2026 All Year Fantasy - Declaration of Intent

[The Professor]

Have yet to hear from Susse....might need to consider Brook and Pooran as fair game

[The Professor]

So so close to a full house......just waiting for Andy's names before I put it all together.....

Loos like we're in for a largely stable list with probably half of the names remaining the same, a quarter returning from previous years and a quarter new names.

[The Professor]

If we don't hear from Andy by NYE morning I think we'll have to go on without him

[andy]

Apologies guys been away for Xmas will submit names by close of play

[The Professor]

Forgiven

[The Professor]

On that promise I will now reveal that the random draft order drawn from a hat by the independent adjudicatior (my five year old daughter) is:

Durham
Ginger
RDJ
MIB
The Professor Senior
The Professor
Arthur
Red Twins
Red Devil
Andy

[andy]

Sent my choices

[The Professor]

And lo! So it came to pass. 20 cricketers were selected to be monitored over the next 365 days. And they were good.....we'll some of them might be....hard to say.

First up is DFM who retained Liam Dawson and therefore completes his team with the return of old favourite Simon Harmer. That will be a very busy team come the Summer months.

Our reigning champion GingerPele is next up. He breaks up his all female championship winning partnership by pairing last year's silver medalist Nat Sciver-Brunt with another returning player. Humongous in size and talent - Marco Jansen rejoins for 2026.

RDJ has retained Ravindra Jadeja and welcomes Sophie Ecclestone into our game.

MIB also retained one of his players in the form of Saim Ayub. He then dives into the rejected players to nab English scapegoat Harry Brook for his third consecutive year in the game.

The Professor Senior chucked out both his players and therefore has a blank canvas. He starts to colour that in with someone from the rainbow nation - Quinton de Jock returns after 3 years away.

The Professor is up next. I have retained Pathum Nissanka and he is joined, in a very batting heavy duo, by returning India captain Shubman Gill.

Arthur retains Phil Salt and goes down under to procure highly rated New Zealander Michael Bracewell.

Red Twins keep Jos Buttler for his fourth consecutive year. Their second pick is slightly more problematic. Their first choice was Gill ... Already taken. Second choice was Sophie Ecclestone......again taken. So we then go to their third choice and welcome Travis Head back into the game.

Red Devil keeps last year's Cricketer of the Year - because why wouldn't you. He then takes a massive risk on a schoolboy. Vabhav Sooryavash becomes the youngest cricketer we've ever selected by 7 and a half years.

Andy is out last choice and he has two berths to fill. He selects Aiden Markram with the last selection of the first round and then completes his team with the first pick of the second round - in the name of Essex allrounder Paul Walter.

The second round is something of a farce as The Professor Senior is the only man standing. He bags Mehidy Hasan Miraz as our second ever Bangladesh player.

And thus ends the selection for this year.

The full roster is:

DFM

Liam Dawson
Simon Harmer

Ginger

Nat Sciver-Brunt
Marco Jansen

RDJ

Ravindra Jadeja
Sophie Ecclestone

MIB

Saim Ayub
Harry Brook

TPS

Quinton de Kock
Mehidy Hasan Miraz

The Professor

Pathum Nissanka
Shubman Gill

Arthur

Phil Salt
Michael Bracewell

RT

Jos Buttler
Travis Head

Red Devil

Sam Curran
Vabhav Sooryavash

Andy

Aiden Markram
Paul Walter

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cheers Prof. This could finally be the year I finish in the top half.

[andy]

Thanks prof

[Durhamfootman]

I've put the band back together

I still have no idea why I let Harmer go in the first place. Cost me 2,000 points this year and a 3rd title

cheers Prof

[Durhamfootman]

me and Harmer are like Burton and Taylor

[Arthur Crabtree]

Which one is Harmer?

[gingerpele]

I’ve decided to give Jansen another go! Wasn’t great for me when I last had him but feel he’s a better player now.

[Durhamfootman]

Which one is Harmer?

they both are

I'm all the other spouses in between