My all-time English XI and post-war English XI

[Harsh Thakor]

This would be my all-time England 11.Viewers please share your views.Today England is acheiving one of it's best triumphs in India so I remember English cricket.Pieterson to me is like an English Viv Richards .

1.Jack Hobbs
2.Len Hutton
3.Walter Hammond
4.Kevin Pieterson
5.Denis Compton
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.Sydney Barnes
11.Jim Laker

Being a greater match-winner Pieterson has been picked instead of Ken Barrington.Barnes was arguably the best bowler ever averaging 16 runs and 7 wickets per test.Jack Hobbs was the best opening batsman of all time with Len Hutton possibly 2nd or 3rd.Denis Compton was the ultimate batting genius while Barrington a champion to bat for your life.Walter Hammond played in the era of Bradman,but for which he would have had the same aura as Sobers or Viv Richards.

This is my Post -war England 11

1.Graham Gooch
2.Len Hutton
3.Kevin Pieterson
4.Ted Dexter
5.Peter May
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.John Snow
11.Jim Laker

Geoff Boycott,Colin Cowdrey and David Gower just miss out.Gooch is picked ahead of Boycott as he was more agressive against great bolwing and could win more matches.Ted Dexter was more consistent than David Gower or Colin Cowdrey.Dexter was also an effective bowler. Ian Botham was the best all-round English cricketer ever.John Snow would have been an ideal partner to Fred Trueman who was giant in the Lillee or Marshall class.

 

[Big Harvey]

This would be my all-time England 11.Viewers please share your views.Today England is acheiving one of it's best triumphs in India so I remember English cricket.Pieterson to me is like an English Viv Richards .

1.Jack Hobbs
2.Len Hutton
3.Walter Hammond
4.Kevin Pieterson
5.Denis Compton
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.Sydney Barnes
11.Jim Laker

Being a greater match-winner Pieterson has been picked instead of Ken Barrington.Barnes was arguably the best bowler ever averaging 16 runs and 7 wickets per test.Jack Hobbs was the best opening batsman of all time with Len Hutton possibly 2nd or 3rd.Denis Compton was the ultimate batting genius while Barrington a champion to bat for your life.Walter Hammond played in the era of Bradman,but for which he would have had the same aura as Sobers or Viv Richards.

This is my Post -war England 11

1.Graham Gooch
2.Len Hutton
3.Kevin Pieterson
4.Ted Dexter
5.Peter May
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.John Snow
11.Jim Laker

Geoff Boycott,Colin Cowdrey and David Gower just miss out.Gooch is picked ahead of Boycott as he was more agressive against great bolwing and could win more matches.Ted Dexter was more consistent than David Gower or Colin Cowdrey.Dexter was also an effective bowler. Ian Botham was the best all-round English cricketer ever.John Snow would have been an ideal partner to Fred Trueman who was giant in the Lillee or Marshall class.

My all time England XI:

1.Alastair Cook (c)
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Walter Hammond
4.William Gilbert Grace
5.Ken Barrington
6.Ian Botham
7.Alan Knott (wk)
8.Fred Trueman
9.Alec Bedser
10.John Snow
11.Sydney Barnes

I prefer 5 bowlers. Alastair Cook is now impossible to leave out, and he seems to rise to the challenge of being captain. Let's see whether his form is affected captaining this little lot!

The tail is a bit long. I would trust the top 7 to score enough runs though, and the bowling offers the perfect combination of swing, pace, versatility, downright nastiness, ability to bore the batsman out when necessary, and to cause the batsman to stand staring, open-mouthed in disbelief, asking "What the **** was that?!!!" In spin-friendly conditions either Snow or Trueman (depending on which one was in the most disciplinary trouble at the time) might have to make way for Jim Laker.

I would be wary of scheduling Tests while the IPL was on, otherwise I doubt we would see much of Sydney Barnes.

 

[shah_1]

WG grace ....NO way he was good and legend in his own way but still I wouldn't have him in all time England XI

 

[shah_1]

My all time England XI:

1.Alastair Cook (c)
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Walter Hammond
4.William Gilbert Grace
5.Ken Barrington
6.Ian Botham
7.Alan Knott (wk)
8.Fred Trueman
9.Alec Bedser
10.John Snow
11.Sydney Barnes

.

Are you sure cook is better than Sir Leonard Hutton??????????????

 

[GentleMan]

WG Grace is more about folklore than real cricket talent...the same guy who told the bowler after getting bowled that the public comes to see me bat, not to see you bowl

 

[shah_1]

WG grace was the hero of England that time.


He was Sachin of that time( in terms of Popularity)

 

[smashpit]

How are forgetting the greatest english fast bowler of all time. Harold Larwood, sure his career was in cotroversy but he was amazing! He could hit a coin on a pitch all six balls in an over. Who does that, nobody! Not even spinners do that. And he very fast, if you are coal miner you are sure to have the upperbody streanth to bowl at ridiculas speeds. Harold Larwood, most accurate bowler of all time and one of the fastest too.

 

[Big Harvey]

WG grace ....NO way he was good and legend in his own way but still I wouldn't have him in all time England XI

Cricket was a different sport in those days, but to average nearly 40 in first class cricket over 870 matches (and 43 years!) in an era when runs were far harder to come by than today is absolutely phenomenal. To add to that, he could have held down a place in most teams with his bowling alone!

That's not to mention the sheer force of personality he would bring to the party. I reckon with the psychological influence he had over umpires, he'd have the BCCI squealing for the introduction of DRS in no time!

 

[Big Harvey]

Are you sure cook is better than Sir Leonard Hutton??????????????

It's my team and I reserve the right to pick my mates!

Seriously though I think if he's not now, he soon will be.

 

[smashpit]

It's my team and I reserve the right to pick my mates!

Seriously though I think if he's not now, he soon will be.

What about Harold Larwood!?

 

[Big Harvey]

What about Harold Larwood!?

I wanted an element of real nastiness in the team. It was a toss-up between him and Snow, and Snow just about got the nod, partly due to a better average, but I can see a strong argument that if Larwood had been around in Snow's era he would have had a better average than he did in his own. I would have liked to pick them both, but didn't want to leave out Alec Bedser and be over-reliant on one type of bowling.

 

[Gunther]

Not that bothered about the players but Andy Flower is a must as the coach/manager/director

 

[kungfu90]

Not that bothered about the players but Andy Flower is a must as the coach/manager/director

Zaheer, Ishant and Ashwin as bowlers

 

[Big Harvey]

Unlucky not to make it into my team:

Bert Sutcliffe - scored most of his runs in the 20s which was a poor decade for cricket. Hobbs' career spanned the 20s too of course, but he also scored sackloads of runs in the years before WW1, (which those around at the time remembered as a golden age), and even into the 30s, a time which evoked similar sentiments.

Brian Statham - you can't argue with his average. The footage I've seen of him suggests a medium pacer. Apparently though he later remodelled his action and became genuinely fast. Whatever the case though, if you're the kind of bowler who is too "gentlemanly" to bowl a bouncer without warning the batsman first, you don't get in my team. Sorry.

Compton and Pietersen - If you're a Brylcreem boy, you're at an inherent disadvantage when it comes to getting picked for my team. As for Compton, we've got enough of a potentially problematic drinking and partying culture in the team already.

Boycott - Who do I leave out to slot him in? Tendency to be a crybaby counts against him too, but he's welcome to come along and teach WG some modern batting techniques.

Douglas Jardine - My favourite England captain along with Nasser Hussain, but sadly not quite in the same class as the others with the bat. I'd happily have him as my director of cricket though, especially for tours of Australia.

Len Hutton - Victim of a policy not to become too obsessed with players from donkey's years ago who I never actually saw play, and also to pick at least one left handed top order batsman.

Harold Larwood - Very unlucky. There was little or nothing to choose between him and Snow, but I wanted a spread of generations.

Bob Willis - My childhood hero, but less likely to really get under the skins of the Aussies than Snow.

Jim Laker - Would play instead of one seamer if conditions demanded it.

 

[Ruri]

Harvey, if you really wanted to annoy the Aussies, you play Tavare.

 

[Big Harvey]

Harvey, if you really wanted to annoy the Aussies, you play Tavare.

I can't justify that, but for those occasions where Ian Botham falls foul of director of cricket Douglas Jardine's harsh disciplinary regime, I reckon Trevor Bailey would make a worthy (if somewhat less charismatic) replacement!

 

[Gunther]

Zaheer, Ishant and Ashwin as bowlers

He wouldn't pick Ashwin and Ishant in the team and be glad to manage Zaheer. Zaheer is good, just that Dhoni is crap.

 

[kungfu90]

He wouldn't pick Ashwin and Ishant in the team and be glad to manage Zaheer. Zaheer is good, just that Dhoni is crap.

I meant as opposition bowlers.

 

[smashpit]

If you really wanted to drive them ozzies mad, then you have to put jardine alongside larwood, b*d*l*n*

 

[Ab Fan]

This would be my all-time England 11.Viewers please share your views.Today England is acheiving one of it's best triumphs in India so I remember English cricket.Pieterson to me is like an English Viv Richards .

1.Jack Hobbs
2.Len Hutton
3.Walter Hammond
4.Kevin Pieterson
5.Denis Compton
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.Sydney Barnes
11.Jim Laker

Being a greater match-winner Pieterson has been picked instead of Ken Barrington.Barnes was arguably the best bowler ever averaging 16 runs and 7 wickets per test.Jack Hobbs was the best opening batsman of all time with Len Hutton possibly 2nd or 3rd.Denis Compton was the ultimate batting genius while Barrington a champion to bat for your life.Walter Hammond played in the era of Bradman,but for which he would have had the same aura as Sobers or Viv Richards.

This is my Post -war England 11

1.Graham Gooch
2.Len Hutton
3.Kevin Pieterson
4.Ted Dexter
5.Peter May
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.John Snow
11.Jim Laker

Geoff Boycott,Colin Cowdrey and David Gower just miss out.Gooch is picked ahead of Boycott as he was more agressive against great bolwing and could win more matches.Ted Dexter was more consistent than David Gower or Colin Cowdrey.Dexter was also an effective bowler. Ian Botham was the best all-round English cricketer ever.John Snow would have been an ideal partner to Fred Trueman who was giant in the Lillee or Marshall class.

Interesting one.I will have few changes now.

All-time England XI:-

Hobbs
Hutton
Hammond
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Swann
Trueman
Barnes

Post-war England XI:-

Gooch
Hutton
Vaughan(c)
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Swann
Trueman
Anderson

Seems a solid XI. No place for home track bullies like Compton or ineffective Barrington.

 

[MMHS]

My three XII will be :

All-time:
1. Hobbs
2. Hutton
3. Compton
4. *Hammond
5. KP
6. WG Grace
7. Botham
8. +Knott
9. Laker
10. Truman
11. Anderson
———————
12. Tony Greig


Before WWII (players debuting before war break - excluding Hutton & Compton, who played just few games)

1. Hobbs
2. Sutcliffe
3. KS Ranjitsingh
4. *Hammond
5. EH Hendren
6. WG Grace
7. +Les Ames
8. W. Rhodes
9. H Larwood
10. George Lohmann
11. Syd Barnes
———————-
12. Verity

After WWII

1. Hutton
2. Gooch
3. Gower
4. Compton
5. KP
6. *Greig
7. Botham
8. +Knott
9. Truman
10. Laker
11. Anderson
———————
12. Underwood


Few honourable mentions that I couldn’t accommodate in any team: this is my XII with them

1. Geoff Boycott
2. Ali Cook
3. *Ted Dexter
4. Joe Root
5. Eddi Paynter
6. + Alec Stewart
7. Ben Stokes
8. AV Bedsar
9. Colin Blythe
10. John Snow
11. Tom Richardson
—————————
12. Ken Barrington

 

[Robert]

This would be my all-time England 11.Viewers please share your views.Today England is acheiving one of it's best triumphs in India so I remember English cricket.Pieterson to me is like an English Viv Richards .

1.Jack Hobbs
2.Len Hutton
3.Walter Hammond
4.Kevin Pieterson
5.Denis Compton
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.Sydney Barnes
11.Jim Laker

Being a greater match-winner Pieterson has been picked instead of Ken Barrington.Barnes was arguably the best bowler ever averaging 16 runs and 7 wickets per test.Jack Hobbs was the best opening batsman of all time with Len Hutton possibly 2nd or 3rd.Denis Compton was the ultimate batting genius while Barrington a champion to bat for your life.Walter Hammond played in the era of Bradman,but for which he would have had the same aura as Sobers or Viv Richards.

This is my Post -war England 11

1.Graham Gooch
2.Len Hutton
3.Kevin Pieterson
4.Ted Dexter
5.Peter May
6.Ken Barrington
7.Ian Botham
8.Alan Knott
9.Fred Trueman
10.John Snow
11.Jim Laker

Geoff Boycott,Colin Cowdrey and David Gower just miss out.Gooch is picked ahead of Boycott as he was more agressive against great bolwing and could win more matches.Ted Dexter was more consistent than David Gower or Colin Cowdrey.Dexter was also an effective bowler. Ian Botham was the best all-round English cricketer ever.John Snow would have been an ideal partner to Fred Trueman who was giant in the Lillee or Marshall class.

All-time:

I would push Barrington up to #3 as he was a slow scorer, then get in PBH May as he was probably the most clutch England batter ever, probably for Compton who was a HTB.

Bring in LEG Ames for Knott as he hit a hundred hundreds.

That side does not need Botham’s batting so I would drop him and bring in Trueman’s mate Statham.

 

[Robert]

Of players who only played after WW2:

Boycott
Gooch
Barrington
May (cap)
Pietersen
Botham
Knott (w)
Trueman
Statham
Laker
Willis

If it was a spin wicket then I would get Johnny Wardle or Underwood in for Big Bob. Botham would face competition from Tony Greig to keep him motivated.

 

[andy0204]

Of players who only played after WW2:

Boycott
Gooch
Barrington
May (cap)
Pietersen
Botham
Knott (w)
Trueman
Statham
Laker
Willis

If it was a spin wicket then I would get Johnny Wardle or Underwood in for Big Bob. Botham would face competition from Tony Greig to keep him motivated.

What about swann,John snow,thorpe

 

[Ab Fan]

I don't think Geoff Boycott would have survived in this era. His game was of block,block and block. That doesn't work in modern era. He would have probably be at Azhar Ali level in tests,his selfish batting would have costed England at times and would be dropped from the team.

You have to be at Gavaskar level at bare minimum to survive in this era.

Post 1970s, England XI would be:-

Gooch
Cook
Gower
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Trueman
Swann
Anderson/Willis(close one, former has 600 wickets)

 

[Robert]

I don't think Geoff Boycott would have survived in this era. His game was of block,block and block. That doesn't work in modern era. He would have probably be at Azhar Ali level in tests,his selfish batting would have costed England at times and would be dropped from the team.

You have to be at Gavaskar level at bare minimum to survive in this era.

Post 1970s, England XI would be:-

Gooch
Cook
Gower
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Trueman
Swann
Anderson/Willis(close one, former has 600 wickets)

Trueman finished in 1964 so get in John Snow, who knew a thing or two.

Boycott was better at top quality pace than Cook.

Willis was an all-conditions quick bowler unlike Anderson. He did well everywhere.

Stokes is over-rated on PP because of two innings this summer. Push Botham up to six and get get another specialist bowler in.

Underwood for Swann.

 

[andy0204]

Trueman finished in 1964 so get in John Snow, who knew a thing or two.

Boycott was better at top quality pace than Cook.

Willis was an all-conditions quick bowler unlike Anderson. He did well everywhere.

Stokes is over-rated on PP because of two innings this summer. Push Botham up to six and get get another specialist bowler in.

Underwood for Swann.

What about Jim Laker is he better than Underwood?

 

[Robert]

What about Jim Laker is he better than Underwood?

Statistically, yes. Laker was a conventional offie who gave it a huge rip and kept tearing the callus on his spinning finger, while Underwood was more of a slow-medium left arm spinner.

 

[Ab Fan]

Trueman finished in 1964 so get in John Snow, who knew a thing or two.

Boycott was better at top quality pace than Cook.

Willis was an all-conditions quick bowler unlike Anderson. He did well everywhere.

Stokes is over-rated on PP because of two innings this summer. Push Botham up to six and get get another specialist bowler in.

Underwood for Swann.

Okay, can drop Trueman and have Willis and Anderson both. Anderson has 600 wickets, twice more than Willis and thrice more than Snow, too many to leave him out.

Boycott maybe good in seeing off new ball Vs quality pace attack but just not dynamic enough to make a cut in the modern era, he would have been an Azhar Ali in this era.

Stokes deserved to be rated high now because he has delivered two ATG knocks, both on arguably the biggest possible stage of a cricket game. His bowling though has been looking ineffective these days but still a solid fourth pace option to have in an attack which has Willis, Anderson and Botham.

Cook
Gough
Gower
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott
Swann
Willis
Anderson

 

[Robert]

Okay, can drop Trueman and have Willis and Anderson both. Anderson has 600 wickets, twice more than Willis and thrice more than Snow, too many to leave him out.

Boycott maybe good in seeing off new ball Vs quality pace attack but just not dynamic enough to make a cut in the modern era, he would have been an Azhar Ali in this era.

Stokes deserved to be rated high now because he has delivered two ATG knocks, both on arguably the biggest possible stage of a cricket game. His bowling though has been looking ineffective these days but still a solid fourth pace option to have in an attack which has Willis, Anderson and Botham.

Cook
Gough
Gower
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott
Swann
Willis
Anderson

If Snow and Willis had played as many tests as Anderson given modern sports science they would have 600 each, with better overseas returns. Ian Chappell reckoned Snow was the hardest he ever faced, including Holding, Roberts, Hadlee and Imran.

Boycott
Gooch
Gower
Pietersen
Thorpe
Greig (capt.)
Botham
Knott (w)
Snow
Willis
Underwood

Greig averaged more than Stokes with the bat, less with the ball and could bowl FM or offspin as the occasion required.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Of players who only played after WW2:

Boycott
Gooch
Barrington
May (cap)
Pietersen
Botham
Knott (w)
Trueman
Statham
Laker
Willis

If it was a spin wicket then I would get Johnny Wardle or Underwood in for Big Bob. Botham would face competition from Tony Greig to keep him motivated.

Great Xl Robert .Still no Ted Deter or Colin Cowdrey who were 2. Geniuses in their own right?Dexter was rated by Sobers as the best English batsmen of his day,What about also having Tony Greig as an allrounder to join Botham?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

I don't think Geoff Boycott would have survived in this era. His game was of block,block and block. That doesn't work in modern era. He would have probably be at Azhar Ali level in tests,his selfish batting would have costed England at times and would be dropped from the team.

You have to be at Gavaskar level at bare minimum to survive in this era.

Post 1970s, England XI would be:-

Gooch
Cook
Gower
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Trueman
Swann
Anderson/Willis(close one, former has 600 wickets)

Disagree on Boycott.Remember the role he played in famous English wins with even Mike Brearley praising his contribution in low scoring games.An epitome of concentration who could adapt in all conditions.It is like saying that even Gavaskar would be ineffective today,who also often was very defensive.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Interesting one.I will have few changes now.

All-time England XI:-

Hobbs
Hutton
Hammond
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Swann
Trueman
Barnes

Post-war England XI:-

Gooch
Hutton
Vaughan(c)
KP
Root
Stokes
Botham
Knott(wkt)
Swann
Trueman
Anderson

Seems a solid XI. No place for home track bullies like Compton or ineffective Barrington.

Never forget Compton was a genius like alsra who mastered all types of pitches while Barringtons record spoke for itself.

 

[Ab Fan]

Never forget Compton was a genius like alsra who mastered all types of pitches while Barringtons record spoke for itself.

Compton has an away average of 36. He would have been rated Jayawardene or Warner level in this era, both equally potent match winners in home conditions.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

My three XII will be :

All-time:
1. Hobbs
2. Hutton
3. Compton
4. *Hammond
5. KP
6. WG Grace
7. Botham
8. +Knott
9. Laker
10. Truman
11. Anderson
———————
12. Tony Greig


Before WWII (players debuting before war break - excluding Hutton & Compton, who played just few games)

1. Hobbs
2. Sutcliffe
3. KS Ranjitsingh
4. *Hammond
5. EH Hendren
6. WG Grace
7. +Les Ames
8. W. Rhodes
9. H Larwood
10. George Lohmann
11. Syd Barnes
———————-
12. Verity

After WWII

1. Hutton
2. Gooch
3. Gower
4. Compton
5. KP
6. *Greig
7. Botham
8. +Knott
9. Truman
10. Laker
11. Anderson
———————
12. Underwood


Few honourable mentions that I couldn’t accommodate in any team: this is my XII with them

1. Geoff Boycott
2. Ali Cook
3. *Ted Dexter
4. Joe Root
5. Eddi Paynter
6. + Alec Stewart
7. Ben Stokes
8. AV Bedsar
9. Colin Blythe
10. John Snow
11. Tom Richardson
—————————
12. Ken Barrington

Great selection.Why do you not select Sydney Barnes or Harold Larwood in all time XI? Also no Peter May in post world war2. team?

 

[Robert]

Great Xl Robert .Still no Ted Deter or Colin Cowdrey who were 2. Geniuses in their own right?Dexter was rated by Sobers as the best English batsmen of his day,What about also having Tony Greig as an allrounder to join Botham?

Picking Tawny Grigg would mean dropping a bowler though.

Dexter was ace but I don’t know who you would drop to include him.

Cowdrey less good than May and KP if more attractive to watch than both.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Compton has an away average of 36. He would have been rated Jayawardene or Warner level in this era, both equally potent match winners in home conditions.

What about Barrington who almost averaged 60?

 

[MMHS]

Great selection.Why do you not select Sydney Barnes or Harold Larwood in all time XI? Also no Peter May in post world war2. team?

Dexter & May had so much similarities that it's really tough to differentiate between two - both ENG Captain, both Cambridge Blue and both played in similar era. May's FC record is brilliant, but Dexter had slightly better Test record. Dexter was a flamboyant stroke maker and a brilliant Captain, while May was more composed and calculative guy. But, what triggered me is that Dexter was an accomplished batting all-rounder with 60+ Test wickets. Other positions had better players, so I had to pick one - also if you notice, I haven't considered Barrington in Post WW2 team, despite brilliant stats (58+ average & 20 hundreds in 82 Tests), because he was also one of the most boring batsmen ever.

Barnes & Larwood were greats from pre WW2 era - I picked them for that team, but in AT team, you have only 3 spots left for pacers and I don't think these semi amateur shouldn't make it over Truman, Anderson & Botham. I think, Anderson is the question mark here, but I do think he is the most complete medium pace, swing bowler in last 20 years, deserves a chance to represent his generation.

 

[The_Odd_One]

1. Gooch
2. Boycott
3. Cook (c)
4. KP
5. Root
6. Stokes
7. Botham
8. Knott (wk)
9. Swann
10. Broad
11. Anderson

Considering England play most of their games at home, a top order of Gooch, Boycott, and Cook will make sure that England get a steady start in challenging batting conditions. Then, the middle order has stroke makers like KP, Root, Stokes, and Botham. Knott is a safe wicket keeper and a very handy lower order batsman. Swann bowls excellent legal off-spin and can also chip in with some useful runs. The specialist fast bowlers are Broad and Anderson who have 800+ wickets between them.

 

[andy0204]

1. Gooch
2. Boycott
3. Cook (c)
4. KP
5. Root
6. Stokes
7. Botham
8. Knott (wk)
9. Swann
10. Broad
11. Anderson

Considering England play most of their games at home, a top order of Gooch, Boycott, and Cook will make sure that England get a steady start in challenging batting conditions. Then, the middle order has stroke makers like KP, Root, Stokes, and Botham. Knott is a safe wicket keeper and a very handy lower order batsman. Swann bowls excellent legal off-spin and can also chip in with some useful runs. The specialist fast bowlers are Broad and Anderson who have 800+ wickets between them.

Instead of root I will take Thorpe.
Willis for broad

 

[Ted123]

Gooch is the best I saw.