Team of the Year

Not necessarilly stats based:

Graeme Smith: finally got rid of the FTB tag - has played two proper captains innings this year - at Edgbaston and the WACA.

Virender Sehwag: gets in purely for that knock at Chennai - simple as.

Shiv Chaderpaul: the hardest man to get out in test cricket

Kevin Pietersen: the hardest batsman to bowl to

Sachin Tendulkar: See Sehwag

Michael Clarke: FAC and not far off 1000 runs for the year

MS Dhoni: New captain of a damn good test side

Daniel Vettori best SLAer in test cricket and a silk purse among sows' ears

Zaheer Khan best left-arm over merchant currently playing. Johnson's too inconsistent

Dale Steyn: 64 wickets this year at just over 20

Ishant Sharma: seriously impressive debut year

Mendis> Vettori

PlanetPakistan wrote:Mendis> Vettori

One day maybe.

Graeme Smith - Best captain, and captain of the best team in which he is also the best batsman.

Virender Sehwag - An entertainer and one who has come together this year to click.

Gautam Gambhir - Probably the most consistent opener in the world; odd that I've batted him at 3, really.

Kevin Pietersen - Mercurial genius, very unpredictable, but an entertainer and one who has racked up the tons as per.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul - God in a batsman's form, like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable over the last two years. Dour but brilliant.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni - Keeper by default really, neither a great with bat nor gloves but a solid all-rounder including captaincy.

Daniel Vettori - Solid and dependable with bat and ball and New Zealand's only match-winner. Best orthodox spinner around.

Mitchell Johnson - Thought he was a bit one-dimensional, but one of the leading wicket-takers in 2008. All-round contribution has been strong.

Ajantha Mendis - Scary, just scary. Them magic fingers must work all kinds of wonders in reality, 'cause they're a phenomenon on the cricket ball.

Zaheer Khan - Most improved seamer, reverse swing at good pace from the effective angle of a left-armer.

Dale Steyn - Over-rated, but you can't argue with his contributions. Has probably won more games than anyone else this year.

Basil wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:Mendis> Vettori

One day maybe.

yaar Mendis> Vettori even today.

He destroyed the best players of spin.

PlanetPakistan wrote:

Basil wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:Mendis> Vettori

One day maybe.

yaar Mendis> Vettori even today.

He destroyed the best players of spin.

Let's see how he goes away from the sub-conintent.

Pretty hard to leave Gambhir out, that's for sure.


I'd like to put forward for an honorary drinks carrier for "most improved": Shakib Al Hasan. Home and away versus New Zealand and South Africa in the c.y., averaged 23.70 with the ball, 24.33 with the bat, but this season so far has 21 wickets from 6 bowling innings at 19.19 including 3 michelles against those two teams.

Shakib needs to emigrate to state Cricket in Aus or County Cricket in the UK.

Asad Rauf and A Dar will be the umpires.

Basil wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:

Basil wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:Mendis> Vettori

One day maybe.

yaar Mendis> Vettori even today.

He destroyed the best players of spin.

Let's see how he goes away from the sub-conintent.

i heard ZIM played him fairly well or at least better than the Indian middle order

Mendis will be very Similar to Shane Warne in my opinion. Yes, he will leak runs every so often and players will learn to apply themselves when they face his wrong un' amongst other varieties. It just means it'll be a great contest between an Experienced batsman and Mendis.

It is also harder to pick Mendis as he uses a medium pacer mould and the ball turns with a little more pace than most leggies. (Not Panesar Pace).


PS. By similar to Shane Warne, I mean in Cricket context. Lets leave the drug banter alone.

"Mendis will be very Similar to Shane Warne"

He wishes

The best way to play Mendis is to think of him as a FAST leg spinner because his off break is fairly obvious and good players should pick it quite easily.

The problem with the Indians was that they thought of him as another A Kumble but the problem was that Kumble didn't spin the ball while Mendis DID.

clarke does not deserve to be there...insert bell on potential alone

Basil wrote:
Virender Sehwag: gets in purely for that knock at Chennai - simple as.

Plus the double century in SL where nobody else scored. Its a better and bigger knock than the Chennai one.

philcric wrote:

Basil wrote:
Virender Sehwag: gets in purely for that knock at Chennai - simple as.

Plus the double century in SL where nobody else scored. Its a better and bigger knock than the Chennai one.

Innings of the year for mine

sehwag and bambi are the form openers

Smith
Sehwag
Gambhir
Tendulkar
Chanderpaul
Clarke
Dhoni(c)+
Zaheer
Mendis
Steyn
Ishant

Batsman of the year- Gautam Gambhir

Bowler of the year- Zaheer Khan

Fielder of the year- AB DeVilliers

Newcomer of the year- Ajantha Mendis

Team of the year- India

Umpire of the year- Asaud Rauf (Where's Taufel been recently??)

Batsman of the year- Ian Bell

Bowler of the year- Peter Siddle

Fielder of the year- Monty Panesar

Newcomer of the year- Jason Krezja

Team of the year- Bangladesh

Umpire of the year- Rudi Koertzen

Alternative awards

Might I nominate AB de Villiers over Clarke.

1054 @62 with 4 centuries.

Given that the year is not over, I'll yet hold fire.

Actually G Smith has a chance to break M Yousuf's record

Henry wrote:Smith
Sehwag
Gambhir
Tendulkar
Chanderpaul
Clarke
Dhoni(c)+
Zaheer
Mendis
Steyn
Ishant

one aussie in a team of the year. wonder when is the last time that happened

The One wrote:

Henry wrote:Smith
Sehwag
Gambhir
Tendulkar
Chanderpaul
Clarke
Dhoni(c)+
Zaheer
Mendis
Steyn
Ishant

one aussie in a team of the year. wonder when is the last time that happened

FFS did you not see who picked that side?

The One wrote:

Henry wrote:Smith
Sehwag
Gambhir
Tendulkar
Chanderpaul
Clarke
Dhoni(c)+
Zaheer
Mendis
Steyn
Ishant

one aussie in a team of the year. wonder when is the last time that happened

In Trevor's 11?
Every year.