Best current Test XI - draft selection

[45HG 1,539]

By the time Titan finishing trawling the rankings, Watto will be coaching...or commentating...

[titan_uranus 25,020]

Sorry guys, I've been indisposed the last 24 hours, unable to even check in. I'll have a think tonight and hopefully choose (it's tough having to pick two every time!).

[titan_uranus 25,020]

Actually, I can do this now. No one took who I was considering.

Pick 72 - Brad Haddin (Australia)

I know it's possible that he may never play again, but I need a keeper. There aren't any decent ones left, and frankly, Haddin is better than most other countries' keepers.

Pick 73 - Trent Boult (New Zealand).

I need a Kiwi. He's taken some wickets recently, so that'll do.

Edited February 13, 2013 by titan_uranus

[Rogue 585]

Actually, I can do this now. No one took who I was considering.

Pick 72 - Brad Haddin (Australia)

I know it's possible that he may never play again, but I need a keeper. There aren't any decent ones left, and frankly, Haddin is better than most other countries' keepers.

Pick 73 - Trent Boult (New Zealand).

I need a Kiwi. He's taken some wickets recently, so that'll do.

Good choices.

[H_T 3,047]

Pick 74 - Junaid Khan (Pak)

Going to go with the 23yo speedster who after 9 Tests has a pretty good bowling average (28) compared to his opening partner (who I picked last time) who hasn't. Taken a few 5 wicket hauls I think he's promising long term prospect for the Paki's.

[H_T 3,047]

Update

Round One

pick 1 - Jacques Kallis (RSA) - Rogue
pick 2 - Michael Clarke (Aust) - thepassenger
pick 3 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL) - 45HG16
pick 4 - David Warner (Aust) - Biffen
pick 5 - Hashim Amla (RSA) - Macca
pick 6 - Alistair Cook (England) - Tall Defence
pick 7 - Dale Steyn (RSA) - H_T
pick 8 - Rangana Herath (SL) - titan_uranus


Round Two

pick 9 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) - titan_uranus
pick 10 - AB de Villiers (RSA) - H_T
pick 11 - Morne Morkel (RSA) - Tall Defence
pick 12 - Saeed Ajmal (Pak) - Macca
pick 13 - Mahela Jayawardene - (SL) - Biffen
pick 14 - Vernon Philander (RSA) - 45HG16
pick 15 - Jimmy Anderson (Eng) - thepassenger
pick 16 - Graeme Swann (Eng) - Rogue


Round Three

pick 17 - Peter Siddle (Aust) - Rogue
pick 18 - MS Dhoni (Ind) - thepassenger
pick 19 - Kevin Pietersen (Eng) - 45HG16
pick 20 - James Pattinson (Aust) - Biffen
pick 21 - Matt Prior (Eng) - Macca
pick 22 - Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind) - Tall Defence
pick 23 - Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) - H_T
pick 24 - Steven Finn (Eng) - titan_uranus


Round Four

pick 25 - Mohammed Hafeez (Pak) - titan_uranus
pick 26 - Jonathan Trott (Eng) - H_T
pick 27 - Virender Sehwag (India) - Tall Defence
pick 28 - Graeme Smith (RSA) - Macca
pick 29 - Stuart Broad (Eng) - Biffen
pick 30 - Pragyan Ojha (Ind) - 45HG16
pick 31 - Ross Taylor (NZ) - thepassenger
pick 32 - Kemar Roach (WI) - Rogue


Round Five

pick 33 - Chris Gayle (WI) - Rogue
pick 34 - Darren Bravo (WI) - thepassenger
pick 35 - Azhar Ali (Pak) - 45HG16
pick 36 - Ishant Sharma (Ind) - Biffen
pick 37 - Daniel Vettori (NZ) - Macca
pick 38 - Younis Khan (Pak) - Tall Defence
pick 39 - Mitchell Starc (Aust) - H_T
pick 40 - Cheteshwar Pujara (Ind) - titan_uranus


Round Six

pick 41 - Alviro Petersen (RSA) - titan_uranus
pick 42 - Tillerkaratne Dilshan (SL) - H_T
pick 43 - Abdur Rehman (Pakistan) - Tall Defence
pick 44 - Shane Watson (Aus) - Macca
pick 45 - Brendan McCullum (NZ) - Biffen
pick 46 - Tim Southee (NZ) - 45HG16
pick 47 - Mitchell Johnson (Aust) - the passenger
pick 48 - Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak) - Rogue


Round Seven

pick 49 - Chandimal (SL) - Rogue
pick 50 - Gautam Gambhir (Ind) - the passenger
pick 51 - Ben Hilfenhaus (Aust) - 45HG16
pick 52 - Asad Shafiq (Pak) - Biffen
pick 53 - Tim Bresnan (Eng) - Macca
pick 54 - Matthew Wade (Aust) - Tall Defence
pick 55 - Martin Guptill (NZ) - H_T
pick 56 - Ian Bell (Eng) - titan_uranus


Round Eight

pick 57 - Jackson Bird (Aust) - titan_uranus
pick 58 - Monty Panesar (Eng) - H_T
pick 59 - DJ Bravo (WI) - Tall Defence
pick 60 - T.Samaraweera (SL) - Macca
pick 61 - R.Sarwan (WI) - Biffen
pick 62 - T.Best (WI) - 45HG
*pick 63 - Django (to be picked/completed after last pick - after pick 88 - of draft)
pick 64 - V.Kohli (Ind) - Rogue


Round Nine

pick 65 - P.Hughes (Aust) - Rogue
pick 66 - F.du Plessis (RSA) - Django
pick 67 - K.Williamson (NZ) - 45HG
pick 68 - J.P. Duminy (RSA) - Biffen
pick 69 - Z.Khan (Ind) - Macca
pick 70 - A.Matthews (SL) - Tall Defence
pick 71 - M.Samuels (WI) - H_T
pick 72 - B.Haddin (Aust) - titan_uranus


Round Ten

pick 73 - T.Boult (NZ) - titan_uranus
pick 74 - J.Khan (Pak) - H_T
pick 75 - R.Harris (Aust) - Tall Defence
pick 76 - Y.Singh (Ind) - Macca
pick 77 - J.Root (Eng) - Biffen
pick 78 - E.Cowan (Aust) - 45HG
pick 79 - D.Bracewell (NZ) - Django

pick 80 - (Rogue)


Round Eleven - Final Round

pick 81 - (Rogue)
pick 82 - (Django)
pick 83 - (45HG)
pick 84 - (Biffen)
pick 85 - (Macca)
pick 86 - (Tall Defence)
pick 87 - (H_T)
pick 88 - (titan_uranus)


*Country cap breach
pick 63 - (Django)]

Edited February 19, 2013 by H_T
Addition

[Little Richard 6,262]

Pick 74 - Junaid Khan (Pak)Going to go with the 23yo speedster who after 9 Tests has a pretty good bowling average (28) compared to his opening partner (who I picked last time) who hasn't. Taken a few 5 wicket hauls I think he's promising long term prospect for the Paki's.

I reckon you stole my list!

[MadAsHell 4,212]

Round 10, Pick 75

The forgotten man of Australian cricket, Ryan Harris

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/5779.html

One could argue that when fit, he's the leader of the Australian attack. Last I heard is he's on track to play in one of Queenslands next Shield matches, possibly their next.

[Macca 16,972]

Round 10, Pick 76

Yuvraj Singh (India)

[H_T 3,047]

I reckon you stole my list!

B)

[Biffen 12,943]

My pick again so quickly .

I'll have a Root .

Joe Root-England and Wales

Pick 77.

[MadAsHell 4,212]

My pick again so quickly .

I'll have a Root .

Joe Root-England and Wales

Pick 77.

Nice pick there Biffen. He's someone that I'd completely forgotten about.

In other news, it was very nice to see Younis Khan have a return to form and score his 21st Test century against South Africa last night. While on the bowling side, good to see Morne Morkel take 2 wickets and only go at about 2.3 runs an over!

[MadAsHell 4,212]

What way are you thinking 45???

I'd of thought you'd be looking at going with an openner?

[45HG 1,539]

Oh god - sorry lads I totally forgot.

I just need an amazingly good batsman who, indeed, can open. Will have a think today.

[45HG 1,539]

Cowan (?)

[H_T 3,047]

Cowan (?)

What about him?

Is that your pick?

[45HG 1,539]

Um, yeah, I suppose...

[H_T 3,047]

Um, yeah, I suppose...

Django - Rogue - Rogue - Django - 45HG are the next 5 picks.

[Little Richard 6,262]

Doug Bracewell (NZ)

[H_T 3,047]

Doug Bracewell (NZ)

He took 6/40 odd against the Aussies in Hobart.(It may be his best figures IIRC). I was looking at him a few rounds ago before I opted for Guptill. Mainly because I thought I was a very good chance for Khan from Pakistan.

I think he's a handy bowler Django.

[Little Richard 6,262]

He took 6/40 odd against the Aussies in Hobart.(It may be his best figures IIRC). I was looking at him a few rounds ago before I opted for Guptill. Mainly because I thought I was a very good chance for Khan from Pakistan. I think he's a handy bowler Django.

At 22 I think he's a great bowling hope for them, big and strong, had height and does enough with it. He's not slow either.

NZ are surprisingly building a reasonable battery of young quicks with Bracewell, Southee and Boult as well as a couple of others!

[45HG 1,539]

Just quietly.

[Little Richard 6,262]

Just quietly.

Just quietly, Philander is a star. I don't think he should try and 'boost his pace' later in the innings though.

If it ain't broke don't fix it and with Philander's injury history I don't think his captain should be pushing him towards another injury through over exertion.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Django

[Biffen 12,943]

Doug Bracewell (NZ)

His dad was a handy darts bowler and a very,very dour lower order bat, a gravedigger before he played test cricket, and batted like one.

[Little Richard 6,262]

His dad was a handy darts bowler and a very,very dour lower order bat, a gravedigger before he played test cricket, and batted like one.

Not thinking of his uncle John are you? His old man only played a few tests I think.