Four Englishmen named in ICC team of the tournament

Cricket365
England final ball celebrations World Cup final Super Over PA

English quartet Jason Roy, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were all named in the ICC’s official team of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

As the tournament concluded in spectacular fashion in Sunday’s showpiece final, all that remained was to determine which players would be honoured with selection to the tournament’s best XI.

The list comprised six men from the two finalists with four Englishmen and two New Zealanders, as well as two Australians, two Indians and a sole Bangladeshi selection.

 

Jason Roy (England) – 443 runs at 63.28

England never looked more vulnerable than when the destructive opener was absent. He amassed three half-centuries on his return and his partnership with Jonny Bairstow went from strength to strength. Between them, they achieved six opening stands of 100+ runs in the tournament.

Rohit Sharma (India) – 648 runs at an average of 81

Lead the tournament in runs (648) and became the first batsmen to score five centuries at a World Cup. A rock at the top of the order and needed to be with India’s suspect middle-order only truly being exposed in the semi-final. Came close to surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most runs in a single World Cup (674) before falling agonisingly short in the semi-final.

Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – 578 runs at 82.57

The ultimate professional. A credit to his nation and the role of captaincy alike. Williamson lead a team with far inferior resources beyond the likes of Australia and India and as close to victory as you can ever come without achieving it. Unflappable with the bat; rescuing New Zealand mid-collapse on multiple occasions. Named man of the tournament.

Williamson PA

Joe Root (England) – 556 runs at 61.77. Two wickets at 27.5

Not the final he would’ve hoped for 7(30) but without his calming influence and stability, England would never have made it that far. His selfless style of play allowed those around him to shine and World Cup glory will surely do no end of good for England’s Test captain with the Ashes now moving firmly into focus.

Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 606 runs at 86.57. 11 wickets at 36.27

A statistical juggernaut. The only player ever to take 11 wickets and score 600 runs in a World Cup. Almost single-handedly reclassified Bangladesh from perennial underdogs to worthy contenders. Would’ve been a genuine contender for player of the tournament had Bangladesh reached the knockout stages.

Ben Stokes (England) – 465 runs at 66.42. Seven wickets at 35.14

A heroic effort in the final book-ended an inspirational tournament for England’s number one all-rounder. Guts, determination, resiliency, even the spectacular, Stokes produced a little bit of everything in this World Cup. When the going got tough in the latter stages of the group phase, Stokes was the one man to consistently stand tall with the bat. Thoroughly earned his place in English cricketing folklore.

Ben Stokes PA

Alex Carey (Australia) – 375 runs at 62.5. 18 catches and two stumpings

The best performing keeper-batsmen of the tournament. His fireworks were often needed with the uncharacteristically slow pace of David Warner and middle-order plodding of the likes of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith. Often came in to bat a spot or two too low in the order, an issue that will surely be rectified in Australia’s post-World Cup evaluation.

Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 27 wickets at 18.59

Surpassed Glenn McGrath’s record (26) of most wickets in a single World Cup with 27. The left-armer terrorised batsmen with his trademark pace and delivered what was perhaps the ball of the tournament, demolishing fellow team of the tournament alumni Ben Stokes’ stumps with a vicious yorker at Lord’s.

Jofra Archer (England) – 20 wickets at 23.05

Oh, how ridiculous the debates of “Will he disrupt the team ethos?” seem now. Two months ago Archer had never played an ODI. Fast-forward to the final and the 24-year-old had impressed so much that he was entrusted with bowling the super over. Not even a first-ball wide and an ensuing six could rattle the Barbadian-born seamer, as Archer rescued a situation that looked dire with New Zealand requiring just 7 runs from 4 balls. Became the first English bowler to take 20 wickets at a World Cup and his inclusion in the Ashes squad is surely now a mere formality.

Jofra Archer PA

Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand) – 21 wickets at 19.47

The perfect first change after the new-ball exploits of fellow toe-cruncher Trent Boult. Ferguson regularly steamed in to bowl at speeds well over 90mph and accounted for the second most wickets by a bowler in the tournament. His mix of slower balls, yorkers and devastating bouncers kept batsmen guessing as his exploits spearheaded New Zealand to a second consecutive final.

Jasprit Bumrah (India) – 18 wickets at 20.61

An extraordinary economy rate of 4.41 given the bulk of his overs are bowled at the beginning and end of the innings. The ultimate death bowler – Bumrah frustrated opposition batsmen with his blend of slower balls and laser-accurate yorkers. It is perhaps the biggest compliment that many batsmen chose to see off Bumrah in a circumspect manner despite the obvious talents of bowling partners Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami.