Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Chris Silverwood had a reputation for unusual pace, but tended to be a bit gun barrel. And was often injured. I prefer the famously unhealthy James Ormond in a head to head. Pretty contrasting personalities.

Im giving Ormond a free pass. His debut test was played on what is possibly the most docile pitch I have ever witnessed in a home test match, when England for some undeniably crazy reason picked 4 bowlers and no batters who could even be considered worthy enough as part timers. I believe, seeing the pitch had nothing in it, Nasser ended up asking Ormond after a few overs of full speed to start improvising and bowling off spin. I believe he bowled virtually the whole of a near 700 run innings as a spinner.

He then got a second bite away in India on a pitch where none of the paceman made any impression (Richard Dawson outbowled everyone, thats how bad it was) on either team, facing what would be arguably the best batting line up ever created in unhelpful conditions.

He could have been the next Glenn McGrath, but no one is going to do well given those two tests as chances.

Martin Saggers for the noughties?

Durhamfootman wrote:Martin Saggers for the noughties?

Undeniably toothless, and worthy of mention for his non existant skill level, but had the fortune of mopping up a hapless Bangladesh tail in his debut test, which gives his overall record an acceptability.

Had he played another series, he probably would have elevated it to acceptable levels for inclusion.

I'll try an 80's team.

Wilf Slack
Tim Curtis
Paul Terry
Chris Smith
Chris Cowdrey
David Capel
Steve Rhodes
John Childs
Alan Igglesden
John Agnew
Les Taylor

I had the pleasure of watching all of Saggers and Ormond's last Tests. Admittedly, bowling in India against that batting side was a tough mission for Ormond, and all of the attack struggled. Ormond stood out for looking the worst prepared physically. Saggers at Trent Bridge was outclassed in a four man attack with Flintoff, Harmison and Hoggard and looked ordinary in comparison.

Ideally you get a frisson of WTF when seeing someone make their debut for England and they immediately look completely out of place and their elevation looks hard to credit. I got that with Blackwell, James Vince, Amjad Khan. I also got that vibe when watching Bothwick bat, but he was in for his spin, so maybe wouldn't have made the teen XI. Actually, Pattinson might fit that category, but I feel so sorry for him that I turned blind eye.

Gingerfinch wrote:I'll try an 80's team.

Wilf Slack
Tim Curtis
Paul Terry
Chris Smith
Colin Cowdrey
David Capel
SteveRhodes
John Childs
AlanIgglesden
John Agnew
Les Taylor

At first glance I suspect that's an unimprovable, ATG bad side. With the eighties, you not only get players out of their depth in international cricket spun into the side by desperate selectors on the whim of the merest scent of form, but they are likely to be unfit and overweight too.

Would still have beaten the Aussies of course.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:

Gingerfinch wrote:I'll try an 80's team.

Wilf Slack
Tim Curtis
Paul Terry
Chris Smith
Colin Cowdrey
David Capel
SteveRhodes
John Childs
AlanIgglesden
John Agnew
Les Taylor

At first glance I suspect that's an unimprovable, ATG bad side. With the eighties, you not only get players out of their depth in international cricket spun into the side by desperate selectors on the whim of the merest scent of form, but they are likely to be unfit and overweight too.

I did think of adding Mark Nicholas.

He didn't play though. Definitely in the A side.

Just to mop up my 2010s side.

Jennings/Lyth/Bopara/Duckett/Vince/Morgan/Ansari/Buttler/Jordan/Kerrigan/Rankin

Quite a few of these have Test hundreds. More than the eighties side.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:He didn't play though. Definitely in the A side.

He must have been close. Wasn't he tipped to play, just on his captaincy alone.

I would have thought so. Being perceived as the right sort got Cowdrey a go as captain.

Go on then, lets try the 90s, spurred on my AC saying the 80s side is a ATG.... no way the 80s served up more filth than the 90s

Neil Fairbrother
Rob Bailey
Matthew Maynard
Hugh Morris
Gavin Hamilton
David Capel
Aftab Habib
Ian Salisbury
Martin McCague
Min Patel
Simon Brown

Capel makes both sides. One of the legendary heroes of Kingston.