I C Great Cricket Teams Set 2

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GREAT CRICKET TEAMS 2’ Two of the four teams in this Set include great fast bowling pairings, and looking back at Set 1 that too featured some fast bowling greats, so perhaps the ‘need for speed’ is a common denominator for many of the really great international sides. Great Captains may be another recurring factor, for we have two rated CG3 and two CG2 in this Set, rather out gunning the skippers appearing in Set 1. A quote from Tony Lewis in the Benson and Hedges Cricket Year, Third Edition:-’….the year proved again that there are two types of cricket, the one played by the West Indies, the other by everyone else. The West Indies won series against India, Australia and England, never losing a match’. This great West Indian side, skippered by Clive Lloyd, included fast bowlers Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding and Joel Garner, that great opening partnership of Haynes and Greenidge, Viv Richards and the surprise of the series against England, Larry Gomes, who averaged over 80 with the bat. Not a team to trifle with and they must be strong contenders in any ATG league or tournament. Australia 1960/1, led by Richie Benaud, won a great home series against West Indies 2-1, with one match drawn and another tied. Alan Davidson’s 33 wickets at 18.54 was a major contribution but Burge, O’Neill and Simpson all averaged just over or just under 50 with the bat although Neil Harvey failed, averaging just 17.50 from eight innings. This was very much an all round team performance, the team results adding up to rather more than the individual achievements, but although worthy of inclusion in this series they may be hard pressed to win against some of the other ATG sides. Pakistan 1990/1 beat new Zealand 3-0 in a three match series, then drew 1-1 over three matches against West Indies. Two captains were used, Miandad against New Zealand, Imran Khan against West Indies. But it was the incredible batting of Shoaib Mohammad and the super fast and ultra destructive bowling of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis that lifts this team into the ATG class. Between them Wasim And Waqar claimed 70 wickets in the six matches at an average of 15.30! The final team featured in this Set, England 1981, contained no fast bowling fury (Dilley and Old were not quite in the same class as Wasim and Waqar) but it was led by one of the great skippers (and worst Test openers?) Mike Brearley and also benefited somewhat from the talents of one Ian Botham and after losing the first Test they bounced back to beat Australia 3-1 in a six match series. Botham scored 399 runs, an average of 36.27 and a scoring rate of 93 per 100 balls (!) - Boycott scored 392 at 33 per 100, Tavare 179 at 29 per 100 and tool 34 wickets at 20.58 still finding time to hold 12 catches, one less than wicket-keeper Taylor. One man maketh not a team, but Botham came as close as any in hoisting this England side into the ATG class.