The Serve

Now for the locks. The players who are certainties, no matter the opponent, the venue or the balance of the team. Ricky Ponting has nearly 10,000 runs and 22 centuries, most notably the 140 in the 2003 world cup final. A world cup final ton outranks anything else. Good enough. Shane Warne doesn’t need any stat to solidify his greatness (293 wickets at 25 if you’re interested), neither does DK Lillee (an obscene bowling average of 20.8). We know Adam Gilchrist is wearing the gloves, so that’s four stone cold selections. Leaves eight spots to fill.

Before we go on, we must establish the balance. The official dream team had no specific directive, so let’s assume they will go with: the openers, three or four middle order men, two all rounders at seven and eight, spinner at nine, with three genuine quicks. If there is to be a drinks carrier, it will probably be an all rounder or a quick.

Openers

The contenders: David Boon, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Mark Waugh

We’ve already anointed Gilchrist as a certainly in the 12. We just have to decide where he bats. With 8.500 runs at a lightning strike rate, as well fourteen tons, he is a natural to open. Takes care of one place

The details of David Boon’s career tend to get lost amongst his profitable cartoon-like image. Boon scored almost 6,000 runs in one dayers, including the much forgotten 65 and 75 in the 1987 World Cup semi and final. Here though he is up against a hot field.

Matthew Hayden has a terrific average of 41 over his 134 game career. He has seven centuries, including the now national record 181.

Mark Waugh’s numbers alone are far more compelling than those of Boon and Hayden, but remember Waugh didn’t open for a large portion of his career. Only 141 innings out of 244 games were at the top, however his performances there are outstanding. Fifteen centuries plus an average of 44. His combination with Gilchrist was perhaps Australia’s most dynamic. An easy pick.

The selections: Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh

MIDDLE ORDER

The contenders: Michael Bevan, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Dean Jones, Mike Hussey, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martyn, RICKY PONTING, Steve Waugh

This is a much tougher assignment. Three spots up for grabs, maybe four if one can be trusted with the ball for up to ten overs.

Given we’ve handed Ricky Ponting a spot, where does that leave Australia’s other great limited overs number three, Dean Jones? Jones single handedly transformed the way one day cricket was played. His average of 45 is enhanced by the fact he had to put with the likes of the West Indies almost every other year in the world series cup. A man ahead of his time, he has to be there. The pair occupying three and four.

If Allan Border was to make this side, he’s the captain. No question. His traveling one-man show in the eighties wasn’t just confined to test matches. However his average of just over thirty just can’t compete. This is a rare field. Darren Lehmann and Damien Martyn’s contributions should not be overlooked either, but they can’t stack up with this lot. Ian Chappell might not be regularily noted for his efforts in the coloured stuff, but his numbers are terrific. Average: 48. The problem? Only 16 matches. Simply not enough for a best of list.

We’ve got two glorious contenders next, with Steve Waugh and Greg Chappell in the mix. Chappell had an average of 40, quite superb for his time, while his underestimated skidders netted his country 74 wickets. It’s hard to imagine though how Waugh could not be in this team. The young Waugh was a precocious big hitter who suffocated teams with his slower ball. The older Waugh coming in at five to slash or to grind, never more evident than his twin knocks against South Africa at the 1999 World Cup, utilizing both assets. The young Waugh carrying his side to a world cup win. The older Waugh carrying his side to a world cup win. Chappell is the prettier, but Waugh gets the job done. A narrow win for Waugh.

Mike Hussey and Michael Bevan are essentially playing for the same role: The finisher. It’s hard to think that batsmen above them could not get the imaginary job done, but this is about balance and any side needs a spade man. The greatest average in one day cricket up against the third best. Hussey also has a far superior strike rate, but Bevan did it for a decade. What a choice. The argument could be made that Bevan lacked hitting power. With the men around him, it doesn’t matter. No one could work a run chase like Michael Bevan. Like Jones, he was ahead of his time. The finisher didn’t exist until he invented it.

The selections: Dean Jones, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan

ALL ROUNDERS

The contenders: Tom Moody, Simon O’Donnell, Andrew Symonds

A small field, but quite inimitable. Moody and Symonds batsmen first, O’Donnell predominately a bowler. They all have one thing in common, which is the ability to hit big. No one as feared as Symonds, and when coupled with his extraordinary fielding talents, plus his ability to bowl mediums and off spin, he’s our number seven.

That leaves O’Donnell the innovator, and two time World Cup winner Moody. O’Donnell perhaps surprisingly has the superior batting (Moody averaged just 23) and better bowling stats. Given selectors tend to favour a bowler/batsmen anyway, our 2nd all rounder is Simon O’Donnell.

The selections: Andrew Symonds, Simon O’Donnell

SPINNER: SHANE WARNE

FAST BOWLERS:

The contenders: Brett Lee, DENNIS LILLEE, Craig McDermott, Glenn McGrath, Bruce Reid, Paul Reiffel

With Lillee taking one spot, two remain. The order important also, as the third quick may be relegated to 12th man.

Bruce Reid would have seemed an obvious choice for the thirty. Facts and figures prove otherwise. 64 wickets in 61 games, at 35, means the elite is not for him. Same can be said for Paul Reiffel. 106 wickets at 29 is certainly serviceable (remember he bowled in two world cup finals), but not greatest team material.

That leaves McGrath, McDermott and Lee. McGrath is not surprisingly Australia’s greatest wicket taker. A two time world cup winner, three time finalist, with an ecomony rate of less than four and an average second only to DK. Don’t let the last days of his career cloud the preceding thirteen years. He could open the bowling, he could go first change, he could finish it off. The gold standard. Plus he’d make a terrific foil for Lillee.

McDermott was a trendsetter for such a long time, it makes it hard to believe he ‘only’ took 203 one day wickets, which is already 64 less than Lee (Lee has played 12 more games). Both world cup winners, McDermott had to do it against better opposition, the flipside being Lee is a far better closer. Lee’s average is 22.63. McDermott is at two runs worse per scalp. Figures alone should not open and close an argument. Sometimes though they are difficult to resist. Lee is our third quick.

The selections: Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee

That gives us our twelve.

The team

ADAM GILCHRIST

MARK WAUGH

DEAN JONES

RICKY PONTING

STEVE WAUGH

MICHAEL BEVAN

ANDREW SYMONDS

SIMON O’DONNELL

SHANE WARNE

DENNIS LILLEE

GLENN McGRATH

BRETT LEE

The 12th MAN

A question of third quick Lee or second all rounder O’Donnell. Either would bat at eight, either could bowl at the death. With Warne, Lillee and McGrath, as well the Waugh twins and Symonds as bowling options, a front liner is not so necessary. O’Donnell’s variety with the ball and raw power with the bat gives him an edge. Lee is the 12th man.

The CAPTAIN

The contenders: Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh.

Both have had sterling sides at their disposal, both have terrific winning percentages, but Waugh’s style was made for harnessing rampant teams. They don’t get much more rampant than this. Steve Waugh is our leader.

What do you think?