Best England Cricket XI - 1978 to 2020

[Tony Towner]

If Stokes wins this then you are relying on Gooch trundling in to make up the rest of the overs

 

[Johnny75]

If Stokes wins this then you are relying on Gooch trundling in to make up the rest of the overs

Pietersen bowled a bit.

 

[Tony Towner]

10 wickets @89 a pop

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Think you'll find Alastair Cook has a Test bowling average of 7.

 

[Sniffer]

If Stokes wins this then you are relying on Gooch trundling in to make up the rest of the overs

I don't think there will be much of an if about it.

 

[Sniffer]

Gower at 20 throughout the 80's.

 

[Sniffer]

Botham in 23 matches in the 1970's had a bowling average below 20.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You just use the 90s/00s Australia strategy. Pick the best four bowlers and they should work it out for themselves.

In fact in our Flower/Strauss days (which is the best - if not the most fun - England team I've ever seen), we pretty much only ever played a four man attack. We didn't have an all rounder, Colly/Trott/KP would fill in a little bit (I suppose Bopara too when he played, but he has a Test bowling average of 290!) but more often than not Swann/Broad/Anderson plus one of Finn/Bresnan/Tremlett/Onions would get the job done.

The irony now being that post-2005 Australia are forever desperate to squeeze an all rounder in there, which means that Shane Watson and Mitchell Marsh have inexplicably played loads of Test cricket.

 

[darlowolf64]

Botham
Stokes
Flintoff

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

In fact I don't get this argument:

Cook
Gooch
Trott
Gower
Pietersen
xxxxxx
Stewart
1 x spinner
3 x quicks

If Stokes wins then we have five bowlers, no? Same as if Botham or Flintoff win (let's face it, no-one else has a shout)

 

[Tony Towner]

Stokes is a few overs in a day bowler though rather than a full 5th. He only bowls long spells when we are hunting for a miracle. Botham and Flintoff are going to give you more with the ball.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Aye, I get that. Like I say that's the crux of the Stokes vs Flintoff argument for me.

I'm going to trust the four bowlers I pick...

 

[Trips]

147 wkts @ 32.68 is better than a few overs in a day bowler

 

[Sniffer]

Stokes is a few overs in a day bowler though rather than a full 5th. He only bowls long spells when we are hunting for a miracle. Botham and Flintoff are going to give you more with the ball.

Botham and Flintoff would have been picked as bowlers in their own right, whereas Stokes wouldn't.

Botham's test bowling average in over 100 tests is better than Stuart Broad's despite him being an overweight, injured, exotic woodbine smoking, panto actor for the final few years of his career. He would however cost you 4 runs more per 100 overs (although this would be compensated by and extra 15 runs with the bat per innings).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Stokes by year with the ball:

2013: 13 wickets @ 47.28
2014: 15 wickets @ 26.20
2015: 24 wickets @ 47.79
2016: 33 wickets @ 25.81
2017: 16 wickets @ 31.31
2018: 22 wickets @ 27.36
2019: 22 wickets @ 35.45
2020: 8 wickets @ 24.75

Since 1 Jan 2016: 101 wickets @ 29.03

 

[Tredman]

Pre face-balling Broad would have been a decent shout for the all rounder. He's definitely made the most of his bowling, but he could have been a lot better with the bat.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Never going to be a number six though (I suppose you could put Stewart there), seven would have been at a real push the best he could have done.

I'd say Bresnan was a better batsman than Broad ever was. Scurran could be, but he needs to start converting, he's been rubbish with the bat for a little while now too. Still doesn't even have a first class century.

Actually if Flintoff wins (which doesn't look very likely) then I move that he bats at seven.

 

[Tredman]

No, could have been a decent 7 though. Plus 7 is too low for Stewart, he's better than a later overs biffer.

Forgot about Bres, I liked him for a while.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Oh definitely regarding the Gaffer. A proper player. Mind you he did average 62 batting at seven...

Prior was perfect there for us, that's why I went for him.

 

[Tony Towner]

147 wkts @ 32.68 is better than a few overs in a day bowler

It's not about the average, it's about the statement. Ordinarily Stokes bowls a few overs in a day and other than by exception isn't used as a full time bowler