With the arrival of Australians Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the County Championship has cranked up a notch. Scott Duke-Giles tells you everything you need to know when choosing your Cricket Draft XI in gameweek six
With the arrival of Australians Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the County Championship has cranked up a notch.
Scott Duke-Giles tells you everything you need to know when choosing your Cricket Draft XI in gameweek six.
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The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Luis Reece; allrounder; £107k
A very consistent performer so far this season, Luis Reece averages 167 points per game. Reece picked up four wickets last gameweek in a rain-affected match against Leicestershire and scored an unbeaten 56 and 66 in gameweek three against Durham. Reece's form rating is 7.9 and his total points tally 334.
Marcus Harris; batsman; £131k
Australian Marcus Harris has been in and out of the national squads since 2018. He has not impressed massively so far this season, but scored 149 against Glamorgan in the opening gameweek and will be keen to make a late impression on the Australian selectors. Harris's form rating is 6.6 and his total points tally 408.
Bargain Buys
Zak Chappell; allrounder; £75K
Owned by 24 per cent of players, Zak Chappell has played well in a Derbyshire side which is still searching for its first win. Chappell has accrued 558 points so far this season. Opening the bowling and coming in at No.9 with the potential to play a handy innings, Chappell will be looking to continue his healthy form rating of 7.2.
Tom Price; allrounder; £102k
Having hit a sensational century against Worcestershire, the 23-year-old marked himself as a good choice for fantasy sides as a relatively cheap team member. Price has a 7.8 form rating and has accumulated 692 points so far this season.
Injury list
David Payne (ankle)
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Matthew Potts; bowler; £152k
One of the most consistently impressive bowlers in the County Championship so far this season, Potts justifies his large price tag. He took 5 for 65 in the second innings of Durham's recent demolition of Derbyshire. Potts will want to keep his run of solid form up as he attempts to be involved in the conversation for England's starting seamers in the Ashes series this summer. Potts' form rating is 8.2 and his total points tally is 460.
Adam Lyth; batsman; £119k
Owned by just three per cent of players, Lyth led his side to safety as Yorkshire held on to reach 412 for 9 against Glamorgan. Lyth, who was dropped by Marnus Labuschagne on 69, scored a magnificent 179 and rarely looked flustered as he guided Yorkshire to a draw. Lyth has 473 points and a form rating of 7.5.
Bargain Buys
Paul Coughlin; allrounder; £85k
Coughlin is a canny buy for players seeking an inexpensive player who can guarantee wickets. He took five against Glamorgan and three against Worcestershire in a game where Durham won by 121 runs. He's also handy with the bat as he scored 42 runs in that same game. Coughlin has 337 points with a form rating of 7.4.
Mickey Edwards; bowler; £80k
Finlay Bean is perhaps the most obvious bargain buy in the Yorkshire side - however Mickey Edwards could prove to be a handy addition for players who need wickets. The Aussie impressed in the first innings against Glamorgan as he took 3-54. Edwards' form rating is 7.2 and has 149 points.
Injury list
Matt Milnes
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Marnus Labuschagne; batsman; £173k
Yes, how unimaginative to select one of the world's best... but Labuschagne did back it up by scoring 65 and an unbeaten 170 against Yorkshire. If you can afford him, Labuschagne is set to be a guarantee of points in the upcoming gameweeks before the Ashes. His form record is 7.1 and points tally 625.
Joe Leach; bowler; £127k
Leach surprised people with the bat as well as impressing with the ball against Sussex. He scored 53 in crucial 103-run eighth-wicket partnership with Matthew Waite and then took 3 for 83 when Sussex went in to bat. His form record is 7.4 and points tally is 532.
Bargain Buys
Timm Van Der Gugten; allrounder; £103k
A massively impressive performer, Van Der Gugten dismissed both Yorkshire's openers in the first innings before taking three wickets in the second. This came after he scored a neat 35 not out with the bat. Get him while you still can! Van Der Gugten's form record is 8.3 and points tally is 751.
Ben Gibbon; bowler; £63k
Putting the bargain in bargain buy, Ben Gibbon is owned by 11 per cent of players and is yet to disappoint. The 22-year-old opens the bowling for Worcestershire and took two wickets in the only innings against Sussex and six in a previous gameweek when Worcestershire lost to Durham. Gibbon's form rating is 7.0 and his points tally 380.
Lancashire celebrate a Nottinghamshire wicket [Getty Images]
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Muhammad Abbas; bowler; £153k
Still the most widely selected player in the County Championship Cricket Draft, Abbas remains the key bowler to have in your side. He took six wickets in Hampshire's last win over Northamptonshire and six in one innings against Surrey. Abbas's form rating is 8.1 and total points tally 921.
Ben Compton; batsman; £119k
Selected by 10 per cent of players, plenty in The Cricket Draft are hoping Ben Compton will come good. In Kent's last game, a defeat by Middlesex, Compton played with his usual patience and managed 52 and 38 off 168 and 138 balls respectively. Compton's form rating is 6.7 and total points tally is 517.
Bargain Buys
Nick Gubbins; batsman; 96k
Granted, there aren't too many Hampshire batsmen (actually none aside from James Vince) who can hold their heads up high at present. But Nick Gubbins scored a confident 84 in a previous gameweek against Surrey and has the capacity to produce a solid run of form. Gubbins' form rating is 6.8 and total points tally 438.
Zak Crawley; batsman; £113k
Hear us out... Crawley needs an innings. Okay Okay, Crawley always needs an innings, but right now he really needs an innings. England's potential Ashes opener is owned by just two per cent of players, whose bravery might pay off if he bats for a day against Hampshire. Crawley's form rating is 6.5 and total points tally is 378.
Injury list
George Linde, Grant Stewart
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Joshua Bohannon; batsman; £122k
Having scored 68 and 92 last gameweek in a drawn match against Nottinghamshire, Bohannon continued his good run of form with the bat which has made him a relatively underrated batting selection in The Cricket Draft - he has been selected by just six per cent of players. Bohannon's form rating is 7.2 and his total points tally 627.
Bargain Buys
George Balderson; allrounder; £96k
One of the most exciting young allrounders in this year's County Championship, Lancashire's George Balderson has been very impressive. Owned by just three per cent of players, Balderson opened the batting and scored 91 in Lancashire's second innings against Nottinghamshire and took three wickets in the first innings. Balderson's form rating is 8.1 and his total points tally 402.
James Rew; wicketkeeper; £77k
Equally exciting and somehow only 19 is Somerset's James Rew. Rew made a fantastic 89 against Northamptonshire, following up his 117 which was made against Lancashire in gameweek three. Rew's form rating is 7.5 and his total points tally is 604.
Injury List
Richard Gleeson
Glamorgan and Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne [Getty Images]
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Peter Handscomb; batsman; £129k
Gunning for a place in Australia's Ashes squad, Peter Handscomb has played well in flashes for Leicestershire this season. He managed 62 in tough conditions against Derbyshire and scored 95 in gameweek 3 against Glamorgan. Handscomb's form rating is 7.0 and his total points tally 630.
Bargain Buys
Henry Crocombe; bowler; £43k
Costing players next to nothing is the 21-year-old seamer Henry Crocombe. Chipping in with wickets as well as bowling economically, buying Crocombe for an absolute steal is a no-brainer. Crocombe's form rating is 6.9 and his total points tally 310.
Rishi Patel; batsman; £67k
Twenty-four-year-old Rishi Patel has made a very tidy start to the season with Leicestershire. He made 58 opening the batting in the second innings last gameweek against Derbyshire, which followed a score of 134 in the second innings against Glamorgan the previous gameweek. Patel's form rating is 7.0 and his total points tally 576.
Injury List
Matthew Salibsury, Josh Hull
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Ben Sanderson; bowler; £131k
The always economical Ben Sanderson is Northamptonshire's key bowler and will be crucial if they are to get anything out of this game against Nottinghamshire. Sanderson has been consistent with his wicket taking so far this season, proving a solid choice for the 2% of players who are using him currently. Sanderson's form rating is 7.0 and his total points tally 276.
Ben Duckett; batsman; £142k
The other Ben to look out for in this game is Ben Duckett. He'll be looking to put right a disappointing two innings against Lancashire and get back to the kind of form he exhibited in the first innings against Middlesex, where he scored 177. Duckett's form rating is 7.4 and his total points tally 659.
Bargain Buys
Tom Taylor; allrounder; £107k
Taylor made a neat 53 for Northamptonshire in the second innings against Somerset and bowled economically, taking one wicket. This tidy allrounder could be a good addition if you want someone who consistently scores runs and takes wickets. Taylor's form rating is 7.4 and total points tally 134.
Brett Hutton; allrounder; £87k
Looking to capitalise on his fine performance with the ball against Lancashire will be Brett Hutton. The right-arm seamer took 5 for 66 in the first innings last gameweek and has been a consistent opener for Nottinghamshire. Hutton's form rating is 7.8 and his total points tally 592.
Injury List
Emilio Gay, Tom Moores
The Cricketer's Star Drafts
Sean Abbott; allrounder; £142k
Picked by nine per cent of players, Sean Abbott took a tidy 3 for 50 as Surrey dismissed Essex for 198 in a rain-affected match at Chelmsford. The Aussie batted well in the first innings, scoring 31, but will be looking to recreate previous innings like the one against Hampshire where he made an unbeaten 52. Abbott's form rating is 8.2 and total points tally 578.
Tim Murtagh; bowler; £129k
The master of early spring conditions, Tim Murtagh was excellent in Middlesex's last game against Kent. He took 4 for 40 in the first innings and 6 for 42 in the second in a dominant display. Murtagh's form rating is 8.4 and total points tally 499.
Bargain Buys
Thomas Lawes; bowler; £63k
Lawes is a very promising cricketer and looks to be a big hope for Surrey going forward. After taking 4 for 58 against Hampshire earlier in the season, he will be pushing to be included against Middlesex. Lawes' form rating is 7.0 and his total points tally 137.
Ethan Bamber; bowler; £117k
Pushing the threshold of the 'bargain buy' parameters is Ethan Bamber. The first-change seamer had a good game against Kent, taking 4 for 42 in the first innings and 2 for 28 in the second. Another good game will see his price inflate so get him while you can! Bamber's form rating is 8.4 and his total points tally 625.
Injury List
Jamie Overton, Reece Topley
The Cricketer's Star Draft
Sam Cook; bowler; £149k
One of the most dependable seamers in County Cricket in recent seasons. In an archetypal Sam Cook performance, the Essex man took 2 for 38 off 17 overs against a strong Surrey side in an economical and effective display. Cook's form rating is 7.8 and his total points tally 547.
Chris Rushworth; bowler; £129k
The experienced Chris Rushworth starred for Warwickshire in their last game against Hampshire. The right-arm seamer took 7 for 38 in the second innings as Hampshire were skittled out for 97. This came after he took 3 for 38 in the first innings. Rushworth's form rating is 8.0 and his total points tally 684.
Bargain Buys
Tom Westley; batsman; £104k
Essex's skipper has made a good start to the County Championship season, playing a few technically impressive innings. After scoring a very pleasing 62 in the first innings against Surrey, Westley will be looking to punish any of Warwickshire's bowling which is too straight or down the leg side with his trademark clips and on drives. Westley's form rating is 7.0 and his total points tally 458.
Daniel Mousley; allrounder; £77k
Warwickshire's 21-year-old all rounder was trapped lbw for 28 in their last against Hampshire, but he will be looking to return back to the touch shown in his first-innings performance against Surrey, where he was the pick of Warwickshire's batsmen in scoring a nice 55. Mousley's form rating is 6.9 and his total points tally 291.
Injury List
Liam Norwell, Danny Briggs, Adam Rossington, Jacob Bethell
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