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Darren Berry’s best Australian Test XI since World Series Cricket
SEN • February 8th, 2025 1:10 pm
Former Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry has named his best Australian Test XI since World Series Cricket.
World Series Cricket changed cricket forever in the late 70s, and while some of the stars of that era continued playing on afterwards in the early 80s, Berry’s team includes players whose whole careers came after Kerry Packer’s competition.
As a result, the likes of Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell missed out on making Berry’s side.
“I’ll just preface it by saying, Dennis Lillee is in my best team, but I've gone after that era,” Berry explained on SEN's Sportsday.
“Lillee, Rod Marsh and Greg Chappell were a little bit after World Series, but I haven’t put them in.
“So, this team is after the retirements of Marsh, Lillee and Chappell, it’s from the mid-80s and onwards.”
With that in mind, Berry named his XI and explained some of his decisions.
Matthew Hayden
“Opening the batting will be Matthew Hayden from Queensland, and this isn’t on the numbers, this is just the team I would pick,” Berry said.
Mark Taylor (c)
“The other opener is another left-hander, and he will be the captain of the side, his name is Mark Taylor.
“Now his record and numbers are maybe not as good as a few of others … but I’ve got him in.”
Ricky Ponting
Steve Smith
Steve Waugh
Allan Border
“Number six could have been captain, but I think Mark Taylor was better tactically.
“But this bloke, if I'm picking a team, has to be in it.”
Ian Healy (wk)
“There are only two names you could really choose, Adam Gilchrist or Ian Healy.
“I picked, in my opinion, the best wicketkeeper, not the best wicketkeeper-batsman.”
Pat Cummins
“Pat Cummins is in my team at number eight, he's not captain, but he's in the team because he's just a brilliant cricketer. He gets it done.”
Mitchell Starc
“I’m totally confident in Mitchell Starc at number nine with his left-arm swing and pace.”
Shane Warne
“Then it’s the best spinner that this country has ever seen, and in my humble opinion, the best spin bowler the world has ever seen.
“He can bat at number 10, and he wouldn't be happy, he'd want to bat at nine.”
Glenn McGrath
Nathan Lyon (12th man)
“I've named the 12th man, just in case we go to Sydney back in the 80s and it's spinning. I couldn't pick the team without putting Nathan Lyon in as the 12th man.”
