In this week's Top Ten Cricket special we're looking at the greatest Test all-rounders of all time - and once again, these players virtually pick themselves.

The all-rounder is a special breed, and is such a vital part of any side. They are called on to go out and score the runs, and then follow that up by taking the wickets (or vice verse) - there's no rest from responsibility for them during a match.

It is for this reason they are possibly the most important factor when it comes to selecting a side, balance-wise.

We've decided to leave out wicket keepers, and focus on 'true' all-rounders, but don't despair - we'll look at the best keepers in the weeks ahead.

So here are the Top Ten all-rounders of all time:

10. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand): 85 Tests, 2898 runs, 27.60 average; 271 wickets, 33.39 average (and counting)
Vettori has only recently established himself as an all-rounder - for so long he was just a bowler who could bat a bit. Now, he is still a fantastic spin bowler, but also a very useful lower order batsman. His batting style is slightly unusual, but he is very creative and has gone on to score some very useful runs over the past couple of years. He is still very much a bowler who can bat, but as time goes on we think he will emerge as one of the great all-rounders. He's approaching the 3000 runs-300 wickets mark, and that says it all.

9. Chris Cairns (New Zealand): 62 Tests, 3320 runs, 33.53 average; 218 wickets, 29.40 average
One of cricket's biggest hitters of all time. Cairns was an aggressive batter who could go out and score runs very quickly - usually by smashing the ball over the boundary - and he'd then go and rip through a batting lineup with the ball. His career was shortened due to injury, which unfortunately meant we didn't get to see as much of him as we would have liked, but he will go down as one of New Zealand's greatest cricketers - and indeed one of the best all-rounders.

8. Andrew Flintoff (England): 70 Tests, 3494 runs, 32.35 average; 206 wickets, 32.21 average (and counting)
Flintoff has established himself as one of England's best players with both bat and ball, and despite being injured for long periods of his career he has produced some outstanding figures. He is a very aggressive batsman capable of smashing the ball out of the ground, and is equally aggressive with the ball in hand. If he can overcome his injury problems, he could fast become one of the greatest all-rounders of all time. For now, though, we'll keep him at eight.

7. Wasim Akram (Pakistan): 104 Tests, 2898 runs, 22.64 average; 414 wickets, 23.62 average
Like Vettori, Akram was more known for his attacking bowling (he easily made our Top Ten bowlers list), but he could also be very handy batting down the order for Pakistan. While he may not have been as reliable with the bat as Cairns or Flintoff, you always knew he posed a very real threat with the ball at the top of the innings. And, you couldn't write off his batting - he'd often save Pakistan by smashing quick-fire runs late in their innings. Even the best bowlers in the world had to be weary of Akram with the bat in his hand.

6. Shaun Pollock (South Africa): 108 Tests, 3781 runs, 32.31 average; 421 wickets, 23.11 average
We felt a bit guilty that we couldn't fit Pollock on our Top Ten bowling list, but there's no chance of us leaving him off the all-rounder list. He is indeed a fantastic bowler, and was for such a long period of time, and he was also a fine attacking weapon down the order with the bat. You wouldn't think it to look at him, but he could smash the ball a long way. He wasn't just a slogger, either - he could just as easily guide the ball through the field with excellent timing. He was a real handful for any side.

5. Imran Khan (Pakistan): 88 Tests, 3807 runs, 37.69 average; 362 wickets, 22.81 average
One of only six players to ever score an all-rounders triple - 300 wickets and 3000 runs. Khan dominated the game for two decades, and is regarded as one of Pakistan's greatest ever players - he really does symbolise what an all-rounder is all about. He was equally adapt at batting as he was at bowling, too - there wasn't really a weak point to his game. Also one of the greatest captains of all time.

4. Jacques Kallis (South Africa): 123 Tests, 9761 runs, 55.46 average; 240 wickets, 31.22 average (and counting)
Kallis is one of the best batsmen to play the game, and he is also a great bowler who is often overlooked for his bowling abilities. He broke onto the scene as a top order batsman, but over time he became one of South Africa's top order bowlers. His pace may have slowed down over time, as most fast bowlers do, but he can still create a few problems for batsmen with the ball. We don't really have to mention his batting - an average of over 55 speaks for itself.

3. Sir Ian Botham (England): 102 Tests, 5200 runs, 33.54 average; 383 wickets, 28.40 average
The business end of the list. 'Beefy' was one of the most competitive cricketers, and it's no wonder he became one of the greatest all-rounders. Like Cairns he was a big hitter of the ball, and he liked to score runs quickly - making him very hard to bowl to. Bowling wise, he still holds the England record for wickets taken. His career may have been filled with controversy, but we still think he was one of the most entertaining players to play the game.

2. Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand); 86 Tests, 3124 runs, 27.16 average; 431 wickets, 22.29 average
Hadlee was to New Zealand what Botham was to England - but without the controversy. Hadlee is easily one of the best bowlers on the list, second only to Akram. He really could swing a game in New Zealand's favour with the ball, ripping through some of the best batsmen of the time. He could also score runs with the bat, and is one of the six players to hold an all-rounder's triple.

1. Sir Garfield Sobers (West Indies): 93 Tests, 8032 runs, 57.78 average; 235 wickets, 34.03 average
Like Kallis, Sobers is probably more regarded for his batting - but there's no denying his ability with the ball. What made him even more dangerous as a bowler was that he could bowl pace or spin, which not many players can claim to be able to do. He may not have the most runs or the most wickets, but what makes him our number one choice is the fact that he could win the game with both the ball and bat. We never got to see him play, but from all accounts they don't come much better that Sobers.

We have to give a special mention to three players who came so close to making the list, but in the end just missed out - Jacob Oram, Lance 'Zulu' Klusener and Chris Gayle. Three fantastic players that could/can be absolutely thrilling to watch!

Photo's from Flickr - kp-snap (Chris Cairns), mugley (Andrew Flintoff)

Given that we looked at the top 10 best Test batsmen last week, we thought it would only be right that we look at the top 10 best Test bowlers this week.

Once again, this list speaks for itself - you only have to look at their stats to see why they make the list.

Here we go:

10.
Dennis Lillee (Australia): 70 Tests, 355 wickets, 23.92 average, best figures - 7/83

Lillee set the standard for quick bowlers during the 1970s with his extreme pace and fiery attitude. His career looked to be over when he suffered from a stress fracture to his back, but he fought his way back and continued where he left off. His partnership with Jeff Thomson, another Aussie pace man, was one of the most devastating pace attack during the 70s. Lillee held the World Record for Test wickets (355) when he retired in 1984.


9.
Waqar Younis (Pakistan): 86 Tests, 373 wickets, 23.56 average, best figures - 7/76

The master of reverse swing. Younis was known for his extreme pace and his ability to get reverse swing, which became a lethal weapon for Younis - as did his in-swinging yorker. Like Lillee and Thomson, Younis developed an extremely dangerous bowling partnership with fellow pace man, Wasim Akram, and the two consistently ripped through some of the best batting lineups.


8.
Malcolm Marshall (West Indies): 81 Tests, 376 wickets, 20.94 average, best figures - 7/22

Marshall is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, and his average of 20.94 is the best of anyone who has taken over 200 Test wickets. Unlike most fast bowlers, Marshall was considered short - especially when you look at the other great West Indian pace men. Regardless of his height, though, Marshall was very quick - and indeed, very dangerous.


7.
Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand): 86 Tests, 431 wickets, 22.29 average, best figures - 9/52

Finally, a New Zealander worthy of making a cricketing list. The first player to surpass 400 Test wickets, and he held the World Record at the time. Hadlee was a master of bowling, and a very handy batter as well - making him one of the greatest all-rounders to play the game. He slowed his action as he got older, and became a lethal swing bowler to counter the lack of pace. Makes New Zealanders proud to have someone who could challenge the best of all time...


6.
Curtly Ambrose (West Indies): 98 Tests, 405 wickets, 20.99 average, best figures - 8/45

Following in the veins of the great West Indian pacemen who came before him, Ambrose became one of the great pace bowlers of the 1990s. Like all great fast bowlers, Ambrose worked in tandem with Courtney Walsh, as the two become synonymous with wicket taking. His average is second only to Malcolm Marshall's.


5.
Wasim Akram (Pakistan): 104 Tests, 414 wickets, 23.62 average, best figures - 7/119

Like Waqar Younis, Akram became a master of reverse swing, and when combined with his pace he became a lethal opening bowler. There was nothing more devastating for a New Zealand cricket fan than watching Akram and Younis rip through our batting lineup - which they did with what seemed like ease. Akram was also a handy lower order batsmen, and an even more devastating one day bowler (he holds the record with 502 ODI wickets).


4.
Courtney Walsh (West Indies): 132 Tests, 519 wickets, 24.44 average, best figures - 7/37

Walsh became the first bowler in the history of cricket to surpass 500 Test wickets, something only four other bowlers have done since (Warne, Muralitharan, McGrath and Kumble). He held the world record for wickets until taken over by Warne. Walsh may not have been the best batter (the only guy that could be considered worse is Chris Martin...), but he sure made up for it with his bowling.


3.
Glenn McGrath (Australia): 124 Tests, 563 wickets, 21.64 average, best figures - 8/24

Anyone who's best figures are 8/24 has got to be doing something right. McGrath became best known for his ability to get his line and length spot on, time after time. He wasn't the fastest bowler by any means, but he used his skills incredibly well, and in doing so became just as lethal with line and length as the pace men did with speed. Australia will struggle to replace him in the years to come.


2.
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka): 123 Tests, 756 wickets, 21.96 average, best figures - 9/51

Murali is the highest wicket taker of all time, with his incredible haul of 756 - and counting. However, much of his career has been tarnished with allegations of chucking - something that we think drops him from the number one spot. He is an extremely talented spinner, but we can't shake the fact that we feel he chucks (we almost left him off the list all together...). In the end, we decided to put him at number two - because of the fact that he hasn't actually been banned.


1.
Shane Warne (Australia): 145 Tests, 708 wickets, 25.41 average, best figures - 8/71

The absolute master of spin. Love him or hate him, you can't argue with his ability - and he doesn't chuck. Warne re-invented spin bowling, and brought it back at a time when pace bowling dominated the game. He may have had a few problems off the pitch (OK, a lot of problems off the pitch), but when he was playing he was one of the most competitive players ever - and he could turn a game with just one delivery. Just watch the clips below, and you'll see why he is considered the greatest bowler of all time - at least, in our minds.