Dream Team
Welcome to our new, expanded, illustrated presentation with statistical summaries of the selected players
Martin Speight, ex-Sussex and Durham keeper picks his top Xl
1. Desmond Haynes
Desmond Haynes was my coach at Sussex – obviously I didn’t play in the same county side as him but I spent a long time playing against him, or with him in the odd charity game. He was someone who was that determined on the pitch. It was as if he always had a point to prove.
2. Bruce Edgar
I played with Bruce at Wellington, and he’s possibly one of the most underrated players of his generation. Certainly when I was in New Zealand they rated him much higher than John Wright. He was a very talented player, but maybe thought about it too much.
3. David Boon
When he played for Durham he was just a very quiet, strong leader. Technically a brilliant player, but the great thing about him was that he gave everyone else around him confidence.
4. Martin Crowe
Probably the best batter that I played in a team with, again playing for Wellington. He just overawed the opponents – he’d won the game before he’d even walked out. Technically, too, he was top-notch.
5. Imran Khan
He played at Sussex when I first started playing. A brilliant all-rounder, and I think a probably slightly underrated batter – certainly playing for Sussex he got hundreds when I was playing. He was maybe not the most talented strokemaker, but he certainly got a lot of runs. As a bowler, once the ball was old and scratched he was almost unplayable.
6. Dermot Reeve
Probably the best performer under pressure, looking at his record with both bat and ball. He certainly made the most of his ability – he wasn’t the most talented player, but whatever the situation he believed he could go in and win a game.
7. Garth le Roux
He was a very powerful stroke-player and could change a game in no time. As a bowler he used to hit the deck really hard and move the ball away from the right-hander. A seriously good player.
8. Franklyn Stephenson
A brilliant guy to have in the changing room. As a bowler he used to bowl heavy and quick, but he also had this phenomenal slower ball. Of all the players I played with, if you had a tight situation and an over to bowl, he was the guy I think most of my generation would back every single time to see it through and win you the game.
9. Evan Gray
A left-arm spinner from Wellington, I played club cricket with him for Karori. He would turn up from playing a state or an international game on a Thursday or a Friday, and he’d be playing for the club first team on a Saturday. A great club guy and a very fine bowler.
10. Peter Moores
A very, very solid keeper, but a brilliant bloke to have in the changing room. What he brought to the changing room certainly made up for what he may have lacked if you were looking for an outand-out keeper/batsman, although he was still a reasonable batter.
11. Eddie Hemmings
A brilliant off-spinner. I roomed with him when I was younger and he first came to Sussex. He had great control as a bowler, but he was also a great mentor to me in talking about the game. As for 12th men, I’ve got to get David Smith and Alan Wells in there. David was a very tough opening batsman. When you first joined the squad at Sussex he was quite hard on you as a young player, but once you got his respect he’d back you 100 per cent the