Cricket: No Black Caps in 'dream test XI'

Shane Warne. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's best cricketers would be left to watch from the stands if a side of the greatest players of all time were taking the field, according to fans who voted on an ICC poll.

But the Black Caps aren't the only team who failed to get representation in the 'dream test XI'.

In the week when England host India at Lord's in the 2,000th Test match, English players were also omitted from the list along with fellow test nations South Africa and Sri Lanka.

But India and Australia have four representatives including the peerless Don Bradman, whose Test batting average of 99.94 remains head and shoulders above anyone else ever to have played the game.

The modern era Aussies are wicketkeeper/batsman Adam Gilchrist, pace bowler Glenn McGrath and spinner Shane Warne.

Englishmen like W.G. Grace, Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Jim Laker, Fred Trueman and Ian Botham were all overlooked as a quarter of a million fans voted on the website of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport's ruling body, for the top Test side over the last 134 years.

No.1 ranked India is led by Sachin Tendulkar, who will play in Thursday's landmark match.

Bradman, whose last Test was in 1948, is the only player on the list to have played before the Second World War. Indeed, he is the only one from before the 1970s.

"Selecting from such greats is no easy job, and not surprisingly, the selection mainly reflects modern players seen by present day supporters," said Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive.

"There are many greats from the past who would have easily merited selection in this team, but it is nevertheless interesting to see the fans' view on their greatest XI of all time."

Two West Indians make the cut - although there is no place for any players from their great sides of the 1970s or 80s such as Gary Sobers, Viv Richards or Malcolm Marshall - as well as one Pakistani, Wasim Akram.

Of the 10 Test playing nations, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and South Africa are also without representation.

ICC TEST DREAM XI: Virender Sehwag (IND), Sunil Gavaskar (IND), Donald Bradman (AUS), Sachin Tendulkar (IND), Brian Lara (WIS), Kapil Dev (IND), Adam Gilchrist (AUS), Shane Warne (AUS), Wasim Akram (PAK), Curtly Ambrose (WIS), Glenn McGrath (AUS)

- AAP