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Ananth Narayanan

And now for the Moderns. Possibly an easier selection, because of availability of substantial data and depth of knowledge of the players.

First, the two opening batsmen -- and can anyone complain about the selection of Sachin Tendulkar and Gordon Greenidge? Tendulkar combines an outstanding average with a very high strike rate, and is a great user of the first-15 overs situation. His achievements, at the half-way stage of his career, are legendary and no one can say what he will finish his career at. Greenidge is an opener par excellence. Can switch modes between anchor and attacking batsmen at will. It is a pity that to bring this pair together, one has to break up two great partnerships -- Tendulkar-Ganguly, and Greenidge-Haynes. Others considered, but not selected, include Saeed Anwar, Desmond Haynes, Mark Waugh and Saurav Ganguly.

The Veterans have the great Sir Don at three. Of the modern era, who can match him but that other giant, and possibly the greatest one day batsman ever, Sir Vivian Richards? Viv Richards was a destroyer of bowling (including the quality bowlers), a great improviser and match winner nonpareil. Has any bowler ever got the better of the great Antiguan? No. The bonus is his ability to bowl his off spinners very effectively.

At number four, I have a batsman who has achieved some of the greatest batting feats within a short span of time, the holder of the Test batting record, the First Class batting record and author some of the most devastating One Day innings played over the past 5 years. Brian Lara is a natural for this position, which forces me to drop the likes of Javed Miandad and Martin Crowe.

Now for a little sleight of hand. To qualify for the Moderns team, you had to have played at least one ODI innings, and my number five has done just that. By facing six balls, not opening his account, and getting out caught behind to Old on a wintry day at Leeds on September 5, 1973, Sir Garfield Sobers just manages to inch past the qualifying tape. Let us leave aside his lone ODI outing, and consider his case on the fact that he was the greatest all-rounder the world has ever seen -- someone who could open the bowling, switch to seam if needed, bowling left-arm spin if the conditions called for it, and bat like a deity. Sir Garfield is a natural for this slot, I didn't even consider an alternative.

Now for the key number six slot -- do we go for an attacking batsman like Dean Jones, or someone who can hold the innings together, like say Steve Waugh, or even the more mellow Aravinda D'Silva of recent times? Neither -- I have gone for Michael Bevan. He has proved to everyone that his high average is well-deserved. The number of times he has held the lower half of the Australian innings together and created winning situations means that he is possibly the most important member of the squad. While his selection is not automatic, there can be no complaints. To watch him take quick singles is worth going miles.

In One Day games, one cannot go for a pure wicketkeeper, ignoring the batting talents. Even so, the selection of Adam Gilchrist will have few dissensions. He could go into the team solely as a batsman. His keeping is outstanding, equally competent against quality pace and spin. A great person to have at number seven. To edge out Allan Knott, Rodney Marsh, Moin Khan and Mark Boucher, one has to be great. Gilchrist is.

Sir Richard Hadlee was the greatest of the wicket-to-wicket bowlers. It did not mean, though, that he bowled at medium pace -- he could push the pedal and bowl at searing speeds, when needed. His strike rate and economy rate are amongst the best in the business. His batting is a bonus, he could score a quick 30 or a patient 50. He edges Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan for the second all-rounder spot.

Someone to open the bowling. Someone to effect a mid-innings breakthrough. The best bowler at the death, against the lower order. Right -- we are talking Wasim Akram for the next slot. The most devastating bowler in the history of One Day Internationals, a creator of outstanding batting cameos, Wasim Akram is an automatic choice. No other player was considered.

Now for the spinner. Three names -- Shane Warne, Saqlain Mushtaq and Muthaiah Muralitharan -- were considered. (Even though Anil Kumble has great ODI figures, I did not consider him since I feel flight and guile are needed against the batting combination the Veterans can put into the field). All great bowlers, with wonderful variations. All attacking bowlers, trying to take wickets always. Almost never mastered. The vote though goes to Shane Warne for the way he can turn a match around at any time of the innings. He is a true match winner.

The second opening bowler slot presents many contenders. Younis, Donald, Garner, Holding, Ambrose, Marshall, McGrath, Croft... How does one select from this wonderful lot? All of them were great pace bowlers, masters of varying the line and swing, with wonderful control. My vote goes to Joel Garner, for his accuracy and the way he would use his immense height to bowl in an attacking manner. He is the only bowler with a bowling average of well under 20, amongst regular bowlers.

So here is the Moderns, in batting order, with their ODI figures given. A mouth-watering proposition for the connoisseurs, and a nightmare for the opposition (now why does this sentence looks familiar?).

Mordern XI
	Mat	Runs	Avge	Wkts	Wkts	Avge	RPO
Sachin Tendulkar (India)	248	9251	42.05	89.0
Gordon Greenidge (West Indies)	128	5134	45.04	69.5
Vivian Richards (West Indies)	187	6721	47.00	90.0	118	35.8	4.49
Brian Lara (West Indies)	172	6521	42.50	80.0
Garfield Sobers (West Indies)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Michael Bevan (Australia)	140	4621	57.05	75.5
Adam Gilchrist (Australia)	94	2968	33.72	89.5
Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)	115	1751	21.35	73.8	158	21.6	3.31
Wasim Akram (Pakistan)	306	3222	16.20	87.6	427	24.6	4.18
Shane Warne (Australia)	145			Wkts	228	24.6	4.18
Joel Garner (West Indies)	98				146	18.8	3.10

Okay, there you go. Mail me your comments, on team selection and the possible outcome of five games, to be played on the simulation engine, between these two sides. All mails to reach me before July 25.

Anant Narayanan

Photographs: Allsport