[Gowza]

i've swapped imran for miller now, though it's an everlasting argument for me as to who should be picked in that #9 spot, i've been going with imran for his reverse swing but the more i read about miller the more i find that he seems to be underrated with the ball and he was a much more natural batsman than imran (with more test tons in less matches also). whenever i read or hear an account on miller they always say he was a great bowler and one of and possibly the best of his era. the high strike rate that he has was actually a very good strike rate for his era and he's always described as fast, lethal, great and the best bowler of his time when he wanted to be.

i used to rate imran much more with the ball than miller which is why i had imran in the XI before but like i said the more i read and listen the more i sway to miller. something that really stands out for me though is that miller was always a batsman, then he bowled a bit for the australian services XI and from there went on to become one of the best bowlers of his generation, what makes this impressive is that he was playing for one of the greatest test teams there has ever been, he batted top 6 and turned himself into a terrific opening bowler for one of the greatest teams. no matter how you look at that it's impressive, he was a great batsman turned great fast bowler for a team that has claims to be the best ever (considered one of the best).

not many in this world have had the talent to be selected both as a top 6 batsman and an opening bowler for one of the great teams (and at the same time) and being that he played those roles, 2 very important roles in a great team proves to me of his class in both suits. he was also a terrific fielder and had a great mind for the game.

take nothing away from imran, he was an incredible player but miller was a better batsman, many have said had he not been needed as a bowler he would have become one of the greats with the bat, i don't think that's been said about any other all rounder in history. take the other great all rounders for example kapil, imran, botham and hadlee. i don't think anyone has ever said if they didn't bowl they may have become one of the great batsmen (procter probably the closest to this).

imran and hadlee are probably my next 2 players into this XI, i just can't leave marshall out though and for now at least i'm going with miller over the others.