by sussexpob » Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:43 am
Australia 2000's is an impossible job. In the batting you have three candidates, North/Hughes and Cameron White. But White was picked to bat at 8 as a spinning option in India, so to pick him as a batter seems harsh. Hughes died before we seen the end, and also like North, ends up with a very high average in this decade alone. You could throw in Shane Watson, but his all round stats are better than Stokes, and he answered the call of the lack of a viable opener to play out of position, when really he was a batting allrounder 7 positions too high. White and Watson have excelled in limited overs internationals. If this is an format examination, neither are troubling our thoughts.
Brad Williams, poor test match record, low 20s average in a surprising amount of ODIs. He saves himself. Same is said of Bracken, who was a main component of a team that dominated world cups in the era, despite looking toothless in the test arena. Nathan Hauritz is not making my list, I thought there was real talent there myself, never got the backing he deserved, and performed relatively well regardless. It seems harsh to put Shaun Tait here, a hulking quick bowler who's body gave out early, and who limited himself to the art of being really good in T20s and ODIs, where his record is right up there with the best. Clint MacKay is another who had limited tests, but went on to become a ODI lynchpin for a while. Gerald Manou had one test where he was not out for 21.
In the end, we are left with spinners, the only compelling case for being put on this list.
Brice McGain would be a candidate for an all time, any team, any era. Anyone who witnessed that one test he played in would realise quickly he was, lets face it, completely and utterly useless. He's quickly followed by Krezja, who took wickets, but only because India were busy slogging him out the park. You got the feeling he'd pick up a 5 for in any 600/700 all out, but if teams really focused on batting against him and showed him respect, it was more likely 0/300 in an innings of a 1000 runs. Beau Casson looked terrible. Brad Hogg looked toothless, but he gets the ODI pass for being a stalwart in that format.
Other than that, we go back to the 90s rehashes. The Bichel's (fine ODI player, and his comeback in the 2000s was very creditable after a disastrous first international period), the Blewetts, the Kasper's, the Elliotts..... None of these make a compelling case, they were all good players who just failed to excel in an excellent team, none leave test cricket in shame.
2010 French Open fantasy league guru 2010 Wimbledon fantasy league guru 2014 Masters golf fantasy guru 2015 Players Championship FL Guru 2016 Masters Golf Fantasy Guru
And a hat and bra to you too, my good sirs!