Building a league-winning Cricket Draft squad doesn't have to max out your salary cap - here are six 'High Quality-Low Value' fantasy picks to consider
Nottinghamshire - £50k
South African batter Matthew Montgomery is an absolute bargain for your draft at just £50k.
The Notts youngster scored an excellent 178 runs off 353 balls in his last first-class match against Durham, as Notts won by 462 runs and has racked up 544 runs in 14 innings, at an average of 41.84, including one century and two half-centuries.
With 286 runs across his last six first-class innings at an average of 47.60, the 22-year-old will be hoping he can carry his form from the end of last campaign into Division One. Montgomery scored 549 Cricket Draft points last season.
Surrey - £57k
Surrey have a lot of star players who will cost a lot of money and will be on the mind of many selectors, but Thomas Lawes is a better value-for-money pick than his teammates.
Lawes made his debut in all three formats for Surrey in 2022 and impressed many, taking 18 wickets in the County Championship at an average of 23.72. On debut in the County Championship, the allrounder took four wickets for 51 runs against Kent.
Despite not having played many matches, Lawes is an underrated pick - as Surrey often lose many players to international duties throughout the season - and secured 758 points last campaign.
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Thomas Lawes hits out [Stu Forster/Getty Images]
Derbyshire - £57k
Matthew Lamb is another great value pick for your Cricket Draft squad, as an experienced championship campaigner for Warwickshire since 2016 before making the switch to Derbyshire at the end of last season.
Lamb has scored 1,843 runs in his first-class career, from 67 innings, at an average of 31.23, including three centuries and eight half-centuries.
The 26-year-old may not score loads of runs every single week, but he is reliable and will regularly contribute, which makes him a good value-for-money pick that can help pick up valuable points in your draft. He also picked up 720 points last season.
Worcestershire - £90k
Dillon Pennington is one of the best value bowling options in the Cricket Draft and is a must have for your fantasy draft, scoring a mighty 1,420 points last season.
The 24-year-old was the seventh highest wicket taker in the County Championship Division Two last campaign, taking 44 wickets at an average of 22.63. In his first-class career, Pennington has taken 114 wickets at an average of 28.25.
The fast bowler finished the last campaign strongly, with 16 wickets in his last four matches and is still young and yet to fulfill his potential, which he could do in the upcoming season.
Dillon Pennington celebrates a wicket [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]
Gloucestershire - £90k
Gloucestershire’s 23-year-old has taken 48 wickets at an average of 22.72, including a ten-wicket haul against Warwickshire in the penultimate game of last season’s County Championship. Price is also handy with the bat, scoring 367 runs in 26 innings, with a high score of 71 runs.
The allrounder finished last campaign very strongly, taking 18 wickets in his last three matches in the County Championship.
At just £90k, Price can provide crucial points in your draft XI, scoring 1,228 last season.
Sussex - £92k
Ali Orr enjoyed a fine second season for Sussex in the 2022 County Championship, passing 1,000 runs for the season during the final match of the season, thanks to scoring 198 runs off 174 balls against Glamorgan.
Orr has an average of 44.30 in first-class cricket, including four centuries and seven half-centuries. The 21-year-old is still developing in a young Sussex side and under new coach Paul Farbace, he could secure high points at a lower price than the top picks.
Orr scored an excellent 1,563 points last campaign and is no doubt on England’s radar with his fine form.
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