Okay so I'm aware that
Mohammad Ashraful averaged 24 from 150 matches in the period. And I'm aware that that's really not very good, but for one week in June 2005, he was the best batter in the world. Against Australia in
that game, he scored
his famous match-winning century. I was there that day, and he never even vaguely looked like he'd get out. It's since been bumped down to only the second-best innings I've seen live, but it's definitely the most important. Three days later, he rocked up against England
and scored a 52-ball 94. Then on the last day of that week, he played a completely different innings -
a resilient 58 as the team subsided around him. As it turned out, that was just lightning in a bottle; before that three-game week, he averaged 16.50 from 49 games; after it, 22.96 from 125. In true Ashraful fashion, the innings that bookended it were both golden ducks. But I'm picking him anyway, for that week.
1.
Sachin Tendulkar
2.
Chris Gayle
3.
Marvan Atapattu
4.
Darren Lehmann
6.
Mohammad Ashraful
8.
Mohammad Amir
9.
Shane Bond
10.
Makhaya Ntini
11.
Hamid Hassan
Apologies all for the delay,
@Verified Enigma has the double pick