by It's difficult if not impossiable to select an all time World X1 from
differnt era's,however,it's not so hard for a alphabetic(A-Z) World
eleven X1 from all era's.
I know some of you have done this before but it's fun to doit again,
For those who are exposed to it for the first time may find it to be a
lots of hours of fun and may want to try other 'letters', I'm selecting
just two , The letters 'W' and 'B', and I have justified my selection,
Geoff Boycott
Boycott was a great accumulator of runs in English cricket for 15 years,
He was a controversial figure,misunderstood by many, and often accused
of playing selfishly. As a bat, he was capable of playing most strokes,
but emphasized defence, often scoring slowly and taking on a sheet
anchor role. He was dropped by England following his highest test
innings of 246*, due to slow scoring in the intial stages of the
innings. Despite this he played many match saving or winning
innings, and was the best English batsman of his generation. . (David
Liverman, Jan 1998)
David Boon
Quite possibly Tasmania's all-time favourite cricketing son, David Boon
was a pugnacious right handed batsman who served
his state and country with enormous distinction. He was not always the
most stylish player but for what he lacked in fluency he
more than compensated with his ardour for occupying the crease and
accumulating runs when they were most needed.
Don Bradman
Probably the best batsman to have played the modern game he was a
relentless accumulator of runs, often at a rapid rate. His
test record was such that he needed to score only 4 in his last test
innings to average 100- he was bowled by Eric Hollies
second ball for a duck. He took few risks, but was proficient with all
strokes. His best scoring stroke was probably the pull,
played all along the ground in the arc from mid on to backward square
leg. He was an excellent field, particularly in the covers,
and a capable leg-break bowler. He made 19 hundreds against England
between 1928 and 1948, inlcluding two triple centuries
and 6 double centuries. He was Australia's captain between 1936 and
1948, during which time his side won 11 tests, to
England's 3. He kept the Ashes through 4 series. (David Liverman, Jan
1998)
Allan Border
Allan Border is one of cricket's greatest players. A feisty competitor,
His record is brilliant: 156 Tests, 11174 runs, an average above 50.56.
He scored more Test fifties than any player in history and only two
players have scored more hundreds. As a batsman, Border became renowned
for his fighting qualities, His slow orthodox left arm bowling was
underrated, and perhaps under used, as in the right conditions he was
capable of bothering the best batsman. In fact, he holds the record for
the best Test match bowling analysis for an Australian captain, 11-96
(7-46 and 4-50), which he took against the West Indies at the SCG in
1989.
Ken Barrington
Ken Barrington was a tenacious right handed batsman, with an aptitude of
scoring runs when the conditions were most difficult.
His method was based on a very solid defence, and stready accumulation
of runs, although he was a powerful hitter. Reliable no 5. Had all the
strokes but strongest in defense, and sometimes a slow scorer.
Pre***ly a backfoot player. Died whilst on tour in the West Indies
whilst managing the England team. (David Liverman, Jan 1998)
Ian Botham
Ian Botham was the single undoubted world class player in the England
sides of the 1980's, whose ability to turn the course of a
game with either bat or ball was best seen in the 1982 series against
Australia, where he in effect won two matches single handed.
He was an aggressive fast medium bowler, able to swing the ball away
from the batsman, and obtain movement off the pitch. He
was capable of scoring runs quickly against any attack, driving and
hooking with enormous power. He took chances, hitting the ball
in the air often, but his strength allowed even mishits to clear the
field. He was also an exceptional fielder in any position. "He bats
the way small boys dream of batting, with his shoulders opened wide
whenever he decides to hit, with great swings and sweeps of
his blade that sends the ball bounding past fieldsmen who can only stand
and gape. (David Liverman, Jan 1998)
Jack Blackham ,Wicket keeper
By virtue of his capacities as a wicketkeeper in the very early days of
Australian first class cricket, Jack Blackham is widely
reputed to be one of the finest cricketers that his nation has ever
produced. In an era in which the flimsy texture of wicketkeeping
gloves provided little protection from the consistent pounding of balls
into a wearer's hands, Blackham displayed extraordinary
skill and it is said that he rarely failed to seize an opportunity to
effect a dismissal in his position behind the wicket. He was so
competent in fact that he was regarded as Australia's first choice
wicketkeeper for a period of no less than eigh*** years, occupying the
role right from the time of his country's first ever Test in 1877.
Unlike many of his peers or those who have followed him, Blackham was
just as happy to stand up to the stumps to pace bowlers as he was to
spinners. He was also a stubborn batsman in the lower order, and played
many valuable innings. Of these, the 74 that he made against England in
Sydney in 1894-85 stands out statistically, for it was both his own
highest score and allowed him to form an association with
Syd Gregory that delivered Australia what still remains its all time
record partnership for the ninth wicket.
As a reflection of the extent of his ability, Blackham was named by
Wisden as one of its Cricketers of the Year in 1891. More
recently, he was honoured by being selected as one of the inaugural
members of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. (John
Polack)
Alec Bedser
A stalwart of England and Surrey for many years, Alec Bedser was a fine
fast- medium bowler, with ability to move the ball in the
air, and off the pitch. He obtained many wickets through his steady and
accurate bowling, but in the right conditions could be
almost unplayable. He was much over-bowled in the England teams of the
late 40's and early 50's, as the only world class bowler
in the side. He bowled superbly in the 1953 series against Australia (39
England's recovery of the Ashes following the Bradman years. He could
bat usefully at times, making on one occasion 70+ after
coming in as a night-watchman against Australia. Was part of one of the
great Test finishes of all time, when he and Gladwin
scored 8 runs of the last over to beat South Africa by one wicket in
1948. He lost 6 years due to WWII (he and his twin Eric were
21 on the outbreak of war). He later served as chairman of the England
selectors for many years. (David and John Liverman, Jan
Briggs Johnny
Ultimately a tragic figure, Johnny Briggs was a left arm bowler of
classical style, with a looping flight, subtle spin, and considerable
accuracy. Almost unplayable on wet wickets D his 2212 first class
wickets costing only 16 runs apiece D he was also effective in
less helpful conditions. He came into the Lancashire side as a dashing
bat, with a sizzling cover drive, but in later years it was his
bowling that kept him a first choice for England, as his batting
suffered from impetuousness. He was a superb fielder, both to his
own bowling, and at cover point. He toured Australia on six consecutive
occasions, and in 1888-89 took 300 wickets at less than 5
runs each on a tour of South Africa. HS Altham wrote "With his round
but resilient figure, his quips and pranks and generous heart,
Johnny Briggs was immensely popular wherever he went, and as long as he
was on the field the game was sure to be alive and
human". His career ended when after being hit over the heart by a drive
from Tom Hayward, he suffered an epileptic seizure during
the 1899 Headingley Test against Australia. This brought on mental
illness that resulted in a complete loss of confidence, and he
was confined to an asylum eventually ending his days there. It is said
that he would bowl up and down the wards, a sad end for a
much loved and talented cricketer (Dave Liverman, 1998).
Barnes S.F
The finest bowler ever to play the game? Possibly, certainly one of the
most effective and versatile. His county and international
career (only 27 tests) were sadly brief, due to disputes with the
establishment, but Barnes was capable of troubling the best
batsmen in the world on a good wicket, and was unplayable on a bad
wicket. He was a high class spin bowler, but operated at
pace. Right arm medium or fast medium bowler, leg breaks, off breaks,
late swing, perfect length, and often dismissed great
batsmen for small scores with unplayable balls. Could bowl very fast if
it suited him to do so. A ball with which he bowled Trumper
was described by Charlie Macartney, the non-striker as the sort of ball
a sick man might see in a dream, fast on the leg stump,
moving late in the air to the off stump, and cutting on off the pich to
take the leg stump out of the ground. Not impressed by
captains, he usually set his own field. He allegedly deliberately let
Jessop hit him all over Old Trafford as Maclaren had set what he
considered an unacceptable field for him. In the second test of the
1911-12 series at Melbourne, Barnes produced one of the great
bowling spells. After a poor performance in the first Test (likely in
part due to his annoyance at not opening the bowling), he
destroyed the Australian innings. He took 5 of the first six wickets
to fall, with an analysis at one point of 4 for 1, later 5 for 6 runs.
He and his opening partner, Foster, took 66 wickets in the five tests
of this tour, against an Australian side boasting Trumper,
Armstrong, and Hill. A competent bat, but not really interested in
batting or fielding. He did, however, put on 29 runs for the last
wicket with Arthur Fielder to win the
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