The B Team

After the great success of the first installment of our alphabetical cricket teams, it's only natural that we move on to, yes, The B Team. As always, have your say in the comments.

THE B TEAM

1. Geoffrey Boycott (ENG)
2. Sid Barnes (AUS)
3. Donald Bradman (AUS)
4.  Ken Barrington (ENG)
5. Allan Border (AUS)
6. Ian Botham (ENG)
7. Richie Benaud (AUS) (Capt)
8.  Mark Boucher (SA) (Wkt)
9. Alec Bedser (ENG)
10. SF Barnes (ENG)
11. Colin Blythe (ENG)

Selection notes:

Tough to decide who should bat number 3 in this largely Anglo-Australian side, obviously. Any team with Bradman is going to be competitive. Apart from the Don, it's not the most exciting batting line-up but that gives him freedom to motor along at whatever pace he chooses. Sid Barnes lost some of his best years to the war (as, of course did Bedser, who only made his test debut aged 28) and he only played 13 tests (averaging 63!) but scored his first class runs at 54 an innings.  A complicated, often disagreeable man I think, he joins Boycott in as bloody-minded an opening partnership as you could wish for.

The bowling lacks an out and out flier but, in English conditions at least, I have no fears for it, especially if we can count on Botham bowling at he did in his first five years in test cricket, before back injuries robbed him of his devastating late swing. SF Barnes, of course is, after Bradman, the second player on the team-sheet.

I gave serious consideration to picking Reggie Bosanquet, the discoverer/inventor of the googly as my second spinner. Romance favours his selection. But in the end Blythe edges out the great Bishan Bedi for the seond spinners' slot. Bedi may consider himself somewhat unfortunate, but some observers considered Blythe the greatest of the pre-1914 English slow left-armers, better even than another possible selection, Johnny Briggs. Others felt that he was surpassed only by the great Wilfred Rhodes. Make your case for Bedi or Briggs in the comments...

Blythe, who was killed at Passchendale, took 100 wickets in 19 tests at 18. His first class career for Kent netted him 2503 wickets at 16. His Wisden obituary called his death "the most serious that cricket has sustained during the war". The game's bible summed him up thus:

Blythe had all the good gifts that pertain to the first-rate slow bowler, and a certain imaginative quality that was peculiarly his own. Very rarely did he get to the end of his resources. To see him bowl to a brilliant hitter was a sheer delight.

So there you have it. I freely admit to being influenced by Cardus and his belief that the post-war game could not compete with the glories of the Golden Age. Most selectors these days favour the new; this series is unabashadly reactionary and in favour of a past unsullied by the ICC or one day cricket.

Comments

[Richard Thomas]

Where's Trevor Bailey - the barnacle? He was the best at saving his side whether Essex or England from defeat. He had the capacity to dig in and stonewall against all hostile bowling. To see the present and persistent English collapses against even a mediochre attack puts his ability into very sharp relief.

[dearieme]

Promise that Boycs gets a few overs, bowling while wearing his cap!

[Mr Eugenides]

I'm working on the assumption that this series of posts will be coming to an end well before Z.

Reassure me.

[Mike]

I'm with Mr Eugenides.

C would be a nice ending. How about posting it in French.

[Dave K]

I will freely admit that I know little if anything about Colin Blythe, but Bedi wuz robbed. Sure, 100 wickets at an average of 18 is impressive, but that was in a far less competitive period of cricket, back when, let's face it, countries that knew how to play spin bowling weren't yet playing cricket.

(Full disclosure, I am ethnically Indian, just so that both our potential biases are out in the open.)

The rest of the team is pretty impressive. Having both Botham and Benaud in the line-up guarantees depth in both batting and bowling, and even Border can be counted on for some spin bowling if needed. And of course, having Sir Donald in the line-up never hurts.

[Shippers]

I am late to this, but frankly staggered by your omission of the Bish.
But you have made me seek out more details of Blythe. So for that, I thank you.
Having both played poker with Boonie and developed a deep dislike of Border I rather regret the way your middle order panned out, but it is hard to fault on the face of it.
I think the rest pick themselves, though I suspect that Alec Bedser is hugely overrated by a certain sort of Englishman.

[Shippers]

I favour Eddie 'Bunter' Barlow to open up with Boycs. A more exciting partnership methinks. Bunter averaged 45 in tests and also contributes with his arm.

Sid Barnes was clearly a nutter (fielding 5 yards from the bat at point/wearing a suit and carnation as 12th man). Clearly there are reasons other than the war why he only played 13 tests. Barlow was an excellent fielder too, Barnes ended up in hospital.

Also, Barrington must bat at three, where he specialised. He needed more time to get going. The Don can wait.

I am convinced by the Blythe argument but while you play the reactionary card, I will stick with greater longevity and modernity that gives the stats more credence.

Boycott-Barlow-Barrington-Bradman-Border
Botham-Benaud-Boucher-Bedser-Barnes-Bedi