Wisden’s Bob Willis Trophy team of the tournament

Having somewhat foolishly picked a team of the group stage with just one game of the Bob Willis Trophy left, Wisden’s Bob Willis Trophy team of the tournament is, as you’d expect, quite similar to that former XI.

Wisden’s Bob Willis Trophy team of the group stage

There are two changes though, as well as a slight rejig of team structure. The alterations are explained below:

The openers

Alastair Cook

6 matches, 563 runs @ 56.30, HS: 172

Tom Lammonby

6 matches, 459 runs @ 51, HS: 116

After their super Bob Willis Trophy final tons, space had to be found for Alastair Cook and Tom Lammonby in this XI, the former with more runs in the tournament than any other, and the latter top of the tons chart. It’s a bit of a fudge, but we’ve pushed Ben Slater and Jake Libby, both openers, down to first- and second-drop. It’s been a competition for the openers; all of a sudden, England have a plethora.

The middle order

Ben Slater

5 matches, 425 runs @ 60.71, HS: 172

Jake Libby

5 matches, 498 runs @ 55.33, HS: 184

Ben Duckett

5 matches, 394 runs @ 56.28, HS: 150

Colin Ackermann

5 matches, 379 runs @ 54.14, HS: 94

Tom Abell drops out after a couple of sub-20 scores took his average below 40. But we couldn’t bring ourselves to leave out any of the other batsmen, and so altered the team balance instead.

The wicketkeeper

Adam Wheater

6 matches, 291 runs @ 58.20, HS: 83* | 20 dismissals

A pair of unbeaten knocks, the latter a heroic draw-saver, means Essex’s stumper keeps his place.

The bowlers

Craig Overton

6 matches, 30 wickets @ 13.43, BBI: 5-26 | 248 runs @ 31, HS: 66

Simon Harmer

6 matches, 38 wickets @ 15.86, BBI: 8-64

Darren Stevens

5 matches, 29 wickets @ 15.58, BBI: 5-37

Tim Murtagh

4 matches, 25 wickets @ 12.72, BBI: 5-34

Craig Overton’s belligerence – 111 runs for once out in the final – means he can justifiably take the bowling all-rounder’s spot previously claimed by brother Jamie. The rest is as you were.