ICC Fantasy CT17: Movers and shakers
We’re through the first phase of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and with all teams having now played, the scene is beginning to take shape.
Wins for England, South Africa and India all went according to form, while the washout between New Zealand and Australia has piled the pressure on both teams to get results in their final two group games.
The fantasy league is up and running and no surprise that Virat Kohli (valued at 10.0 – higher than anyone else) and Ben Stokes (9.0), as the two most watchable cricketers on the planet, have proved to be the most popular picks, with Joe Root (9.0), David Warner (9.5) and Steve Smith (9.0) occupying the next three places.
BATTING
One aspect of the opening four games has been the dominance of touch players. Of the four centuries made so far, three have gone to players who tend to rely on timing and touch rather than brute force. English grounds, with their inviting outfields and true pitches, are well set up for stroke-makers, and Hashim Amla (8.5), Kane Williamson (8.0) and Joe Root all compiled classical hundreds. Root’s masterful 133* sees him rack up 198 points, more than any other player so far.
The fourth man to have made a century is Tamim Iqbal, and at 6.0, the Bangladeshi dasher is the cheapest of all the players in that top bracket. However, he goes up against Australia’s quicks in a must-win clash at The Oval, and following their defeat to England, Bangladesh must produce something special to stay in the tournament.
Perhaps better value can be found with India’s in-form opening pair, Rohit Sharma (7.5) and Shikhar Dhawan (6.0). The former is the ultimate ‘streak’ player. His cultured 91 against Pakistan has put him back in rhythm, and he is capable of going big when he gets in: he remains the only man in history to have made two ODI double centuries. Equally, Dhawan, who kicked off with a sprightly 68 at Edgbaston, always seems to deliver in ICC tournaments, and was the highest run-scorer when the tournament was last staged in England four years ago.
RECOMMENDED PICKS
Joe Root at 9.0
Coming off another century, the relentless Root will face New Zealand at Edgbaston where two years ago he creamed a 78-ball hundred against them
Rohit Sharma at 7.5
The ultimate streak player among one of the tournament-favourites
Kusal Mendis at 2.0
Sri Lanka’s No.3 is a world star in waiting and extraordinary value at this price
BOWLERS
The two best spells so far have come from the champion leg-spinner Imran Tahir (8.5) and Australia’s McGrath-apprentice, Josh Hazlewood (7.0). Both are rock-solid picks, each possessing ideal attributes to be successful in England and both likely to play a full part in the business end of the tournament.
Elsewhere, England’s Liam Plunkett at 4.0 was the best-value achiever in Round 1, taking four wickets against Bangladesh to make it 17 from his last five ODIs and clocking up 98 points, second in the points list behind Tahir’s 140.
Similar value in Plunkett’s teammate Mark Wood (4.0), fit again, getting better with every match and seeking wickets first-up and at the death. No such threat from the unfortunate Chris Woakes, whose side strain has ruled him out of the tournament. And of the seamers, keep an eye out for Morne Morkel, not cheap at 6.0 but a proven performer in England who was excellent against Sri Lanka.
As Tahir has shown, spinners win matches in England. To that end, Australia’s funky leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who looks set for his tournament bow at The Oval against Bangladesh, could well be worth a look at 3.5.
RECOMMENDED PICKS
Imran Tahir at 8.5
Facing an out-of-sorts Pakistan on Wednesday at Edgbaston, Tahir will want to put on a show against the country of his birth
Umesh Yadav at 4.0
India’s enforcer took three Pakistani wickets and has form coming into the tournament
Liam Plunkett at 4.0
Eleven years on from his debut, England’s form man is having the time of his life
WICKETKEEPERS
In the keepers category, Mushfiqur Rahim (6.0) sits pretty with 94 points from his game against England, while there is some decent short-term value to be found in Niroshan Dickwella at 4.5, who blazed away against South Africa at the top for Sri Lanka before falling unluckily for 41. It’s worth noting that his opening partner in that match, the skipper Upul Tharanga, is suspended for two matches for mismanaging his team’s over rate. The best value of the lot, though, is Luke Ronchi (3.5), who dazzled for New Zealand against Australia in the opener’s spot and has an ODI top score of 170*.
RECOMMENDED PICK
Luke Ronchi at 3.5
New Zealand’s in-form opener is a steal at that price
ALLROUNDERS
Ben Stokes is the second most popular player selected so far, but England’s lethal top order meant he didn’t get to bat against Bangladesh. It should be a different story against New Zealand and Australia. The big mover in Round 1 has been seamer Hardik Pandya, promoted up the order at the death against Pakistan and then picking up two wickets, great value at 4.0.
Yuvraj Singh is the current leader of the pack, racking up 105 points in the first game and batting at No.4 in this India side. Of other big names, Ravichandran Ashwin was a surprise omission against Pakistan, while Angelo Mathews missed the first game, and his fitness remains a concern.
RECOMMENDED PICK
Yuvraj Singh at 6.0
Kohli describes Yuvraj’s return as a “beautiful” story, and it’s not finished yet.