From the editor
Tim de Lisle
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

During the Ashes series, several people observed that if you picked a composite team made up of the best of both sides, you would end up with 11 Australians. Now that the dust has settled, a poll of Wisden.com writers and editors begs to differ: as many as four Englishmen are in our team.

Eight men were automatic choices, but the last three places were hotly contested, with 11 players getting at least one vote. On reflection, maybe the best way to have ensured an even contest at The Oval would have been for the big eight to take on the other 14.

Seven of the eight were of the baggy-green variety - Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath. In other words, everyone from No. 4 in the Aussie batting order downwards, apart from Brett Lee. Steve Waugh's faith in his blond bombshell was shared by only one of our nine selectors.

The lone Englishman to make it onto every team sheet was Mark Butcher, confirming the feeling that he had no rival as Pom of the Series. Best of the rest was Marcus Trescothick, who collected seven votes.

What was not clear was who should be Trescothick's opening partner. Some said Butcher; others went for an Aussie - Matthew Hayden picked up two votes, Michael Slater and Justin Langer one each, and another voter even pushed Gilchrist up to open, as he does (with only moderate success) in one-day internationals. More imaginatively, one selector argued for Mike Atherton, on the grounds that if he was on the same side as McGrath, he would be a world-beater. But the winner, with two votes plus a casting one, was another unexpected candidate - Alec Stewart, on the basis that if Gilchrist was keeping wicket, The Gaffer would be free to do what he does best and stroke the new ball into the gaps.

The other debate centred on the fourth bowler. Should it be Alex Tudor, who produced the best bowling performance by a man not named Glenn, Shane or Jason, but failed to last the series? Three selectors thought so. Should it be Andy Caddick, who delivered several hot spells? No selector thought so. Or should it be Darren Gough? It should, the panel decided: he collected five votes, and plenty of sympathy, after taking twice as many wickets as Lee, despite the double disadvantage of having to cope with better batsmen and worse fielders. He even gets to move up the batting order, as Shane Warne is demoted to No.10 after doing a fair impression of a rabbit in headlights - or highlights.

The 12th-man spot was a close-run thing between three fine fielders, Hayden, Mark Ramprakash and Ricky Ponting, who all finished level with Stewart on two votes. We went for Ponting, in the hope that Stewart can be persuaded to take the odd breather, Inzamam-style, and Ponting can resume his place next to Mark Waugh and Warne in an all-Aussie slip cordon - they may have been fallible but they were a lot better than their opposite fumblers. Ponting can also lead the singing of the victory song: Waltzing Britannia.

Full team in batting order (marks out of 9)

1 Marcus Trescothick (7 votes)
2 Alec Stewart (2)
3 Mark Butcher (9)
4 Mark Waugh (9)
5 Steve Waugh (capt, 9)
6 Damien Martyn (9)
7 Adam Gilchrist (wkt, 9)
8 Jason Gillespie (9)
9 Darren Gough (5)
10 Shane Warne (9)
11 Glenn McGrath (9)
12th man Ricky Ponting (2)

Other votes: Alex Tudor (3), Matthew Hayden (2), Mark Ramprakash (2), Mike Atherton (1), Justin Langer (1), Brett Lee (1), Michael Slater (1).

Tim de Lisle is editor of Wisden.com.

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