New Era

By e Bye Nicco!
By Grockle
June 22 2005

Well we start the 20/20 with a new broom sweeping clean! Phase 3 of the season and Nixon has gone! Brian Rose has terminated his contract because of injury and made statements about new regimes and assessments of people wanting to play here. Well that's for 2006. What about the next 14 days?

The 20/20 Regional Stage

Phase 3 of the 2005 season has started with the glitz of the 20/20.  8 games against 5 opponents (we only play Warwickshire once away and Worcestershire once at home) in 14 days – intensive or what? 

 

We haven’t done the business at all in Phase 1 (Championship). ‘Fortress Taunton’ has been anything but and our away form has been so unpredictable that “Teletext Torture” has become a Human Rights issue. 

 

Phase 2 (TSL) was a bit more promising to start with but we can be brilliant (last Wednesday, Sussex Part 1) or dire (Sunday at Bath, Sussex Part 2) depending on our mood. In one case we managed to be both at the same time!

 

What about our prospects in this version?  Brian Rose, the new Director of Cricket said recently that he believes we have the squad to win this. But do we have the heart and spirit as a team?  Are we a team?

 

Our captain has little experience of this format.  Pray that he gets the gist of it quicker than Ricky Ponting did against England a few days ago.  We have the batsmen who CAN perform in this competition – Smith, Blackwell, and Hildreth can all devastate. But will they? 

 

Where are the bowlers to do the job?  One problem this time around has been our inability to bowl sides out in any form of the game.  Even when we’ve kept the run rate down, we’ve been unable penetrate and take wickets quickly enough – 20/20 is all about speed and control.  Our strike trio have spent most of the season on Darren’s table and we have a plethora (just trying to impress!!) of other injuries mounting up. 

 

We do have the fielders. Our outfielding has improved beyond measure this season – that is if we can get the talented younger players in – Wood, John Francis, and Hildreth

 

The main question is how does Smith balance the three areas?  I think he can. There are some key players who have to be involved.  Graeme Smith himself to drive the batting and marshall the forces.  Ian Blackwell, he has a strike rate few can match.  Carl Gazzard, pinch hitter, fast running keeper, extra impetus at the back end or an opener to get things going.  Aaron Laraman, in tight, wicket taking mode and to provide some weight to the tail (he has to be this more often!).  James Hildreth, made for this format, has a love of the occasion and can rapidly change a score.  John Francis (please be fit) as an anchor with the bat and as an excellent close fielder.  Richard Johnson (if HE’s fit) because he can take wickets and cameo with the bat in a major fashion if we collapse.  Simon Francis to keep the run rate down and get among the wickets. 

 

This is not the format for some – Rob Turner (better keeper, not a quick scorer), Andy Caddick (rhythm bowler with not enough time to warm up). We will need these guys in the second half of the season so let’s get them fit and ready!

 

Almost a winning side?  Two strike bowlers, lots of bat and ball bits, some big hitters and good fielders.  Where are the rest?  Wes Durston could be a man for 20/20 a quick scorer with some bowling. Mike Burns, same reasons.  Keith Parsons would be the supporters’ choice (and mine).  Matt Wood will play for his solidity and his outfield talent.  If we find ourselves on a roll, take injuries or fail miserably early on, expect to see Mike Parsons, Arul Suppiah and Neil Edwards get in on the action.

 

How do you play this game anyway?  We've come a cropper against sides in the last coouple of years - Gloucestershire and Harvey at Taunton come to mind. We've also scored hugely - Northants last year I think.  Chris Adams was talking about the lessons he learned in his first season of the game and how they changed the game plan for 2004.  He had gone out with his 5 bowlers to tie them down, using them in fours or 2 and 2.  He has tried to establish a base with his one day openers and build from there.  But there isn't time.  You have to hit them hard, mix them up and then finish them off.

 

Sussex now use their best two bowlers for 3 overs each at the start to try and get amongst the top 5.  He then uses bits and pieces in variable spells to keep the batsmen guessing and stop them settling (a bit like Smiffy has been doing in our one day matches).  The hope is that you start the wickets going down and keep up the momentum to stop partnerships forming.  Keep a bit at the end when slogging is at its height and hope for luck.  You also have to field for everything all the time from ball 1.

 

When batting, the objective is to bat to 11.  Everyone bats, nearly everyone bowls and everyone fields.  You need guys who get in quick, run well between the wickets, are flexible about shot selection and score quickly.  You can't afford an anchorman, unless he can adapt to the flow of the game and do one thing or another as the situation requires.

We need this competition.  We need to see a team with heart and backbone under pressure.  We need exciting but winning cricket.  Let's all hope that Smith is a quick study and the boys are willing to fight for each other for the next two weeks.