To mark the staging of the 2000th Test match which will begin from July 21 between England and India at Mecca of Cricket, Lord’s, the game governing body on its website has called on supporters from across the globe to select their greatest team of all-time.
Followers of cricket can select a dream team from a shortlist of 60 players split into five categories – they will be asked to pick two opening batsmen, three middle-order batsmen, a wicketkeeper, three fast bowlers and one spinner.
Supporters will have until midnight Dubai time (GMT+4) on 13 July 2011 to make their selections, with the choices set to be announced the week before the 2,000th Test is played, at Lord’s between England and India. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is also requesting supporters to send in their dream teams through facebook and twitter account.
The list of players that fans are being asked to vote on is listed below.
Opening batsmen (two): Geoffrey Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Hanif Mohammad, Virender Sehwag, Herbert Sutcliffe, Victor Trumper.
Middle-order batsmen (three): Don Bradman, Greg Chappell, Wally Hammond, George Headley, Brian Lara, Javed Miandad, Graeme Pollock, Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar.
All-rounder (one): Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Aubrey Faulkner, Richard Hadlee, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Keith Miller, Wilfred Rhodes, Gary Sobers, Frank Worrell.
Wicket-keeper (one): Les Ames, Mark Boucher, Jeff Dujon, Godfrey Evans, Andy Flower, Adam Gilchrist, Alan Knott, Rod Marsh, Clyde Walcott, Wasim Bari.
Fast bowlers (three): Curtley Ambrose, Sydney Barnes, Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Malcolm Marshall, Glenn McGrath, Fred Trueman, Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram.
Spinner (one): Bishen Bedi, Richie Benaud, Lance Gibbs, Clarrie Grimmett, Jim Laker, Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralidaran, Bill O’Reilly, Derek Underwood, Shane Warne.