England Still Looking For The Kies To The World

It’s common knowledge that a good, strong start to an innings is paramount to scoring a competitive total in t20 cricket.

That said, attempting an expansive pull shot off the second ball of an innings is a trifle risky even in this format.

Craig Kieswetter attempted just that in Pellekele yesterday, and succeeded only in top-edging Ravi Rampaul straight down Kieron Pollard’s throat at third man. England crashed to 80 all out in their last group match against India last Sunday, and their kamikaze shot selection seems to have remained intact – sadly.

With England 0 for 1 after two balls, Luke Wright came to the crease and managed to fend Rampaul's next delivery straight to Chris Gayle at first slip. Catching practice this was not, but it might as well have been. England have been accused of not playing spin particularly well again on this tour, but when a team loses two wickets in the first three balls of an innings, the subsequent batsmen will struggle against any bowling.

England’s match with the West Indies had been delayed by the over-running preceding match between tournament hosts Sri Lanka and New Zealand, which had gone into a super over, the scores tied after 40 overs. England and West Indies players took to the pitch at the end of the regulation overs to warm up, before being ushered off for the tie-breaker which Sri Lanka won. It had the making of a slightly off-piste evening thereafter, a point personified by Rapaul’s double wicket maiden first up.

The fact that Eoin Morgan produced an innings of real quality, scoring an unbeaten 71 off 36 balls and taking England to within 15 runs of what always seemed an unlikely victory, was sadly lost as concern around the rest of the batting line-up took centre stage.

Morgan, batting at five, had to wait his turn as Jonny Bairstow toiled to 18 off 29 balls. England look to Morgan to see the team home in the later overs and whilst Bairstow is not usually one to get stuck at the crease, but his slow strike rate meant Morgan and England ran out of time in their chase of West Indies total of 179.

One of England’s biggest problems in Sri Lanka is that apart from Morgan, they lack proven world-class batsmen. Hales, Bairstow are Buttler are all still learning their trade and whilst they have the potential to produce match-winning performances, cannot yet be relied upon to do so.

An Ian Bell or Matthew Prior up top might just have given the batting line-up that little bit of experience they need. And looking at the squad that travelled to Sri Lanka, there aren’t too many batting alternatives, other than the much discussed Ravi Bopara of course, so perhaps England’s only option is to change the order rather than the personnel, if indeed the selectors decide changes are required at all?

With games against New Zealand and Sri Lanka still to come for England, a turn-around in fortunes is required immediately if they are to hold any hope of progressing to the World t20 knock-out stages.

The bowling, save for captain Stuart Broad, was expensive yesterday. Again Bopara could help out there, but other than Bresnan, few others have tournament experience in this squad. I had high hopes that Danny Briggs would make a mark on this tournament. England had the chance to get him involved in the group stages; he could have played against Afghanistan or India, getting himself used to conditions and tournament cricket at the highest level.

The fact he wasn’t used then means that it would be a tall-order for him and a massive gamble for the selectors for him to come in now.

That said Briggs, who took 3 for 15 against Pakistan in a pre-tournament warm up match earlier this month, would provide a threat with the ball, and with victory against New Zealand in their next super 8’s match tomorrow now imperative, England could take the view that Briggs’ inclusion is a risk worth taking.

Hampshire Royals Talented Five

Courtesy of LMI Photography (@lmiphotography on Twitter)

Last week in Cardiff, Hampshire won their second Friends Life T20 title in three years.  

 

In a season that was supposed to be transitional as they recovered from relegation to Division Two of the LV= county championship, and looked to replace senior figures such as Nic Pothas, Imran Tahir, Dominic Cork and Neil McKenzie, the Royals have excelled with a host of youngsters stepping up and winning the first silverware up for grabs in the domestic calendar.

Michael Bates, Danny Briggs, Liam Dawson, James Vince and Chris Wood all played their part last week at the SWALEC, but then they've been doing that all season.
 
Hampshire coach Giles White deserves enormous credit for the squad he hasassembled at the Ageas Bowl this year, a blend of young cricketers with cleartalent and potential, carefully fused with experienced pros, giving the side balance and as it turns out, a recipe for success.
 
At Hampshire's pre-season media day back in April there was an acknowledgmentfrom White and club captain Jimmy Adams that this decision to invest in youthcould be a risky one, that it could take a few years to produce a competitive side, thatpromotion back to the top tier of first class cricket may take some time.
 
"We want to put something in place that’s got more longevity than justthis season. 3,4,5 years down the line we want to be challenging forhonours," Adams told me that day. Perhaps the young charges have exceededhis and White's expectations already this season?
 
Later today Hampshire take on Sussex in the Clydesdale Bank Pro-40 semi-final for a place in the Lords showpiece later this month, whilst promotion back to Division One in the championship remains a possibility for 4th placed Hants with their last two matches of the season against second placed Yorkshire and leaders Derbyshire sure to affect the final league placings.
 
Dawson, Vince, Wood, Bates and Briggs have all excelled in their differentdisciplines in 2012, with 5 wicket hauls, maiden first class hundreds and England call ups all coming the way of the talented quintet this season. Sure the experienced guys have provided the backbone, and the likes of Adams, Michael Carberry, Kabir Ali and former Australian test batsman Simon Katich have all contributed to the Royals successes in 2012.

But this team is built around youth, so below is a short summary on five of Hampshire's brightest prospects, and what they have achieved so far in their short careers.



Michael Bates (21) – Frimley, Surrey

Michael Bates formally took over Hampshire's wicket-keeping duties from the departedNic Pothas at the start of this season. Coach Giles White scoured the countrylooking for an experienced man to replace Pothas before entrusting Bates withthe gloves on a permanent basis. And the 21 year old hasn’t disappointed, taking 42 catches in 14 Division two matches this season, whilst his ploy of standing up to seamers such as Chris Wood in limited overs cricket has helped to put pressure on opposing batsmen all season
 
Bates is as good a wicket-keeper as you’ll see in county cricket, asafe and reliable pair of hands who puts few chances down, but his batting is an area that still requires work, despite reaching his maiden first class hundred earlier this season agaist Yorkshire 

Danny Briggs (21) – Isle of Wight, Hampshire
 
Briggs was the second youngest Englishman to reach 100 first classwickets behind Derek Underwood last year, form that has lead to him being called up toEngland's 15 man squad for the World T20 championships in Sri Lanka starting later this month. Bowling a consistently tight line with variations of pace rather than big spin his main weapon, Briggs has proven to be particularly effective in limited overs cricket and refers to Daniel Vettori as his role-model  

He was Hampshire's leadingwicket taker in T20 cricket as the Royals won their last title back in 2010.This term he has struggled somewhat, and with the resurgence of Liam Dawson asa genuine spin option, was actually omitted from the championship squad earlieron in the campaign. His figures this season may not look as impressive asin previous years, but with 17 scalps at 22 runs apiece in CB40 this summer,the Royals leading wicket taker in the format, he's still doing enough toexcite England selectors and the Hampshire faithful alike
 
Liam Dawson (22) – Swindon, Wiltshire

Like Bates and Briggs, Dawson has represented his country at under 19 level, captaining on a tour of South Africa in 2008. He began his career as a spin bowler but as his batting improved, Dawson became more of a specialist batsman, and actually opened the batting with captain Jimmy Adams at the start of this season for a while, before being replaced at the top of the order by Michael Carberry.

A meeting between Hampshire's bowlers around this time howevergave Dawson renewed confidence in his bowling aspirations. As they took turnsto critique each other the general consensus was that Dawson should think ofhimself as a frontline bowler again, rather than a batsman who could bowl a bit.5 wickets for 29 against Leicestershire soon followed and it wasn’t long beforeDawson had actually replaced Briggs as the sides spinner, such was the threat he was posing in what was seam-friendly conditions on early season wickets

2012has seen Dawson develop into a genuine all-round option for Hampshire, apivotal member of the team in all three formats, and with a more settled placein the batting line up, Dawson should go from strength to strength in thefuture

James Vince (21) – Cuckfield, Sussex

Having been compared to Michael Vaughan by Duncan Fletcher during his time coaching at Hampshire, James Vince has thetechnique to go far. Vince was the second youngest batsman to reach 1,000 runsin Hampshire’s history and his runs this summer, particularly in limited overscricket, have contributed to the Royal’s success.

Vince was the Royal’s leading run scorer in their victorious T20campaign this summer, scoring 254 runs at an average of 31.75, ahead of thebig-hitting Australian Glenn Maxwell who made such an impact at the Ageas Bowl earlierthis season. He is also Hampshire’s second highest run-scorer in Pro-40 cricketbehind the Michael Carberry, with 479 runs at 59.87 per innings. At just 21 hehas many years ahead of him to develop his game yet further, and with Englandunder 19 experiences also under his belt, not to mention former England coaches singing hispraises, Vince could appear at the top level of the game in the future

Chris Wood (22) – Basingstoke, Hampshire

Chris Wood is another Hampshire cricketer who has shown promise from an early age. Theleft-arm seamer from Basingstoke has been in and out of the Championship sidethis season as senior bowlers Kabir Ali and James Tomlinson returned to fullfitness, but Wood has done well when called upon, taking 18 wickets from his 8matches at 35 runs apiece. His batting isn’t too shabby either, scoring 105 notout against Leicestershire as recently as last week, a career best score andmaiden first class hundred.

It is in limited overs cricket that Wood is particularlystrong however and his 5/22 against Glamorgan in Pro-40 match in August helpedto set Hampshire on their way to a semi-final clash against Sussex later today. He played a major role in securing both the Royals T20 titles as hefinished second leading wicket taker behind Briggs in 2010 whilst taking 3wickets in the final over of the T20 final against Yorkshire this year

Hampshire hoped to challenge for honours at thestart of this season, but I’m not sure if anyone at the Ageas Bowl trulybelieved they would prevail quite yet. With a young side and against some strong opposition, theRoyals were up against it. But going into the final few weeks of the 2012 season,the Royals are in the mix on all fronts and what’s more, the strength of the young guns means they'll be challenging for many years to come