29 March 1946 to 10 March 1970
A dream contest between the great players of the post Second World War era and the 1950s and 1960s would be one between teams led by two of the most charismatic captains, Frank Worrell and Richie Benaud. The effort has been to include the West Indies players in Worrell’s side, and the Australians in Benaud’s lineup. Don Bradman has been kept out of this ambit as he was essentially a player of the late 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
What is immediately noticeable is that there were not too many top-class opening batsmen in this period but a plethora of accomplished middle-order players who would vie for places in teams of this nature. Len Hutton is an automatic choice, and placed in Worrell’s team with Conrad Hunte as his partner. One is inclined to select Bobby Simpson in Benaud’s squad, with a toss-up between his left-handed compatriots Arthur Morris and Bill Lawry. The former gets the vote for his grace and charm.
In the middle-order would be the three Ws, Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott and Worrell himself. Worrell could turn his left-arm over with his pace as well as spin. On the other side one would pick Ken Barrington, Neil Harvey and Graeme Pollock. The allrounders spots are obvious, Gary Sobers and Keith Miller respectively. There is a bonus pair of spinning allrounders, the left-armer Vinoo Mankad who batted right-handed, and leg-spinner Benaud. The two top wicketkeepers of the time were Godfrey Evans and Wally Grout.
There is then a stirring face-off between speed merchants Freddie Trueman and Brian Statham with Ray Lindwall, who could wield the willow as well, and Keith Miller, already chosen as allrounder. Alec Bedser would back up the Aussie pair. The off-spinner’s spots go to Lance Gibbs and Jim Laker.
What an exciting contest this would be!
Frank Worrell XI
Len Hutton
Conrad Hunte
Everton Weekes
Clyde Walcott
Frank Worrell
Gary Sobers
Vinoo Mankad
Godfrey Evans
Freddie Trueman
Brian Statham
Lance Gibbs
Richie Benaud XI
Arthur Morris
Bobby Simpson
Ken Barrington
Neil Harvey
Graeme Pollock
Keith
Miller
Richie Benaud
Wally Grout
Ray Lindwall
Alec Bedser
Jim Laker
The figures of these players during this period are:
Batsmen
Ken Barrington (England),
Tests 82, Highest Score 256, Runs 6808, Average 58.67, Hundreds 20, Fifties 35
Neil Harvey (Australia),
Tests 79, Highest Score 205, Runs 6149, Average 48.41, Hundreds 21, Fifties 24
Len Hutton (England),
Tests 66, Highest Score 206, Runs 5626, Average 54.62, Hundreds 14, Fifties 30
Everton Weekes (West Indies),
Tests 48, Highest Score 207, Runs 4455, Average 58.61, Hundreds 15, Fifties 19
Bobby Simpson (Australia),
Tests 52, Highest Score 311, Runs 4131, Average 48.60, Hundreds 8, Fifties 24
Frank Worrell (West Indies),
Tests 51, Highest Score 261, Runs 3860, Average 49.48, Hundreds 9, Fifties 22
Clyde Walcott (West Indies), Tests
44, Highest Score 220, Runs 3798, Average 56.68, Hundreds 15, Fifties 14
Arthur Morris (Australia),
Tests 46, Highest Score 206, Runs 3533, Average 46.48, Hundreds 12, Fifties 12
Conrad Hunte (West Indies),
Tests 44, Highest Score 260, Runs 3245, Average 45.06, Hundreds 8, Fifties 13
Graeme Pollock (South Africa), Tests 23, Highest Score 274, Runs 2256, Average 60.97, Hundreds 7, Fifties 11
Allrounders
Gary Sobers (West Indies), Tests 76, Highest Score 365*, Runs 6776, Average
58.92, 100s 21, 50s 26, Best
bowling 6/73, Wickets
193, Average 34.59, 5WI 6, 10WM –, Quotient 1.70
Keith Miller (Australia),
Right-hand bat,
Right-arm fast, Tests 55, Highest Score
147, Runs 2958, Average 36.97, 100s 7, 50s 13, Best bowling 7/60, Wickets
170, Average 22.97, 5WI 7, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.60
Vinoo Mankad (India), Tests
44, Highest Score 231, Runs 2109, Average 31.47, 100s 5, 50s 6, Best bowling
8/52, Wickets 162,
Average 32.32, 5WI 8, 10WM 2, Quotient 0.97
Ray Lindwall (Australia),
Tests 61, Highest Score 118, Runs 1502, Average 21.15, 100s 2,
50s 5,
Best bowling 7/38, Wickets 228, Average 23.03, 5WI 12, 10WM –, Quotient 0.91
Richie Benaud (Australia), Tests 63, Highest Score 122, Runs 2201, Average 24.45, 100s 3, 50s 9, Best bowling 7/72, Wickets 248, Average 27.03, 5WI 16, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.90
Wicketkeepers
Godfrey Evans (England), Tests 91, Dismissals
219, Catches
173, Stumpings 46, Highest Score 104, Runs 2439,
Average 20.49, 100s 2, 50s 8
Wally Grout (Australia) Tests 51, Dismissals 187, Catches 163, Stumpings 24, Highest Score 74, Runs 890, Average 15.08, 50s 3
Bowlers
Fred Trueman (England),
Tests 67, Balls 15178, Wickets 307, Average 21.57, BBI 8/31, BBM 12/119, 5WI
17, 10WM 3
Brian Statham (England),
Tests 70, Balls 16056, Wickets 252, Average 24.84, BBI 7/39, BBM 11/97, 5WI 9,
10WM 1
Alec Bedser (England),
Tests 51, Balls 15918, Wickets 236, Average 24.89, BBI 7/44, BBM 14/99, 5WI 15,
10WM 5
Lance Gibbs (West Indies),
Tests 50, Balls 17229, Wickets 209, Average 27.54, BBI 8/38, BBM 11/157, 5WI
13, 10WM 2
Jim Laker (England), Tests 46, Balls 12027, Wickets 193, Average 21.24, BBI 10/53, BBM 19/90, 5WI 9, 10WM 3
Full Test Career
Len Hutton (England
1937-55), Tests 79, Highest Score 364, Runs 6971, Average 56.67, Hundreds 19,
Fifties 33
Bobby Simpson (Australia 1957-78), Tests 62, Highest Score 311,
Runs 4869, Average 46.81, Hundreds 10, Fifties 27
Gary Sobers (West Indies 1954-74), Tests 93, Highest Score 365*, Runs 8032, Average
57.78, 100s 26, 50s 30, Best
bowling 6/73, Wickets
235, Average 34.03, 5WI 6, 10WM –, Quotient 1.69
Lance Gibbs (West Indies 1958-76), Tests 79, Balls 27115, Wickets 309, Average 29.09, BBI 8/38, BBM 11/157, 5WI 18, 10WM 2
And look at the list of world-class players who could not make it to these teams:
Batsmen
Colin Cowdrey (England),
Tests 104, Highest Score 182, Runs 7228, Average 46.33, Hundreds 22, Fifties 37
Denis Compton (England),
Tests 70, Highest Score 278, Runs 5339, Average 49.89, Hundreds 15, Fifties 26
Rohan Kanhai (West Indies),
Tests 61, Highest Score 256, Runs 5056, Average 48.15, Hundreds 12, Fifties 22
Bill Lawry (Australia),
Tests 62, Highest Score 210, Runs 4910, Average 47.66, Hundreds 13, Fifties 24
Tom Graveney (England),
Tests 79, Highest Score 258, Runs 4882, Average 44.38, Hundreds 11, Fifties 20
Peter May (England), Tests 66,
Highest Score 285*, Runs 4537, Average 46.77, Hundreds 13, Fifties 22
Ted Dexter (England),
Tests 62, Highest Score 205, Runs 4502, Average 47.89, 100s 9, 50s 27
Lindsay Hassett (Australia),
Tests 39, Highest Score 198*, Runs 2874, Average 49.55, Hundreds 10, Fifties 10
Seymour Nurse (West Indies)
Tests 29, Highest Score 258, Runs 2523, Average 47.60, Hundreds 6, Fifties 10
Doug Walters (Australia),
Tests 25, Highest Score 242, Runs 2250, Average 59.21, Hundreds 7, Fifties 14
Vijay Hazare (India), Tests
30, Highest Score 164*, Runs 2192, Average 47.65, Hundreds 7, Fifties 9
Bob Cowper (Australia), Tests 27, Highest Score 307, Runs 2061, Average 46.84, Hundreds 5, Fifties 10
Allrounders
Trevor Goddard (South Africa),
Tests 41, Highest Score 112, Runs 2516, Average 34.46, 100s 1, 50s 18, Best bowling
6/53, Wickets 123, Average 26.22, 5WI 5, 10WM –, Quotient
1.31
Alan Davidson (Australia),
Tests 44, Highest Score 80, Runs 1328, Average 24.59, 100s -,
50s 5, Best
bowling 7/93, Wickets 186, Average 20.53, 5WI 14, 10WM 2, Quotient 1.19
Trevor Bailey (England), Tests 61, Highest Score 134*, Runs 2290, Average 29.74, 100s 1, 50s 10, Best bowling 7/34, Wickets 132, Average 29.21, 5WI 5, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.01
Wicketkeepers
Johnny Waite (South Africa),
Tests 50, Dismissals
141, Catches
124, Stumpings 17, Highest Score 134, Runs 2405,
Average 30.44, 100s 4, 50s 16
Jim Parks (England), Tests 46, Dismissals 112, Catches 101 (2 more catches as fielder), Stumpings 11, Highest Score 108 not out, Runs 1962, Average 32.16, 100s 2, 50s 9
Bowlers
Graham McKenzie (Australia)
1961-70, Tests 57, Balls 16797, Wickets 239, Average 29.19, BBI 8/71, BBM
10/91, 5WI 16, 10WM 3
Wesley Hall (West Indies)
1958-69, Tests 48, Balls 10421, Wickets 192, Average 26.38, BBI 7/69, BBM
11/126, 5WI 9, 10WM 1
Tony Lock (England)
1952-68, Tests 49, Balls 13147, Wickets 174, Average 25.58, BBI 7/35, BBM
11/48, 5WI 9, 10WM 3
Hugh Tayfield (South Africa)
1949-60, Tests 37, Balls 13568, Wickets 170, Average 25.91, BBI 9/113, BBM
13/165, 5WI 14, 10WM 2
Bill Johnston (Australia)
1947-55, Tests 40, Balls 11048, Wickets 160, Average 23.91, BBI 6/44, BBM
9/183, 5WI 7, 10WM –
Sonny Ramadhin (West Indies)
1950-61, Tests 43, Balls 13939, Wickets 158, Average 28.98, BBI 7/49, BBM
11/152, 5WI 10, 10WM 1
Subhash Gupte (India) 1951-61, Tests 36, Balls 11284, Wickets 149, Average 29.55, BBI 9/102, BBM 10/223, 5WI 12, 10WM 1
Full Test Career
Colin Cowdrey, span 1954-75, Tests
114, Highest Score 182, Runs 7624, Average 44.06, Hundreds 22, Fifties 38
Rohan Kanhai, span 1957-74,
Tests 79, Highest Score 256, Runs 6227, Average 47.53, Hundreds 15, Fifties 28
Denis Compton, span 1937-57,
Tests 78, Highest Score 278, Runs 5807, Average 50.06, Hundreds 17, Fifties 28
Doug Walters, span 1965-81,
Tests 74, Highest Score 250, Runs 5357, Average 48.26, Hundreds 15, Fifties 33
Bill Lawry, span 1961-71,
Tests 67, Highest Score 210, Runs 5234, Average 47.15, Hundreds 13, Fifties 27
Lindsay Hassett, span 1938-53, Tests 43, Highest Score 198*, Runs 3073, Average 46.56, Hundreds 10, Fifties 11
Graham McKenzie, span 1961-71, Tests 60, Balls 17681, Wickets 246, Average 29.78, BBI 8/71, BBM 10/91, 5WI 16, 10WM 3
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