State of pride: The South Aussie greats who would make our best one day team
SOUTH Australia may only have three domestic one day trophies to its name, but it boasts a pantheon of international greats. Advertiser cricket writer Richard Earle reveals who would make the cut in our greatest side. Is anyone missing?
SOUTH Australian cricket has just three domestic one-day trophies in the cabinet at Adelaide Oval but owns a rich tapestry of one-day entertainers at the elite level.
SA’s best 50-over team is filled with World Cup heroes, favourite sons and quirky characters who are embedded in national sporting folklore.
One-day cricket was credited with injecting life into a tired gentleman’s game before the emergence of a brighter, shiny new sibling in Twenty20.
Before the Indian Premier League’s glitz and glamour there was World Series Cricket where Croweaters headlined by Ian Chappell, brother Greg and David Hookes opened new frontiers for the game.
Off-spinner Tim May featured in Australia’s upset, inaugural World Cup triumph in 1987 on the subcontinent where seamer Andrew Zesers was a squad member.
Darren Lehmann would continue the legacy of mentor David Hookes, hitting the winning runs in the 1999 World Cup final against Pakistan at Lord’s. ‘Boof’ would take the winning catch for Australia in the 2003 decider against India four years later in Johannesburg.
Shaun Tait was Australia’s enforcer in a third straight World Cup title march through the Caribbean in 2007.
Travis Head, Alex Carey and Adam Zampa will attempt to write another special one-day chapter for Australia at the 2019 World Cup in England.
SA’s BEST ONE-DAY XI
Darren Lehmann (vc) boasted an impeccable record at domestic and international level. Lehmann is third on the all time domestic run tally with 4589 at 51 and exceptional 87 strike rate in 117 matches with 34 handy wickets at 35. Lehmann averaged 39 in 117 ODI’s batting predominantly in the middle order. However the left-hander averaged 143 as an opener and 40 at No.4 for Australia.
Travis Head will play a key role in Australia’s 2019 World Cup campaign. The youngest man appointed Redbacks skipper pips Greg Blewett for a spot purely on the back of a superior ODI average (35), strike-rate and maiden, Australia Day one-day ton against Pakistan in Adelaide two years ago. Head also bowls handy spin.
Ultimate captain Ian Chappell (c) was central to the dawn of 50-over cricket while armed with an attacking prowess ideally suited to the short format. Hooking and pulling, Chappell smashed 673 runs at 48.07 in 16 ODIs for Australia. Chappell finished among the top six run scorers in World Series Cricket limited overs between 1977-1979.
Greg Chappell’s one-day international figures stack up in exalted company. Chappell averaged 40 over 74 ODI’s but it was his World Series heroics that are often overlooked. Chappell made 956 WSC one-day runs at 30 against all-time superstar attacks including Wayne Daniel, Andy Roberts, Collis King, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Colin Croft, Imran Khan, Derek Underwood, Mike Procter, John Snow and Eddie Barlow. Only Gordon Greenidge made more WSC one-day runs than Greg Chappell.
Callum Ferguson is one of the hard luck stories of international one-day cricket with a career stymied by two knee injuries. ‘Ferg’ never faltered averaging 41 over 30 ODI’s for Australia from 2009-11. Ferguson has plundered 5312 List A runs for South Australia and Worcestershire including 11 tons.
David Hookes’ 552 WSC one-day runs at 25 appear slim pickings but was bettered only by Greg Chappell for Australia against the greatest attacks assembled of all time between December 1977 and 1979. Only Gordon Greenidge (38.3), Greg Chappell (30.8), Viv Richards (27.3) and Clive Lloyd (26.7) enjoyed better averages in the most competitive cricket witnessed. Hookes’s indomitable hitting captured the imagination of a nation. Left-hander Hookes was captain in SA’s 1986-87 one-day title win.
Wayne Phillips gets the nod as keeper-batsman averaging 24 and taking 55 dismissals for Australia from 1983-86. A swashbuckling strokeplayer, Phillips was run out for a pivotal 75 in SA’s 1986-87 one-day Cup final win against Tasmania in Hobart. Flipper pips Alex Carey given the Australian vice-captain is at the outset of his international journey.
Jason Gillespie was mean and miserly at the peak of his power and ideally suited to one-day cricket. Gillespie took 65 wickets in 52 matches for SA but operated at a supreme economy rate of 68.86. ‘Dizzy’s premium pace was on display with a man of the match 3/13 against India at Centurion in Australia’s successful 2003 World Cup defence.
Injury-plagued Ryan Harris’ sublime swing bowling was used sparingly at one-day level by Australia but always delivered when unleashed. Harris used late swing and control to take 44 ODI wickets at a phenomenal 18 in 21 matches. Ryano also banked 123 List A scalps at 27.6.
Shaun Tait represented why fans click turnstiles. The Wild Thing’s 23 wickets at 20 proved the perfect foil for Glenn McGrath in Australia’s 2007 World Cup win in the Caribbean. Tearaway Tait unleashed the second fastest 161.1km/h ball in history against England at Lord’s in 2010. Tait terrorised New South Wales with a 6/41 haul in the 2005-06 one-day final at Adelaide Oval which SA lost by one wicket.
Tim May won a lineball call over Ashley Mallett, Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon for the spinner’s slot given the off-spinner was a homegrown product. May toiled for four tournament wickets but was a member of Australia’s 1987 World Cup final triumph against England at Eden Gardens. May’s wonderfully flighted off-spin earnt 47 ODI starts and took a valuable 3/50 in SA’s 1986-87 one-day final win against Tasmania in Hobart.
12th man: Greg Blewett
Note: preference was given to home grown players in lineball selection decisions.
Originally published as State of pride: The South Aussie greats who would make our best one day team