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Last article, I selected my all-time Test XI made up purely of all-rounders. It is time, now, to put them to the ultimate test and see who wins the virtual WTC between the all-rounders and the specialists.
To eradicate any bias which I may have introduced by selecting my own team of specialists, I have elected to use the Wisden all-time best XI which is based on player ratings.
I will admit that I am not convinced that this is the best Test XI of all time and believe that the ratings system has some inherent flaws. Dennis Lillee, for example, comes in 40th place in the ratings but since they are completely unbiased, I have elected to use this team.
Another issue to contend with is that Sir Garfield Sobers (who shares the eponymous trophy for this historic match with Sir Donald Bradman) and Imran Khan have been named in both sides. Since they are truly all-rounders, I have taken the liberty of naming them in the all-rounders XI for this match. I have then, in keeping with the Wisden’s rating system, chosen the next highest rating batsman in Peter May and bowler in Pat Cummins to take the available places.
Given how even the two sides will be, there will be a few key matchups that decide the match.
Will the sheer dominance of Don Bradman’s batting record be insurmountable? Will the relative strength of the All-rounders’ tail be able to make up for this early innings dominance? Here’s a look at the line-ups.
Wilfred Rhodes, Trevor Goddard, Jacques Kallis, Garfield Sobers, Keith Miller, Imran Khan, Adam Gilchrist, Ian Botham, Shaun Pollock, Richard Hadlee and Ravi Ashwin.
Len Hutton, Jack Hobbs, Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Peter May, Pat Cummins, George Lohmann, Sydney Barnes, Muttiah Muralitharan
The first innings for both sides will be calculated according to the sum total of the players batting averages – i.e., what on average they could have been expected to have scored on a given day.
The second innings will be calculated on the total of wickets per match for the bowlers and bowling all-rounders, scaled down to the ten wickets available and multiplied by each players bowling average to give what each bowlers contribution may have been expected to be in bowling out the opposition on a given day.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The legendary Richie Benaud is in the commentary box for his preview of the match.
“Morning everyone. Well, I am delighted that you have been able to join us at Lord’s today for the sesquicentennial celebration of Test cricket which we are celebrating with this virtual charity match between the greatest specialists who have graced our great game and the greatest all-rounders in what should be a marvellous contest.
There has been some controversy in the lead-up to the match with the great Sydney Barnes refusing to play unless he got paid. Fortunately, Bradman was in a dispute with the organisers who were unwilling for him to cover the match for a rival broadcaster in breach of his contract. The MCC took the opportunity with Bradman being pre-occupied to convince Mr Arthur Whitelaw who was to present a cheque to Bradman in recognition of his great feats in the game to redirect the cheque to Barnes, enabling the specialists to go into the match with a full-strength side.
I was unaware until today that Sir Don had had an encounter with a shark during his lifetime but apparently a comment about Sir Donald not shouting when bitten by a shark or something to that effect from Vic Richardson, who is here with his two grandsons, swayed Mr Whitelaw into giving the donation to Barnes.
Speaking of Sir Donald there are no less than six knights of the realm playing in this game, which moved one to comment that all we need now is King Arthur and a round table to make the event complete.
Early morning rain here at Lord’s, which will not affect the start time, seems to have played havoc with events. Apparently after exchanging pleasantries, not having seen each other for so long, Ian Chappell who is here for a spot of guest commentating and Ian Botham were making their way out of the Lord’s pavilion to inspect the pitch when both of them simultaneously and inexplicably slipped on the stairs. They both returned sporting a variety of cuts and bruises. One hopes they are both okay.
The rain must also be causing some havoc on the traffic. Apparently, Miller and Sobers haven’t arrived at the ground as yet and traffic chaos can be the only explanation for that. News is that Princess Anne has not made her way into the Royal Box as yet either so one imagines she must also be caught up in traffic snarls outside the ground.”
What follows are the innings summaries as the match was progressing.
Having won the toss, captain Don Bradman (who said if he couldn’t be captain he would take his bat and go home) elected to bat.
After a steady start, Hobbs and Hutton were both dismissed just before tea. Bradman brightened proceedings with an even century before stumps on Day 1.
Don Bradman. (Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images)
Wickets and runs aplenty on a highly entertaining second day saw the Specialists dismissed right on tea for 472.
In reply, a magnificent third day’s play saw the All-rounders dismissed in the last over of the day after a run a minute innings of 420.
The All-rounders then put on a highly spirited and aggressive display of bowling on Day 4 to bring themselves right back into the match by bowling out the Specialists for 238. Bad light stopped play before the All-rounders could begin their response.
This historic match finished with a 114-run win to the Specialists after bowling out the All-rounders, who just could not ever really get going on this final day for 176.
A magnificent match and many of us are still undecided as to whether this has truly answered the age-old question of whether to pick a specialist or an all-rounder, but Bill O’Reilly and Jack Fingleton are in the members bar as we speak telling anyone who will listen that they had always said all-rounders were a myth and this result proves them right.
So perhaps the debate goes on!
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