Recent heroes miss Bradman's best

Six of Bradman's 1948 Invincibles appear

The late Don Bradman chose six members of Australia's 1948 side in his Ashes dream team, shunning the all-conquering side of recent years.

The Australian XI in a new book, Bradman's Best Ashes Teams, includes Bradman, Arthur Morris, Neil Harvey, Keith Miller, Don Tallon and Ray Lindwall from the 1948 "Invincibles" team, which beat England 4-0.

Only fast bowler Dennis Lillee, who retired in 1984, is present from the modern era.

There is no place for the likes of Steve Waugh, the third highest run-scorer in Test history, or leg-spinner Shane Warne, voted one of Wisden's five cricketers of the 20th century.

Was The Don right? Have your say

Among the England XI are Jack Hobbs and Len Hutton as openers, middle-order batsmen Wally Hammond and WG Grace, wicketkeeper Godfrey Evans.

Botham is relegated to England's drinks-carrier

With a new-ball pairing of Fred Trueman and SF Barnes - a star at the turn of the century - all-rounder Ian Botham, the man behind England's Ashes series victory in 1981, is relegated to 12th man.

Bradman's all-time team, released in a previous book by biographer Roland Perry a year ago, similarly overlooked Waugh's side, which won a record 16 consecutive Tests from 1999 - 2001.

The legendary batsman, whose career Test average of 99.96 appears unlikely ever to be bettered, died in February 2001 aged 92.

The dream teams were compiled in 1998 and confirmed in 2000.

But Perry believes Adam Gilchrist may have replaced Tallon as Australia's wicketkeeper, "had Bradman lived to the middle of 2002".

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Bradman's Ashes teams:

Australia: Bill Ponsford, Arthur Morris, Don Bradman, Neil Harvey, Charlie Macartney, Keith Miller, Don Tallon (wkt), Ray Lindwall, Dennis Lillee, Bill O'Reilly, Clarrie Grimmett, Richie Benaud (12th man).

England: Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Denis Compton, Peter May, Wally Hammond, WG Grace, Godfrey Evans (wkt), Fred Trueman, Alec Bedser, SF Barnes, Hedley Verity, Ian Botham (12th man).