Cook leads England FTI MVP

Alastair Cook racked up 298 runs at a strike rate of 97 per 100 balls in five innings during England's NatWest Series win over Sri Lanka

Alastair Cook holds a 45-point advantage in the England FTI MVP ahead of the npower Test series against India, the world’s number-one ranked team in the five-day game.

After his stunning performances in last winter’s Ashes victory over Australia, Cook has kicked on this summer with 688 runs across Tests and one-day internationals.

He is currently ranked second in the Test FTI MVP after recording scores of 133, 96, 106 and 55 and contributing 23% of England’s runs against Sri Lanka.

He has also excelled in the one-day arena, racking up 298 runs at a strike rate of 97 per 100 balls with scores of five, 48, 119, 95 not out and 31.

Cook scored over a quarter of his team’s runs in the NatWest Series as England recorded a 3-2 win over the World Cup finalists in his first series as permanent ODI captain.

James Anderson currently lies second in the FTI MVP, despite missing the Lord’s Test against Sri Lanka through injury.

Like Cook, the paceman reserved his most impressive performances for the one-day series, taking 4-18 at the Oval and 3-24 at Trent Bridge.

Graeme Swann, now rated the best one-day bowler in world by the ICC rankings, is third, having taken 20 wickets so far this summer with a best of 3-18 in the Oval ODI.

Swann claimed top spot in the 2009/10 FTI MVP and repeated the trick in the summer of 2010 before finishing third this winter.

Chris Tremlett leads the Test FTI MVP and has earned enough points to be fourth overall despite playing just the one form of the game.

The giant seamer took 15 wickets in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka at an average of 23.40, including 4-40 at Cardiff and 6-48 on his old stomping ground the Rose Bowl.