OVAL WORLD FANTASY CRICKET LEAGUE 2023

It's a tangible sign that the county cricket season is coming into view. That's right, the OWFCL is back again for 2023.

The game's crème de la crème have been given monetary values expressed in terms of fictitious weekly salaries based on how each player faired in the County Championship and domestic Tests in the last two years; or, to be more precise, the average number of points per match each would have scored based on the last couple of seasons. The £1,000 'bargain buys' are those players who, for whatever reason, did not play Test or championship cricket in 2021 or 2022.

Your job is to pick a squad of 14 players by deploying a maximum weekly wage bill of £32,500.

Points will be based on ALL of the runs, wickets and catches each player registers in this summer's County Championship and England's domestic Test matches against Ireland and Australia. In other words, the early season county fixtures against the English university teams will NOT count, neither will performances by those players deemed to be overseas; that's why Essex's Simon Harmer and Hampshire's Kyle Abbott, key fantasy selections in the past, aren't listed.

So, to give everyone a chance to weigh-up form and identify the players likely to feature for their teams on a regular basis, the closing date for entries is Thursday, 13th April, with all the points accrued in the first round of County Championship matches still counting.

As the 2023 season progresses, every player will be awarded points on the following bases:

BATTING
1 point for every 25 runs scored in Test and County Championship cricket.

BOWLING
1 point for each wicket taken in Test and County Championship cricket.

FIELDING
0.2 points for every catch taken or stumping made in Test and County Championship cricket.

YOUR SQUAD
Each entrant will need to select a 14-man squad. The squad must consist of:

  • 5 batters
  • 1 wicketkeeper
  • 2 batting all-rounders
  • 2 bowling all-rounders, and
  • 4 bowlers.

Players can only be selected from the 400+ non-overseas batters, bowlers, all-rounders and keepers listed and valued on the selection grid. At the end of the competition, your team's total score will be calculated on the basis of your 4 best batsmen, your 3 highest points-scoring bowlers, your wicketkeeper and your 3 most successful all-rounders - the aim being to arrive at your best 11 players. To see the most up to date selection grid go to:

Click here to see the selection grid - pdf
Click here to see the selection grid - excel
Click here for an application form - pdf
Click here for an application form - excel

YOUR BUDGET
You have a weekly budget of £32,500 with which to pay a squad of fourteen. Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the selection grid takes account of player moves and retirements.

WHAT COULD I WIN?
The winner will receive a free Surrey CCC county membership or the cash equivalent.

AND FINALLY… THE SMALLPRINT
Each entrant is only allowed to submit one entry. You do not need to be a member of the Surrey CCC Supporters' Club to enter the competition. The entry fee is £5.00 (please make an online transfer to the Supporters' Club's bank account Account Number: 15788860 Sort Code: 30-65-38). Selectors can choose a name for their team, provided it does not exceed 25 letters and isn't considered offensive. All entries must be received before the first ball of the second round of County Championship matches is bowled - so, 11am on Thursday, 13th April 2023. If necessary, selections can be amended before the deadline. All correspondence relating to the competition should be sent to Marcus Hook, Flat 1, 67 Birdhurst Rise, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 7EJ or to marcushook64@gmail.com

ROLL OF HONOUR
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Fantasy League - season 2006 
Fantasy League - season 2005 

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