Pick an All Time Australian Ashes Tour team to England

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Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 17, 2005
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Seeing 2023 is an Ashes tour of England year, what about selecting an all time Australian team made up of a squad of 17, like what the Australian selectors used to do in previous England tours when they used to have not just 6 Ashes Tests but 10-15 1st class matches against English counties like Yorkshire, Middlesex and Lancashire before the introduction of ODIs and T20 matches/series?

The selection framework is as follows:

-7 batsmen
-1 all rounder
-2 wicketkeepers
-2 spinners (leg and off-spin)
-5 pace bowlers

Who would you pick to take to England?
 
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Tough task....but I'll have a crack...

Arthur Morris
Mark Taylor
Don Bradman
Greg Chappell
Ricky Ponting
Allan Border
Steve Smith
Keith Miller
Adam Gilchrist
Ian Healy
Shane Warne
Clarrie Grimmett
Ray Lindwall
Dennis Lillee
Glenn McGrath
CTB Turner
Bill Johnson

Others to consider:

Victor Trumper
Fred Spofforth
Rod Marsh
Arthur Mailey
Clem Hill
Warwick Armstrong
Bill Lawry
Bob Simpson
Garth McKenzie
Richie Benaud

Steve Smith gets a gig due to his record in England alone.


I'm 100% sure I've missed some of the greats however....
 
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Tough task....but I'll have a crack...

Arthur Morris
Mark Taylor
Don Bradman
Greg Chappell
Ricky Ponting
Allan Border
Steve Smith
Keith Miller
Adam Gilchrist
Ian Healy
Shane Warne
Clarrie Grimmett
Ray Lindwall
Dennis Lillee
Glenn McGrath
CTB Turner
Bill Johnson

Others to consider:

Victor Trumper
Fred Spofforth
Rod Marsh
Arthur Mailey
Clem Hill
Warwick Armstrong
Bill Lawry
Bob Simpson
Garth McKenzie
Richie Benaud

Steve Smith gets a gig due to his record in England alone.


I'm 100% sure I've missed some of the greats however....
This is my all time Australian team to go to England for an Ashes tour:

Batsmen: Bill Lawry (Vic), Mark Taylor (NSW), Sir Donald Bradman (c)(NSW/SA), Allan Border(NSW/QLD), Greg Chappell(SA/Qld), Steve Smith(NSW), David Boon (Tasmania)
Wicketkeepers: Rod Marsh (WA) , Adam Gilchrist (NSW/WA)
All Rounder: Steve Waugh (NSW)
Spin bowlers: Shane Warne (Vic), Ashley Mallett (SA)
Pace bowlers: Dennis Lillee (WA), Ray Lindwall (NSW), Jeff Thomson (NSW/QLD), Glenn McGrath (NSW), Terry Alderman (WA)

Emergency players (in case of injury or illness to squad members): Ian Chappell, Bob Simpson, Warwick Armstrong, Victor Trumper, Ian Healy, Richie Benaud, Brett Lee, Geoff Lawson, Mark Waugh.
 
Ashes specialist Terry Alderman.
Ahhhh yes...how could I forget him? 89 wickets across the 2 tours in 1981 and 1989

Allan Border said that if Alderman was available for the 1985 England tour (he was banned due to a rebel tour of South Africa), the Aussies might have won that series
 
This is my all time Australian team to go to England for an Ashes tour:

Batsmen: Bill Lawry (Vic), Mark Taylor (NSW), Sir Donald Bradman (c)(NSW/SA), Allan Border(NSW/QLD), Greg Chappell(SA/Qld), Steve Smith(NSW), David Boon (Tasmania)
Wicketkeepers: Rod Marsh (WA) , Adam Gilchrist (NSW/WA)
All Rounder: Steve Waugh (NSW)
Spin bowlers: Shane Warne (Vic), Ashley Mallett (SA)
Pace bowlers: Dennis Lillee (WA), Ray Lindwall (NSW), Jeff Thomson (NSW/QLD), Glenn McGrath (NSW), Terry Alderman (WA)

Emergency players (in case of injury or illness to squad members): Ian Chappell, Bob Simpson, Warwick Armstrong, Victor Trumper, Ian Healy, Richie Benaud, Brett Lee, Geoff Lawson, Mark Waugh.
So a likely Australian team for the 1st Test against England at ie Old Trafford would be:

1. Bill Lawry
2. Mark Taylor
3. Sir Donald Bradman (c)
4. Allan Border
5. Steve Smith
6. Steve Waugh
7. Rod Marsh
8. Shane Warne
9. Dennis Lillee
10. Terry Alderman
11. Glenn McGrath

12th man: Ray Lindwall
 
1. Mark Taylor -1584 runs at 52.8
2. Arthur Morris - 1033 runs at 57.39
3. Don Bradman -2674 runs at 102.85
4. Steve Smith - 1727 runs at 59.55
5. Steve Waugh - 1633 runs at 74.23
6. Allan Border - 2083 runs at 65.06
7. Adam Gilchrist - 521 runs at 40.08
8. Shane Warne - 129 Wickets at 21.95
9. Ray Lindwall - 60 wickets 20.97
10. Dennis Lillee - 96 Wickets at 20.56
11.Glenn McGrath - 86 wickets at 19.34

Averages in England*
 
1. Mark Taylor -1584 runs at 52.8
2. Arthur Morris - 1033 runs at 57.39
3. Don Bradman -2674 runs at 102.85
4. Steve Smith - 1727 runs at 59.55
5. Steve Waugh - 1633 runs at 74.23
6. Allan Border - 2083 runs at 65.06
7. Adam Gilchrist - 521 runs at 40.08
8. Shane Warne - 129 Wickets at 21.95
9. Ray Lindwall - 60 wickets 20.97
10. Dennis Lillee - 96 Wickets at 20.56
11.Glenn McGrath - 86 wickets at 19.34

Averages in England*
Averages of the top 6 batsman are excellent considering we are reminded of how hard it can be to bat on English conditions (Bradman elite of course).

Flintoff well and truly had the wood over Gilchrist in 2005. About the only bowler who ever did
 
Averages of the top 6 batsman are excellent considering we are reminded of how hard it can be to bat on English conditions (Bradman elite of course).

Flintoff well and truly had the wood over Gilchrist in 2005. About the only bowler who ever did
I could go without Gilchrist as the keeper but the top 7 batters with a combine average over 63 is such a powerful lineup, Lindwall and Warne also averaged 20 with the bat which why I went with Lindwall over few others.
 
I could go without Gilchrist as the keeper but the top 7 batters with a combine average over 63 is such a powerful lineup, Lindwall and Warne also averaged 20 with the bat which why I went with Lindwall over few others.
In my previous posts I forgot all about Terry Alderman....89 wickets on 2 tours, reckon one would have to find a place for him....
 
Bill Ponsford
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting (VC)
Don Bradman
Greg Chappell
Alan Border
Steve Smith
Adam Gilchrist
Rod Marsh
Shane Warne
Richie Benaud (C)
Keith Miller
Alan Davidson
Ray Lindwall
Dennis Lillee
Glenn McGrath
Jeff Thomson
17 players 7 Batsmen, 2WK, 4 Fast Bowlers, 2 Spinners 2 All Rounders.
 
1. Mark Taylor -1584 runs at 52.8
2. Arthur Morris - 1033 runs at 57.39
3. Don Bradman -2674 runs at 102.85
4. Steve Smith - 1727 runs at 59.55
5. Steve Waugh - 1633 runs at 74.23
6. Allan Border - 2083 runs at 65.06
7. Adam Gilchrist - 521 runs at 40.08
8. Shane Warne - 129 Wickets at 21.95
9. Ray Lindwall - 60 wickets 20.97
10. Dennis Lillee - 96 Wickets at 20.56
11.Glenn McGrath - 86 wickets at 19.34

Averages in England*
Great selections.

Good luck beating that lot.
 

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Great selections.

Good luck beating that lot.
Great side.

Alderman in for Lindwall?

12 Tests
83 wickets @ 19.34
S/R 44
E/R 2.70
5W/I 10 times

Reading an article about the 1989 tour, there was a reference to some graffiti painted on a south London underpass that read 'Thatcher out'...to which some scamp had added 'LBW Alderman'

One just imagines what a difference he could (would) have made on that 1985 tour.
 
Great side.

Alderman in for Lindwall?

12 Tests
83 wickets @ 19.34
S/R 44
E/R 2.70
5W/I 10 times

Reading an article about the 1989 tour, there was a reference to some graffiti painted on a south London underpass that read 'Thatcher out'...to which some scamp had added 'LBW Alderman'

One just imagines what a difference he could (would) have made on that 1985 tour.
Gooch is still having nightmares with his front pad

LBW Alderman
 
Ponsford
Morris
Bradman
Ponting
G Chappell
McCabe
Glichrist
Warne
Lillee
McGrath
Alderman

Trumper - questionable, I just have a soft spot for the player he reportedly was

K Miller - the obvious (arguably Australia's only true) all-rounder but not needed in the first 11; Morris, Chappell and McCabe provide part-time overs if any are needed

Healy

Spofforth
Lindwall

O'Reilly - two leggies, no off-spinner makes the cut


M Taylor, Border, S Waugh, A Davidson, Grimmett told to get a county contract and be ready for a call-up
 
B.Ponsford
A.Morris
D.Bradman
S.Smith
S.Waugh
A.Border
A.Gilchrist
S.Warne
T.Alderman
D.Lillee
G.McGrath

Taylor, O’Reilly, Healy, Lindwall, Spofforth, Miller.
 

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