2013 Season Preview: County Championship

With the 2013 season just around the corner, and the first pre-season game getting underway tomorrow, I think it’s the right time to look forward and give my opinion on how we are going to do this season. The first competition I’m going to be previewing is the Liverpool Victoria County Championship, so here goes.

Due to obvious unforeseen circumstances last season, our Championship campaign didn’t go according to plan, finishing one place and 33 points ahead of the relegation places. It was a wonderful effort from Batty and co to keep us in Division One, and hopefully that can inspire us to greater things this year.

It is certainly a different looking squad to the team that beat Sussex in the opener at the Oval in 2012. The starting X1 that day was: Rudolph, Jordan, Ramps, de Bruyn, RHB, Maynard, Burns, Batty, Lewis, Meaker, and Dernbach. That’s 5 of the top 6 not at the club anymore for varying reasons, which has certainly left a big hole in the depth of our batting. This season will be the first for over 12 years that we won’t have Mark Ramprakash walking out to the middle at number 3, and those are big shoes to fill. However, I think we have the batsman capable to fill the void of Ramps, and can lead us to a successful season.

For the first time in a long time, perhaps when Batty and Newman were at their best, we hopefully have a solid opening partnership in Graeme Smith and Rory Burns. Smith has dipped in form of late for South Africa, in the ODI’s especially, but there is still no doubting the calibre of player that has been acquired. He’s arguably one of the greatest Test captains of all time, and when unavailable, will be replaced by another great captain of the past in Ricky Ponting. And for those doubting Ponting’s ability nowadays, he has recently been named Sheffield Shield Player of the Season, which isn’t to be sniffed at.  Burns looked very assured towards the end of last season, a natural opener who has the ability to score quickly but knows his limits well and hopefully will grow into the role this coming season.

In my opinion, the openers are the only two positions that are set in stone for the Championship opener against Somerset on April 17^th, with selection headaches causing a problem for Adams. However, competition for places is always good in a squad, so here’s my team for the opening game:

Smith (C)

Burns

Harinath

De Bruyn

Solanki

Roy

Davies (W)

Batty

Meaker

Lewis

Tremlett

Apart from the openers, each position of my side could be challenged. Harinath at 3 did well at the end of last season, hitting 2 centuries in 6 matches, including one in that vital win against Middlesex in August, earning himself a new contract. Some however may argue that we need a more experienced head to come in at the fall of the first wicket, perhaps Solanki or de Bruyn, but personally, Harinath should be given a chance for the first few games at least, in what could be a make or break season for him.

A popular debate on Twitter is that of Zander de Bruyn, who is still to arrive in the UK, and many believe doesn’t deserve a place in the side. It’s true that he has had a poor season again for the Highveld Lions after a lean campaign for us in 2012. Therefore, many believe academy graduate Tom Jewell should be given a chance ahead of the 37 year old South African. However, I think with Burns and Harinath in the top 3, an experienced number 4 is, and all being well, Zander can rediscover the form he showed in 2011 and at the end of 2012 to some extent. His seam and swing can also prove to be (sometimes!) useful.

That brings us onto Vikram Solanki who joined mid-season last year. There is no doubting the quality of the man, but like de Bruyn, is he past it? Poor form for Worcester led to him getting dropped from the Championship side, but his knowledge and experience of the game is unquestionable, so I think he should be given a chance against Somerset. However, if he or de Bruyn struggle early on, then either Jewell or the unfortunate Gary Wilson should definitely be given a go, rather than Adams persisting on picking them, like he strangely did with de Bruyn last year. Wilson really does deserve a chance in 4 day cricket, but I don’t think Adams will start the season with him, so that’s why I left him out of my side.

It’s a massive year for Jason Roy I think. After a good couple of seasons, he fell away considerably last year, and in the Championship scored just 3 50’s from 21 innings. He is a far better player than his statistics suggest, but too many times he throws his wickets away in 4-day games, so this needs to be addressed if he wants to be a firm fixture in the LVCC line up.

Steve Davies is almost nailed on for the wicket keeper role against Somerset, but does face stiff competition from Wilson. Davies had a poor season last year, with just 1 century and 1 half century in his 12 matches, averaging less than 22. However, he suffered from depression towards the end of last season after the events that had occurred previously, so that is one reason for it. This year is the first for a while that Davies hasn’t been picked by England to carry drinks on a winter test tour, so here’s hoping a full pre-season with us can lead him back to his sumptuous best.

Now onto the bowlers, where the competition is even stronger. At 8 I’ve gone with Gareth Batty, and with April pitches not being too conducive to spinners, he is the sole spinner in the side. Adams did say when Gary Keedy signed that he would play 2 spinners in home LVCC games, but I don’t think that will happen in seamer-friendly conditions that are so frequent in the early part of the season. Playing two spinners, as we saw towards the end of last year with Batty and Kartik, will be vital at some points of the season, but not from the start.

Talk of those conditions lead me onto the subject of Jon Lewis. Despite falling away towards the end of last season, Lewis did have a good start to the campaign, and if the conditions suit his style of bowling, then that should be exploited to benefit the team. It could be argued that it’s not exactly building for the future playing the 38 year old, and others should be picked instead, but he won’t be playing every game in my opinion, just a select few.

The remaining two places speak for themselves really. Meaker was our leading wicket taker in the Championship last year and was a shining light in an otherwise bleak season for us, and his ability to turn a game on its head in a couple of overs is really quite something. If fit, then Chris Tremlett should play whatever. He’s been working extremely hard throughout the winter months, and if he can rediscover his form, then it is a huge bonus for us, because on his day he can be lethal.

Two bowlers I haven’t spoken about are Tim Linley and Jade Dernbach. Linley will once again feel unlucky if he is left out, after not getting enough opportunities last year, but Lewis’ ability to add vital runs towards the end of the innings is the reason I would start with him ahead of the Viscount. Without doubt Jade is our best Limited overs bowler, but I would put him behind Meaker, Tremlett and perhaps Lewis in the longer format, who all have a greater knack of picking up wickets at the right time. I’m not saying that Jade is a bad 4-day bowler, and will come in if Tremlett’s not fit, but in swinging conditions, Lewis wins the battle for me. Once pitches become quicker and harder, that’s when Jade comes into his own.

Overall, I believe that we have a strong squad heading into the Championship this year, and the fact that there are so many questions marks over who is going to play the first game speaks for itself. Towards the end of last season, there wasn’t this debate because frankly, we didn’t have the depth that we have now. It says it all when I’m at the end of the preview and I still haven’t mentioned Ansari, Dunn, Edwards, Sibley etc, so it’s a huge plus that we have so many options. Therefore, I think that with Smith at the helm, a good championship season for Surrey County Cricket Club is just around the corner.

Predicted League Position: 4^th

Ponting signs for 2 months

Surrey have this morning announced the signing of former Australian captain Ricky Ponting on a two month contract.

It is a huge coup for the club, after already signing Graeme Smith towards the end of last year, with Ponting coming for the entirety of June and July. During June, Smith is likely to be away with South Africa for the ICC Champions Trophy, so Ponting will initially be cover for our new captain, playing in all 3 formats of the game. He will be able to play at this year’s Guildford Festival at the beginning of June, as well as the whole of the Friends Life Twenty 20 campaign, which ends on the 31^st of July at Chelmsford.

Smith is unlikely to be available for most of the Twenty 20 campaign, as South Africa tour Sri Lanka towards the end of July for a 5 match ODI series that he will probably be part of, so Ponting is a fine replacement on and off the pitch for when he’s not here.

Scoring 13,378 test runs at an average of 51.85 just shows what a great batsman we have acquired, and despite him retiring from International cricket towards the end of 2012, Ponting has been in prime form for his state side Tasmania. He has scored 595 runs at an average of 119.00 in 6 matches, top scoring with an unbeaten 200, so there is no doubt that he can still play.

His knowledge and experience is second to none in the world of cricket, and is arguably one of the greatest test captains of all time. Hopefully some of this knowledge and experience can be transferred onto our younger players, such as Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns, benefiting them and the club in the process.

It is the 4^th signing we have made in the close season, and all 4 are over the age of 30, with 3 of them in Solanki, Keedy and Ponting all in their late 30’s. Critics would say that we aren’t exactly building for the future, with the average age of the squad going up considerably in recent months. However, Ponting is only coming for a couple of months, and I can only see the positives in the move, as he will come into a side that was in need of a desperate shake-up after the difficult season we had last year.

It is unclear whether Ponting will captain the side when Smith is unavailable, but it seems unlikely that he would, due to the short time that he is here, but whoever steps in for Smith will get help on that front from the Tasmanian you would have thought.

Finally, I would just like to congratulate the management on this signing, which will hopefully contribute to bringing back the good days over the next few years. I’m not expecting us to be challenging on all 3 fronts this coming season, but hopefully we can improve on last season, and with Ponting, try and reach the quarter finals of the Twenty 20 for the first time since 2006.

3 months to go: How are we shaping up?

With just over 3 months to the opening game of the County Cricket season, I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to look at how Surrey are shaping up heading into the new campaign.

So far we have made 3 new acquisitions over the winter period, with two veterans of the county game in Gary Keedy and Vikram Solanki being drafted in, alongside our new captain Graeme Smith. There is still enough time for Chris Adams to add to his squad, and I personally feel that, even though it isn’t 100% necessary, one or two more players could be brought in to bolster our squad.

The main area I think we need to add to is the batting, after we lost 6 key batsmen due to a variety of circumstances last season, some obviously unforeseen. In Solanki and Smith, we clearly have recruited two highly experienced batsmen, and that was a main priority heading into the close season. You can also argue that players such as Burns and Harinath, who were certainly not first team regulars at the beginning of last season, have proven how good they are and their potential. 17 year old Dominic Sibley has also signed his first professional contract, and he will certainly be a star of the future, but I think this season will be a bit too early for him.

Overall, I have counted 11 batsmen in the current first team squad. 11 may sound a lot to some people, considering that you only play 7 batters a game. However, that number includes a 17 year old who is yet to play First Class cricket; a wicket keeper in Gary Wilson who will be away for some of the season; the South African captain who will miss up to 6 Championship matches; KP, who will be unavailable for the majority of the season and Zafar Ansari who is completing his year at Cambridge University. That could mean that at some points in the season, we could have just 6 batsmen available in the squad.

6 is certainly not enough, and combined with the possibility that injuries could always prove a problem and the form of Vikram Solanki and Zander de Bruyn questionable last season, it looks as if we need to recruit. It isn’t clear yet if an overseas replacement would be brought in for when Graeme Smith isn’t available. Smith is likely to be unavailable for the majority of June due to the ICC Champions Trophy and for the end of July because of South Africa having ODI’s in Sri Lanka, but to be honest, he is going to be available much more than I expected he would when we first signed him.

In regards of de Bruyn and Solanki, I’m not totally sure that they still have the ability to be consistent performers in First Class cricket. Solanki struggled for Worcestershire last season in the Championship until he was inevitably dropped, and everyone associated with Surrey knows how disappointing Zander was last year. He has gone away once again this winter with the Highveld Lions in South Africa, but has struggled in the games that he has featured, scoring just 2 half centuries since October.

 

The man I thought that could come into the Championship middle order on a more regular basis was Matt Spriegel, but of course he has left for Northamptonshire. The decision to let Spriegs go really baffled me, as I thought that he was one of our best players in List A cricket last season and would have been part of our side for the next decade or so. Adams had a man capable of playing all forms of the game and has let him go, so therefore he needs to find a replacement.

Another area that I think that we need to improve is for the Friends Life Twenty 20. We haven’t qualified for the Quarter Finals since 2006 and haven’t been to finals day since 2005. For a club who won the inaugural tournament and were at the first 3 finals days, it is a terrible return. I believe what we need is a high quality, current international, Twenty 20 specialist batsman coming into our squad for the tournament. In the past we have had had second rate overseas players who add hardly anything to our squad. Andrew Symonds was an ex international who was past it, Grant Elliott wasn’t better than anything we had at the time, and Dirk Nannes is certainly not better than the likes of Jade and Trem. I know that it is difficult to get a current international with the amount of cricket being played these days, but plenty of counties have had such a thing in the last couple of years, such as Martin Guptill at Derbyshire and Dave Warner at Middlesex.

One player who you can rely on to get runs in T20 cricket is Adam Voges, and I thought that he could have been a good signing for us, but he has recently been snapped up by our London rivals. Even though he isn’t a regular in a rather strong Aussie line up, he is in his prime at the moment and will help Middlesex vastly.

With two of our most explosive batsman in Rory Hamilton-Brown and Tom Maynard not being with us anymore due to unforeseen circumstances, we have been left with few quick scoring batsman, so a star overseas batsman for the T20 is a necessity in my opinion.

You may have noticed I haven’t really discussed our bowling options. That’s because I believe our bowling line up is one of the strongest we have had for years. We have 3 high quality international seamers in Jade, Meaks and Tremlett, as well as the useful back up of Linley, Lewis and youngsters Edwards, Dunn and Jewell. In Gareth Batty and Gary Keedy we also have two of the most successful spin bowlers in the last decade of county cricket, and they will contemplate each other well.

So there it is, my look ahead to next season is complete. Overall, I think things are starting to look rosy for the next few years, as Adams has blended youth and experience well in the squad. However, additions are necessary to strengthen our batting line up and to make sure we put in a strong fight for all 3 competitions.

Surrey Players Abroad: Part 3

Surrey Players Abroad Part 3

While some of the Surrey first team squad are in the UK preparing for the 2013 season, a number of them have travelled abroad, plying their trade for a variety of teams in all formats of the game. Here is the 3^rd instalment of how they have been getting on over the winter months.

 

Zander de Bruyn

Zander and the Highveld Lions didn’t play too many games in the last month or so, but did face the Cape Cobras in the Momentum One Day Cup final. The initial final was abandoned due to rain, so was restarted the following day, but after the rain once again intervened, the two teams had to share the trophy. Just before Christmas, the Lions faced Warriors in a Sunfoil Series 4 day game, but Zander didn’t make an impact with the bat, scoring a combined 11 in the two innings. He did pick up 3 wickets but saw his side lose by 10 wickets. In the following match he didn’t pick up any wickets but scored a first half century of the season, a 144-ball 63 before being caught behind by Johann van der Wath.

Jade Dernbach

I think it’s fair to say Jade didn’t have the best of times of it in the 2 Twenty20 Internationals against India last month. He went wicketless in his 3 expensive overs in India’s 5 wicket win in the first game of the mini-series, before claiming 2 wickets in the final game, once again going at 9 an over. The amount of extras Jade gave away would have disappointed him, as he looked rusty despite playing 3 games in early December for the England Performance Squad. He is part of the ODI squad which faces India this month, but he has been left out of the ODI squad which tours New Zealand in February. Jade will be looking to find some form in the India series, before travelling to New Zealand for the T20’s only.

 

Stuart Meaker

Stuart Meaker also featured in the two Twenty 20’s against India and, like Jade, also looked rusty, even though he also played several games for the England Performance Squad before joining up with the senior squad. He picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli in each of the games, but was rather expensive, especially in the second in which he went for over 10 runs per over in his allotment of 4. He will also be part of the India ODI series and the New Zealand Twenty 20’s, but also like Jade, he has been left out of the New Zealand ODI squad for next month.

Kevin Pietersen

After KP helping his side level the Test Series against India with a superb hundred, he was once again in the runs in the 3^rd match, scoring 54 in the first innings as England won by 7 wickets, holding a 2-1 lead going into the final match of the series. On a poor pitch in Nagpur, Pietersen stood tall in the first innings, scoring a slow, but oh so important, 74, as many around him tried and failed. Despite leaving a ball on his stumps when on 6 in the second innings, England managed to draw the final game of the series, winning for the first time in India since 1985. And with 1 century and 2 fifties, KP certainly played his part. He will join up with the ODI squad in India later this month, but has once again been rested for the Limited overs part of the tour to New Zealand.

Dominic Sibley

Not many people would have heard of Dominic Sibley, but I think that will change over the coming years. At the age of just 17, Sibley was named “One of the greatest at his age” by the Pemberton Greenish Academy director Gareth Townsend, and has a huge future ahead of him. Breaking into the Surrey second team at just 16 and scoring double hundreds in the Surrey Premier Division, there’s no wonder why he has been named in the England Under 19 squad to tour South Africa at the end of this month. He may only be 17, but he could be the long term answer to our opening batsman problems.

Graeme Smith

The Surrey skipper will lead his South Africa side in 2 match test series against New Zealand this month, before playing a 3 match ODI series against the same opposition.

Surrey Players Abroad Part 2

While most of the Surrey playing staff are having a rest and brushing up on their skills in the nets back home, some of them have travelled abroad, plying their trade for a variety of teams. Here is the second instalment of how they have been getting on.

Zander de Bruyn

After losing the final of the Champions League Twenty 20 to Sydney Sixers in early November, Zander de Bruyn and the Highveld Lions have played 9 matches, all in the 50 over format. With a top score of 36, and sometimes batting down at number 8, Zander has been used more as a bowler in his side’s opening matches this season, claiming 8 wickets at an average of 27.38.

Jade Dernbach

Jade has been named in both the ODI and Twenty 20 squads to play India in December and January.

Stuart Meaker

After being named in the England Performance Squad for the tour of India, Stuart Meaker received an unexpected, but fully deserved, call up to the full England Test Squad for the series against India. He was in the squad as back-up for the injured Steven Finn who missed the two opening matches of the series, but the fiery paceman from Durban failed to make a Test debut, despite a string of poor performances from Stuart Broad. However, a man of Meaker’s ability won’t have to wait long before he does become the first Pemberton Greenish Academy graduate to play for England’s test side. He will also be hoping to add to his ODI caps as he has been named in both the ODI and Twenty20 squads.

Kevin Pietersen

KP made his long awaited England comeback in the warm up games before the Test Series against India, scoring an unbeaten century against Haryana to get him in form. However, two poor shots in the first test led to some strong criticism from supporters over his inability to play left arm spin. But, in the second test he proved his doubters wrong with one of the greatest innings by an Englishman in India, scoring a blistering 186, putting former Surrey left arm spinner Pragyan Ojha for several maximums in his 233-ball stay. Reintegration well and truly complete. Like Jade and Meaks, KP has been named in the ODI squad, but he has been rested for the 2 Twenty20 internationals.

Graeme Smith

Our new skipper has had a productive series against Australia, scoring one century and one half century. After failing in both innings in the first match of the series, which ended in a draw, Smith scored a sublime century in the second match, but it still required a strong rearguard from the South Africans to prevent them from defeat. In the final game of the 3 match series, South Africa comfortably beat Australia by over 300 runs to maintain their number 1 status in Test cricket, with Smith scoring a quickfire 84 in the second innings.

Surrey Players Abroad Part 1

While most of the Surrey first team squad are taking part in a much deserved break over the winter months, some of the squad have travelled around the world competing in a variety of competitions. Here is how they have been getting on.

Zander de Bruyn

The South African all rounder finished the season with Surrey brilliantly, but couldn’t continue that form into the Supersport series for the Highveld Lions. He scored 85 in his 4 innings, with a top score of 34, and claimed 3 wickets at an average of 43.50. The Lions then competed in the Champions League T20, where they beat Mumbai Indians superbly in their opening game, with de Bruyn bowling 4 wicketless overs. His poor form continued, as he barely found any time in the middle, leading to him being dropped for the last 4 games of the tournament. His side did do well though, reaching the final before being beaten by Sydney Sixers.

Jade Dernbach

After picking up 3-14 in England’s final warm up game ahead of the ICC World T20 against Pakistan, I think it is fair to say that we didn’t see the best of Jade Dernbach thereafter. He took two wickets against the minnows Afghanistan, but in his final 3 games of the competition, he conceded a minimum of 38 off his 4 overs in each of the games, and picking up just the two further wickets in the process. Jade will now link up with the England performance squad in India, where he will be hoping to impress before the ODI series against India in the new year.

Stuart Meaker

Along with Jade, Meaks has also been named in the England Performance squad to travel to India, and he will be hoping to impress enough to gain a place in the England ODI squad.

Kevin Pietersen

It’s been an eventful few months for KP hasn’t it? Sitting in the TV studio while England were struggling in the World T20, before being called up again for the tour to India this month. Like de Bruyn, he also played in the Champions League T20, for his IPL side Delhi Daredevils. The obvious question posed is, if we qualified for the tournament, who would he have played for? His side crashed out at the Semi Final stage, despite a half century from KP, against the Lions. He made his first return to the middle for England in the first warm up game against India A, scoring 24.

Graeme Smith

Our new skipper will captain his country in a mouth-watering test series against Australia this winter. Smith and his side are already in Australia practising ahead of the tests which start in just over a week’s time. Following the tests will be an ODI series against the Aussies, before South Africa play Pakistan in the new year.

Gary Wilson

Gary Wilson posted scores of 5 and 21 for Ireland, who had a rather disappointing ICC World Twenty 20 campaign, failing to cause an upset as they lost to Australia and eventual winners West Indies. 

Graeme Smith joins Surrey

Surrey have today announced the signing of South African test captain Graeme Smith on a 3 year contract.

Even though this has been rumoured for a few weeks now, it is a real coup for our club to attract someone of Smith’s stature in the game, with him also taking over from the departed Rory Hamilton-Brown as permanent skipper for the next 3 seasons. He has undoubted experience in the game, captaining his country since he was 22 years old, and at the age of 31, he still has plenty to offer. Scoring over 8000 test runs at an average of just under 50, he is one of the greatest cricketers to come out of South Africa.

For years now we have been in desperate need of a solid opening pair in the County Championship, and with the emergence of Rory Burns this year, it looks like we have finally sorted out this problem. Well, only when Smith is available that is. He will still play for and captain his country “for many years to come”, so we may not see him all the time at the Oval. He will participate in the Champions Trophy in June of next year, and in July-August will play 5 ODI’s in Sri Lanka, but other than that he will be available. He will arrive at Surrey in late march and will play the first part of the season, as he will not be taking part in IPL 2013.

Chris Adams has labelled Smith as “the best captain of his time” and I don’t think there will be many that will argue with him. Some supporters may be disappointed that, after his wonderful work towards the end of last season, Gareth Batty will not be the captain next season, but I think when Smith is away with South Africa then Batts will probably take over the reigns. You cannot underestimate the job that Batty did last season, in such difficult circumstances, but I’m not totally sure that he wanted the job full time.

Smith is the third, and undoubtedly the best, signing we have made in the close season, along with Gary Keedy and Vikram Solanki. All three of them have passed the 30, and some would argue that we are not really building for the future. However, experience is crucial in a team, and especially in a team that have had such an emotional 2012 season, so I see that having one of the most experienced teams on the county circuit as a positive, not a negative.

Finally, I would just like to congratulate Adams and co for this wonderful signing, and hopefully bringing back the good days to our club. We still have a long way to go to be a major force in all 3 competitions, but we are certainly making strides to becoming one of the best, and I personally cannot wait for next season to start.

Surrey sign Gary Keedy

Surrey have today announced the signing of Lancashire left arm spinner Gary Keedy on a two year contract.

With Murali Kartik leaving at the end of the season, and an overseas batsman likely to be lined up for next season, a second spinner was high on the agenda for Chris Adams over the Winter period. In Gary Keedy, you have, at the age of 37, vast amounts of experience in County cricket, something that Adams wants to install in the dressing room. You also have high skill and ability, with him claiming over 650 First Class wickets at a tad over 31 apiece, with many describing him as the greatest spinner to have never played for England.

Keedy is Lancashire through and through, and many will struggle to find a reason to why he chose to leave them and come to the KIA Oval. One main reason would have been that he feels he still has plenty to offer in all forms of the game, and Lancashire were only playing him in List A cricket towards the end of the season. He played just the 4 Championship matches in 2012, claiming 7 wickets at an average of well over 50. Another reason is that the Oval pitch will suit his style of bowling, and along with Gareth Batty, we have two of the best English spinners of the last 10 years.

The signing of Keedy continues the trend set by Adams over the last couple of years, of signing highly experienced players in their mid to late 30’s. Vikram Solanki has of course already signed for the club from Worcestershire, and Jon Lewis signed in the summer of 2011, with all 3 boosting the average age at the club considerably. To be honest, I think that it is vital to have experienced campaigners such as Keedy and Solanki in your side. Yes, their best years our behind them, but they must feel that they can still perform at a high level. Look how old Ramps got until he started to fade away!

I understand the opinion of those who think that Keedy is too old, and that we should be looking towards the future, but having old heads in the dressing room is key to a successful team. Yes, I would rather they were perhaps 5 or 6 years younger, so that we would benefit longer from them, but for the immediate future they will play a big part in our team. The core of our club has been ripped out in the last 6 months, and it will need a lot of repairing to do.

We have the basis of a successful team in the future. At the end of the season we had Burns, Ansari and Harinath at the top of the order in the Championship, and the likes of Jewell and Edwards will without doubt be great Surrey players for the future. However, we need to concentrate on the here and now, and the signing of Keedy, along with Solanki and Lewis, will help the younger players and benefit our club for years to come.

ICC World Twenty 20: The Final

West Indies beat hosts to win World T20

7/10/12-West Indies 137-6 20 overs (Samuels 78, A. Mendis 4-12) beat Sri Lanka 101 all out 18.4 overs (Narine 3-9) by 36 runs @ Colombo

West Indies have beaten the hosts Sri Lanka by 36 runs, to win the 2012 ICC World Twenty 20 in Colombo.

Darren Sammy won the toss for the West Indies, and despite the threat of rain later in the game, he elected to bat first. There were no changes to the Windies line up, but Sri Lanka brought in Akila Dananjaya in place of former Surrey spinner Rangana Herath. Sammy would have immediately regretted that decision, as Johnson Charles was out in the first over of the match, skying the ball to Kulesakera off Mathews without scoring.

West Indies struggled to get going, as it took until the 3^rd over for the first run off the bat, and the 4^thbefore a boundary. And when Ajantha Mendis was brought on in the 6^thover, the mystery spinner trapped the danger man Chris Gayle LBW for a painstaking 3 off 16 balls, as the West Indies scored just 14 off the powerplay. It got no better for the West Indies, as they could only reach 32 off of 10 overs, with just that one earlier boundary, as the spin of A. Mendis and Dananjaya were proving extremely difficult to play.

Birthday boy Dwayne Bravo finally hit another boundary in the 12^th over, launching Dananjaya for the first six of the final. Marlon Samuels then launched Malinga for three sixes in an over as the West Indies finally built some momentum, reaching 69-2 off 13 overs. However, Mendis then had Bravo LBW for 19, becoming the leading wicket taker in the tournamentin the process.

Samuels was still at the crease, and brought up his half century off 46 balls with his 4^th six, but he lost his partner when Dananjaya caught Pollard at the second attempt to give Mendis his 3^rdwicket. He then removed Andre Russell very next ball, as he finished with superb figures of 4-12. Samuels carried on however, launching Malinga for 2 more sixes, including the biggest of the tournament spanning a massive 108 metres. But on 78, Samuels was caught on the rope looking for another six, just when it looked like West Indies would post a half decent score. But thanks to a quickfire 26 from captain Sammy, the West Indies posted a competitive 137-6. A score that looked a million miles off earlier on.

The West Indies knew that early wickets would be key, and Ravi Rampaul delivered as he bowled Dilshan without scoring with an absolute beauty. They could have got off to an even better start, but Bravo dropped Jayawardene in the deep off of the spin of Marlon Samuels.  Sangakarra joined his skipper at the crease,and even though they were not batting electrically, they were making sure they didn’t lose any further wickets.

However, the spin of Sunil Narine immediately troubled the experienced pair, and even though he didn’t get the wicket himself, the pressure he applied drew Sangakarra into a false shot, where he was caught inthe deep of Samuel Badree. Sri Lanka 48-2 in the 10^th, and the game was well and truly on. Sammy then brought himself on and duly bowled Mathews, as the required rate rose to almost 9 and a half an over.

West Indies were taking control of the game, and could have had it all but won, but Jayawardene was once again dropped in the deep, this time by Russell, as the hosts still held hopes of victory. But in the very next over, the West Indies finally held onto Jayawardene as he attempted a reverse sweep, and the game was all but up. Narine then combined with Bravo to run out Jeevan Mendis, as Sri Lanka stumbled to 61-5 in the 13^th over.Perera was then brilliantly run out by Dinesh Ramdin, and Thirimane caught in the deep, as West Indians all over the world would have started their celebrations. After Kulesakera gave them a little scare with an innings of 26, West Indies won by 36 runs after bowling Sri Lanka out for 101.

A fantastic win for the West Indies, and after being 14-2 off the powerplay, it must go down as one of the greatest comebacks in Twenty20 history. They looked down and out, but Marlon Samuels was simply superb with the bat, almost single handily winning the tournament for his side. Sri Lanka would have been the first side to win the ICC World T20 on home territory, and after 15 overs of the Windies innings, most people would have backed them. But it wasn’t to be, as star players such as Malinga and Sangakarra failed to make an impact, as West Indies took advantage fantastically.

Man of the Match: Marlon Samuels for his outstanding innings of 78. The only batsman on show who adapted to the pitch and pressure of a final well, and God knows how many West Indies would have got if he wasn’t playing. Absolutely superb.

ICC World Twenty 20: Semi Final 2

Gayle blasts Windies into final

5/10/12- West Indies 205-4 20 overs (Gayle 75*) beat Australia 131 all out 16.4 overs (Bailey 63) by 74 runs

West Indies have beaten Australia by 74 runs to qualify for the ICC World Twenty 20 Final.

Darren Sammy won the toss for West Indies and elected to bat first. The Windies brought Dwayne Bravo back into the side in place of his brother, and David Hussey replaced Glenn Maxwell for Australia. And it was Australia who made a good start, when Mitchell Starc drew Johnson Charles into a drive and the opener was caught behind for 10. One of the in-from batsman of 2012 was in at 3, and Marlon Samuels got off to a good start, including a delicious cover drive off Pat Cummins.

However, Cummins had his revenge, when Samuels, on 26, was bowled by a good slower ball from the young pace bowler. Chris Gayle was still at the crease though, and even though he wasn’t facing much of the strike, he gradually found his range, launching thevleft arm spin of Xavier Doherty for 3 sixes overall.

But Gayle really came to lifevin the 15^th over, when 19 was taken off D. Hussey’s first, as hebwent to his half century off just 29 balls, with one of his maximums going pastb100 metres. Australia did manage to remove Bravo for 37, after he put on 83 with Gayle for the 3^rd wicket. However, that just brought the dangerous Kieron Pollard to the crease, and with Gayle, the pair put on 65 in the final 4 overs of the innings as the West Indies posted 205-4. Gayle ended unbeaten on 75, and Pollard made 38 off 15 deliveries, including 3 sixes in the final over, before being caught off the final ball.

This is the second time these two teams have faced each other in the tournament, and in that match West Indies scored 191 and still lost the game (via D/L), so Australia still held hopes of reaching the final. But they got off to a dreadful start against the spin of Samuel Badree and Samuels, with Warner going in the first over, before he was quickly followed by Mr Cricket and the player of the tournament so far Shane Watson.

Australia reached 42-3 off the powerplay, but then immediately lost their 4th wicket, when, off the first ball of seam, Rampaul had Cameron White caught down the leg side. Australia were faltering to say the least and it didn't get better, as the leading run scorer in T20 history, Dave Hussey, lasted just two balls. The Aussie middle order was proving what many feared.

Australia then lost Matthew Wade and defeat looked a certainty, but captain George Bailey didn't give up easily,as e smashed his way to a 23 ball half century. But when Bailey fell for 23, the game was up, and Australia were eventually bowled out for 131.

A great win for the West Indies, and as they have shown, they can beat anyone on their day. Australia on the other hand looked superb in the first 4 games of the tournament but struggled badly against Pakistan and T20 is a momentum game, so it looks like they've lost plenty of that.

Man of the Match: Chris Gayle for his 75*. Superb innings from the big man, and it is just brilliant to see him back in a West Indies shirt.

ICC World Twenty 20: Semi Final 1

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to reach final

4/10/12- Sri Lanka 139-4 20 overs (Jayawardene 42) beat Pakistan 123-7 20 overs (Hafeez 42, Herath 3-25) by 16 runs @ Colombo

Sri Lanka have qualified for the final of the ICC World Twenty 20, after beating Pakistan by 16 runs in Colombo.

Kumar Sangakarra won the toss for Sri Lanka and he elected to bat first.  They got off to a solid start, but found run scoring difficult, on a pitch that the New Zealand women struggled on a couple of hours earlier. They didn’t lose a wicket until the 11^thover, when Shahid Afridi had Mahela Jayawardene caught for 42. The skipper looked to up the run rate, but he was the next to fall for 18, as the Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez had him caught.

Dilshan was still at the crease, but was far from his fluent self, as he was scoring well under a run a ball and it was looking increasingly unlikely that Sri Lanka would post a score of 150+. Dilshan finally fell for a 43 ball 35 in the 18^th over, but 21 runs off the final two overs, thanks to Matthews and Perera, the hosts scored 139-4 off their 20 overs.

Pakistan would have been highly confident of chasing the below par, but competitive, score set by their opponents, and they also got off to a solid, but quiet start. However, Sri Lanka managed to do what Pakistan couldn’t, and picked up an early wicket when Ajantha Mendis bowled Imran Nazir in the leg spinner’s first over.

Sri Lanka could have then had Hafeez caught, but former Surrey spinner Rangana Herath put down a tough chance at long off. However, Sri Lanka fought back and picked up 3 wickets inside 2 overs. Nasir Jamshed and Kamran Akmal were both removed by Angelo Matthews, and Shoaib Malik was bowled by Herath, as Pakistan fell to 64-4 in the 11^th over. They could have had 4 quick wickets, but Lasith Malinga inexplicably dropped Hafeez when the Pakistan captain was on 24.

Hafeez was determined to punish Pakistan after the two chances he had been given, as he hit Herath over long off for the first six of the innings. But Herath had his revenge when in his next over, he had Hafeez stumped for 42, as the game was finely balanced. Shahid Afridi was then bowled first ball, his second golden duck of the tournament, as Sri Lanka started to turn the screw.

Pakistan then lost Sohail Tanvir, as victory was looking increasingly likely for Sri Lanka. They needed 27 off the final 2 overs, and the game was all but up when Malinga conceded just 4 off the penultimate over. And Pakistan could only get 11, as Sri Lanka won by 16 runs.

So a 4th consecutive Semi Final appearance for Pakistan, but they have failed to reach the final this year after promising so much. Sri Lanka on the other hand look a fantastic all round team, and few will bet against them on Sunday, especially in front of their own fans.

Tomorrow there is the second Semi Final, with Australia taking on the West Indies.

Man of the Match: Mahela Jayawadene for his 42. Was one of only a couple of batsman who actually adapted to the pitch well.

ICC World Twenty 20: Day 14 Round Up

Australia through despite Pakistan loss

2/10/12- Pakistan 149-6 20 overs (Jamshed 55, Starc 3-20) beat Australia 117-7 20 overs (Hussey 54*, Ajmal 3-17) by 32 runs @ Colombo

Australia are through to the Semi Final stage of the ICC World Twenty 20, despite losing by 32 runs to Pakistan in Colombo.

George Bailey won the toss and stuck Pakistan into bat first. The Aussies started well as they removed the oppositions skipper and Imran Nazir in the powerplay, as runs were hard to come by. Nasir Jamshed ,however, once again reinforced his reputation in this form of the game, as he led the Pakistan recovery with Kamran Akmal, scoring a 36 ball half century. A quickfire 22 from former Surrey all rounder Abdul Razzaq took Pakistan to 149-6, which was below what they should have got thanks to 3 wickets from Mitchell Starc.

Australia knew that if they reached 112 in their reply, they would be through to the Semi Final. However, they lost the man of the moment Shane Watson early, along with David Warner, as the middle order was being tested for the first time in the tournament. They struggled badly against the Pakistan spin, with 18 of the 20 overs being bowled by the spinners, and even though they went past the 112 needed for qualification, thanks to an unbeaten 50 from Mike Hussey, Australia lost by 32 runs.

                                           

Australia will be annoyed that they have lost, as momentum in Twenty 20 is so important, but I personally believe that today was just a blip and they will come back better in the Semi. But if Warner and Watson don’t fire, it will be interesting to see how the middle order gets on. Pakistan have done what they had to do today, and they will be hoping that South Africa, who are now coincidently out of the competition, beat India, or if India do win, hope that their net run rate is higher than their fierce rivals.

Man of the Match: Raza Hasan for his 2-14. A very good young spinner, and his spell at the beginning of the Aussie innings set the tone for the rest of the game.

India crash out of World T20

2/10/12- India 152-6 20 overs (Raina 45) beat South Africa 151 all out 19.5 overs (du Plessis 65, Zaheer 3-22) by 1 run @ Colombo

India are out of the ICC World T20, even though they beat South Africa in Colombo this evening.

India had to win and hope that their net run rate would be better than Pakistan. Dhoni wanted to bowl first, and know what target he would have to chase, but he lost the toss and was inserted. They lost Gambhir early, and he was quickly joined back in the dugout by Sehwag and Kohli as India struggled. Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh supported Suresh Raina who top scored with 45, as India posted 152-6 off their 20 overs.

India had to restrict South Africa to less than 122 if they were to overtake Pakistan on net run rate. They got off to a great start as they had Amla and Kallis early, but after that it was all downhill for India. with Faf Du Plessis scored a superb 65, as South Africa eased past 122, and were closing in on victory. Both sides were out of the competition by the final over, but you would never have guessed it. 14 were required off the last over, but they could only get 12, as India won by 1 run.

So India will be extremely disappointed that they are out at this stage of the competition, and will feel even worse that their bitter rivals Pakistan have gone through instead of them. South Africa were already out before this match started but they were still as professional as you would expect from any South African team, falling so close to victory in the end.

So the Super 8’s have finished and the Semi Finals are now drawn, with Sri Lanka against Pakistan on Thursday, followed by the West Indies against Australia on Friday. Whatever happens, it will be an exciting end to the tournament.

Man of the Match: Yuvraj Singh for his 21 and 2 wickets. Not an outstanding match for Yuvraj, but it is just great to see him back from his cancer scare earlier this year.

ICC World Twenty 20: Day 13 Round Up

Kiwis knocked out  via Super over

1/10/12- West Indies 139 all out 19.2 overs (Southee 3-21) beat New Zealand 139-7 20 overs (Taylor 62*, Narine 3-20) via a Super Over @ Pallakele

New Zealand have been knocked out of the ICC World Twenty 20, after West Indies beat them in a super over.

Ross Taylor won the toss for New Zealand and stuck West Indies in to bat. It looked to be an inspired decision on a usually good Pallakele batting pitch, as Charles and Russell were dismissed early, and Gayle was stopped mid flow for a 14 ball 30. Samuels and Pollard added some impetus to the innings, but 3 wickets apiece for Bracewell and Southee helped bowl West Indies out for 139 in the final over.

New Zealand knew that to have a chance of qualifying for the Semi Finals, they would have to reach the 140 target in 19.4 overs or fewer. However, they lost 3 early wickets including Brendon McCullum, to put them on the back foot. The skipper and James Franklin led the recovery for the Kiwis, and even though Franklin and Oram were dismissed in quick fashion, Taylor was at his fluent best. His half century came up off just 33 balls, and he was taking his side to victory. But a tight penultimate over from Narine meant New Zealand needed 14 off the final over. They could only get 13, which meant a super over was to come.

Thanks to Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, New Zealand scored 17 off their solitary over, but Tim Southee bowled a dreadful over, as West Indies won with 1 ball remaining.

A dramatic game and yet another Super over loss for New Zealand, who are now out of the competition. The West Indies would have to rely on Sri Lanka beating England to qualify for the Semi Finals.

Man of the Match: Sunil Narine for his 3-20. Enhancing his reputation with every game he plays, and his last over ultimately kept his side in the game.

Malinga sends England home

1/10/12- Sri Lanka 169-6 20 overs (Jaywardene 42, Broad 3-32) beat England 147 all out overs (Patel 67, Malinga 5-31) by 19 runs @ Pallakele

Sri Lanka have beaten England by 19 runs in Pallakele, and therefore knocking the champions out of the tournament.

Stuart Broad won the toss and he chose to field first. Steven Finn managed to get the dangerous Dilshan before he could really get going, but Sri Lanka looked to post a good total. The experienced pair of Jayawardene and Sangakarra did well, before Swann had them both out in consecutive deliveries. Broad also had two in two, but thanks to some late big hitting from Perera, they posted an over par 168-6 off their 20 overs.

England needed a victory to progress, but had the worst possible start, when they lost Wright, Hales and Bairstow in the space of 4 deliveries from Lasith Malinga. Samit Patel, recalled to the side, played without doubt the best innings he has played in an international T20, as he was playing the spin of Mendis quite comfortably. However, the game was all but up when Morgan was out, followed by the woefully out of form Ravi Bopara. Patel did reach his half century off 37 balls and he and Graeme Swann put on a 50 partnership for the 8^th wicket, but when Patel went for 67, the game was up, and Sri Lanka won by 19 runs.

A very disappointing performance from England all round. Finn and Broad bowled well, but there will be question marks over whether Broad made the correct call at the toss, and even bigger question marks over the batsman’s inconsistent contributions to the side. Sri Lanka look good for the trophy, and will be joined in the Semi Finals by the West Indies.

Man of the Match: Lasith Malinga for his 5-32. England just couldn’t cope with his variations today, and taking 3 wickets in an over is nearly always going to win your side the game when defending a score.

ICC World Twenty 20: Day 12 Round Up

Watson fires Aussies into Semi’s

30/9/12-Australia 147-2 17.4 overs (Watson 70) beat South Africa 146-5 20 overs (Doherty 3-20) by 8 wickets @ Colombo

Australia have qualified for the Semi Finals of the ICC World Twenty 20, after beating South  Africa by 8 wickets in Colombo.

George Bailey won the toss and stuck South Africa in to bat, which immediately looked to be the correct decision. Xavier Doherty was brought back into the side and bowled Levi in the first over, before having Kallis caught in the 3^rd. The star man of the tournament, Shane Watson, then had the danger man Amla caught behind, as South Africa were struggling against the variety of the Aussie attack. de Villiers and Duminy also couldn’t get going, but thanks to 54 from the final 5 overs, South Africa managed to reach 147-5 off their 20 overs, with Robin Peterson top scoring with a 19-ball 32.

Australia lost David Warner early, when Morne Morkel bowled him for 5, but as long as Watson was at the crease, they always looked comfortable. He raced to his 3^rd half century of the tournament, coming off 35 balls, becoming the leading run scorer in the competition in the process. He couldn’t see his side fully home though, as he was caught at long off for 70, but the job had already been done. Mike Hussey struck an unbeaten 45, as Australia completed a comfortable victory.

Another convincing win for the Aussies, and they really are looking one of the stronger teams in the tournament. South Africa on the other hand, tipped by many before the competition began, are all but out, and needed India to beat Pakistan in the later game to stand any chance of getting through.

Man of the Match: Shane Watson for his 70 and 2-29. What more can you say about Shane Watson. He is the leading run scorer in the competition, the leading wicket taker, and has hit the most sixes out of anyone, and this is his 4^th Man of the Match award out of 4 games.

Kohli eases India past Pakistan

30/9/12-India 129-2 17 overs (Kohli 74*) beat Pakistan 128 all out 19.4 overs (Balaji 3-22) by 8 wickets @ Colombo

India have kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the Semi Finals of the ICC World Twenty 20, after easing to victory over Pakistan.

Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and elected to bat first, but as it was for South Africa, run scoring was proving difficult. The Pakistani top order has already fired a few times in the tournament, but today it didn’t, as Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed and Kamran Akmal failed to make double figures, and the skipper fell for a 28 ball 15. Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal added some much needed impetus to the innings, but the damage was already done by India, as Pakistan were eventually all out in the 20^th over for 128, with Ashwin and Yuvraj both claiming 2 victims.

Despite losing Gautam Gambhir in the first over, the Indians didn’t look in any trouble as they hunted down the Pakistani score. Virendar Sehwag found some sort of form, but wasn’t anywhere near his fluent best in 24 ball 29. But it was India’s star man of the last year, Virat Kohli, who led his side to a comfortable victory inside 17 overs, scoring an unbeaten 78 with 8 fours and 2 sixes.

A very good win for India, and they have now given themselves a good chance of qualifying for the Semi Finals. Pakistan cannot string two consistent performances together, which hopefully means for them that they will win their final game against Australia.

Man of the Match: Virat Kohli for his unbeaten 74. Looks a fantastic talent, and has had a superb 2012.

ICC World Twenty20: Day 11 Round Up

Wright destroys New Zealand

29/9/12- England 149-4 18.5 overs (Wright 76) beat New Zealand 148-6 20 overs (Franklin 50, Finn 3-16)

England have kept alive their hopes of retaining the ICC World T20, by beating New Zealand by 6 wickets.

Ross Taylor elected to bat first, but lost Guptill and danger man Brendon McCullum inside the opening 4 overs. They struggled to get the innings going, as they lost wickets at a regular pace. It was the Essex all rounder James Franklin who added much needed impetus to the innings, taking his side to a competitive score. He scored 50 off 33 balls, as the Kiwis posted 148-6.

England lost the out of form Kieswetter early, and Hales not long after, as the batsman were once again looking weak against spin. However, Luke Wright was at his explosive best, and he and Morgan put on a partnership that won England the game, with Wright clearing the ropes 5 times overall. The pair couldn't see their side home, but England won with 7 balls remaining.

A very professional performance from England today, and will now have to repeat that against Sri Lanka on Monday, where a victory should see them through.

Man of the Match: Luke Wright for his 44 ball 76. A superb knock again from the Sussex man, and if he can continue in this form, then he can fill the void left by Pietersen.

Sri Lanka ease passed West Indies

29/9/12- Sri Lanka 130-1 15.2 overs (Jayawardene 65*) beat West Indies 129-5 20 overs (Samuels 50) by 9 wickets @ Pallekele

Sri Lanka are closing in on a Semi Final spot in the ICC World Twenty 20, after comfortably beating the West Indies in Pallekele.

After choosing to bat first, the West Indies lost England’s nemesis from the other day, Johnson Charles, and the star man Chris Gayle in the space of 3 balls, and a rebuilding job was needed. That was provided from Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo, as they put on a 65 run partnership in just over 9 overs. However, just as they set a platform for which they could have launched an assault towards the end of the innings, Bravo was dismissed, and they could only post 129-5 off their 20 overs.

Sri Lanka never looked in trouble in their response, even though they lost the Man of the Match from the previous game, Dilshan, inside the first few overs. The experienced pair of Jayawardene and Sangakarra built a partnership like they have done many times over the years, as they raced to their target inside 16 overs, with Jaywardene unbeaten on 65.

The margin of victory for Sri Lanka leaves them with a superior run rate to the other teams in the group, and even if they lose to England on Monday, it’s still likely that they will qualify for the Semi Final. West Indies now need to beat the now knocked-out New Zealand on Monday to stand any chance of going through, and win well, as their net run rate is inferior to that of England.

Man of the Match: Mahela Jaywardene for his unbeaten 65. His innings oozed with class throughout, including 10 fours and a six, showing why he is one of the greatest batsman too have ever put on the Sri Lankan shirt.

ICC World Twenty 20: Day 10 Round Up

Gul blasts Pakistan to victory over SA

28/9/12- Pakistan 136-8 19.4 overs (U Akmal 43*, Steyn 3-22) beat South Africa 133-6 20 overs (Duminy 48) by 2 wickets @ Colombo

Pakistan have beaten South Africa by 2 wickets in the respective teams opening game of the Super 8’s, thanks largely to an unlikely source with the bat.

AB de Villiers chose to bat first, but lost Amla, Levi and Kallis early, and runs were seemingly hard to come by. The skipper and JP Duminy began to rebuild the innings after Behardien was then dismissed, taking their side over 100 in the 17^th over. However, de Villiers couldn’t see out the 20 overs, and former Surrey all rounder Yasir Arafat removed Duminy, as the South Africans could only muster a below par effort of 133-6.

 Pakistan knew that if they batted anywhere near the way they have been in the last few games, the target of 134 would have been a stroll. However, Pakistan, known for their consistency, quickly fell to 37-4 in the 7^th over, with danger men Jamshed and Nazir two of the four out. The innings was falling apart, as Malik and Arafat then went either side of a Shahid Afridi golden duck. Pakistan required 68 off 33 balls with 3 wickets left, and victory seemed to be South Africa’s, but you should never write off Pakistan. Umar Gul, known for his superb death bowling, hit a fantastic innings of 32, including 3 sixes, in a partnership of 49 with Umar Akmal, as Pakistan completed a most unlikely of victories with 2 balls remaining.

South Africa must be wondering what went wrong today. They batting was very below par, and I can’t remember the last time Amla (8) didn’t get to double figures. The victory was stolen out of the palms of their hands today by Pakistan, who will feel extra rejuvenated after that victory, and are a serious contender for the Trophy.

Man of the Match: Umar Gul for his wonderful 17 ball 32. Without him, Pakistan would have struggled to get to 100, and it shows the amount of all round talent that this side has.

Watson and Warner destroy India

28/9/12- Australia 141-1 14.5 overs (Watson 72, Warner 63*) beat India 140-7 20 overs (Watson 3-34) by 9 wickets @ Colombo

Australia have annihilated India by 9 wickets in the Super 8’s at Colombo, after Shane Watson put in another wonderful all-round performance.

After seeing the way the pitch played in the earlier game, MS Dhoni decided he wanted to set a total for the Australians to chase. They lost Gambhir in the 3^rd over, and their in form batsman Virat Kohli for just 15, as run scoring was as hard as it was in the Pakistan-South Africa game. They continued to lose wickets at a regular pace, as Yuvraj and Rohit couldn’t add anything substantial, and the highest score was in fact the makeshift opener Pathan, who made 31. Ashwin and Raina took their side to a competitive 140-7 off their 20 overs.

However, Australia made the pitch look like the Oval at its flattest, as Watson continued his fine form of the tournament, and Warner was at his bludgeoning best. They raced towards the Indian score with no real alarms, and the pair were seemingly competing with each other to see who could get their half century first. It was Watson to do so, coming off just 28 balls, including 6 huge sixes and just the one four, followed by Warner’s off 37 with 6 fours and 2 maximums. Watson did get out before the end, but Australia won extremely comfortable with 31 balls to spare.

An exceptional performance from Australia, and they just seem to be getting better and better as the tournament goes on. After beating England well the other day, India will struggle to qualify for the next round as their net run rate has been seriously hampered today.

Man of the Match: Shane Watson for his terrific 72 and 3-34. He is the leading run scorer and wicket getter in the tournament so far, and if Australia go far in the tournament, there won’t be many challenging him for the player of the tournament award.

ICC World Twenty20: Day 9 Round Up

Sri Lanka win Super over thriller

27/9/12- Sri Lanka 174-6 20 overs (Dilshan 76) beat New Zealand 174-7 20 overs (Nicol 58) via the one over eliminator @ Pallekele

Sri Lanka have beaten New Zealand via a Super over, after both sides scored 174 off their 20 overs. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first, and they got off to a good solid start, reaching 57 before they lost their first wicket. Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor both played cameos, but it was Rob Nicol who played the best innings, scoring 58 off 40 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes. But when he was out in the 16th over, they fell away slightly, finishing on 174-7 from their 20 overs.

It was certainly a good pitch to bat on, and with the way Sri Lanka started, it looked as if New Zealand's score was below par. They reached 68 off the powerplay, the highest score off the opening 6 overs in the tournament so far. Despite losing Jayawardene and Sangakarra, they were still going at 10 an over after 12 overs, but New Zealand managed to pull things back, removing Dilshan for a superb 76 in the penultimate over. With 8 required off the final over, Sri Lanka could only get 7, with a run out off the final ball.

Sri Lanka batted first in the super over, with Jayawardene and Perera scoring 13, before New Zealand could only manage 7 off their over, as Sri Lanka had won in the most dramatic of style.

So Sri Lanka have continued their 100% record in the tournament, and they look very good for the final, but New Zealand’s confidence would have taken a blow after the way they lost, and they will do well to come back fighting against England and the West Indies.

Man of the Match: Dilshan for his fantastic 76.Was at his best today, and without him, Sri Lanka wouldn’t have got near the New Zealand’s score.

Charles and West Indies too good for England

27/9/12- West Indies 179-5 20 overs (Charles 84, Gayle 58) beat England 164-4 20 overs (Morgan 71*, Hales 68) by 15 runs @ Pallekele

The West Indies have beaten England by 15 runs in Pallekele, with Johnson Charles putting in a man of the match performance.

Darren Sammy won the toss and had no hesitation in choosing to bat first. Gayle opened up with Johnson Charles, and it was the former who showed his usual explosion, taking his side over 100 inside 11 overs. He reached his half century from 29 balls, and was taking a particular liking to Samith Patel’s left arm spin. And after Swann removed him, the big hitters kept coming, as Charles passed 50 for the first time in international T20’s. He reached 84 before Jade had him caught, and after some late order hitting, West Indies posted 179-5 off their 20 overs.

It was always going to be a tough task for England, but it was the same ground as the earlier game, so they knew the pitch would hold up well. However, we got off to the worst possible start, losing Kieswetter second ball and Wright third ball of the innings, both to inexcusable shots. Both Hales and Bairstow struggled to score quickly, and Bairstow was next out for 18. The rate required went up above 12, but Hales was still trying, reaching his half century of 37 balls. Morgan was also finding his best touch, reaching his 50 off just 25 balls. However, the ask was too large, and West Indies had won by 15 runs.

A disappointing performance from England then, with some of the bowlers giving away too many, and the terrible start with the bat didn't help. Hales and Morgan put on a great partnership of 107, but we were never in the game, and West Indies won quite comfortably.

Man of the Match: Johnson Charles for his superb 84.Deserved a hundred, but just grew tired towards the end, and a definite star of the future.