ICF All Time ODI Cricket Draft [MATCH DAY 3 - Group B] | Match 6

[BeautifulGame]

MATCH 6 : UNSTABLE JOE vs OPENING BATSMAN  ( @Unstable Joe vs  @OpeningBatsman)

 

VENUE : EDEN PARK ,  AUCKLAND

 One of the most unique stadiums in cricket as it resembles a baseball diamond, which can flummox visiting captains in their field placement.The reason is Cricket is not the only sport played there; there's rugby union, too. And it was an agreement with the rugby administrators which allowed development after the ground was troubled by financial difficulties and flooding in its infancy.

The pavilion is steeped in tradition, contrasting with two massive modern grandstands which push the capacity over 40,000. All stands have covered and uncovered seating. The humid and sub-tropical conditions combine to produce wickets that assist slow and spin bowlers.

 

TEAM ALL STARS XI (UNSTABLE JOE)

Openers

1. The Silent Assailant - Martin Guptill

The Kiwi aggressive batsman is almost a certain choice of the side at one end of the opening wicket and rarely has it happened that Martin Guptill disappointed his devotees. With a highest ever world cup score of 237* Martin Guptill has scored 5414 runs in 143 ODI match and averages at 43.25 in ODIs with 12 centuries and 32 fifties. 

2. Hit Man - Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has broken several ODI records and has placed himself as one of the best opening batsmen in the modern generation. Opening the batting has definitely helped Rohit’s approach to the game; not alone his technique, but the mental aspect of the game too. The 29-year-old has achieved a special feat in his ODI career which most batsmen could'nt even dream of doing – he is the only batsman to have scored two double centuries in ODI’s. Sharma has scored 5008 runs in 148 matches at an impeccable average of 42.08, with a highest individual score of 264, which is very unlikely to be broken.

 

Middle Order

3. The Undoubted King - Jacques Kallis

The Numero Uno, Jacques Kallis, is one of the greatest cricketers of all time, being the only cricketer in the history of the game to hold more than 10,000 runs and 250 wickets in both one day and Test match cricket. He has been described by Kevin Pietersen and Daryll Cullinan as the greatest cricketer ever to play the game. One of the most consistent players over the past decade, he has scalped 259 wickets at 31.90 and scored over 11,000 runs at 45.84. He is a formidable right-handed batsman and a wicket-taking medium pacer.

4. The Six-Fingered Wonder - Sir Gary Sobers

If asked to pick a few cricketers from the bygone era who would have thrived in limited-overs cricket had they an opportunity to play a lot of it, Garry Sobers’s name would have featured unanimously in all the lists. The world’s greatest all-rounder at the time was so entertaining as a batsman, bowler and fielder that despite playing only the longest format of the game for a significant part of his career, there was no doubt in people’s mind the world over that the southpaw was cut out for One-Day cricket. He was the most natural cricketer you would ever want to see and quite simply he could do it all. He is in the top ten greatest batsmen of all time, he took over 200 Test wickets and was a sensational fielder who could field in multiple positions.

5. The Innovative Genius - Martin Crowe (VC)

 

A talismanic cricketer and an inspirational leader Crowe was a widely recognised batsman for his technique and knowledge of the game. He became famous for his out-of-the box captaincy and batting prowess. He debuted against Australia in 1982 aged 19 and gained many fans with his skill to hit the ball all around the park. He was the pillar of New Zealand cricket in the 1980s and early 1990s, leading the batting line-up along with Richard Hadlee, who shouldered bowling responsibilities. Crowe played 77 Tests and 143 one-day internationals for New Zealand in a 13-year career. He scored 5,444 Test runs at an average of 45.36 with 17 centuries. Crowe's 299 against Sri Lanka stood as the record-highest score by a New Zealander in Tests for two decades, before Brendon McCullum crossed that landmark with a triple hundred against India in 2014.

 

6. Ruthlessly Efficient Captain - Steve Waugh (C)

 

Steve Waugh is one of only 12 players to have run over 10,000 Test runs, led Australia to fifteen of their record sixteen consecutive Test victories, and to victory in the 1999 Cricket World Cup. He was an innovative captain who never gave up hope even in the most adverse of situations. Waugh is one of the best captains of all time, and his batting abilities are top-notch. All this contributes to him being appointed as the Captain of this All Stars XI team.

 

Lower Order

7. The Caged Tiger - Imran Khan

 

One of the greatest players from Pakistan, Imran Khan is best remembered for making a name for himself when the West Indian bowlers were creating havoc. He is still revered for his reverse swing and pace, taking 182 ODI wickets in 175 matches at an average of 26.61 with best figures of 6/14. He finished his ODI career with 3709 runs, at an average of 33.41, with a high score of 102*.

8.  The Cobra Behind The Stumps - Mark Boucher (WK)

 

Widely considered as one of, if not, the greatest keepers of all time, Boucher held the record for most number of dismissals as keeper at the international level – 998! And if not for the serious eye injury which put an end to his career, he would have become the first gloveman to affect 1,000 dismissals in international matches. Boucher effected 555 dismissals in Tests (the highest by anyone till date) and 444 in the shorter formats including 424 in ODIs (behind only Sangakkara and Adam Gilchrist) and 19 in T20Is. He averaged just below 30 across both formats, which may not be considered great, but his value to the team as a crisis batsman was unrivalled. This makes him the wicket keepr of the All Stars XI.

Bowlers

9. Ravalpindi Express - Shoaib Akhtar

There are fastest bowlers and than their is Shoaib Akhtar, he consistantly bowled over 150 km/h in his career albeit short one. Reached a world record speed during World Cup 2003 against England when he produced a 161.3 km/h speed of a ball to England’s knick Knight. He become the first bowler to reach speed of 100 miles an hour in official ICC match. He has taken 247 wickets in 163 ODIs at an an average of 24.97 with best figures of 6/16. He enters this team as the primary spearhead.

10. The Physiological Phenomenon - Courtney Walsh

 

A physiological phenomenon, Walsh had an unbreakable body, for he holds the record for most balls bowled by a fast bowler in the history of Test cricket — 30,019. He has taken 227 wickets from 205 ODI matches at an average of 30.47 with best figures of 5/1 against Sri Lanka. His durability guarantees him a place in this XI.

11. Smiling Assassin - Muttiah Muralitharan

The ‘smiling assassin’ packed 800 Test wickets in 133 Test matches and 534 wickets in 350 ODIs.  Without a doubt one of the greatest spinners of all time. Murali’s achievements, abilities, talent and longevity cannot be expressed/defined/explained in words. One has to witness the magic and then feel blessed. His action was scary and those scary eyes wide open chased away the Batsman’s intentions of scoring against Murali. He is one of the GOAT spinners and thus, makes his way into this team.

 

TEAM ALL STARS XI - KEY NOTES

• Balance : 4 Specialist Batsmen, 2 Perfect All-Rounders (Equally top-notch batting & bowling), 1 Bowling all-rounder, a wicket-keeper crisis batsman, 2 specialist fast bowlers, and 1 specialist Spinner
• Fast Bowling Line-Up : A devastating pace bowling line-up in Shoaib Akhtar, Courtney Walsh and Imran Khan. They are Supported by all-rounders - Sir Gary Sobers and Jaques Kallis, making it a total of SIX pace bowling options.
• Spin : Muttiah Muralitharan leads the spin attack with support from Sir Gary Sobers and Rohit Sharma, if needed.
• Opening : Rohit Sharma and Martin Guptill. Both openers have had successfull careers in ODI cricket. Both have scored Double 100s in ODIs with Rohit Sharma having scored 2. Rohit has the highest individual score in ODIs (264) with Guptill having the second highest (237*).
• Middle Order : A top-level middle order in Jaques Kallis, Sir Gary Sobers, Martin Crowe and Steve Waugh
• Finishers : 2 Bonafide flinishers and crisis batsmen in Imran Khan and Mark Boucher.
• Keeping : The Keeper with the most amount of dismissals in international cricket - 998, in Mark Boucher.
• Fielding : Plenty of amazing fielders in Rohit Sharma, Martin Guptill, Jaques Kallis, Steve Waugh, and Imran Khan.
• Captaincy : A lot of experienced captains in the team that can help and give inputs to the main captain Steve Waugh and Vice Captain Martin Crowe : Sir Gary Sobers, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Courtney Walsh have all captained their national teams while Rohit Sharma has captained the IPL side Mumbai Indians to the title twice.
• I wholeheartedly believe that this is the best side in the tournament, with balance, pace, spin, batting, keeping, and finishing. Hence, I named it the All Stars XI. If you like the team, then don't forget to vote for us! ;)

                                       

                                      VS

 

 

                              TEAM @OpeningBatsman/@Cricketics



Well, I honestly believe we have the most balanced squad in the tournament. Some teams are packed with hitters without any one to hold the innings together so they could easily be 5 down for 50, while some other teams are so poor in bowling depth that they will concede 300+ every game.

 

The batting

                                            OPENERS

 The openers are the highly successful World Cup winning pair of Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh.

Gilly is also the captain of my side and he will keep wickets. Not only is Gilly the best WK batsman of all time (hands down), he's a very shrewd captain (conquered the final frontier in India with regular captain absent). The duo partnered during the 1999 Cricket World Cup in England, a tournament that Australia went on to win beating Pakistan in the final. Gilchrist and Waugh scored 3853 runs, including eight century run stands and twenty half- century run stands

                                         MIDDLE ORDER

At no.3, NZ skipper and a guaranteed future ATG Kane Williamson. This guy is not only technically correct (Avg 45) but also scores at a very fast clip (Strike rate 83) and ideal for a team with openers like Gilly n Waugh. Already regarded as NZ’s best ever, there is nothing more pleasing than watching Kane in his full flow.

The destructive Kevin Pieterson comes at #4. KP was one of the most stylish batsman to play for England. His never say die attitude and fighting spirit made him a force to reckon in the cricketing world.  A maverick and match winner on his own, KP is the ideal no 4 any team can have.

 

 

Following KP will be Mohd Azharuddin. At his best there was no equal to Azhar. Such an artist with the wrist and a delight to watch, he could take apart any bowling attack on his day. One of the best Indian fielder ever to play cricket. He was a complete fielder and could field in all position. (9378 runs in 334 matches)

 

At #6 , I have the best finisher the ODI game has ever seen. The OG, incomparable Michael Bevan. Unlike today’s players, Bevan faced some of the best bowlers ever to play and still averaged 50+ coming in at no.5/6. No total is safe as long as Michael Bevan is in and...

                                              LOWER ORDER

to support him at no.7 we have one of the most underrated AR in cricket - Dwayne bravo. Excellent death bowler with slower deliveries and yorkers, he can also hit them big  in the final few overs. Made for limited overs cricket.

 

 

Adding to the late order batting muscle, Shaun Pollock , comes in at no.8. One of the best all rounder to play ODI (underrated), he averages 26 with the bat, batting at no.8 and 9!!

 

The bowling

The combination of  Michael Holding, Shaun Pollock, Waqar Younis and the GOAT Shane Warne has to be the best bowling combo any team would love to have at their disposal, given the batting prowess my side possess.  Not to forget they will be ably supported by the wily Bravo. We also have Kevin Pieterson and Michael Bevan to bowl their part time spin and Mark Waugh who could bowl both spin and military medium according to the conditions.

 

What happens when one has the bloodline of legendary cricketers like Peter and Graeme Pollock? One of the greatest disciplined bowlers in the history of the game, Shaun Pollock  has 393 odi wickets @ an avg of 24.5 and an amazing economy rate of 3.67.

 

Pure poetry in motion.
King of yorkers and reverse swing.

Waqar, one of the fastest bowler of his era and virtually unplayable with the older ball and a wicket taker with the new ball as well, has taken 416 wickets @23.84.

 

With Whispering Death Michael Holding to partner them, we have the most complete fast bowling unit in this competition. His bowling was smooth and very fast, and he used his height (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in ) to generate large amounts of bounce and zip off the pitch.

 

Shane Warne – the name is enough.

THE FIELDING

Imagine Adam Gilchrist keeping with Azhar, Shane Warne and  Mark Waugh waiting in the slips.  Three of the finest slip catchers the world has seen.  Add to it, gun fielders like, Pieterson, Williamson, Bravo, Bevan etc, this team will easily save 25-30 runs in every match and take breathtaking catches, such a joy to watch.

 

 

 Ladies n Gentlemen, this is a team full of champions and truly a team for all conditions with batting depth till 9, bowlers and all rounders for any pitch conditions and one of the best fielding team one can assemble.

If you like this team, do make sure to vote for it when the competition begins today/tomorrow. Other teams might have one or two of your favorite players, but remember this is a team game and the votes must go to the best team.

 

Cheers.

Quote

 

As part of the ICF ODI Cricket draft, this is the voting for Match 4.Vote for the team you consider the best equipped to win a face of at Eden Park,Auckland .

 

The voting will close on Tuesday.

 

Also vote for the 5th match here 

 

Edited May 21, 2017 by BeautifulGame

[I6MTW]

Opening batsmen. This is not even close.

[Sooda]

Yeah, opening bats to win this- bowling is about on par but OB's batting lineup is much better