Test match : Greatest left-hand team vs greatest right-hand team

[The Googly]

Lunchtime at work

Imagine a TEST match at Lords. The Greatest Ever Left Handers v the Greatest Right Handers.

Who would win from the following?
Clearly the right hand team has the better bowling attack by far and would win? What do you think ? How could we improve on the left hand team bowling?

Greatest Ever Left Hand Team :

Hayden
Langer
Lara
Pollock
Sangakarra
Sobers
Gilchrist
Wasim
Davison
Zaheer Khan
Underwood


Greatest Ever Right Hand Team :

Gavaskar
Greenidge
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Dhoni
Imran
Warne
Marshall
Holding
Waqar

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Zaheer Khan )

A noob like Amir is better bowler than Zaheer "boots of cement" Khan

Edit: MSD rly?

Sarfraz > light years > MSD
in tests that is b4 y'all get triggered here

 

[The Googly]

It's surprising how few truly great left arm bowlers there are in the history of cricket. Wasim in on a different planet to the rest. That is why I included Zaheer.....it seems unjust. Amir is going to be far better I hope.

 

[todfod 11]

for left handed i would pick VAAS for a pacer and saeed anwar instead of langer.

 

[The Googly]

for left handed i would pick VAAS for a pacer and saeed anwar instead of langer.

Good shout on both.

Hayden
Anwar
Lara
Pollock
Sangakarra
Sobers
Gilchrist
Wasim
Davison
Vaas
Underwood


Still weak bowling though.

 

[The Googly]

Zaheer Khan )

A noob like Amir is better bowler than Zaheer "boots of cement" Khan

Edit: MSD rly?

Sarfraz > light years > MSD
in tests that is b4 y'all get triggered here

Lol. Nai Yaar. Dhoni agay eh.(in his prime)

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

The left handed team would really struggle to take those 20 wickets. Good luck dismissing a top 4 consisting of Gavaskar, Greenidge, Bradman and Richards !! And that too twice

Although it might not really make a difference but the Lefties are the better fielding unit amongst the two.

In a 5 match test series I see a 2-0 in favor of the right handed players.

 

[Slog]

Lol. Nai Yaar. Dhoni agay eh.(in his prime)

Dhoni doesnt get into any all time XIs in tests

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Zaheer Khan )

A noob like Amir is better bowler than Zaheer "boots of cement" Khan

Edit: MSD rly?

Sarfraz > light years > MSD
in tests that is b4 y'all get triggered here

125 kph thunderbolts bro !!! Richards and company would almost certainly quake in their boots with fear on the prospect of facing the mighty one !!

Forget Amir, I'd even take Chaminda Vaas for that matter.

 

[The Googly]

Dhoni doesnt get into any all time XIs in tests

So who is a better right hand batsman/keeper? Alex Stewart maybe?

Gavaskar
Greenidge
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Stewart
Imran
Warne
Marshall
Holding
Waqar

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Dhoni doesnt get into any all time XIs in tests

This. Not even in the Indian one.

He is an ATG in ODIs but in test cricket he was never a match-winner.

 

[The Googly]

Left Arm Team

Hayden
Langer
Lara
Pollock
Sangakarra
Sobers
Gilchrist
Wasim
Davison
Amir/Vaas
Underwood

Still weak in bowling compared to right handers who are on a different planet.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

So who is a better right hand batsman/keeper? Alex Stewart maybe?

Gavaskar
Greenidge
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Stewart
Imran
Warne
Marshall
Holding
Waqar

Mark Boucher?

 

[The Googly]

Mark Boucher?

Alex Stewart v Dhoni v Boucher.

Stewart I think?

 

[santos11]

Lol @ Amir being recommended, the Bowler with an average of 32 in Test Cricket.

)

 

[The Googly]

Lol @ Amir being recommended, the Bowler with an average of 32 in Test Cricket.

)

On the other hand, Zaheer has a test average for 32 after nealry 100 tests. Amir's average will get much better.

This is one of the key points about this thread - the lack of great left arm bowlers. If we picking an all time 2nd 11 for the left handers, even Junaid would have a chance! And Zaheer would be the main strike bowler of the 2nd 11.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

On the other hand, Zaheer has a test average for 32 after nealry 100 tests. Amir's average will get much better.

This is one of the key points about this thread - the lack of great left arm bowlers. If we picking an all time 2nd 11 for the left handers, even Junaid would have a chance! And Zaheer would be the main strike bowler of the 2nd 11.

M Starc maybe?

 

[The Googly]

M Starc maybe?

Good one.

Hayden
Anwar
Lara
Pollock
Sangakarra
Sobers
Gilchrist
Wasim
Davidson
Starc
Underwood

Bowling looks a lot better now.

 

[Zeshan547]

Good one.

Hayden
Anwar
Lara
Pollock
Sangakarra
Sobers
Gilchrist
Wasim
Davidson
Starc
Underwood

Bowling looks a lot better now.

what about peak johnson for Davidson or underwood, now we have match on our hands, right handers bowling still better but not by much, and for sc conditions we have to replace one of the fast men with Bedi the best left arm spinner. what you think, [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION]

 

[The_Odd_One]

So who is a better right hand batsman/keeper? Alex Stewart maybe?

Gavaskar
Greenidge
Bradman
Richards
Tendulkar
Stewart
Imran
Warne
Marshall
Holding
Waqar

Stewart, Knott, Boucher, Healey, Prior, Devilliers , and Bairstow were all better than Dhoni in tests.

I can come up with more names if I think harder.

 

[Slog]

Mitchell Johnson?

 

[msb314]

Zaheer Khan )

A noob like Amir is better bowler than Zaheer "boots of cement" Khan

Edit: MSD rly?

Sarfraz > light years > MSD
in tests that is b4 y'all get triggered here

It's surprising how few truly great left arm bowlers there are in the history of cricket. Wasim in on a different planet to the rest. That is why I included Zaheer.....it seems unjust. Amir is going to be far better I hope.

The left handed team would really struggle to take those 20 wickets. Good luck dismissing a top 4 consisting of Gavaskar, Greenidge, Bradman and Richards !! And that too twice

Although it might not really make a difference but the Lefties are the better fielding unit amongst the two.

In a 5 match test series I see a 2-0 in favor of the right handed players.

James Anderson is a left handed batsman but a right handed bowler - pick him instead of Vaas

 

[Sam99]

McGrath should easily get spot in most all time xi

 

[MMHS]

what about peak johnson for Davidson or underwood, now we have match on our hands, right handers bowling still better but not by much, and for sc conditions we have to replace one of the fast men with Bedi the best left arm spinner. what you think, [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION]

My Left handed team 'll be (excluding ambidextrous players from both team - players like Hadlee, who batted left-handed)

1. Hayden
2. Saeed (very close call between Saeed, Morris, Taylor, Langer, Kirsten, Fredricks & Cook - I went for the most classy one)
3. Sangakar (Or Harvey)
4. Lara
5. Pollock
6. Sobers
7. Gilchrist
8. Wasim
9. Davidson
10. MoJo
11. Bedi
---------------
12th - AV Mankad

Squad: RN Harvey, Verity, Zak, Vaas

Lara leads the side & Wasim deputy - don't want to appoint Sobers as Captain & he shouldn't be deputy to anyone, better play as common player.

There are too many options for Right handers, therefore it's tough to make a team, my choice are (this is not based on Test records only).

1. BA Richards
2. Hobbs
3. IVA Richards
4. Bradman
5. Greg Chappell
6. Kallis
7. Imran
8. Knott
9. Warne
10. Marshall
11. DK Lillee
---------------------
12th - Murali

Squad: FS Truman, RK Miller, Laker, Gavaskar - tough call on McGrath, Tendulkar & Ponting, but I rate Greg as better middle order, while FS Truman is considered as the 1st genuine modern fast bowling great. Gavaskar comes as the 3rd opener)

Imran leads the side with Warne as deputy - same as Sobers, don't want to appoint a batsman as Captain, and Bradman shouldn't be anyone's deputy. On a drier surface, Murali replaces Kallis or Lillee.


The left-hander's side will lose 6-0 or 5-0 in a 6 Test series every where in world. Test cricket is won by bowlers - that 6 men bowling option of the right handed team is at least twice formidable. Added to that the difference in opening pair - it's really tough to imagine Lefties taking 20 wickets effectively to win a Test. Both combined middle order from 3 to 7 is almost equal, but Bradman comes with 99.94 average - in a time constant world, this is like Jahangir Khan. From 8 to 11, with bat lefti team is probably marginally ahead, but by that time (6 down), they should be 200+ behind in like to like comparison.

On pure keeping merit - Right handers has the perfect 10 gloves man, in the history of the game, in Allen Knot, while Greg, IVA Richards & Kallis makes the best slip cordon, game has ever seen at 1st, 2nd & 3rd slip.

 

[todfod 11]

Left Arm Team

Hayden
Langer
Lara
Pollock
Sangakarra
Sobers
Gilchrist
Wasim
Davison
Amir/Vaas
Underwood

Still weak in bowling compared to right handers who are on a different planet.

I dont think so thats the case. Right handers have their own limktations for instance waqars main weapon was banana inswinging yoekers which were lethal against right handers but left handers wont struggle as much. similarly players like gavaskar never faced decent left arm fast bowlers in his prime i think. Wasim being a genius with Amir or Vaas to accomapny who both are very intelligent bowlers would be a different game altogather.

I think left handed team has a advantage here and they might win againts right handers

 

[Gilly]

I dont think so thats the case. Right handers have their own limktations for instance waqars main weapon was banana inswinging yoekers which were lethal against right handers but left handers wont struggle as much. similarly players like gavaskar never faced decent left arm fast bowlers in his prime i think. Wasim being a genius with Amir or Vaas to accomapny who both are very intelligent bowlers would be a different game altogather.

I think left handed team has a advantage here and they might win againts right handers

Bruce Reid was a far better bowler than Amir or Vass.

 

[Chrish]

Right handed XI would wipe the floor with lefties..

Greatest batsmen/ pacers / spinners are all right handed.

Best wicket-keeper batsman Gilly is left handed but I wouldn't pick him in XI anyways since I want best purist keeper

 

[Chrish]

Moreover, 4 guys who are considered for the title of greatest opener (Sunny, Barry, Hobbs, Hutton) are all right-handed.

 

[MMHS]

Moreover, 4 guys who are considered for the title of greatest opener (Sunny, Barry, Hobbs, Hutton) are all right-handed.

Suttcliffe & Trumper as well. In fact, the missing openers of my team (Trumper, Boycott, Gooch, Sutcliffe, Hutton, Woodful, Worrell, Hanif, Grineedge, Haynes, Slater, Sehwag, Haunte, Majid, Turner, Amiss, Amla ...) probably all of them will make the Lefti team, as opener.

 

[Buffet]

Right Hand team will win comfortably. The top 11 out of 1000 players is likely to be better than the top 11 out of 100 players. It's a simple math here.

 

[MMHS]

Right Hand team will win comfortably. The top 11 out of 1000 players is likely to be better than the top 11 out of 100 players. It's a simple math here.

Not is football or Tennis though - Maradona, Messi, Puskas, Rivelino, Maldini, Roberto Carlos, Fontain, Rivaldo, Garincha (?), RVP, Stoichkov, Hagi, Zoff ........ I am sure I am missing few more.

Similarly, in tennis we have Nadal, McEnroe, Laver, Connors, Ivanisevic, Martina, Sales ......

Cricket, Golf & Snooker are probably the 3 most right handed dominated game.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

On the other hand, Zaheer has a test average for 32 after nealry 100 tests. Amir's average will get much better.

This is one of the key points about this thread - the lack of great left arm bowlers. If we picking an all time 2nd 11 for the left handers, even Junaid would have a chance! And Zaheer would be the main strike bowler of the 2nd 11.

WHAT about herath and matt prior?

 

[Cuts_and_cuts_hard]

Bill Johnston should be in place of Zaheer.

And lol @ Dhoni being included.

 

[The Googly]

Bruce Reid was a far better bowler than Amir or Vass.

Bruce Reid in the all time lefties team? And then you look at the bowlers in the right hand team. It would be 5-0 to righties in a 5 test series.

 

[Buffet]

Not is football or Tennis though - Maradona, Messi, Puskas, Rivelino, Maldini, Roberto Carlos, Fontain, Rivaldo, Garincha (?), RVP, Stoichkov, Hagi, Zoff ........ I am sure I am missing few more.

Similarly, in tennis we have Nadal, McEnroe, Laver, Connors, Ivanisevic, Martina, Sales ......

Cricket, Golf & Snooker are probably the 3 most right handed dominated game.

I feel in tennis left hand players have an advantage. I always found it very hard to play against them, but then it may be just me. Not sure about soccer here in terms of players having a big advantage.