Playing Australia

After the West Indian misfortune, in which my selection was, I'm afraid, bested by Norm's we move on to episode two of our series in which we select cricket teams, playground football style, from players who played at least some test cricket after 1945. This time I have first pick of country and player and, this being so, choose to play Australia. This being the case, it will not surprise you that with the first pick in the Australian draft, I select Sir Donald Bradman.

Over to you Norm...

It's not a great surprise, but Norm has chosen Shane Warne with his first selection.

With my second pick, I select Keith Miller.

I considered picking Adam Gilchrist with my second selection and sure enough, he's been snaffled up by Norm.

My third selection: Dennis Lillee.

Norm fires back with Glenn McGrath

That leaves me free to choose Ray Lindwall with my fourth pick.

I thought Norm might select Alan Davidson and lo he has done so.

And in order to prevent him cornering the leg-spinning market, I choose Richie Benaud

Annoyingly Norm pre-empts me by turning to Ricky Ponting as his first specialist batsman.

But that's not disastrous since it permits me to select Neil Harvey with my sixth pick.

This is fast becoming a contest between the modern Australian side and the rest: Norm picks Steve Waugh

I counter with the best Aussie batsman of his generation, Greg Chappell.

Norm's middle-order just became even more nuggetty and bloody-minded as, quite logically, he selects Allan Border

I need an opening batsman. Accordingly I'll call-up Arthur Morris.

With his eighth selection, Norm chooses Bobby Simpson

Sneaking into my side, on account of playing his final test, aged 40, against New Zealand in March 1946 is the great Bill O'Reilly.

Norm nips in to pinch Sid Barnes from me with his ninth selection.

That leaves me to select the "corpse with pads on" that was Bill Lawry

Norm adds variety to his side with his penultimate pick, Bill Johnston

I need a wicket-keeper to complete my team and plump for Ian Healy.

Norm completes his team with a selection that is, perhaps, a little surprising (at least to me, fine bowler though he is): Stuart Clark

Teams, in order of selection:

Alex: Don Bradman, Keith Miller, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Richie Benaud, Neil Harvey, Greg Chappell, Arthur Morris, Bill O'Reilly, Bill Lawry, Ian Healy

Norm: Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrest, Glenn McGrath, Alan Davidson, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Bobby Simpson, Sid Barnes, Bill Johnston, Stuart Clark.

Comments

[Ken]

Fascinating series, though a pattern is clearly emerging - style on the one hand, grit on the other. I wonder if it would be even better if these weren't hypothetical one-off matches, but hypothetical Test series - great cricket, after all, is won over a summer, not just five days. How would things change if you were picking a squad of thirteen to suit matches across Australia or the West Indies?