I still can't ...guessing there's a permission thing somewhere on your version. I am not Mr Excel but I'm still only in view only mode and it says I need permission from 'the owner'

Thanks, let me try to fix that.

Hi - so I *think* I've fixed the problem - it works for me when I switch google accounts at least now. (You do have to be logged in to a google account, I believe.) If you are still about, could you check and let me know? ty

Since we have broken the seal early on a contest of the greatest spinners of all time, it would be remiss of me not to use as my first entry as arguably for the greatest of all time - the St Kilda supporter, lover of all things ham and pineapple (if on some baked dough) and the closest cricketer that could be a member on here given his poker exploits - is the one and only:



Stats:

145 matches
Wickets: 708
Average: 25.41
5w Innings: 37
10w match: 10

Batting:
Runs: 3154
Average: 17.32
50s: 12

and:



0 centuries.

Great pick, bundy5. Now, it seems to me that xander has until 10am UK time / 5am server time.

(I'm only over-egging this stuff to try to make sure we get off running smoothly.)

After that ABDan at some point.

I considered Warne.

Murali's average away from home is 29+ - Warne has more or less identical ~25 averages home and away. We aren't simming half the game in Sri Lanka.

those two were the others i was heavily considering (though id probably lean warne over murali if only for a bit of batting)

good picks.

He was my choice right up until I did a stat comparison. Was only between the two of them once Marshall had gone for me and is probably have picked both of them ahead of him too...so much bigger a drop off from the top spinners to the next level, compared to fast bowlers

Murali over Warne

just to build on this now that Warne has been picked...it was incredibly close, particularly given I live in Australia.

Murali has a better average (and more wickets per test but you'd expect that) than Warne even when you take away Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

he also has a far better record against India than Warne 97 wickets at 33 from 21 tests vs 43 wickets at 47 from 14 tests

in fact, if we take away the two countries against which there can be no common comparison and just include the countries against which they both players you will find that....

Murali has a better average against 7 of the 8 other test playing countries...Warne only having better stats against Pakistan

He also has a better strike rate against all but 3 (1 of which is Zim)

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Stati...erID=1856#bowl

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Stati...erID=1234#bowl

I didn't pick murali

agree with this

I'd say the advantage he has over Warne against India is probably more due to just knowing sub-continent bowling conditions better than Warne. And actually Warne always saying that he actually liked bowling on pitches with a bit of bounce like the Gabba.

I was agreeing with your comment.

lol sorry

I can't access the spreadsheet, says View only, but my down time will be 10pm to 4am est

I'm taking Glenn McGrath

write up to follow when I have time

Hey so to confirm I know what the heck we are doing, do we all get 11 picks each ie we are trying to grab our own test 11?

So in essence we need to choose our own balance of players eg 5 batsmen a keeper and bowlers alrounders, is that correct?

I was reading this as everyone working together trying to get the best 11 overall but now see we have too many bowlers in our group 11 lol

Naive to think I'd get Warne, but thought I might get Ambrose

Some facts and figures about Glenn McGrath:

Home Bowling Average: 22.43
Away Bowling Average: 20.81

Wickets: 563

Economy Rate: 2.5
Strike Rate: 51.95

Percentge of his wickets that are batsmen 1-3: 40%

Murali might be better at home but McGrath is better round the world, will be feared with a new ball and actually make breakthroughs vs top batsmen. Very little stats padding by clearing up the tail.

All you have to do is search "perfect over" on YouTube and McGrath is the first result https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PKpThWWgoM8

Pick your own team. All the collaboration is just people debating whether the picks made were good or not.

I pick Sir Richard Hadlee

Rhythm and Swing

The man affectionately known as Paddles, was the shining light during one of New Zealands most successful periods of test cricket.

Few players in the history of cricket have carried the fortunes of their team to quite the same extent as Richard Hadlee. By the time he retired from international cricket in 1990, at the age of 39 and with a knighthood newly conferred upon him for his services to the game, Hadlee had cemented his place as one of the great fast bowlers of all time, and lifted New Zealand to unprecedented feats in the Test arena.

As the first player to reach 400 Test wickets, Hadlee was always assured of immortality, but in addition to his matchless skills with the ball, he was also a hard-hitting batsman of unquestioned skill, and he is acknowledged as one of the four great allrounders of the 1980s, along with Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev.

Starting as a tearaway fast bowler, after serious injury, Hadlee remodelled his action in to something so efficient and special, it could be likened to premium bowloligist porn every time he glided to the crease.

His stats speak for themselves with a career average of 22.29, excellent overall bowling numbers home and away, playing with no real quality support at the other end for most his spells. He almost singlehandedly made NZ a competitive team during the 80s.

His performance vs Australia where he took 9 for 52 (15 for 123) in 1985 is one the great test bowling performances.

Voted the 2nd best bowler of all time according to Wisdens 2001 list using their exhaustive formula (behind Murali), Richard Hadlee should walk into any World 11 imo and the only reason he doesn't for a lot of people, is because they have never really examined his performances and impact on the sport due to him being a very low key character on the world stage and coming from little old New Zealand.

Richard Hadlee, the GOAT.

Hadlee was a brilliant bowler...somehow underrated in some circles. Always thought he should have scored more runs given his eye

Great pick. First to 400 wickets and no pace bowler has matched him for matches to do it.