If they could play for England so could I....

[Yorkshire Blue]

Excellent choice. He can make the touring party. Added kudos to him for having a moustache well into the 90's without even being an eccentric 'jack russell' type.

YB. You may recall some Ive missed, but in the other thread I put these down as being the 'spinners' (maybe that should be slow bowlers) I remember playing for England in my watching time....what a load of rubbish on offer!!

Embury, Giles, Panesar, Tufnell, Swann, Such, Salisbury, Illingworth, Min Patel, Croft, Schofield, Watkinson, Blackwell, Batty, Udal, Dawson.

That really makes you want to ask the question: do you really need a spinner in your side?

Also, Watkinson was the ultimate bits and pieces cricketer! The ultimate in lets pick a spinner who can bat. Much loved as Bumble is in the commentary box, I believe he gave England test or 1 day caps to the following Lancastrians - Gallian, Crawley, Graeme Lloyd, Hegg, Martin, Austin, Watkinson. As well as Athers and Fairbrother being around the team on merit, that is one hell of a county bias!

Good call about Lancastrian bias, Illingworth did similar during his tenure, but to be fair one of his choices was Darren Gough. He also picked Craig White, probably Silverwood, and a spinner (not Dawson) so obscure I have forgotten his name.

Was it Bumble who first picked Flintoff?

Both Flintoff and White were terrible when they first came into the side, and were clearly picked through county bias - I was particularly scathing of Craig White's selection, but fair play to Illingworth on that one, he turned into a genuine world class performer.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Was it Bumble who first picked Flintoff?

Both Flintoff and White were terrible when they first came into the side, and were clearly picked through county bias - I was particularly scathing of Craig White's selection, but fair play to Illingworth on that one, he turned into a genuine world class performer.

Yes, Flintoff made his debut against the Saffers in 1998, and Bumble was the coach.

Agree about White, he developed into a decent test all rounder. Although I hate to admit that recalcitrant Yorkshire ****pig Illingworth was right about anything.

 

[number11]

I may try and have a think of an ODI XI as well.

.

I reckon that could look even worse than the test team!

With my Giles esque blind selectors hat on, I will kick of with nominations for the following - Ian Austin, Matthew Flemming, Vince Wells, Neil Smith (ah the glory days of picking as many bits and pieces players as possible), Jim Troughton, Rikki Clarke, Paul Grayson, Graeme Lloyd, Udal, Illingworth, Batty (worryingly still on the fringes....).

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I reckon that could look even worse than the test team!

With my Giles esque blind selectors hat on, I will kick of with nominations for the following - Ian Austin, Matthew Flemming, Vince Wells, Neil Smith (ah the glory days of picking as many bits and pieces players as possible), Jim Troughton, Rikki Clarke, Paul Grayson, Graeme Lloyd, Udal, Illingworth, Batty (worryingly still on the fringes....).

Bloody hell, I'd forgotten about the likes of Wells, Smith and Fleming.

Lloyd and Grayson were going to be to the fore though.

Other names to consider: Mal Loye, Monty Panesar, Alex Wharf, Martyn Ball, Jeremy Snape.

Dermot Reeve is a shoe in as captain.

Ideally I'd like as many bits and pieces players and players who are too fat too field as possible.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I reckon that could look even worse than the test team!

With my Giles esque blind selectors hat on, I will kick of with nominations for the following - Ian Austin, Matthew Flemming, Vince Wells, Neil Smith (ah the glory days of picking as many bits and pieces players as possible), Jim Troughton, Rikki Clarke, Paul Grayson, Graeme Lloyd, Udal, Illingworth, Batty (worryingly still on the fringes....).

Going back a bit, England have had a habit of of this, I remember current umpires Ian Gould & Trevor Jesty playing ODI's.

Adding to your list, Mark Alleyne, Dermot Reeve (to be fair to him he smashed Donald for around 20 in one over in the 92 World Cup), Michael Yardy, Alex Wharf, Paul Franks,, Anthony McGrath, Colonel Mustard and Chris Silverwood.

 

[number11]

YB and Canvey, some truly brilliant (or brilliantly awful) selections there!

So we could have the dream line up of something like:

1. Neil Smith - Our answer to the brilliant pinch hitting of the Sri Lankans, as well as being a mediocre spinner.....plus was it he who threw up in an overseas tour match?
2. Mal Loye - well if one pinch hitter is a good idea, surely two would be twice as good...?
3. Lloyd - one of the few out and out batsman, more for the fact he couldnt bowl rather than any great proficiency with the bat.
4. Alleyne - Well, as we thought in the late 90's that any great one day side had bits and pieces players, we may as well start to bring them in from 4 onwards!
5. Fleming - As above.
6. Reeve - Skipper, should help inspire the team to keep their noses clean....
7. Mustard - WK - nothing like picking someone based on a good performance in a domestic final, despite career stats showing it would likely be a flash in the pan.
8. Austin - Fills YB's fatty criteria. Can field in the covers.
9. Vince Wells. I vaguely remember the receeding hairline, but little about his bowling.
10. Paul Grayson - 3rd spin option who can bat a bit.
11. Snape - Meant to be a great pychologist. Cant be bad given he suckered so many people with his 'moon ball'...which in any other world would be classed as an absolute pie. No offence but Ive seen YB give the ball less air playing on the outfield at Southchurch festival!

Beauty of this team is that you could reverse the batting order and it would be as strong (or weak). Worrying thing is all the aboves careers overlapped and this could have been the team at any one time!

All this talk of players gone by has suddenly made me feel better about watching Ian Bell come in at 3 on Thursday! (Just about...)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Great stuff. It was Neil Smith who vomited on the pitch, I'm pretty sure it was 1995 World Cup. He was proof positive that you don't select the son of a more fanous father, see Chris Cowdrey for further proof. Vince Wells started at Kent and made his name at Leicester, he started as a keeper / batsman, and developed into a medium paced pie chucker.

I remember Mark Alleyne performing a massive prattfall in an ODI at Brisbane against the convicts, exactly like Bambi on ice. Ian Austin gave hope for fatties everywhere. And TBH I'd forgotten that Grayson had played ODI's, against Zimbabwe IIRC.

Great stuff, and it's cheered me no end ahead of Thursday.

 

[Stats]

Having just read through this thread, what a trip down memory lane.

I am very suprised though that Number11 isnt trying to get my beloved Chris Lewis into the side purely on the basis that he missed a test match due to sunstroke and gave Dominic Cork his debut when he pulled out with toothache.

Oh and on a player suggestion I'll offer Alan Wells he of Kent fame. Duck on test debut, marvellous.

 

[Stats]

These links may be of interest

Test Players

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_Test_cricketers

One Day Players

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_England_ODI_cricketers

 

[SUFC Forever]

Okay, I know that he is a player beloved by many Essex supporters (of which I am definately not one) but how such an average mediocrity as Derek Pringle played 35 Test matches for England is totally beyond me.

He should be a shoo in as player and captain of any worst England side ever.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Great stuff. It was Neil Smith who vomited on the pitch, I'm pretty sure it was 1995 World Cup.

NEIL Smith! Couldn't remember his first name, cheers H. It was green puke as well. Vs UAE in the 1996 World Cup.