England MVP One-day XI Of The Moment - 11/08/2008
It was as if the majority of the overall MVP front-runners took stock this week to prepare for the final run-in. Six of the top ten didn't play either because of injury, their counties not having fixtures or in the case of Steve Harmison due to a higher calling.
In the absence of some of his nearest competitors Martin van Jaarsveld took the opportunity to re-establish himself on top of the table. The South African earned 17 points by scoring 40% of Kent's second innings runs (53 out of 133) in the low-scoring match at the Riverside but it was not enough to save his team from defeat inside seven sessions.
Samit Patel was the other major mover in the overall MVP notching scores of 56 and 42 in the rain-affected draw at Taunton. Patel lies second with 1191 runs and 34 wickets across all cricket.
Hampshire's James Tomlinson continued his fine form in the LVCC MVP with nine wickets in the win over Yorkshire at the Rose Bowl taking his championship tally to 51. He is the highest placed of the eight bowlers in the LVCC top ten and has closed the gap behind van Jaarsveld to just three points.
Due to the relative lack of movement and ahead of the one-day series against South Africa we have picked our England one-day XI using players from the one-day MVP top tens.
1. Marcus Trescothick: For the purposes of this hypothetical one-day team we're re-instating the man England have most struggled to replace. The Somerset run-machine is ranked second in the pro40 having bashed 91 against Sussex and 124 versus Durham.
2. Joe Denly: If Trescothick is England past then Denly is very much the future. Like his illustrious opening partner he combines an authentic opener's defence with a penchant for taking on the bowling. Denly was to the fore in Kent's Twenty20 campaign with five fifties but his season's highlight was a high-class hundred in the semi-final of the FPT at the Riverside. Ranked sixth in the T20 MVP
3. Owais Shah: Possibly even better in the shorter forms than Kevin Pietersen? Shah's pyrotechnics got Middlesex over the line in the Twenty20 Cup and he's been at it again in the Pro40 scoring 73 and 96 in the Crusader's two matches, which represents over 41% of their competition runs. Ranked tenth in the Pro40 MVP
4. Ravi Bopara: Having a great season, Bopara's ranked second in the FPT and fifth in the Pro40. He's been responsible for two of the three most explosive innings we've seen this summer - 201 in the quarters of the FPT against Leicester and a 59-ball 112 versus Derbyshire in the Pro40.
5. Samit Patel: Recently drafted into the England one-day set up and we agree! Patel offers variety with his left-arm spin but it's his batting which has earned the points. His best effort in one-day cricket this summer was a fine 114 against Durham but it's his consistency in the crunch situations, which sees him as a leading MVP contender. Ranked third in the FPT MVP
6. Graham Napier: Napier is to bat in the middle order in our team despite having ignited the Twenty20 Cup from the number three berth. His 152 not out has been the most electrifying performance of the season to date, while his 4-10 in the quarters against Northants should not be overlooked either. Ranked first in the T20 MVP.
7. Matt Prior: Once again we are in accord with the England selectors - or perhaps it is Geoff Miller and Co taking heed of the MVP stats. Prior narrowly pips Worcestershire's Steven Davies to the gloves by virtue of his 137 against Somerset and 79 versus Durham. Ranked third in the Pro40 MVP.
8. Shaun Udal: Our most controversial selection because we are preferring a 38-year-old off spinner ranked eighth in the T20 MVP to England's incumbent Graeme Swann who is many years his junior and ranked first in the Pro40 MVP. It's more than sentiment, however, as Udal was magnificent throughout the key T20 moments for Middlesex and has silverware to show for his efforts.
9. Tim Bresnan: Bresnan has had a remarkably consistent season across all forms. He offers miserly yet aggressive one-day bowling and powerful lower order ball striking. Ranked third in the LVCC and fifth overall he qualifies for this team through his position of fifth in the FPT MVP
10. Steve Harmison: Harmy might have ruled himself out of one-day cricket at international level but like with Trescothick we have the power to ignore all that. The big man has been outstanding this summer in one-day cricket with 4-47 in the FPT versus Kent and 4-31 in the Pro40 against Middlesex his best returns. He is ranked ninth in the FPT MVP.
11. Jade Dernbach: Surrey have not had the best of seasons but Dernbach gives them cause for optimism. He takes wickets with the new ball and bowls with good variety at the death Dernbach is ranked seventh in the Pro40 MVP.
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