First XI of all-rounders…
Hammond
Sobers
De Villiers
Kallis
Flintoff
Botham
Stokes
Hadlee
Watson
Dev
S Pollock
I haven’t really thought much about this so probably loads of strong contenders I’ve missed.
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How do you do it???
Posting something from one thread to another???
Imran Khan?
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There are two ways. You can either quote reply and then with the quote reply box still open then navigate to a different thread (the quote reply box will stay open or be minimised). Then press ‘reply’ once you are in the other thread. It will ask you if you want to reply in that new thread or the one that you originally quoted from so simply pick the new thread.
The other way is to quote reply, then cut the text from the quote reply box. Cancel your reply. Go to the different thread, press reply (to open up a reply box) and paste the text in.
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Yes, good shout - told you I did it on the hoof and would have forgotten some strong contenders! Your post proves it, Imran Khan should definitely be in there. I’m lacking spinners…
Is Chris Gayle a good enough spinner to be considered as an all-rounder? Then you’ve got the likes of Joe Root, Michael Vaughan, Graeme Hick…Steve Smith. He started as a spinner, I think? Can’t remember him bowling too much in the last few years though. Is Warne a good enough batsman to be considered an all-rounder? Daniel Vettori?
I know he was fucked too often by injuries, but Chris Cairns!!!
Carl Hooper!!!
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Excellent shout. What about Jadeja?
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Ajay or Ravindra!!!
Ajay wasn’t really that good with bat or ball. He was an utility player.
Cracking good team that and you ain’t missing a spinner that much. Sir Garfield Sobers was pretty decent. Add Benaud for Watson and fit in Khan for either Dev or Pollock and you have a team that would demolish almost anyone.
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Ravindra, definitely.
Yes - Sobers could bowl slow and medium pace.
Should I shoe-horn in Gayle as he’s a recognised opener? Am I cheating with De Villiers? He’s the best wicket-keeper batsman I’ve ever seen (sorry Sangakarra and Gilchrist!).
Hammond
Gayle
Kallis
Sobers
Stokes
De Villiers
Botham
Khan
Hadlee
Dev
Jadeja
Close calls, Hooper, Benaud, Watson, Smith, Pollock, Flintoff, Cairns, Vettori
Decided to bump Vettori for Jadeja. Better averages both batting and bowling and a much superior strike rate.
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Considering recent form/accomplishments, I think Sakib al Hassan is better than either.
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Andrew Symonds?
Not as spectacualr with the ball as any of them, but was by no means a mug with the ball, and apart from Kallis, Botham and Sobers a better batsman than any of them
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Symonds, a better batsman than Wally Hammond?! 
Only in his dreams.
He’s not better than Gayle or De Villiers either. Not even close. I’d have him above Botham with the bat though and at about the same level as Stokes, for now.
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Gayle is an interesting one.
I think it depends on the game. T/20 or 1 dayer then Gayle, but in a test I would say Symonds was the better batsman
Never saw Hammond so it is difficult to comment on him.
Also, in that list, I would say Symonds is most like Sobers De Villiers and Kallis - more of a batsman that can bowl where as the rest are more bowlers that can bat except for Watson who couldn’t bat or bowl
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I don’t think you need to have seen Wally Hammond bat to know Symonds (or anyone else in that list for that matter) isn’t in the same league.
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This point is always missed.
Every time Root or Cook choose to stay in the field a bit longer than pundits would like there’s a massive discussion and loads and loads of moaning and micro analysis. Warne, KP and Vaughan are wheeled out to despair at the lack of courage or aggressive cricket. And then England go on to win anyway with loads of time left. Rinse and repeat.
The one time I remember Root being aggressive with his declaration we managed to lose a test to a poor Windies side at home. Very ‘honourable’ stuff.
I’ve been in the field being pounded in the sun, not a fun experience and leaves you dis-heartened and thoroughly pissed off.
Seems a shame to leave out Keith Miller
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Excellent shout - left out because I forgot about him, not as a snub!
Whose spot do you think he would take in my evolving XI? Stokes?
Second test, India vs Eng, Chennai pitch doing a whole lot more than a week ago in the first match. India will need Rohit Sharma to bat on in this amazing form to post a 350+ score which would be at least competitive in terms of a possible England win. 450 + and they’re odds on to win inside 4 days. There’s not 5 days of play in this pitch either way. Virat Kohli is going through a rough patch at the moment against England and he reminds me of Viv Richards (also Tendulkar) after he passed his zenith where his aura stopped shining as brightly and the batting average started to fall. England are going to need Sharma’s wicket as well though. Rahane looks fragile.