Short stuff: Cricket's greatest pint-sized XI

One of the great things about cricket is that it is open to players of all shapes and sizes (and no, this is not a cheap shot at you, Jesse Ryder). You don't need a basketballer build like Tom Moody or Joel Garner to play cricket. You can captain your country, as Warwick Armstrong did, and weigh over 20 stone (127kg).

A remarkable number of the game's greats have been conspicuously short. Most of the greatest batsmen of all time have been closer in size to jockeys than giants. Sir Donald Bradman is usually listed at 170cm, although some contemporaries suspected he was a touch smaller.

Here is a team of miniature maestros that would destroy pretty much any other team you may care to name.

1. Sunil Gavaskar (165cm)

A brilliant Indian opener who prospered against the fastest bowling in the pre-helmet era. He set new marks for most Test runs and most Test centuries during his 125-match career. Brave and steady, he averaged better than 50 at the top of the order and is regarded by some as history's greatest opener.

2. Hanif Mohammad (160cm approx.)

One of many great cricketers to carry the nickname, 'The Little Master'. Mohammad's 499 was the highest first class score for 35 years until Brian Lara bettered it in 1994. His 337 against the West Indies in 1957-58 remains the longest innings in Test history. He could bowl with either arm and was also an able wicketkeeper.

3. Sachin Tendulkar (165cm)

The finest batsman since Bradman.

4. Aravinda de Silva (161cm)

The dynamic Sri Lankan had a top Test score of 267, hit 145 in an ODI, and stood tall against even the fastest bowling. He was a good fielder and handy change bowler.

5. Alvin Kallicharan (162cm)

A fluent left-hander who always looked stylish even when at his most inventive, he played 66 Tests for a batting average of 44.43. His willingness to take on even the most hostile bowling was exemplified in the 1975 World Cup when he smashed Dennis Lillee for 35 runs from 10 balls: 4444414604.

6. Syd Gregory (164cm)

Played his last Test a century ago and had the mediocre average of 24.53 but included ahead of others like Gus Logie, Gundappa Viswanath and Roy Fredericks because we want an Aussie in the team. Represented his country in 58 Tests, a record at the time of his retirement. Reputedly a brilliant cover fieldsman, Syd won't mind coming in at six because he batted in every position, from opener to 11, during his international career.

7. Mushfiqur Rahim (160cm)

While there are better keeper-batsmen than the Bangladeshi favourite, he gets a nod ahead of superior players like Parthiv Patel and David Murray because we like the fact he was reputedly 150cm when he made his Test debut against England in May 2005.

8. Malcolm Marshall (177cm)

Not a short man by any means (some sources list him as 180cm), but small in comparison to most express pacemen. Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach are shorter, but not nearly as good. David Boon called Marshall "the world's first fast bowler with a turbo engine" and he earns his place here due to the disjunction between the size of his frame and the size of his achievements.

9. Lasith Malinga (170cm)

A genuine tearaway, the charismatic Sri Lankan generates fearsome pace via a unique slinging action. He has turned himself into one of the best 'death' bowlers in short forms of the game, and a genuine new ball threat in Test cricket, despite lacking the usual paceman's stature.

10. Harold Larwood (170cm approx.)

At his peak the most feared bowler the game had ever seen, it is hard to believe Larwood played only 21 Tests. He was on the short side, and so was his bowling, at least when he was the prime exponent of Bodyline. Started labouring in a coalmine at the age of 14, which no doubt developed his body strength.

11. Alfred 'Tich' Freeman (157cm)

A leggie who appeared in a dozen Tests for England in the 1920s, the durable Freeman played 592 first class matches and took 3776 wickets, the second-highest tally in first class history. Batsmen reported – understandably – that the Kent stalwart delivered the ball with an awkwardly low trajectory.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of BigPond Sport.