by Arthur Crabtree » Tue Nov 21, 2017 1:53 pm
Who was it that said that if you tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth? It was someone I've never heard of because I've just searched it. Alan Hansen would say different but he would be wrong. Just as he was when he intoned that form is temporary but class is permanent, like he wasn't a Liverpool supporter and had never heard of Michael Owen. Or Robbie Fowler.
And Ian Bell won't be taking guard in Perth either. Form is crucial and in cricket, statistic lay bare the truth like in no other sport (when cross referenced with other variable factors). So here are the stats for the competing Fantasy League candidates.
The batters. Games/tons/average. Where appropriate.
Alastair Cook
Career average: 147/31/47.
Form (average since Jan 2016): 24/3/42.8
Average in Australia: 15/4/49.5
Average against Australia: 30/4/39.2
Mark Stoneman
Career average: 3/0/30
James Vince
Career average: 7/0/19.3
Joe Root
Career average: 60/13/56.3
Form: 24/5/52.5
Average in Australia: 4/0/27.4
Average against Australia: 41.29
Dawid Malan
Career average: 5/0/23.6
Ben Stokes
Career average: 39/6/35.7
Form: 18/4/44.7
Average in Australia: 4/1/34.8
Average against Australia: 9/1/30
Jonny Bairstow
Career average: 45/3/39.8
Form: 24/3/50.2
Average in Australia: 2/0/12.3
Average against Australia: 9/0/24.7
Gary Ballance
Career average: 23/4/37.5
Form: 8/0/20.3
Average in Australia: 1/0/12.5
Average against Australia: 3/0/20.5
Moeen Ali
Career average: 44/5/34.7
Form: 24/4/42.3
Average against Australia: 5/0/36.6
Chris Woakes
Career average: 18/0/32.1
Form: 13/0/33.9
Average against Australia: 1/0/42
Ben Foakes
N/A
I always say that everybody's right.