Royals the real deal in FLt20 2013

Hampshire Royals romped to a 62-run win over the Kent Spitfires in the Friends Life t20 competition last night, largely thanks to an explosive 83 off 56 balls from opener Michael Carberry. With one game left to play in the group stages, the Royals sit at the top of the South Group with fifteen points, having already guaranteed themselves a home draw in the quarter-finals.

Following their dominant performances thus far this summer, the Royals already appear to be strong favourites to retain the trophy they won on finals day at Sophia Gardens last year. Although many of the bookies have the Nottinghamshire Outlaws at the shortest odds, the East Midlands side won seven and lost three of their group matches, whilst the Royals have lost just one game in the competition all season (seven wins, one N/R), in arguably the strongest of the three groups.

It isn’t hard to understand why the Royals have been so successful. Simply looking at last night’s team sheet, even with qualification already sewn up, Hampshire fielded arguably their strongest t20 XI (minus Pakistani overseas player Sohail Tanvir and young wicketkeeper Michael Bates): Carberry, Vince, Adams, McKenzie, Mascarenhas ©, Ervine, Dawson, Wheater (wk), Wood, Briggs & Griffiths.

In fact, these thirteen aforementioned names are the only Hampshire players used in the FLt20 competition this summer. Their consistency has evidently been one key component of the Royals success in 2013, with momentum being another. Winning is a habit that is even more critical in a game as frenetic and unpredictable as Twenty 20 cricket.

As for the players themselves, Michael Carberry and Neil McKenzie have been pivotal to the Royals’ success with the bat. Carberry has been a revelation at the top of the order, scoring 391 runs at 55.86, blowing away the view that he is just a top-order blocker. Carberry’s powerful all-round stroke play has been a joy to watch, whilst his exploitation of the fielding restrictions in the powerplay overs has been particularly impressive. As for McKenzie, the formerly stodgy South African Test opener has become a remarkable t20 player. This season McKenzie averages 124.50, largely thanks to being unbeaten in four out of his six knocks. His 249 runs have come at a healthy strike-rate (120.00), whilst his consistency and experience have proved invaluable to the county once again this season.

Supported by the talented James Vince and the ever reliable Jimmy Adams, the Hampshire top order has excelled, and with the blend of strength, innovation and classic stroke play provided by Mascarenhas, Ervine and Dawson, their middle-order is probably one of the best in the country.

As for the bowlers, Sohail Tanvir is a particularly tricky customer. With balls coming down from over 196cms, the Pakistani left-armer is an extremely awkward bowler to get away, due to his impressive height, unorthodox action and unique angle of attack. In addition, medium-pacer Dmitri Mascarenhas has 146 career t20 wickets as well a healthy economy rate, whilst left-arm spinner Danny Briggs provides plenty of control in the middle overs. Young seamer Chris Wood is also a widely regarded prospect, thanks to his skill with the new ball and clever death bowling.

In short, it is going to take an impressive side to stop the Hampshire Royals from advancing all the way to the final come August 17^th at Edgbaston. Nottinghamshire and Somerset look like the two teams most likely to crash the Royals party; however the beauty of t20 cricket is that any team can beat another on their day. The question remains as to whether any team can repeat Kent’s trick at the Rose Bowl last week. The Spitfires are now the only team to have beaten the Royals in the t20 format for over a year.

Why KP’s absence would be a good thing for everyone (but him!)

England’s decision to throw James Taylor into an Ashes tour match for Sussex against Australia on Friday seems to suggest that Kevin Pietersen’s calf strain is a serious one. The injury could keep him out of the third Ashes Test at Old Trafford beginning on August 1^st and 23-year-old Taylor could be the man to replace him. The Nottinghamshire batsman – who has played in two Test matches for his country – has thus been given the opportunity to prepare for a potential Ashes debut.

Taylor, who averages 47.83 in first-class cricket, could make his third international appearance one year on from his England debut, which came against South Africa on August 2^nd last year. The former England Lions skipper has been in good form in all formats this summer, averaging over fifty in the county championship and over a hundred in the YB40 competition. Although he only made 48 runs from his three innings against South Africa last summer, it is believed that Taylor is the next in line for KP’s slot, with the prodigal Ravi Bopara just behind him.

From an English perspective, should Pietersen be unfit to play at Old Trafford next week, it may be no bad thing at all. Taylor is an in-form young player with plenty of potential and on the basis of his domestic form, deserves a chance again at international level. KP meanwhile has looked far from his majestic best in the series so far, having made just 85 runs from four innings at an average just over 20. His much awaited return to the team has not quite gone according to plan for the South African-born batsman, having been absent over the past year due to personal differences and injury. The team dynamic would certainly not be affected by the absence of Pietersen’s ego, even if his undoubted talent leaves the batting line-up a touch short of experience.

This will be the opinion of the Australians – that an England side without Pietersen is a weaker one. Lehmann and co. will feel that Taylor’s lack of experience at international level is something they can exploit and having toured Australia with the Lions back in February, the Aussies should have some footage of him batting to analyse as well. One might suggest that Taylor’s lack of height (5 foot 6 inches) probably means that “Titch” will receive a polite welcome to Ashes cricket through a barrage of short pitched chin music.

England’s batting line-up, although not as bad as the Australians, have already shown frailties in the first and second Test matches, and without KP’s experience and “x-factor” ability, the Aussies will feel they can continue to unsettle the hosts relatively inexperienced top-order. Alongside the youthful Root, Bairstow and Taylor, Pietersen’s absence will put pressure on Cook, Trott and Bell to stand up and perform.

So let’s all hope that Pietersen’s injury keeps him out of the Old Trafford. It could be a good thing for everyone (apart from KP!) – for Englishman, for Australians and even more so for the neutrals, the cricket fans all over the globe who are hoping for a slightly less one-sided contest come August 1^st at Old Trafford.

Australia suffer Pattinson injury blow

After a catastrophic 347-run four-day defeat at Lord’s, Australia’s Ashes hopes have been struck with a further blow tonight following the news that fast-bowler James Pattinson is out of the rest of the series having suffered a stress fracture of the lower back. Pattinson originally complained of back and hip soreness following the Lord’s Test, yet since being assessed by medical staff, the extent of his injury has been revealed as much more severe.

Although the 23-year-old has looked a long way short of his menacing best in the series thus far – taking just 7 wickets at an average of 43.85 – Pattinson has also chipped in with a couple of useful lower-order knocks with the bat. The loss of the Victorian speedster is subsequently a major blow for the Aussies, and now Lehmann, Clarke and co. must decide on the best way to balance the side in his absence.

A straight swap could see a return to the side for left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc, who took match figures of 5-135 in the first Test at Trent Bridge. It has already been well highlighted that England’s batsmen have struggled against left-arm seamers in the past, most recently Trent Boult and Neil Wagner of New Zealand. Thus 23-year-old’s ability to swing the ball back into the right-handers may lead to the Aussies bringing Starc back into the side.

Another seam bowling option for Australia is Jackson Bird. The 26-year-old – who plays his state cricket in Tasmania – made his Test debut in last year’s Boxing Day encounter against Sri Lanka at the MCG, taking 11 wickets in two matches at 16.18. With over 100 first-class wickets to his name, Bird has the ability to swing the ball both ways and is a strong option for the tourists in Pattinson’s absence. Prior to the Ashes, fast-bowling legend Merv Hughes suggested Bird could be “one of the bowlers of the tour”.

He added, “He is a top bowler, he doesn’t give much away, he seams it and he swings it. Personally, I think he’s going to be the most important bowler for the Australian’s in this campaign.”

Alternate options for the Australians are all-rounder James Faulkner and Nathan Lyon. Rajasthan Royals star Faulkner – who has yet to make his Test debut – would strengthen the side in all departments; he averages 29.90 in first-class cricket with the bat and has taken 131 first class wickets at 22.63. Lyon – who has played 22 Tests for his country – may also return to the side and could form a duel-spin attack with youngster Ashton Agar.

There is of course plenty of time for each of these candidates to prove their form and fitness ahead of the third Test at Old Trafford, which begins on August 1^st. The Australians face Sussex in a three-day Tour match beginning at Hove on Friday, offering the likes of Lyon, Bird, Faulkner and reserve wicket-keeper Matthew Wade the chance to submit their selection credentials. Bad-boy batsman David Warner could also return to the Australian line-up for the third Test, as Lehmann desperately searches for a winning formula, in order to avoid a humiliating series defeat. Anything less than a win for the Australians at Old Trafford means England will either win or retain the Ashes.

Finn and Cowan possible casualties for Lord’s Test

Wow! It’s fair to say, that the first Investec Ashes Test of the summer was an absolute belter. With more twist and turns than a Monaco Grand Prix and drama lurking around every corner, the Trent Bridge encounter was one of the most dramatic Test matches of the decade. In a match reminiscent of the Edgbaston 2005 Ashes Test, it was again England who triumphed by the smallest of margins. The tiniest of inside edges proved to be the difference between the two sides, as Jimmy Anderson took his 10^th wicket of the match to remove Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin. It was a case of so near yet so far once again for the crestfallen Australians.

But if the first Test is anything to go by, the remaining nine matches of this year’s Ashes double-whammy are going to an enthralling contest. England hold a 1-0 lead going into the second Test at Lord’s on Thursday and have subsequently named an unchanged squad. Whilst the batting line-up will remain untouched, there is a strong possibility that England may make a change in the bowling department, with Tim Bresnan potentially coming in to replace Steven Finn.

Finn, who took match figures of 2-117, is clearly short of confidence and rhythm. As the second Australian 10^th wicket stand threatened to change the game, Brad Haddin targeted the lacklustre Finn, hitting him for three boundaries in the one over. Sky pundit Bob Willis suggested Finn’s below-par performance was due in part to England’s preference to prepare a flat, turning wicket, in order to favour the spin of Graeme Swann. Michael Clarke believes England will continue to prepare such pitches, and therefore Finn’s undoubted threat on bouncier, faster wickets could thus be nullified. Jonathan Agnew believes Finn needs game time with his county side Middlesex in order to regain his confidence. However, with the next Test at his home ground, there may still yet be hope that Finn might retain his place. Nasser Hussain has called for Finn to play at Lord’s, providing there is a bit of pace in the pitch. Yet if the wicket throws up another slow, low deck, it is highly likely that Tim Bresnan will be introduced into the series. Having bowled well in the Champions Trophy and scored a ton in England’s warm-up match against Essex, the Yorkshireman undoubtedly deserves a place in the side.

As for the Australians, it is likely their side will remain similar also. Although Jackson Bird and Nathan Lyon will hope to play a part in the series, strong performances from Siddle, Starc, Pattinson and Agar mean the Australians will probably stick with their current bowling unit. One position in the XI that may come under consideration however is the number 3 slot, after a below-par performance in the first Test by Ed Cowan. Cowan, who made a golden duck in the first innings and was dismissed by the part-time off-spin of Joe Root in the second, was a complete nervous wreck at the crease. The shot he played first ball to James Anderson looked every bit the stroke of a man playing in his first Ashes Test and whilst many of his Test mates rose to the occasion, Cowan crumbled under the pressure. David Warner and Usman Khawaja will thus believe they have a chance to break into the team at some point during the series, although Cowan will probably be given another chance at Lord’s. Both fans and selectors alike will be hoping that (if selected) he can regain his composure for his second Ashes Test.

See you at Lord’s.

Debut performance proves Agar’s Test potential

Ashton Agar was the surprise selection on day one of the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge and the tall left-arm spinner continued to make headlines throughout the enthralling contest. On day one, the 19-year-old, who was chosen instead of the more experienced Nathan Lyon, became the 2,000^th man to bowl in Test matches, bowling 7 overs 0-24 runs in England’s first innings.

On the second day of the Test, Agar made the headlines once again; this time on merit. His remarkable match-changing knock of 98 from number 11 was one of the most memorable innings of the series so far. Agar’s score was the highest score ever by a Test number 11 and his partnership of 151 with Phil Hughes the highest tenth wicket stand in Test cricket. Aside from his maturity at the crease and fearless approach, it was his wicked smile that instantly endeared the young Aussie to the English crowds. Agar continued to impress on day three, this time with the ball, as he took 2-82, as well as the wicket of Stuart Broad that never was. Unfortunately in the second innings he couldn’t quite repeat his first-innings feat, managing 14 from 71 balls as the Australians came up fourteen runs short of victory.

Back in May, Agar made three appearances for Henley CC in the Home Counties Premier League, taking a hat-trick of lbws during his time with the Oxfordshire club. Two months on, having originally been included in the Australian touring squad for ‘development’ purposes, Agar was chosen for the tourist’s warm-up fixture against Worcestershire. He picked up match figures of 3-165. England should have thus perhaps been expecting that the 19-year-old might be included in the Australia XI, but the omission of Lyon was certainly a shock to everyone, especially considering the off-spinner took 7-94 in his last Test match against India, dismissing Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in both innings.

Ultimately however, Agar’s transition into the side is just another step by the Australians in their attempts to find a new Shane Warne. Previous selections of relatively unknown and inexperienced spinners, such as Beau Casson, Jason Krejza, Bryce McGain, Xavier Doherty and Michael Beer, show how desperate Australia are to discover another ‘wonder-spinner’. The recent fast-tracking of Pakistan-born leggie Fawad Ahmed further exemplifies this point. Perhaps the Australian selectors should reflect on whether or not these off-hand selections devalue the gravitas of the historic Baggy Green cap?

Although many young spinners in the post-Warne era have fallen by the waste side, this record-breaking debut suggests there is hope that Agar won’t join this list. Agar – who nearly everyone agrees is left-arm-quick Mitchell Starc’s and Aussie golfer Adam Scott’s long-lost brother – batted with great maturity in the first innings and bowled with great control throughout. Regarding the remainder of this Ashes series, Agar’s nature as a left-armer, along with his unorthodox cross-seamed finger spin, certainly suggests that he could complement Nathan Lyon in a duel-pronged spin attack. Whether this comes to fruition we will have to wait and see, but beyond this year’s Ashes, the Australian population will be hopeful that this lad can go on to have a long and prosperous Test career.

England won’t target individuals, says Broad

Ahead of the start of this year’s Ashes series next week, England fast-bowler Stuart Broad says that England are not planning on copying dominant Australian teams of the past and targeting specific players in the Australia team.

Speaking at the Investec Ashes press conference in London, the Nottinghamshire seamer said that discussions and strategies regarding Australia’s batsman would begin at a team meeting this Sunday.

“I think every team would always target members of the opposition batting line-up. Whether they make that public is up to their personal preference.”

He added, “The Aussies probably used to target people but it’s certainly not something I’m going to do.”

Fast-bowling compatriot Steve Finn agreed with Broad, “Those days are past. We’ll have our meeting on Sunday and talk about how we can get people out, but in terms of actually targeting someone specific, there’s nothing like that.”

Meanwhile the retired former Australian Ashes winner Damien Martyn suggested that Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen would be the two key men in the England side that the Australian’s may look to target.

“From an England point of view, for us, I think Cook is a massive one. He’s an amazing player, an amazing leader and his record is outstanding. He stabilises that side, he’s always making runs, he opens the batting and he’s the captain as well.

“And then the X-factor is [Kevin] Pietersen. He is a match-winner. He’s been out a lot recently with injury and hasn’t played much cricket, but those are the two guys Australia will take a look at very closely.

“When Pietersen is in the side, he is always going to be dangerous from an opposition point of view.”

Martyn also stated that there would be no such Glenn McGrath “5-0” predictions or Shane Warne “Sherminator” style outbursts from the Australian team. He suggested that under new coach Darren Lehmann, the tourists will keep team business more private, rather than choosing to air their dirty laundry in public.

Coach-cum-commentator Tom Moody, suggested that the public humiliation of players meant that former-coach Mickey Arthur’s sacking became “inevitable”, stating that he “lost control” and “lost the trust” of the Australian players.

He also believes that the Australians under Lehmann will play with an “underlying confidence” and that the Aussies have been “written off far too early”.

“The unknown can happen in Ashes series. There’s unique pressure and a lot of expectation on both sides, particularly England.”