Ashes to ashes
12 November 2006. Inspired by a dead rubber.
"As Chris has chosen the incomparable Dr Grace to lead England, I have selected a forceful personality, the Big Ship, Warwick Armstrong, to lead the Australian eleven. Armstrong’s gruff manner did not endear him to the English public, so he is the ideal counter to the scruples of the doctor."
Marvellous thing of the day: the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and the Australian Dictionary of Biography have teamed up to offer Dead Ashes XIs, chosen by Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Jim Maxwell. Fortunately, the dates of the Aussie edition preclude Bradman from being picked, so I think we edge it this time. Scroll down to the bottom - they've chosen dead commentators and media correspondents too. No umpires?