Best ever England Cricket Team

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Looking at the stats, Stewart was the best batsman out of the three and the weakest at keeping.

Prior has slightly better batting stats than Knott and their keeping stats are on a par.

Knott didn't knock up huge amounts, but as I remember it he was reliable for a 30-50 type knock.

 

[M18CTID]

Looking at it from the late 70s when I first started following cricket:

Boycott
Gooch
Gower
Root
Pietersen
Stewart
Botham
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Willis

Biggest issue for me is that we’ve not had a spinner in my lifetime who could hold down a regular test spot apart from Swann, yet like Alec Stewart he made his test debut pretty late in his career - in Swann’s case it was at the age of 29 but he managed to take over 250 wickets in the space of just 5 years. He gets in on that alone and we need that balance where we have pace and a bit of spin.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

He must have been a nightmare on those uncovered pitches and no helmets

Watched a Boycott interview year's ago about uncovered pitches, and he said Derek Underwood was unplayable if the pitch got wet.

He said Underwood would just bowl cutters.

 

[Djibrilshairdo]

Bravest batting I’ve ever seen.

Don’t expect the first conversation from Edrich to Close was “I’ll nick a quick single and take the rest of the over”

Whispering Death and Denis Lillee we’re the two finest fast bowlers I ever saw in action.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Loving seeing some of these mash up teams.

However, I’m not saying he should be in that first eleven but I’m a little disappointed that not a single poster so far has included the one who has over 8000 test runs to his name at an average of just under 40 despite only making his test debut just shy of his 27th birthday, started out as an opener only to get shoved down the order when he became our main wicketkeeper, and was still playing test cricket at the age of 40.

Step forward Alec Stewart

Edit: I see @Vienna_70 and @Alan Harper's Tash have mentioned him since I started typing this out!

I said in my line up that it was a toss up between Prior and Stewart for me.

I went for Prior as he fitted in better down the order and was a better actual keeper.

If you needed more mental fortitude, then Stewart would be your guy.

 

[Brightwell’s left peg]

And the West Indies had four of the best in the world - Roberts, Holding, Garner and Marshall - in the same side for a while.

It must have been really scary, when there were four genuinely quick and hostile bowlers coming at you all the time.

Marshall was the one I always thought id have hated to face the most at his fearsome peak.

Yeah, seeing off the guys bowling 90+ mph to be replaced at either end by guys bowling 90+mph. Can’t have been fun.

My club played against a Lashings World X1 just over a week ago and they had Curtly and Courtney, who weren’t too shabby either!! (Fortunately a lot slower now!!)

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Don’t expect the first conversation from Edrich to Close was “I’ll nick a quick single and take the rest of the over”

Whispering Death and Denis Lillee we’re the two finest fast bowlers I ever saw in action.

Saw Lillee and Thomson at Trent Bridge.
They were frightening.

 

[Blue Feather]

Gooch (c), Cook, Stewart, Root, Thorpe, Botham, Knott (wk), Swann, Broad, Anderson, Willis. Kevin Pieterson perhaps ought to be in and being an old git I remember John Edrich who was a gutsy and effective top order batsman. Michael Vaughan was arguably the best skipper and also a high quality batter but wouldn't get in ahead of the players selected

 

[SamTheGuru]

I mean if anyone doesn't put Gooch in their team then it is the wrong answer.

 

[SamTheGuru]

Gooch, Cook, Stewart, Root, Thorpe, Botham, Knott, Swann, Broad, Anderson, Willis

You neglected Atherton?

 

[SamTheGuru]

You cannot leave Boycott or Trueman out

Never saw Boycott play, but my Grandad always used to go on about him.

 

[SamTheGuru]

I used to quite heavily follow county cricket for a few years. My favourite moments were when Wasim Akram played. The final roll of the dice bowling and batting.

 

[Blue Feather]

You neglected Atherton?

Can't pick them all unfortunately. I liked him though, especially against SA.....

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

I only saw the very end of Botham’s career, so that’s why I probably underrate him.

I was born late 60's so he was a bit of a hero of mine as a kid. He was box office at a time of the greatest all rounders there's ever been. Botham, Imran, Hadlee, Kapil Dev, Rice and Proctor all incredible players.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I was born late 60's so he was a bit of a hero of mine as a kid. He was box office at a time of the greatest all rounders there's ever been. Botham, Imran, Hadlee, Kapil Dev, Rice and Proctor all incredible players.

We all have an extra affinity to the best players we saw growing up.

However many goals Mahrez and Sterling scored, they’ll always be competing with David White in my head!

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

I didn’t think Flintoff was good enough to clean Botham’s boots.

Flintoff was a great bowler for a few years but was never a consistent or a particularly talented batsman.

 

[southamptonblue]

I didn’t think Flintoff was good enough to clean Botham’s boots.

I don't either.....but Flintoff played for Lancs, and is 'allegedly' a blue....and those always effect 'best ofs' ;)

 

[SamTheGuru]

We had an awesome team when we lost to WI for a few years. Unfortunately they had Brian Lara. It was so hard to not appreciate Brian Lara.

 

[southamptonblue]

I think both Knott and Stewart were better batsmen than Prior.

Knott was hands down the best keeper England have had in my lifetime.....nobody else is even worth mentioning.

 

[SamTheGuru]

Flintoff was a great bowler for a few years but was never a consistent or a particularly talented batsman.

Flintoff should never get in. He was half decent for 5 minutes. But he was never a great allrounder.