AS West Indies and Australia contest the third Test match in yet another series “Down Under” at Adelaide, this week, I thought now would probably be a most opportune time to venture into the ardous exercise/task of selecting, over the intervening weeks -- Greatest-ever Test Elevens from the 10 cricket countries of the world.

On a personal choice at best, as most cricket writers would say -- we bowl off today, with a best ever West Indies Test Eleven, en-compassing the period: 1928 to 2006.

Firstly, I must mention with a word of caution.

Attempting to select at best, any country’s all-time best Test match 11 is a no-win endeavour, a fascinating exercise, but the results are bound to be highly provocative.

The more I thought about all the fine players who have represented the other countries, not to mention those from West Indies, and their respective performances in battle over the past 128 years or less, the more difficult the selection task.

Figures, as most would argue, seldom tell the true story -- however data goes a long way in telling a tale of its own and is inescapable -- but again, perhaps the brief stats bio given under each player, will go some way to explain why I have chosen those that I have for the respective countries.

Finally, one reminder -- it is a personal choice at best!

 

My West Indies All-Time Test XI - 78 years.

1. GORDON GREENIDGE:
Of all the fine Test openers produced by the West Indies over the last 78 years, the powerfully built, sullen Barbadian was both technically and prolifically the best.

He batted with great aplomb and character and was a flambouyant, dashing stroke-maker with a notably insatiable desire to smatter sixes in and during his many huge innings, most notably during his 259 against Sussex in 1975 included 13 six-hits.

Greenidge scored 92 first class hundreds and was equally at home against both pace and spin and demonstrated his wares all over the world.

Also made 5,000 One Day runs.
Test record: Matches - 108; Runs - 7,558; Average - 44.72; 100s - 19; HS - 226.
ODI Record: Matches - 128; Runs - 5,134; Average - 45.03; 100s - 11; HS - 133 not out.

2. DESMOND HAYNES:
Where maybe and possibly Conrad Hunte and to a lesser extent Roy Fredericks have sounder claims as individuals, the live, love and laugh pendant-wearer from Barbados supersedes both, after all, Haynes along with Greenidge are the most reliable opening alliance the Windies have produced -- 16 century partnerships (world record) attests to this factoid.

Durable, classy, consistent -- a single was negotiated with a simple twitch of the shoulder, or an arch of the eyebrow -- Haynes scored runs all over the globe and was at one time world record-holder for runs, centuries and fifties in ODIs.

A friendly, affable man, he will always remain one of West Indies’ greatest batting assets.

Test record: Matches - 116; Runs - 7,487; Average- 42.29; 100s - 18; HS - 184.
ODI Record: Matches - 237; Runs - 8,648; Average - 41.37; 100s - 17; HS - 152 not out.

3. GEORGE HEADLEY:
Amongst all world batsmen, only Don Bradman and Indian Vijay Merchant surpassed his first-class career average of 69.86.

“Massa” George, alias “Atlas”, averaged a Test ton every two matches which is nothing short of incredible -- even Bradman was dubbed “the White Headley”, he was the first all-time great and legendary Windies batsman and carried the early batting on his broad, Panamanian shoulders 1928-1948.

The great Jamaican domiciled player was the first batsman to score twin centuries at Lord’s and his debut series aggregate of 703 runs, has only been bettered by one man since 1930.

For many purists he would remain the greatest of all Windies batsmen as he scored over half of his team’s total most times.

Test record: Matches - 22; Runs - 2,190; Average - 60.83; 100s - 10; HS - 270.
F.C. record: Matches - 103; Runs - 9,921; Average - 69.86; 100s - 33; HS - 344 not out.

4. VIVIAN RICHARDS:
The peerless Vivi was an Antiguan delight to spectators the world over and despair to all world bowlers -- Viv Richards is the only West Indian and Black man to score 100 first class centuries -- this must say something about how grand the guy was.

His name on scorecards: I.V.A. Richards sounded Royal and Emperor-like, the great man swaggered, prowled, preened, pounced and pulverised all the world’s great bowlers for close to 20 years, during his time/era.

He often referred to himself in the third person and saw himself as the gifted public relations officer of the Third World Blacks -- very proud of his roots and race of people.

With Vivi it was always Technicolour and DTS -- his Test feats include among many -- the speediest century of all (56 balls) and 1,710 runs in 11 calendar year Tests -- both records.

Test record: Matches - 121; Runs - 8,540; Average - 50.23; 100s - 24; HS - 291.
ODI record: Matches - 187; Runs - 6,721;
Average - 47.00; 100s - 11; HS - 189 not out.

5. BRIAN LARA:
This little Trinidadian is the unquestionable “Lord amongst Windies batsmen”, past and present.

The multiple world record holder is the second greatest-ever, all-time international run and century scorer, the only batsman in history to score a triple, quadruple and quintuple-century.

The modern-era viewer needs no clue nor reminder of this man’s all-round wicket prowess.

An unbelievably great, genius left-hander who has destroyed two all-time great spin bowlers in Warne and Muralitharan with effortless ease.

Lara is the one Windies batsman, all opponents fear.

Test record: Matches - 118; Runs - 10,859; Average - 53.75; 100s - 30; HS - 400 not out.
ODI record: Matches - 259; Runs - 9,359;
Average - 41.41; 100s - 19; HS - 169.

6. GARY SOBERS:
Without question, Gary Sobers is the greatest all-rounder the game has ever known.

When you can bat with feline grace and leonine imperiousness, bowl pace, seam, swing and two forms of top-class spin, catch flies and still stay friends with most opponents you must be special.

He held the record for highest Test score for some 36 years and played the whole game as if he were a millionaire.

As a captain he was bold; some might say he felt he could change and win a match by himself, as indeed he frequently did.

Sir Gary is one of a few West Indians who can lay claim to be included in any one’s all-time world Test eleven.

Test record: Matches - 93; Runs - 8,032; Average - 57.78; 100s - 26; HS - 365 not out; Wkts. - 235; Average - 34.03.
F.C. record: Matches - 383; Runs - 28,315; Average - 54.87; 100s - 86; Wkts. - 1,043; Average - 27.74.

7. JEFFREY DUJON:
He is simply the most successful, brilliant and accomplished wicket-keeper/batsman ever produced by the Windies bar none (including Clyde Walcott).

His acrobatics, agility and spectacular diving and catching off the pace juggernauts of the 1980s were amazing.

So, too, was his aesthetically brilliant batting which was a feature for over a decade -- “Dooj” had 272 victims -- still a West Indies record.

Test record: Matches - 81; Runs - 3,332;
Average - 31.94; 100s - 5; HS - 139;
Catches - 267; Stps. - 5.
ODI record: Matches - 169; Runs - 1,945;
Average - 23.15; Catches - 183; Stps. - 21.

8. MALCOLM MARSHALL:
A wicket every 46 balls is nothing to scoff at and over 375 at a knock-down price of 20.94 is doubly impressive.

Scampering to the stumps in a slight arc crouching low, elbows to the fore -- a sub-six foot frame dimmed his effectiveness not a jot.

Marshall troubled all the great batsmen of his time/era, and his jousts with the great Sunil Gavaskar of India is legendary.

He was also a very capable batsman, scoring close to 2,000 Test runs and despite his premature death at 41, will remain, possibly, the finest West Indian paceman of all.

Test record: Matches - 81; Wkts. - 376;
Average - 20.94.
ODI record: Matches - 136; Wkts. - 157;
Average - 26.96.

9. CURTLEY AMBROSE:
“The Conqueror” from Swetes was a 6-foot-8-inch-tall bean pole and one of the most devastating fast bowlers in history.

“Ambi”, whose forte was steepling bounce and uneering accuracy, never gave batsmen room to breathe and took great wickets with alacrity and minimal cost, he is after all, the ninth most prolific in Test match history.

Test record: Matches - 98; Wkts. - 405;
Average - 20.98.
ODI record: Matches - 176; Wkts. - 25;
Average - 24.13.

10. MICHAEL HOLDING:
The coolest of dudes -- Holding a.k.a. “Whispering Death” he lent brutality an aesthetic allure -- he remains the utter gentleman and an anti-apartheid hardliner.

As a bowler, he flowed to the wicket like a panther on castors.

Once the world’s quickest pacer, he once produced the most awe-inspiring display of pure fast bowling ever seen on a sleepy/deadpitch -- The Oval, offering nothing to Willis, Selvy, Roberts, Holder and Daniel.

Holding took 14/149 - nine bowled.

Test record: Matches - 60; Wkts. - 249;
Average - 23.68.
ODI record: Matches - 102; Wkts. - 142;
Average - 21.36.

11. LANCE GIBBS:
The only West Indian spinner with 300 Test wickets and achieved with so many great fast bowlers around him in the Windies team.

Lovely flight, loop and soft touch did it to his opponents -- he is the last specialist twirler to play convincingly for the Windies -- he once took -- 8/6 off 15.3 overs against India (1962).

Test record: Matches - 79; Wkts. - 309;
Average - 29.09.
F.C. record: Matches - 330; Wkts. - 1,024; Average - 27.22.