Best Test XI - POLL - Bowlers
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Picking this quartet has done my head in this week. Too open ended. Some thoughts:
- Vettori was never really a world class wicket taking bowler in test cricket. It's hard to include him in the side on that basis when Boult, Southee and Wags are.
- Then again mid-to-late career Vettori in peak run containment mode bowling in tandem with Hadlee is a delicious prospect. Vettori would essentially be a better version of Chats, with more variation and the ability to bowl longer spells.
- Boult over Southee pretty comfortably for me.
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Im with rotated on Vettori, great player no doubt, incredible captain in his own right, also could hold a bat and often used to just tie up an end, but if the goal of the test team is to take 20 wickets, then I want wicket takers.
Paddles by a thooousand, then Bond and then it becomes who delivers next. Boult and Southee on their days get third, but would only take one and I would rather have Boult as well.
For me the fourth bowler is Wags. He can and has bowled long spells, even in Australia when the rest of his team cant handle the heat. Often the only one who takes wickets when there is no swing/pitch assistance, which Southee, Boult both struggle with. He is a genuine wicket taker when the pitch offers nothing and can swing we it does offer something.
There you go, Dan the man misses my test all time team if it is to take 20 wickets.
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I agree with Wags over Vettori. I do remember reading somewhere that Vettori was far more effective when he had a half decent bowler at the other end, which he would have in an all time XI. But Wags has the stats on the board so has to be our 4th option.
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@bayimports said in Best Test XI - NOMINATIONS - Bowlers:
Im with rotated on Vettori, great player no doubt, incredible captain in his own right, also could hold a bat and often used to just tie up an end, but if the goal of the test team is to take 20 wickets, then I want wicket takers.
Paddles by a thooousand, then Bond and then it becomes who delivers next. Boult and Southee on their days get third, but would only take one and I would rather have Boult as well.
For me the fourth bowler is Wags. He can and has bowled long spells, even in Australia when the rest of his team cant handle the heat. Often the only one who takes wickets when there is no swing/pitch assistance, which Southee, Boult both struggle with. He is a genuine wicket taker when the pitch offers nothing and can swing we it does offer something.
There you go, Dan the man misses my test all time team if it is to take 20 wickets.
Interesting chat. Is Vettori our best ever spinner ? Fuck yes, him then daylight. I loved his pluckiness, tenacious batting, captaincy......everything. I doubt any NZ player has ever got more out of his talent than he has......
BUT......
teams didn't ever "fear" him and what he could do like Warne, Kumble or Murali. If conditions didn't suit then he could be pretty ordinary at times.
Wonderful servant but I realise that while I'd personally still pick him he's not an automatic selection like I've thought in the past.
Possibly off topic but I really hope the selectors take note of the demolition job that Boult, Southee, Wagner and Jamieson inflicted on the Windies and don't keep shoehorning yet another shithouse spinner for the sake of having a spinner.
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Braces got the shits with NZ cricket and retired as soon as he achieved the 100 wickets/1000 runs double, so maybe he could have done more if he'd stuck around longer, but as above, Vettori had the better career even on the averages, not just sheer longevity.
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@booboo said in Best Test XI - NOMINATIONS - Bowlers:
Braces: 41 test, 102 wickets @ 35.81, 4 x5s, 1x10
Vettori: 113 tests, 364 @ 34.36, 20 x5s, 3 x10sComparable but Vettori ahead on all counts, especially wickets per test (3.2 v 2.5).
Classic ferning, replying to your own post !
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@KiwiPie said in Best Test XI - NOMINATIONS - Bowlers:
Can we nominate a combo - Dan about 2-3 years into his career before his back injury for his attacking bowling (honestly, watch him then and there was flight, loop and turn) and later Dan for his batting and bowling variations?
So you want two Dans in your team? I'm a fan of his but two?
