t20 cup

Today marks the return of the ridiclously long domestic t20 cup..

Today's live game is leics vs Notts...

im predicting a easy win for notts, weather permitting.

Notts look the stronger side. I would suggest that this competition will be more open than recent years, when the strong Southern sides (Sussex, Hants, Essex, Somerset) and Notts have largely dominated, notwithstanding Leics's good showing last year.

In my opinion the length of the competition is just right this year, after two years with six extra matches.

If I'm going to tip a winner I'm going to plump for Surrey. In recent years they have mastered CB40 but not quite T20. However, with Murali Kartik and Dirk Nannes joining the young and free-spirited hitters I see them going far.

I can see us (hants) doing well again. Our players suit this form of the game.

Carberry, Adams, Mckenzie, Vince, Afridi, Dimi, Briggs etc..

We will have a good go

and you cant discount essex from any limited overs comp..

we have a powerpacked batting line up

Cook
Bopara
Shah
Westley
ten Doechate
Franklin
Foster
Napier
Mills
Masters
Phillips

Strong side, and if cook and ravi dont play then, Pettini and Wheater would come into the side.

Shelsey93 wrote:

If I'm going to tip a winner I'm going to plump for Surrey. In recent years they have mastered CB40 but not quite T20. However, with Murali Kartik and Dirk Nannes joining the young and free-spirited hitters I see them going far.

Ramps will be pleased to be categorised amongst ''the young and free-spirited hitters'' as he is called up to the Surrey T20 squad for the first time since 2010.

notts win the first televised game of the season by 6 wickets, as Leics were bowled out for 96

Somerset Vs Warwickshire i believe is the televised game tomorrow, will be good to have the leg up resting to watch that

CF wrote:and you cant discount essex from any limited overs comp..

we have a powerpacked batting line up

Cook
Bopara
Shah
Westley
ten Doechate
Franklin
Foster
Napier
Mills
Masters
Phillips

Strong side, and if cook and ravi dont play then, Pettini and Wheater would come into the side.

Without wishing to dismiss Essex, I do feel that this team aren't quite at their peak, and perhaps have been overtaken by younger sides such as Notts, Hants and Surrey.

Cook and Bopara will hardly play if at all as the ODIs continue throughout the T20, and whilst Pettini and Wheater are decent players I struggle to see them winning you the tournament. Meanwhile, you lack a spinner that the opposition would really worry about. I know that Phillips got a lot of wickets last year, but I back the best players in the competition to get hold of him. Given that Franklin doesn't bowl much these days the seam attack is a bit thin on genuine class - Napier is decent, but not really a matchwinner, whilst the others are quite inexperienced.

Franklin is a good signing, as he is an experienced T20 player all around the world. Expect him to bat up the order - perhaps even open with Cook and Bopara absent.

Can't wait to see this Somerset batting line up when Trescothick gets back.

Tres
Levi
Kies
Hildreth
O'Brien
Buttler
Morkel
Trego
Thomas
Kirby
Dockrell

Quite a line up when everyone is fit! Although they might go with an extra bowler, but the batting would still have some power to it!

O'Brien doesn't count as overseas right?

Anyway O'Brien is only there for the first 5 games, so i imagine Meschede will be brought in for him. Plus will Kieswetter and Buttler miss many matches? if theres one they both miss it will mean we likely see Alex Barrow take the gloves.

I imagine tomorrow may go with

Kieswetter
Levi
Trego
Hildreth
O'Brien
Buttler
Morkel
Meschede
Thomas
Kirby
Dockrell

Assume Mesch is fit, whats the situ with gregory? as I imagine he would play and if fit bring in for Kirby.

I don't know. I'd prefer Kirby in the side IMO. Obviously doesn't offer as much with the bat, but is a much more reliable performer in T20's. And I am fairly sure O'Brien doesn't count as overseas? I can't recall a situation where a Porterfield, Rankin or even a Dockrell is an overseas so I can't imagine he would be. I think your side is what we will go with tomorrow though.

I really hope Glammy can have a good season in the T20 and with the side they have, they got a real good chance of getting far in the tournament.

We have North and Marsh as our main batters, with helpful contributions from Allenby and Allenby.

The bowling looks allot better with the genuine pace of Simon Jones who bowled superbly against Durham last week, taking 4 wickets with an economy of just over 3 from his 8 overs. Harris is back from injury and Cosker is always useful.

Would be nice if they could get to finals day, being as it is in the Swalec, however, I can't see past the usual suspects. Somerset have a fantastic side and so do Surrey.

JDizzle wrote:I don't know. I'd prefer Kirby in the side IMO. Obviously doesn't offer as much with the bat, but is a much more reliable performer in T20's. And I am fairly sure O'Brien doesn't count as overseas? I can't recall a situation where a Porterfield, Rankin or even a Dockrell is an overseas so I can't imagine he would be. I think your side is what we will go with tomorrow though.

I think Kieswetter will miss pretty much the entire tournament. Buttler only a few games when the T20s are on.

On paper Somerset still have a super batting line-up. My question would be whether the likes of Levi and Morkel can quickly gel into the team, and over the bowling which, without Kartik, looks a little fragile.

I'm pretty sure i've got tickets to finals day, got an email with a confirmation number etc, just never booked tickets for one before. Going with a few uni mates as we go to uni in wales so should be a good laugh and hopefully will see somerset there.

Gregory is a good bowler in the 1 day formats though so should be featuring a fair bit. As for no Kartik, I think Dockrell has come on alot and should make a good replacement.

guildfordbat wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:

If I'm going to tip a winner I'm going to plump for Surrey. In recent years they have mastered CB40 but not quite T20. However, with Murali Kartik and Dirk Nannes joining the young and free-spirited hitters I see them going far.

Ramps will be pleased to be categorised amongst ''the young and free-spirited hitters'' as he is called up to the Surrey T20 squad for the first time since 2010.

Quite surprising really that Ramps is included, I would have liked to see Burns/Lancefield given a chance in Maynard's absence as they have done OK for the seconds recently.

It's hard to predict who the best sides will be in T20, I don't think many thought Leics would do well last year for example! For me, Somerset and Glamorgan look good, as do Notts although their bowling may let them down. I hope Surrey do well, I think our bowling will be very good with Nannes, Kartik et al although we'll miss Dernbach for sure. Batting wise we need to get more consistent scores from the big hitters - Davies, RHB, Maynard and Roy - to ensure the bowlers have something to defend. Too often those guys fall cheaply and from then on the batting is very pedestrian with the likes of De Bruyn, Spriegel, Wilson etc.

I think the three favourites from my point of view are Somerset, Surrey and Notts. Notts's bowling is undoubtedly their weakness without Broad and Swann, and Somerset's bowling is also fragile with injuries and I am not entirely convinced with our batting without Tres (and Kies for a lot of it). Surrey would be my favourites but it is so, so hard to predict. I don't think anyone called Leics last year! I'd say the winner should come from the the Southern group but even that is a bold claim! On the plus side, I have tickets to Notts-Durham in Durham on Sunday, which should be cracking. Looking forward to see James Taylor playing!

south group is easiest toughest group so we (essex) will have a tough time getting out of group, but i believe we can

COME ON SOMERSET

Jos Buttler sporting hero - Mario Balotelli

Fists (in particular) - I see that Laurie Evans is making a rare appearance for Warks tonight.

He's a youngish batsman who was tipped for great things at Surrey before apparently falling out with Adams and being moved on in late 2010. I thought he would have established himself with the Bears by now but the good form of others has largely kept him on the sidelines.

I believe he's been given a contract with Warks to the end of the 2012 season so they obviously see something in him.

Meanwhile, at the Oval, Surrey win the toss and elect to bat against CF's Essex.

Surrey leave out Meaker and Ramps from their 13 man squad. I was surprised yesterday when Ramps was called into a T20 squad for the first time since 2010. Having done that, it seems very odd not to play him.

Laurie Evans slipped past a ball on the boundary to give Levi a 4.

127-3 after 13 at taunton, Levi on 59 and Morkel on 20 or so after having crashed one a mile over the old pavilion

One of the big 3 out for Surrey, Davies stumped.

Now Hyphen's skied one

31-3 in the 4th.

COME ON ESSEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Much worse than losing to Essex is having to face CF afterwards.

Jonny Barran reckons there's ten to eleven thousand at the Oval!

Carrotdude wrote:Much worse than losing to Essex is having to face CF afterwards.

thats the price you pay my friend

guildfordbat wrote:Fists (in particular) - I see that Laurie Evans is making a rare appearance for Warks tonight.

He's a youngish batsman who was tipped for great things at Surrey before apparently falling out with Adams and being moved on in late 2010. I thought he would have established himself with the Bears by now but the good form of others has largely kept him on the sidelines.

I believe he's been given a contract with Warks to the end of the 2012 season so they obviously see something in him.

Hi Guildford, yes good to see him in. He is a talented player, but as you say is being forced to bide his time. He has made fairly consistent runs for the 2nd XI, I believe, without really getting any big'uns that may help to force his inclusion.

Having said that, he has a chance to perform tonight, as Warks are chasing an imposing and likely improbably 190+ after that powerful Somerset line-up, led by Levi, smashed a fair few. I dread to think what they'd have been like with Gayle and Trescothick.

Woakes bowled very well, though, going at a shade over 6 per over despite Levi's onslaught and taking 2 wickets in the process.

Fists of Fury wrote:

... Woakes bowled very well, though, going at a shade over 6 per over despite Levi's onslaught and taking 2 wickets in the process.

Meanwhile, the Piolet lost direction and crashed!

I give up

Usual T20 dross from our boys, nothing changes.

4 off dockrell's first over with a drop catch from morkel in the deep off porterfield

Waller on a hattrick for the first ball of his next over, getting porterfield caught by trego then maddy lbw first ball

YES SOMERSET

128 for Surrey, not enough surely.

Carrotdude wrote:128 for Surrey, not enough surely.

Fear you're completely right, Carrot.

Spriegel is a good pick for CB 40 (I don't think he's missed a game in that for about 4 years!) but lacks the acceleration needed in T20, particularly when up the order at number five.

Expect more discontent about Maynard's absence!

And Somerset have just wrapped up a 63 run win

Essex 74-4 off 11,

2 wickets for Batty.

We have a chance. A small chance.

No chance until RtD is out, that man has it in for us!

RtD is out!

Spinners getting us back in it but still an uphill task ....

And now he is! Interesting.

Congrats to Somerset and hodge in particular

83-6.

Ansari in on the act as he gets Foster lbw ....

Carrotdude wrote:

Congrats to Somerset and hodge in particular

Yes, indeed. Cracking performance from Somerset.

Tremendous return of 4-16 off his 4 from Waller - something of a surprise inclusion.

guildfordbat wrote:Essex 74-4 off 11,

2 wickets for Batty.

We have a chance. A small chance.

Make that a big chance.

91-8 off 16. Essex crumbling to our spinners and dreadful run outs!

Off to Sussex vs Hants tomorrow

unortunatley i can't get down to watch any of the games live unless i fancy taking the bus which i don't really fancy as it means alot of using the crutches.

Luckily Somerset should be on the tv a fair bit

101-8 off 17.

Essex need 28 off 3 with 2 wkts left ....