Cricket World MVP Test Dream Team Selection

Cricket World MVP Test Dream Team Selection

Aliro Petersen and Graeme Smith open the batting for the MVP Test Dream Team

©REUTERS / Action Images

This weeks dream team selection focuses on the Test match arena, using the latest Cricket World Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ratings system. John Pryor picks the best XI.

It's do or die this week for England as they must win the final Test match against South Africa to maintain their number one world ranking. So what are their chances? Based on this week's Test match dream team it appears that England will need nothing short of a miracle to overturn a team which has five players in the line-up.

The top three batsmen in this line-up all hail from one country: South Africa. Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen open the batting and both will hope to continue their form from the first two Test Matches. Hashim Amla is likewise hoping to repeat his 311 scored at the Oval; he bats at three.

Following the South African trio is a West Indies duo - Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Samuels scored a fine hundred versus England earlier this summer making him the joint fifth highest ranked MVP batsmen in our line-up.

Chanderpaul, also fifth, has been in fantastic form this year and despite a resent duck versus New Zealand bats at five in this team. The final specialist batsman is yet another South African, AB de Villiers. De Villiers has made good starts in this tour of England but is yet to convert these starts into a big score; he remains one of the top ranked batsmen, ranked at seven.  The Australian Mathew Wade takes the gloves this week keeping his spot thanks to his stunning bating versus the West Indies earlier this summer.

The bowling attack is, sadly for England, spearheaded by yet another South African. Vernon Philander can bat and bowl, but it is his fine pace bowling this summer which earns him a place in this team.  Ben Hilfenhaus and Saeed Ajmal fill the other bowling slots; Ajmal was in the wickets versus Sri-Lanka, taking six in the final Test Match. The other spinner in this team is another West Indian, Shane Shillingford. Shillingford came in for the second test against England but was generally ineffective; however his good figures versus the Australians earlier this summer make him the highest ranked spinner.   

MVP Test Dream Team - 17th August 2012: Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, (all South Africa), Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (both West Indies), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Matthew Wade (Australia), Vernon Philander (South Africa), Shane Shillingford (West Indies), Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia), Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)

© Cricket World 2012