All-time XI: World

Sachin Tendulkar, Adam Gilchrist, Dennis Lillee and Wasim Akram react at being picked in ESPNcricinfo's all-time World XI

A team of slowpokes who will test the patience of the fiercest opponents and the tolerance of the most obdurate viewers

The notion of a face-off between Trueman and Tendulkar and Lillee and Lara is mouth-watering, to say the least. Who'll win in a contest between ESPNcricinfo's World XI and the Second XI?

Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar have effectively been voted the third and fourth-greatest cricketers in the game's history

Four Australians and three West Indians make it to the side. Warne, Gilchrist and Akram other recent players to feature

Left-handers are increasingly to the fore in cricket. What would an all-time XI composed exclusively of the species look like?

Cricketers who'd break your spirit and shake your hand

There may be plenty of well-known problems inherent in picking all-time XIs, but the exercise is still a worthwhile one

A play-for-your-life XI who'll do you proud when it's a choice between not losing and heading to the gas chamber

Eleven players who couldn't be graceless if they tried

There was never a dull moment when these men took the field

Our soon-to-be announced all-time world XI will be picked from a shortlist of 88. But there are plenty of stellar names outside those ranks, as this XI, chosen from those who weren't on the shortlists, proves

Team to be picked from all-star country teams selected so far