Almanac Cricket: Citrus Bob’s Greatest Test Teams of his era
Citrus Bob is working on his autobiography at the moment and obviously sport will be a huge part of his story. He is including his selections for the best Australian X1 and the best World X1 cricket teams from players he has seen play. CB seeks comments and thoughts from Almanackers with regards to his selections. Has Bob overlooked any obvious inclusions?
The greatest of my time 1946 -2022
(Criteria is that I must have seen them play live not on any media)
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Lawry
Bob Simpson
Ian Chappell (C)
Neil Harvey
Greg Chappell
Keith Miller
Adam Gilchrist
Ray Lindwall
Dennis Lillee
Shane Warne
Bill Johnston
12th man: Steve Smith
An exceptional all-round side with players who could win a game of their own bat, an unplayable bowling line-up, and a wicketkeeper batter of exceptional talent. Brilliant in the field.
WORLD XI ( excluding Australians)
Gordon Greenidge (WI)
Geoff Boycott (ENG)
Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
Virat Kohli (IND)
Gary Sobers (WI)
Viv Richards (WI)
Frank Worrell (Capt) (WI)
Malcolm Marshall (WI)
Alan Knott (ENG)
Richard Hadlee (NZ)
Lance Gibbs (WI)
12th man: Ben Stokes (ENG)
I would suggest that you could pick a team with only half of my selections making it. How could I leave out Graeme Pollock, Dale Steyn, Ian Botham, Brian Lara ,Brian Statham, Michael Holding, Kane Williamson, Imran Khan, Murali to name just a few. This is a well-balanced team with Frank Worrell at the helm. Go to it!
More from Citrus Bob Utber Here
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About Bob Utber
At 84 years of age Citrus Bob is doing what he has always done since growing up on a small farm at Lang Lang. Talking, watching and writing sport and in recent years writing books. He lives in Mildura with his very considerate wife (Jenny) and a groodle named 'Chloe on Flinders' and can be found at Deakin 27 every day.
My first Test live was the poms in 1963 so you have a decade on me CB. Harvey, Lindwall and Miller are before my time but unarguable. Bill Johnston is a quirky selection. Left arm medium pace swing bowler for variety? McGrath was obviously better but a bit same same with Lillee & Lindwall.
Have more questions about World XI. Always preferred Australian method of captain must justify selection as player first rather than the English (Brearley) system. Worrell doesn’t come close as a player but a great leader of men. Kohli or Sobers as captain for me – though the dressing room would have more fights than feeds. Boycott was a supreme technician, but Desmond Haynes for me to open batting with Greenidge. Saw a lot of Lance Gibbs at SA – again thought he was a technician more than a match winner. Murali for me. Can only imagine his omission is a political protest against his dubious action. Would have Wasim Akram instead of Worrell – superior bowler to Sobers who could stick with his spinners in that side.
Good sides though. My only surprise is there aren’t more Victorians in your Australian side, and that Bill Ponsford and Jack Hobbs didn’t get a guernsey!
PB – I could have bet “London to a Brick”, (thank you Ken Howard) that you would have your inflamed quill ready to fire!
At coffee this morning inundated with Dessie Haynes in the team. Someone had to keep the World mob in line and Frankie was the man.
Did contemplate picking Jeff Moss and Brad Hodge in the Aussie line-up with their great batting averages but sanity prevailed even though I knew the “Lion would be on the Line” (Thanks Tony!).
Next Australian captains from WA PB? That will be right up your alley(sorry Bill – Bill should have played for OZ)
Thanks anyway PB as usual
Would love to have seen Miller play
Favourites I have seen in Border, Ponting, Steve Waugh were they in consideration, would any of them make the touring side.
Players I never saw but you possibly have that interest me are Miller, Lindwall, Johnston and Benaud, Davidson, Walters, O’Neill,McKenzie. How good were they.
Rodney – you have asked some impossible questions and that is how it should be if we love cricket
KEITH MILLER – if Miller was playing cricket today he would be the highest-paid player ever. He had everything that a celebrity needed. Tall, handsome, with flowing hair, speech, and of course could do anything at cricket, fighter pilot, Aussie rules, suspected lover of a princess. What more do you want and oh! sex appeal! AND – love of classical music and gambling. The real ‘JAMES BOND”!
At Lindsay Hassett’s Testimonial game at the G, I witnessed his all-round brilliance. Ian Craig had hit Ian Johnson for 4 sixes in a row on the fifth try Miller took a “mark” on the boundary and drop-kicked the cricket ball back to the centre of the ground. He was extraordinary and DGB did not approve of his antics nor did Miller of some of Bradmans. Should have been Australia’s captain after Hassett. MORE LATER
RODNEY – many thanks for your comments as you are aware I have been watching Test cricket ofr nigh on 76 years! Many great players from all over have I witnessed.
KEITH MILLER – would be the super,superstar today and demand his own price. Besides his brilliant all-round cricket ability he had charisma, and good looks, was tall, athletic, a lover of a princess, long flowing hair Also poster boy for Brylcreem, loved classical music and gambling, fighter pilot in WWII and could play Aussie rules at the top level.
Not liked by Bradman I think and vice versa. Miller played for fun and should have captained Australia after Hassett. At the G during Hassett’s Testimonial I saw him take a catch on the boundary and drop kick the ball back to the middle. An absolute freak in every way. MORE ON OTHER LATER.
Very difficult to argue with your selections, Citrus.
Although I do believe that, in general, Allan Border’s career tends to be overlooked.
SMOKIE – was always going to be a difficult one of who to leave out! You could swap I. Chappell for Border but Chappell was such an astute captain.The team picked on balance as well as the ability
Interesting have not had any comments about the openers even over coffee.
Not looking forward to the “Summer of Cricket Series” believe the 3 teams are the weakest in category A Test teams. Do hope though the SA bowlers are all fit as they will give our batsmen( sorry, batters!) some South African curry.
Thanks as usual for your input.
Formidable teams Citrus. Would you consider Hayden for Lawry? Speaking of pigeons, I’d also swap Pigeon for Lindwall. McGrath’s wicket-taking feats are just too good to overlook, regardless of the mundanity of his line & length characteristics.
World team: Murali for Gibbs for mine. And Sunny for Boycott (anything to get rid of a Pom).
I’m a Lara man, but not sure how do squeeze him in here. Ditto for Curtly.
DB (not to be confused with PB) Glenn McGrath played a lot more Test than Lindwall so stats do incline to inflate. Still a wonderful bowler. Ray Lindwall has 2 test centuries to his name as well.
I would never pick Hayden in front of Lawry (the prerogative of sole selector!) add made a lot of his runs against ordinary opposition.
Yes, will change the finished production Murali instead of Gibbs.
Barry Richards, and Desmond Haynes for Sir Geoffrey could be considered.Always great fun picking sides like these as against trying to pick the right Aussie side at present.!!!
Thanks again DB.
THE CATS STILL IN TOWN!
Fair enough Citrus. I’m happy to have Lawry (another Vic) in there, but the thing about Hayden that impresses me is his ratios of centuries to test. 30 tons in just 103 tests. He was a run machine from 2001 to 2008. And let’s be honest, he should’ve been pick ahead of Slater on the ’93 Ashes tour. Had to play the waiting game (I only he had a few stings in the interim) but imagine if he cemented his spot in the ’93 series and opened for 15 years straights – would’ve possibly scored more runs than Sachin. I’m getting ahead of myself I know.
Damien – we could spend the rest of our lives contemplating the “ifs” and “buts” and i think this is the wonderful part of sport.
While we are on it.
One anagram that really gets on my goat is GOAT! This is absolute bullshit and should be banned from our lexigram and sports commentating in particular. There is no such person in existence..The nearest that could possibly be is a change of rules because player/participant “x’ was so good but still not conclusive in my humble opinion.
It was interesting to hear Brad Haddin nominate Ian Healy as the best wicket keeper he had seen.
If the selection criteria is the best batsman-keeper then, of course, Gilly plays at number 7, but if its the best wicket keeper then Marsh, Healey, Tallon etc were superior glovemen.
To quote the late Shane Warne Gilchrist wasn’t a class act as a keeper. But he was a legitimate allrounder which the others werent. So really you have two allrounders in Miller and Gilchrist.
DAN – interesting comment on wicketkeepers. Don “Deafy” Tallon was regarded by many in the forties as an outstanding keeper whose anticipation to move to catch snicks down the legside was “gob-smacking”.
Of course from Rod Marsh onwards, keepers stood back and rarely stumped a batsman even in Warne’s heyday.. Every country wanted their keeper to handle the bat. J.H.B.Waite of South Africa opened the batting for his country and we don’t dare mention Dennis Lindsey who demoralized Australia on one trip to SA.
Ray Lindwall with 2 Test tons could nearly be classed as an all-rounder as well.
Thanks for the comments.
No real argument s with Australia’s team Bob, everyone will have their own opinion but yours is very close to what I would have picked. In the international one, NO WAY would I pick Murali. I’m one of those that still consider him to be a chucker and he got so many wickets against minnows. It would be interesting to pick seconds sides for those teams to play each other for practice matches.
FISHO – interestingly the majority of people I have spoken to about the Oz XI agree with my hard work!
Clutching at straws but is this an indicator of how “today’s people” feel about the present state of cricket here in Australia?
Good point on Murali and “minnows” that is why today’s stats are superfluous and also where did he play the majority of his tests?
Continue to enjoy everyone’s comments. Thanks again!
Citrus love the selection of IM Chappell as Captain didn’t see Lindwall or Johnston for my own side if the criteria is picking the players fully fit at the height of there power I can’t leave,Jeff Thompson out
World x1 I’m Barry Richards over Boycott likewise I’m v much a no re Murali
RULE – Thought you would like the captain! Wonder why? Barry Richards wonderful player who we did not see the total best. I’ll wait for the final mid-term votes to come in and ask “Trumpty-Dumpty” to announce..
Murali is another story as there are always 2 trains of thought.
Hope you like the announcement of the magic Round of Football? Should they call each game after a Sotuh Australian great e.g Malcolm Blight Match?
many thanks
Love it, Citrus Bob.
What a lucky & thoughtful & motivated man you are to have seen all of those players.
And to now be remembering & writing about it.
And these sides are always odd.
Is it a list of the best cricketers? Or the best team?
Do you select a stock bowler to take the old ball?
Your selection of B Johnston surprises me. Which is fine.
If Lindwall & Miller open the bowling, DK Lillee first change (!) and SK Warne to bowl, spin, it probably doesn’t matter who else you pick to bowl. I’d pick JN Gillespie – the best Australian fast bowler I have seen. He could take the old ball, too, the bird-flapping-its-arms delivery, slower balls, 26-yarders, tongue poking out, wild eyes, the full kit.
Others XI – well that’s even more tricky.
Curtly Ambrose unlucky. But I’d pick Courtney Walsh. To play the same role as JN Gillespie. Both of them bring fun to the game. Maybe D Vettori 12th man so he can provide tactical observations.
Well played, Citrus
EG and David- I think my love of the game (Test level) from early childhood EG has given such a wonderful appreciation of cricket. To have seen so many great players has been a delight.
When I think about it now it seems rather innocuous to pick teams like this but it is fun and causes much discussion. ‘Dizzy” plus a double century to boot! Good choice. “Big Bill” Johnston was a character in many ways with his arms flapping like a pelican as was his bat. Batting average of 102 in England mind you.
The world XI is a different ball game. Could pick eleven elevens and still get it wrong or just one West Indies side? One could talk forever. At least there are no GOATS (thank whoever).
Many thanks as usual for entering the debate. I might have seen your great Aunt play once with a family friend Myrtle Craddock?
Hi Bob, I salute you for putting the 2 teams together. As you probably know, over the years I have written several books about baseball in South Australia. My first one tells of how Night Baseball began, not only in SA but also in Australia. Being in close contact with many of the old timers as I wrote it, many asked me to put my best team together. Well I tried but, with so many options, I decided to take the coward’s way out. Instead one of my chapters was titled”Some of My Favourite Players”., where I not only listed them, but gave reasons why. There’s no doubt, it’s a difficult task.