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Good value

Inside Cricket names the 50 most valuable players in the world.

Counting down the 50 most valuable players in the world is a new concept for Inside Cricket and we had a great time putting it together, knowing that lists like this not only serve as your guide to players around the world, but also gets the debate going and will no doubt cause our inbox here at Inside Cricket to overflow with your feedback and opposing views to our choices!

We decided on the most valuable as criteria for our top 50 because in today's game, how you are able to deal with and perform with the amount of cricket across different formats determines your impact on the game overall. A player might be superb in Tests with the bat, but can he match that in coloured clothing in the shorter forms of the game? Is a tidy ODI bowler also competitive in Tests? Can Twenty20 specialists shine in the longer forms? Do some players get better with age? We have considered all the options to formulate the top 50.

You might be surprised, confused, annoyed or content with our choices – at the very least it should get you thinking. Our choices were completed by our experts with the guidance of former Australia captain Ian Chappell, who watches so much cricket around the world and has an excellent grasp of not only how valuable our own players are but equally, those from across the cricketing globe.

We have backed the selections up with a full stats analysis, so you'll see each player’s numbers in full view, and we have also compiled lists of the highest run scorers, wicket takers, money earners, and detailed how many days the most active players have been on the field in the past 12 months.

We trust this gets 2010 off to a bang and that you enjoy reading it as well as our other features including interviews with Cameron White, David Warner and some new regulars that bookend the top 50 countdown.

Pakistan are in Australia and with some fantastic young players including Mohammad Aaamer and the Akmal brothers, hopefully they can inject some spirit into the contests against the Aussies. And at the Sydney Test it will be great to see efforts continue to raise funds for breast cancer research. 3 Mobile will donate all proceeds from the sale of Pink Zinc, which is available for a gold coin donation at 3 stores or at the ground, to the McGrath Foundation.

Zinc spread liberally across the nose and cheeks while sitting at the cricket and raising money for a good cause…brilliant!

Also don’t forget to keep sending in your photos and stories about club, grade or school cricket for our WAECO grandstand page to insidecricket@acpmagazines.com.au

Cheers!
Nick Raman, Editor

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