing 1500 runs at over 100, can't justify Hayden ahead of that. Pollock was probably the better player but never really opened.

I remember a mate telling me he saw Richards play in his mid 40s. Drove the fast bowler through covers for 4 and timed it so well that it hit the fence and bounced halfway back to the bowler.

[Sedat]

Re: Wisden World XI

Instead of picking the twelve best players and making the leftover player 12th man would you be tempted to go with one of the great fieldsman of all time like Colin Bland as a specialist 12th man?

Roger Harper was almost a permanent 12th man for the Windies during the 80's era. He had a brilliant pair of hands - the ball would literally disappear inside them no matter how difficult the catch.

[lemmon]

Re: Wisden World XI

I remember a mate telling me he saw Richards play in his mid 40s. Drove the fast bowler through covers for 4 and timed it so well that it hit the fence and bounced halfway back to the bowler.

Probably crickets greatest tragedy that South African team of the 60's and 70's didn't get on the park, we may have skipped another of the great era's there bridging Dons invincibles and the dominant West Indies.

Have heard Jeff Thompson tell a similar story about the Don, he found it unbelievable that any batsman could have been twice as good as Greg Chappelle...until he saw a 60 year old Don Bradman mucking around in the nets with one pad and no gloves on.

[Twodogs]

Re: Wisden World XI

Probably crickets greatest tragedy that South African team of the 60's and 70's didn't get on the park, we may have skipped another of the great era's there bridging Dons invincibles and the dominant West Indies.

Have heard Jeff Thompson tell a similar story about the Don, he found it unbelievable that any batsman could have been twice as good as Greg Chappelle...until he saw a 60 year old Don Bradman mucking around in the nets with one pad and no gloves on.

I don't think The Don was capable of mucking around when it came to cricket.

I'm fully prepared to believe that seeing him bat-even in his 60s-would be enough to change someone's mind about his ability though.