All Time English Cricket XI

[gooneritis]

says alot about english cricket that the vast majority of the side are pre 1960's.

Well, I named 9 players there and 5 of those nine played test cricket post 196O

Barrington, Botham, Stewart, Underwood and Trueman. I would include Stewart because his keeping was excellent and he averaged 39 which is only 3 short of Graham Gooch who averaged 42. I wouldn't try to claim that his keeping was as good as Alan Knott but Knott only averaged 32.

I'll rephrase, only 3 of the players have played for England within the last 40 years.

There'll be very few players who've played within the last 20 too. English cricket has been in no-mans land for quite a while

[rogerthornhill]

I'll rephrase, only 3 of the players have played for England within the last 40 years.

There'll be very few players who've played within the last 20 too. English cricket has been in no-mans land for quite a while

My point is that I can't quite understand the reluctance to choose players from many years ago. On this occasion we are being asked to suggest players for an All Time English Cricket XI but if we just choose from players who we have actually seen then it isn't going to be an All Time XI.

[SE13]

Absolutely, but it's entirely the choice of each individual poster.

I'm only basing mine of players I have seen because I find it impossible to form an opinion of someone I haven't seen.

Besides which, as you pointed out, it's an All Time XI so opinions from everyone count. It's all about opinions.

[rogerthornhill]

Absolutely, but it's entirely the choice of each individual poster.

I'm only basing mine of players I have seen because I find it impossible to form an opinion of someone I haven't seen.

Besides which, as you pointed out, it's an All Time XI so opinions from everyone count. It's all about opinions.

I suppose that what I'm suggesting is that it should be called something else, it doesn't make a lot of difference but I simply cannot see how it's going to be an All Time XI if people are only going to choose players that they have seen?? Most of the people here were born post 1970 so if they just choose players that they have seen then how is that going to be a representative All Time XI ? How can you have an All Time XI which ignores approximately the first 80 years of English test cricket?

[SE13]

Tis a fair point you make.....

I don't really know what to suggest.

[Libertine]

I think the title is ok.

Bradman and Sobers made it into the other team and they're hardly recent players.

I'd say that there are a few on here who never saw Holding or Garner play but they made the team too.

[rogerthornhill]

Tis a fair point you make.....

I don't really know what to suggest.

It is difficult but if it is going to be post 1970 then I think that it should be anything appropriate that doesn't include the phrase All Time. I would like to choose some players who appeared between say 1900 and 1970 but if everyone else is choosing post 1970 then no one who played before then has a chance of being included in the final selection, therefore it would be pointless of me to nominate them in the first place.

[SE13]

Did either of the Comptons ever open the batting?

I was about to set the poll for the openers, and it struck me that Leslie was a lower order batsman, and Dennis was usually a number three or four.

I'm confuzzled.

[rogerthornhill]

I don't know for sure if Denis Compton ever opened for England but he couldn't, realistically, be voted into the team as an opener whereas he is an outstanding candidate for number three or four. Leslie Compton never played for England.

[SE13]

Without his votes, Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe secure the berths. Others only getting one nomination each. So as nobody has contributed to this thread in ages, we'll stick with them.

However, I live and learn, I could have sworn Leslie played for England!