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The Best World XI: Famous Cricketers
Preamble on the Spirit of Cricket:"Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its Laws but also within the Spirit of the Game. Any action which is seen to abuse this Spirit causes injury to the game itself."
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Sir Jack Hobbs #1 Opening Batsman (R)
England (1882-1963)
Hobbs was England's premier batsman for nearly 30 years following his Test debut, in only his third match, in 1905. Arguably the greatest opener in the history of the game, he and Herbert Sutcliffe represent one of the most famous opening partnerships of any team. He was a prolific scorer of runs for Surrey and England, scoring a record 197 centuries.
Played for Surrey and England
TEST BATTING
Matches: 61 Innings: 102 Runs: 5410 High score: 211 100s: 15 Average: 56.94
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 61 Maidens: 15 Runs: 165 Wickets: 1 Best: 1-19 Average: 165.00
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Adam Gilchrist #2 Opening Batsman (L), Wkt Keeper
Australia (Born, 14/11/1971)
The Australian wicketkeeper, who is enthusiastic, reliable, cheerful and an attacking opening batsman with wide variety of shots, Adam Gilchrist is delight to the spectators. His square cuts and pulls are considered to be the best.
Gilchrist now averages a tick under 60 with the bat at Test level and is the supreme wicket-keeper/batsman at international level, with his damaging hitting and fine glove work having helped shape Australia into the supreme team that they are today.
Played for New South Wales, Western Australia, Australia
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Don Bradman #3 Batsman (R)
Australia (1908 - 2001)
Don Bradman was an extraordinary run machine. At the age of twenty he was selected to play for Australia against England, and he scored a century in his third test. Records continued to tumble. In a State match he scored a record 452, in record time for good measure. His confidence, concentration and application defined him from other mere mortals.
He finished his career in 1948 and settled in his home in South Australia and became a national selector and cricket administrator and excelled in that role of his as well.
TEST BATTING
Matches: 61 Innings: 102 Runs: 5410 High score: 211 100s: 15 Average: 56.94
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 61 Maidens: 15 Runs: 165 Wickets: 1 Best: 1-19 Average: 165.00
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Sachin Tendulkar #4 Batsman (R) Med Bowler (R)
India (Born, 24/04/1973)
Known as the Little Master and recognised by Sir Donald Bradman as his modern-day incarnation, Sachin Tendulkar is one of the greatest and most dynamic batsmen to ever play the game of cricket. With a skill a genius which only a handful have possessed, the diminutive, Mumbai-born right-hander has destroyed practically every bowling attack in the world with an almost impenetrable arsenal of shots. Only the third player to score more than 30 Test centuries and the first to score 10,000 one-day runs, Tendulkars timing and raw power are unsurpassed and his mental toughness, unrivalled. When confronted with a challenge, Sachin Tendulkar proves unstoppable.
Facts: Right-hand bat, part-time spinner. Widely regarded as the world's best contemporary batsman. Holds world record for ODI runs and ODI centuries.
Test debut: v Pakistan, Karachi, Nov 1989. 119th test, 9,595 runs at 56.11 (Dec 10, 2004). 34 centuries.
ODI debut: v Pakistan, Gujranwala, Dec 1989. 340 matches, 13,431 runs, 37 hundreds, 69 fifties, average 44.91. 128 wickets.
Captaincy: Had two unsuccessful terms as India captain, the first aged 23 in 1996, but axed 17 months later after his batting suffered. Re-appointed in 1999, but stood down after 3-0 test series rout in Australia.
 
In Pictures:
Left Young Sachin with the bat. It was in Sahitya Sahwas in Bandra, the middle-class neighbourhood, where he scored his first runs. It was tennis and not cricket that Tendulkar first excelled at. He was very good at lawn tennis and was a big fan of John McEnroe.
Right Sachin during his world record tying 34th test ton at Dhaka at age 34.
In a recent interview, one of the best fast bowlers of the 90s, South Africa's Allan Donald said this about Sachin: "Best batsman: Sachin Tendulkar . The most complete batsman. No other batsman has his balance, which is amazing. His skill is just beyond me, and I would separate him from other players.
Brian Lara, who is brilliant, will always give you a chance. There were times when I wished someone would run Tendulkar over. There were some days against him in Test cricket when you just knew you wouldn't get him out."
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Sir Garfield Sobers #5 Batsman (L) Leg/Off Spin/Fast Med Bowler (L)
West Indies [played, 1954-1974] (Born, 28/07/1936)
Sir Garry is widely regarded as the greatest all-rounder ever to play cricket, having retired with a career total of 8,032 runs and taken 235 wickets and 109 catches in 93 Tests.
TEST BATTING
Matches: 93 Innings: 160 Runs: 8032 High score: 365* 100s: 26 Average: 57.78
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 3432.3 Maidens: 974 Runs: 7999 Wickets: 235 Best: 6-73 Average: 34.04
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Vivian Richards #6 Batsman (R)
West Indies [Played, 1974-1991] (Born, 07/03/1952)
Born in St. John's Antigua, Vivian Richards who was known as "King Viv", will mainly be remembered for the explosive manner and style of his batting rather than for its end result. As a batsman, he always looked to dominate the bowling and his aggressive approach with willow in hand often appeared arrogant to the onlooker. His lightning-fast reflexes and brute force made up for his unconventional technique and he still holds the record for the most sixes - 84 - hit at Test level.
TEST BATTING
Matches: 121 Innings: 182 Runs: 8540 High score: 291 100s: 24 Average: 50.24
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 856.0 Maidens: 203 Runs: 1964 Wickets: 32 Best: 2-17 Average: 61.38
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Imran Khan #7 Fast Bowler (R) Batsman (R)
Pakistan [Played, 1971-1992] (Born, 25/11/1952)
Imran is one of the greatest all-rounders in the game's history and led Pakistan to success at the 1992 World Cup.
Since retiring from the game in 1992 the 51-year-old has formed his own political party and is now a member of Pakistan's parliament.
TEST BATTING
Matches: 88 Innings: 126 Runs: 3807 High score: 136 100s: 6 Average: 37.69
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 3106 Maidens: 727 Runs: 8258 Wickets: 362 Best: 8-58 Average: 22.81
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Dennis Lillee #8 Fast Bowler (R)
Australia [Played, 1970-1984]
Lillee was the outstanding fast bowler of his generation, setting a new world record with a total of 355 Test wickets. Played for Western Australia, Tasmania, Northamptonshire and Australia.
TEST BATTING
Matches: 70 Innings: 90 Runs: 905 High score: 73* 100s: 0 Average: 13.71
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 2834.1 Maidens: 652 Runs: 8493 Wickets: 355 Best: 7-83 Average: 23.92
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Anil Kumble #9 Leg Spin Bowler (R)
India (Born, 17/10/1970)
Anil Kumble is rated as one of the top leg spinners in contemporary cricket along side Shane Warne of Australia and Mustaq Ahmed of Paskistan. Though not in the orthodox leg spinner's mould, Kumble is known for his lethal accuracy and his striking ability with the cherry.
Outstanding among his performances, which pitch forked him into stardom were his effort of six for 12 against the West Indies during the Hero Cup final in 1993-94 and his stupendous effort in the Dehli Test match in 1998-99, where he skittled out the Paskistani batsmen with clinical precision to score a perfect ten (10 for 74).
TEST BATTING
Matches: 89 Innings: 114 Runs: 1518 High score: 88 100s: 0 Average: 16.50
TEST BATTING Shane Warne
Matches: 117 Innings: 162 Runs: 2374 High score: 99 100s: 0 Average: 15.93
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 4714.2 Maidens: 1165 Runs: 12069 Wickets: 430 Best: 10-47 Average: 28.07
TEST BOWLING Shane Warne
Overs: 5428.1 Maidens: 1512 Runs: 13958 Wickets: 549 Best: 8-71 Average: 25.42
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Malcolm Marshall #10 Fast Bowler (R)
West Indies [Played, 1978-1991] (1958-1999)
Marshall played for the West Indies from 1976 to 1991 and held the record as its leading wicket taker, at 376, until Courtney Walsh passed the mark in November 1998.
Marshall was one of the stars of the West Indies team which dominated international cricket for more than a decade from the mid-1970s.
He formed a formidable quartet of fast bowlers alongside others such as Joel Garner, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding and Colin Croft.
TEST BATTING
Matches: 81 Innings: 107 Runs: 1810 High score: 92 100s: 0 Average: 18.85
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 2930.4 Maidens: 613 Runs: 7876 Wickets: 376 Best:7-22 Average: 20.95
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Muttiah Muralitharan #11 Off Spin Bowler (R)
Sri Lanka (Born, 17/04/1972)
Fans of Shane Warne may disagree, but Muralitharan is now regarded as the most destructive spin bowler in world cricket today.
Each ball is delivered at a different speed and trajectory, with a number of variations in the amount of spin imparted. Perhaps Murali's greatest strength, however, is his control.
TEST BATTING
Matches:91 Innings: 17 Runs: 942 High score: 67 100s: 0 Average: 12.56
TEST BOWLING
Overs: 5174.5 Maidens: 1378 Runs: 12118 Wickets: 532 Best: 9-51 Average: 22.78
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