Your all-time Test West Indies XI?

[Ab Fan]

I was thinking about making a Windies test XI. However, I am struggling to find who are the two best ever WI opener- one might be Greenidge. They have produced the likes of Sobers, Lara, Richards, Headley, three Ws all were fantastic middle order bats and of course some of the greatest bowlers ever.

What would be your Windies XI of all-time?

 

[MMHS]

Grineedge
Worrell*
Viv
Lara
Kanhai
Sobers
Doujon+
Marshall
Roberts
Holding
Gibbs/Ambrose (Depending on wicket - In Asia, Gibbs over Ambi)

Unbelievable team. Only comparable to -

Vic Trumper
Gilly+
Bradman
Greg C
AB
Ponting
Miller
Benaud*
RR Lindwall
Warne
DK Lillee/G McGrath

 

[The_Odd_One]

Will only pick those who I have watched in live games.

1. Greenidge
2. Gayle
3. Sarwan
4. Lara
5. Chanderpaul
6. Hooper
7. Bravo
8. Dujon
9. Bishop
10. Ambrose
11. Walsh

Haynes misses out for Gayle because of his bowling. Him and Hooper are good enough for spin overs.

 

[Cric1234]

Walcott possibly might be in there instead of Kanhai.

 

[Gasman]

1 G Greenidge
2 D Haynes
3 B Lara
4 IVA Richards
5 G Sobers
6 C Lloyd (captain)
7 J Dujon (WK)
8 MD Marshall
9 C Ambrose
10 M Holding
11 A Roberts

Haynes had a great opening partnership with Greenidge so is picked as 2nd opener

Sobers and Richards bowl spin, SLA and Off spin respectively

And 4 fearsome quicks

Best available captain: Lloyd

Good luck opposition teams!

 

[Ab Fan]

Will only pick those who I have watched in live games.

1. Greenidge
2. Gayle
3. Sarwan
4. Lara
5. Chanderpaul
6. Hooper
7. Bravo
8. Dujon
9. Bishop
10. Ambrose
11. Walsh

Haynes misses out for Gayle because of his bowling. Him and Hooper are good enough for spin overs.

No Clive Lloyd??

 

[Ab Fan]

Grineedge
Worrell*
Viv
Lara
Kanhai
Sobers
Doujon+
Marshall
Roberts
Holding
Gibbs/Ambrose (Depending on wicket - In Asia, Gibbs over Ambi)

Unbelievable team. Only comparable to -

Vic Trumper
Gilly+
Bradman
Greg C
AB
Ponting
Miller
Benaud*
RR Lindwall
Warne
DK Lillee/G McGrath

Who was the best of the three Ws, Headley and kanhai?

 

[The_Odd_One]

No Clive Lloyd??

Llyod played his last game when I was 1.

 

[Ab Fan]

Oops.. Forgot that..My bad.

 

[Bewal Express]

1 G Greenidge
2 D Haynes
3 B Lara
4 IVA Richards
5 G Sobers
6 C Lloyd (captain)
7 J Dujon (WK)
8 MD Marshall
9 C Ambrose
10 M Holding
11 A Roberts

Haynes had a great opening partnership with Greenidge so is picked as 2nd opener

Sobers and Richards bowl spin, SLA and Off spin respectively

And 4 fearsome quicks

Best available captain: Lloyd

Good luck opposition teams!

This is the closest to my thinking.

 

[MMHS]

Who was the best of the three Ws, Headley and kanhai?

Great question.

Statistically Weekes. But like Sobers, his stats are massively inflated by IND bashing - IND of 1940s & 1950s. He averages 106 against them, 60+ against PAK, and 60 against NZ. In contrary, <40 against AUS & 45 against ENG. 4 hundreds against ENG/AUS in 27 Tests; 11 in 21 against others.

Walcott had slightly inferior over all stats at similar time, but he did average over his career average against one of the ATG attacks of Miller, Lindwall, Benaud, Johnson & Davidson. Besides, he could keep. Probably the hardest hitter of Cricket ball before Viv.

Statistically, F Worrell was the inferior one, with an average decimals below 50. Similar pattern - average 33 against that AUS attack, 54 against Poms (But his entire period was when Truman, Statham, Laker & Lock were at their prime). But, FW was an accomplished all-rounder and did open few times. He actually averages highest at 1-3 among 3. I picked him for his leadership, for all-round ability & to open - over Hayens, Haunte, Gayle & Fredricks.

Among 3, I will rate CL Walcott distinctively ahead, with very little between the other 2. In this team, probably Walcott makes more sense at 5, his natural position than Knahai (who is probably only 2nd to Viv & Bradman at 3) and Walcott could keep as well; but I am a little bias towards Rohan Kanhai. Many players have scored much more than him, but probably not the way like Rohan Kanhai - elegance personified.

 

[Ab Fan]

Great question.

Statistically Weekes. But like Sobers, his stats are massively inflated by IND bashing - IND of 1940s & 1950s. He averages 106 against them, 60+ against PAK, and 60 against NZ. In contrary, <40 against AUS & 45 against ENG. 4 hundreds against ENG/AUS in 27 Tests; 11 in 21 against others.

Walcott had slightly inferior over all stats at similar time, but he did average over his career average against one of the ATG attacks of Miller, Lindwall, Benaud, Johnson & Davidson. Besides, he could keep. Probably the hardest hitter of Cricket ball before Viv.

Statistically, F Worrell was the inferior one, with an average decimals below 50. Similar pattern - average 33 against that AUS attack, 54 against Poms (But his entire period was when Truman, Statham, Laker & Lock were at their prime). But, FW was an accomplished all-rounder and did open few times. He actually averages highest at 1-3 among 3. I picked him for his leadership, for all-round ability & to open - over Hayens, Haunte, Gayle & Fredricks.

Among 3, I will rate CL Walcott distinctively ahead, with very little between the other 2. In this team, probably Walcott makes more sense at 5, his natural position than Knahai (who is probably only 2nd to Viv & Bradman at 3) and Walcott could keep as well; but I am a little bias towards Rohan Kanhai. Many players have scored much more than him, but probably not the way like Rohan Kanhai - elegance personified.

Thanks for the post. You missed Headley though.

 

[Cric1234]

Thanks for the post. You missed Headley though.

Averaged 37 when touring Australia against the best attack at the time England sent 2nd string bowling attacks to W Indies which Headley cashed in against unlikely he is a 60 average test batsman long term.

 

[Robert]

Fredericks
Greenidge
Richards
Lara
Headley
Sobers (cap)
Walcott (w)
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Gibbs

Sobey can be fourth seamer.

 

[MMHS]

Thanks for the post. You missed Headley though.

He was a batsman of 1930s, obviously that's a discount. Another issue is most of his heroics are against Poms - in those colonial days, often ENG used to send substandard teams to lesser opponents. For example, take 1929 tour to WI (when he scored over 700), 2 ENG team was sent at same time - one in NZ & one in WI.

Those days, English Pro cricketers (mostly bowlers) used to skip WI/SAF tours so that they can be fresh for the County season and many of them actually opted to rest for WI Tests at home (when payment was a function to the gate money!!!!). Played at similar time but Headley didn't face Larwood, and most of the bowlers that played against WI those days hardly had any Test career outside that. He played one series at his prime against almost full strength AUS, averaged 37.

Indeed was the first great West Indian batsman, chronologically, the 2nd non white cricket great after KS Ranji, but we have to look beyond stats here for such XI.

 

[tandapanii]

So, just off the top of my head, an all time XI:

1. G. Greenidge
2. D. Haynes
3. V. Richards
4. B. Lara
5. F. Worrell
6. C. Lloyd c
7. G. Sobers
8. R. Kanhai
9. M. Marshall
10. M. Holding
11. L. Gibbs

I think that is a team that covers all the bases. A batsman as good as Kanhai at 8, with his wicket keeping skills being world class. Genuine pace and swing with Marshall and Holding, then some very good off spin with Gibbs. Backed up by medium fast or spin from Sobers and a few handy overs from Worrell. Also a very modern test side in that they bat very deep and have lots of bits and pieces bowling options.

Now, for a team of players I have seen play:

1. C. Gayle
2. W. Hinds
3. R. Sarwan
4. B. Lara c
5. S. Chanderpaul
6. D. Bravo
7. D.J. Bravo
8. D. Ramdin wk
9. D. Bishoo
10. C. Walsh
11. C. Ambrose

 

[MMHS]

So, just off the top of my head, an all time XI:

1. G. Greenidge
2. D. Haynes
3. V. Richards
4. B. Lara
5. F. Worrell
6. C. Lloyd c
7. G. Sobers
8. R. Kanhai
9. M. Marshall
10. M. Holding
11. L. Gibbs

I think that is a team that covers all the bases. A batsman as good as Kanhai at 8, with his wicket keeping skills being world class. Genuine pace and swing with Marshall and Holding, then some very good off spin with Gibbs. Backed up by medium fast or spin from Sobers and a few handy overs from Worrell. Also a very modern test side in that they bat very deep and have lots of bits and pieces bowling options.

Now, for a team of players I have seen play:

1. C. Gayle
2. W. Hinds
3. R. Sarwan
4. B. Lara c
5. S. Chanderpaul
6. D. Bravo
7. D.J. Bravo
8. D. Ramdin wk
9. D. Bishoo
10. C. Walsh
11. C. Ambrose

3 bowlers, no WK and Rohan Kanhai at 8

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Grineedge
Worrell*
Viv
Lara
Kanhai
Sobers
Doujon+
Marshall
Roberts
Holding
Gibbs/Ambrose (Depending on wicket - In Asia, Gibbs over Ambi)

Unbelievable team. Only comparable to -

Vic Trumper
Gilly+
Bradman
Greg C
AB
Ponting
Miller
Benaud*
RR Lindwall
Warne
DK Lillee/G McGrath

I would still have Headley.On wet pitches he outscored Bradman.One has to respect his average and his ravager percentage score for the team.For consistency he overshadowed even Lara or Viv .George was almost within the top 3-5 of all time.He also singlehandedly won matches and series like against England in 1928-29 and 1934-35.To me has to make it Could even make the all-time xi.Kanhai was more talented but did not match Headley in terms of sheer consistency or relative domination of era.Infact Bradman rated Weekes as the best Calypso batsmen he ever saw.It does not boil; down to mere stats and in terms of sheer domination Weekes was a duplicate of Bradman.On wet English tracks Worrel was the best of the 3 if you ***** his 261 at Trent Bridge and 197 at Nottingham.At his best Kanhai was ahead of even Sobers or Viv but fell out in terms of consistency and was mostly overshadowed.I am his great admirer and think that in terms of pre prowess he could even be at no 1.He also averaged a high 58 in games won.However then you could have also selected Lawrence Rowe,who was also a batting Michelangelo.

Respecting records on merit Weekes and Headley may be more appropriate than Kanhai.Remember Rohan also was outstanding against teams like India .Similar to choosing Rahul Dravid who even iff less talented contributed more.

I may have plumped for Andy Roberts instead of Michael Holding with his superior variety who Gavaskar,Tony Greig and the Chappell brothers rated the hardest pace bowler they ever faced and who even Dennis Lillee ranked at the top.Classicaly he was the most complete of all the Calypso quickies being the craftiest with 2 bouncers at different speeds an outswinger and an off-cuter.Virtual dead heat between Roberts and Holding.Micheal was quicker through the air with a smother action but did not surpass Andy's guile.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Great question.

Statistically Weekes. But like Sobers, his stats are massively inflated by IND bashing - IND of 1940s & 1950s. He averages 106 against them, 60+ against PAK, and 60 against NZ. In contrary, <40 against AUS & 45 against ENG. 4 hundreds against ENG/AUS in 27 Tests; 11 in 21 against others.

Walcott had slightly inferior over all stats at similar time, but he did average over his career average against one of the ATG attacks of Miller, Lindwall, Benaud, Johnson & Davidson. Besides, he could keep. Probably the hardest hitter of Cricket ball before Viv.

Statistically, F Worrell was the inferior one, with an average decimals below 50. Similar pattern - average 33 against that AUS attack, 54 against Poms (But his entire period was when Truman, Statham, Laker & Lock were at their prime). But, FW was an accomplished all-rounder and did open few times. He actually averages highest at 1-3 among 3. I picked him for his leadership, for all-round ability & to open - over Hayens, Haunte, Gayle & Fredricks.

Among 3, I will rate CL Walcott distinctively ahead, with very little between the other 2. In this team, probably Walcott makes more sense at 5, his natural position than Knahai (who is probably only 2nd to Viv & Bradman at 3) and Walcott could keep as well; but I am a little bias towards Rohan Kanhai. Many players have scored much more than him, but probably not the way like Rohan Kanhai - elegance personified.

I would always rate Weekes and Worrell ahead of Walcott if you analyze playing style and performances on testing English pitches.Worrell could be suceptible to the bouncer but was otherwise the complete,classical batsmen in the Greg Chapel mould.Weekes could be more of a batting machine than even Viv.Kanhai,only at his best could make this xi.


.Kanhai was more talented but did not match Headley in terms of sheer consistency or relative domination of era.Infact Bradman rated Weekes as the best Calypso batsmen he ever saw.It does not boil; down to mere stats and in terms of sheer domination Weekes was a duplicate of Bradman.On wet English tracks Worrel was the best of the 3 if you ***** his 261 at Trent Bridge and 197 at Nottingham.At his best Kanhai was ahead of even Sobers or Viv but fell out in terms of consistency and was mostly overshadowed.I am his great admirer and think that in terms of pre prowess he could even be at no 1.He also averaged a high 58 in games won.However then you could have also selected Lawrence Rowe,who was also a batting Michelangelo.

I would still have Headley.On wet pitches he outscored Bradman.One has to respect his average and his ravager percentage score for the team.For consistency he overshadowed even Lara or Viv .George was almost within the top 3-5 of all time.He also singlehandedly won matches and series like against England in 1928-29 and 1934-35.To me has to make it Could even make the all-time x

Respecting records on merit Weekes and Headley may be more appropriate than Kanhai.Remember Rohan also was outstanding against teams like India .Similar to choosing Rahul Dravid who even iff less talented contributed more.

I may have plumped for Andy Roberts instead of Michael Holding with his superior variety who Gavaskar,Tony Greig and the Chappell brothers rated the hardest pace bowler they ever faced and who even Dennis Lillee ranked at the top.Classicaly he was the most complete of all the Calypso quickies being the craftiest with 2 bouncers at different speeds an outswinger and an off-cuter.Virtual dead heat between Roberts and Holding.Michael l was quicker through the air with a smoother action but did not surpass Andy's guile.

I would always rate Weekes and Worrell ahead of Walcott if you analyze playing style and performances on testing English pitches.Worrell could be suceptible to the bouncer but was otherwise the complete,classical batsmen in the Greg Chappel mould.Weekes could be more of a batting machine than even Viv.Kanhai,only at his best could make this xi.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

1.Gordon Greenidge
2.Conrad Hunte
3.George Headley
4.Viv Richards
5.Brian Lara
6.Gary Sobers
7.Jeff Dujon
8.Malcolm Marshall
9.Andy Roberts
10.Curtly Ambrose
11.Michael Holding

12th man Courtney Walsh

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Fredericks
Greenidge
Richards
Lara
Headley
Sobers (cap)
Walcott (w)
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Gibbs

Sobey can be fourth seamer.

Not Andy Roberts?Remember Lille called him the most complete pace bolwer of his time while Gavaskar and Chappel brothers thought hardest to face.Most classicaly verstaile or complete with his bouncers at different speeds,slower ball and outswinger-offcuter.I may habe selected Conrad Hunte instead of Fredericks.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

1 G Greenidge
2 D Haynes
3 B Lara
4 IVA Richards
5 G Sobers
6 C Lloyd (captain)
7 J Dujon (WK)
8 MD Marshall
9 C Ambrose
10 M Holding
11 A Roberts

Haynes had a great opening partnership with Greenidge so is picked as 2nd opener

Sobers and Richards bowl spin, SLA and Off spin respectively

And 4 fearsome quicks

Best available captain: Lloyd

Good luck opposition teams!

great balanced team almost completely agree.Preferred Worrel as skipper or Headley at one down.

 

[tandapanii]

3 bowlers, no WK and Rohan Kanhai at 8

Holding, Marshall, Gibbs and Sobers would be the main line up. Most test teams throughout history have had 4 bowlers. Add to that more than a few handy overs from Richards and Worrell, can't really go wrong. Not an undisputed XI by any means but I wanted to include Windies best players and I could not leave out any of the batsmen have have.

And Kanhai would have to be my keeper. I should have labelled that. Again, it's just me going off the top of my head. A more indepth XI would probably be a bit more balanced.

 

[austerlitz]

Greenidge
Haynes
Kanhai
Lara
Richards
Sobers
Dujon
Holding
Marshall
Ambrose
Garner

 

[jeetu]

1 G Greenidge
2 D Haynes
3 V Richards
4 B Lara
5 G Sobers
6 C Lloyd (captain)
7 J Dujon (WK)
8 MD Marshall
9 C Ambrose
10 M Holding
11 L Gibbs

Didn't list Headley because he played only 20 odd test despite averaging 60. , Kanhai narrow missed out to LLoyd. Gayle too narrowly missed out against Haynes.

 

[bujhee kom]

(As always from players I've seen - I might pick an all time one including secondary scholarship later).

Greenidge
Haynes
Viv
Lara
Lloyd *
Chanderpaul
Dujon (w)
Marshall
Ambrose
Holding
Garner

Of those I've seen, that is the best X1.

 

[MMHS]

Players that I have seen playing, this'll be my XI

Grineedge
Haynes
Viv*
Lara
Hooper
Shiva
Doujon+
Marshall
Bishop
Ambi
Holding
---------
12th Garner

Tough choice between Bishop & Garner - for Test, I'll pick Bishop. Technically, I have never seen CH Lloyd live, in Test.

In ODI, Shiva drops for Lloyd to bat at 5, Hooper at 6, while Gayle makes the 12th man's spot (One of GG or DH should get injured, but I am not sure whom ). Garner replaces Bishop.

 

[R0H1T]

Gordon Greenidge
Roy Fredericks
Viv Richards
Brian Lara
Frank Worrell(c)
Gary Sobers
Clyde Walcott
Malcolm Marshall
Curtly Ambrose
Michael Holding
Andy Roberts
12th man ~ Everton Weekes

 

[wrongun]

Gordon Greenidge
Roy Fredericks
Viv Richards
Brian Lara
George Headley
Gary Sobers (c)
Clyde Walcott
Malcolm Marshall
Michael Holding
Curtly Ambrose
Lance Gibbs

The batting of Walcott allows to play 4 genuine bowlers.

Same team can play in all conditions with Sobers as the second spin option. Fast bowlers are also proven match winners in all conditions.

Fredericks vs Haynes is tough but rate of hundreds and superior play vs spin gets Fredericks the nod (also took Lilee & Thommo apart at the WACA one year so certainly has pace & bounce covered too).

 

[Last Monetarist]

1. Greenidge
2. Haynes
3. Richards
4. Lara
5. Worrell (c)
6. Sobers
7. Dujon
8. Marshall
9. Ambrose
10. Holding
11. Garner

Of the ones I've seen, it's a pretty tragic list in comparison:
1. Gayle
2. Brathwaite
3. Sarwan
4. Lara
5. Hooper (c)
6. Chanderpaul
7. Ramdin
8. Bishoo
9. Bishop
10. Ambrose
11. Walsh