Prime Ministers XI or an XI of Prime Ministers?

Following on from yesterday's debacle against the England XI, I started thinking about the benefits of the Prime Minister's XI and whether we might be better off with an XI of Prime Ministers.

After not much consideration at all, here are my picks;

1. Edmund Barton, opens it all up;

2. Bob Hawke, rowdy singer of the team song & passionate opener (of beers);

3. Paul Keating, stylish first drop who naturally comes in after Hawke;

4. Robert Menzies, stoic at number 4 though causes confusion in the rooms by constantly playing songs by ‘Queen’;

5. Ben Chifley, good man in a crisis;

6. Gough Whitlam (c), some issues with selectors despite popularity with the people;

7. Julia Gillard (wk), always works hard behind the scenes/sticks;

8. John Howard, providing plenty of spin and ability to spend time at the crease;

9. John Curtin, good bowler at the death;

10. “Black” Bill McMahon, angry fast bowler;

11. Joseph Lyons, can bowl us through any depression;

Other considerations:

• Harold Holt, didn’t make the list through a penchant to go missing in the field
• Francis Forde & John McEwan, no longevity at the crease