In response to our latest Joe Root/Richie Parrett article, we’ve received the following from Chris Gudgeon…

Dear All!

Firstly a very Happy New Year to all from a snowy Toronto! Love reading the excellent Stoke site and keeping up with the news.

Going on the basis of those that I have had the pleasure of playing with at my time at Stoke here is my stab and a best XI:

1. Phil Easton
2. Nigel Edwards
3. Ian Wellman
4. David Willis (Keeper)
5. David Edwards
6. Will Gudgeon
7. Alistair McMillan
8. Stephen Finch
9. Andy Page (Captain)
10. Adrian Mills
11. Tony Vandensteen
12th Man : Tom Gudgeon

Basis, and I go on the assumption that all the above are on the top of their game…

My openers were simply the best. Welly at number three. Nobody better.

David Willis would add flamboyance to the team in his keeping – and chatter – and batting.

David Edwards, a superb all-rounder.

Apologies for bias but William Gudgeon would also add hard hitting, as well as cover some of the, say, less reliable fielders in the squad.

Ali Mac would supply some ballast to the middle order.

Finchy, as a steady medium pacer, and would be either him in the gully – or Nigel – with Phil in the slips; Pagie as captain and a terrific motivator.

Adrian as a very steady foil to the guile of Vanders.

So, Chris has selected a side that, (to date), has scored a combined total of 80892 runs, taken 4415 wickets, held 1712 catches in the field, effected 40 run-outs and notched 317 keeping dismissals, (247 ct, 70 st.)

Chris himself racked up 7569 runs for the Club between 1973 and 2008 : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/player_stats_widget/batting_stats/23483?rule_type_id=179

Do you have a team of your own to compare with this? (It can be a Greatest World XI, a Greatest Stoke XI…or both.)

E-mail stokecc@hotmail.com and we’ll add to the debate.