In the spirit of AR’s excellent threads on WAFL/VFL best teams, this has just popped up on TheWest online, purporting to be the ultimate team to represent WA cricket.
I pretty much agree with it, but would be interested in the thoughts of OzF’s cricket gurus.
JS if it can include internationals that have played for Western Australia then I would suggest that Tony Lock should be selected instead of Yardley.
A couple of observations: Kim Hughes as captain is a deserved choice although if Lock is eligible to be selected I wold choose Lock.
Having a quick look at balls bowled by McKenzie and Johnson are interesting 60 matches (17,681 balls bowled) and 73 matches (16,001) respectively. (Source wikipedia so subject to verification).
One other observation is relevant. The first class careers of the modern player is so much longer than in previous eras. For example, if Hussey had played in the 1960s/1970s it is highly doubtful that he would have ever played for Australia because he most likely would have retired at an earlier age than the age he was when he was first selected for Australia.
Great posts all: I am with Swan 42, I would add Lock and make him captain; I would bat Greg Shipperd at three; I would also add Terry Alderman. Barry Shepherd would be my 12th man.
BH as I indicated earlier it is difficult to equate the statistics of the modern era (say around 1990) and earlier times is that a lot of cricketers in earlier times retired much younger than they do now. For example, Garth McKenzie played his last test before he turned 30.
So in my opinion it is not comparing apples with apples.
one other point lads and lasses, be careful with stats. KJ Hughes averagged 42.00 WA in the Shield, where it counted, and only 37 in all first-class cricket. See the web site ’ List of Wetern Australian First-Class Cricketers’.
KJH was a hot \cold batsman Ark.On his day was as good to watch as any batsmen who have played the game.Vunrable early in his innings.Dean Jones was a similar type of batsman.
gtr: yep, he was easily the best player produced in the state; ststically, Langer averagged 51 in the Shield and full credit to him . On that basis he can be considerred our best by a little way too
The ball had to hit the middle of KJH bat early.Remember the quality of bowler he also faced.Mike Valetta would of been close to a 50 average.Remember a big double century he scored in a Shield Final v Victoria.
Ahh yes GTR & AR I can just vaguely remember when we used to regularly win the Sheffield Shield!!
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That’s a future thread for on here BH.The decline of Wa Cricket.Off the top of my head 4 shields in the 70’s.4 SS in the 80’s..3 in the 90’s.Maby 1 this century.
We have won the Shield 15 times.
First win 1948-49 our second season.
Last Win 1998-99.
5 Sheffield Shields in the 1970’s and also 5 in the 1980’s.3 in the 1990’s.
When you consider that roughly half of WA’s Sheffield Shield matches were played at the WACA on pitches generally conducive to fast bowlers and less so for spin bowlers see the statistics of Lock and Lillee. Lock’s figure are almost the same as Lillee which show how brilliant a cricketer Lock was playing for WA.
Graham Anthony Richard LOCK (WA: 1962 – 1971)
74 matches
316 wickets, average 24.59
16 five-fors, 2 ten-wicket matches, 84 catches
Dennis Keith LILLEE (WA: 1969 – 1984)
76 matches
315 wickets, average 23.02
19 five-fors, 4 ten-wicket matches, 26 catches
