Cricket: A selection to drool over

It's summer - time to paint the house and listen to the (test) cricket on the radio. And just because we can, cricket writer Adrian Seconi names his world test and limited-over Xis.

The ever-improving Kumar Sangakkara, of Sri Lanka.
The ever-improving Kumar Sangakkara, of Sri Lanka.
Naming these sorts of teams is frightfully subjective. The statistics help but sometimes you just cannot look past your favourite player for whatever reason.

Then there is the balance of the side to consider. It is far from a science but playing armchair selector sure is a lot of fun. Here is our test selection.

Openers

Alastair Cook has had a fantastic 12 months and hit a purple patch during the Ashes series with 766 runs at an average of more than 120. The England left-hander started the home series against India poorly but scored 294 at Edgbaston in August and is averaging close to 50 in 72 tests.

Indian Virender Sehwag has had a lean run of late but remains one of the most destructive and prolific opening batsmen of all time. He gets the nod ahead of South African Graeme Smith.

Middle order

Indian Rahul Dravid is not called The Wall for nothing. He bats at first drop in this team with team-mate Sachin Tendulkar batting in the prime position of No 4. The master blaster is arguably the most complete batsman in world cricket and is joined by the graceful Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), whose form just keeps improving.

England and former Otago batsman Jonathan Trott and Australian Michael Hussey went close.

All-rounder

Jacques Kallis does not always get the accolades he deserves despite a truly remarkable record. He has scored nearly 12,000 runs and taken 270 wickets. He does not get the ball in his hand as often as he once did but he remains the best all-rounder in world cricket. New Zealand's Daniel Vettori would not disgrace the spot either.

England's aggressive-batting stumpsman Matt Prior. Photos from Reuters.
England's aggressive-batting stumpsman Matt Prior. Photos from Reuters.
Wicketkeeper

England's Matt Prior has made 36 dismissals in the last eight tests and gets the job. His aggressive batting is an added bonus but New Zealand's Brendon McCullum has unrivalled skills behind the sticks and would have got the role if he still kept wickets in tests.

Pace bowlers

South African fast bowler Dale Steyn uses a combination of express pace, aggression and swing to trouble the best batsmen. He is the ICC's No 1-ranked test bowler for good reason and is closing in on 250 test wickets. England's James Anderson partners Steyn with the new ball and Australian Mitchell Johnson bowls first change. Johnson can be erratic but when he gets it right he can be devastating.

Spinner

England's Graeme Swann has taken 27 wickets in his last eight tests and squeezes out Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and Vettori. Swann took three for 102 and six for 106 to help England defeat India by an innings and eight runs at the Oval in August and ran hot in 2009 with 54 wickets that year.

12th man

Daniel Vettori. Mentioned twice but missed the cut.

• Who would you have in your World XI? Email suggestions to Adrian Seconi (adrian.seconi@odt.co.nz).

 


World Test XI
Seconi's picks

Alastair Cook (England), Virender Sehwag (India), Rahul Dravid (India), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Matt Prior (England), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Graeme Swann (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa), James Anderson (England), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand, 12th man).



Adrian Seconi's Limited-overs XI

Brendon McCullum (New Zealand), Shane Watson (Australia), Virat Kohli (India), Jonathan Trott (England), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Michael Clarke (Australia), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Mike Hussey (Australia, 12th man).


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