Poor match all round for Barnard - I'm unconvinced by him as a T20 player and fear that's because his nous in this format isn't what it is in red ball.

Poor performance with the bat, dropped a crucial catch and then made a mistake bringing Mouseley on

Fantastic effort from Yates here

meashambear wrote:

Got to ask serious questions about the people who signed off on Thompson. What have the coaches seen in him?

The same thing they saw in Garton

And there goes our big money signing, for 20 in his first over in a low scoring game

The only type of delivery that looked hittable was the short one. First ball we bowl... Short

Is this our worst T20 team ever?

12 runs in 3.4 overs - that's simply not good enough.

Edit - make that in 4 overs

Shaikh is still only 20 so I think worth renewing - he may benefit from doing well in the ODC.

Simmons at 22 has just not played enough cricket to warrant keeping on. A shame but it happens to some fast bowlers.

What has happened to Wylie to mean he isn't playing?

Malik - keep
Garton - don't
Barker - depends on how his body holds up for the rest of the season

ITE7376 wrote:

Andy wrote:

Yeah I agree, they should both definitely play if/when available. Can't recall either ever having opened at 1st team level though so that might not be the spot.

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Bethell had that brief period opening for us in his first season in the T20 when he was like 18/19, an experiment that lasted maybe 1/3 that season and never really came off

Yep, I was going to mention that. Whilst it didn't come off those were his first, first XI games and he's clearly developed a lot since then. I think it's worth giving him another go there if/when he's available.

I think that should/could be the last we see of OHD in this format. He's so hittable, for example any shorter change up balls look so easy to hit out the park.

Thompson seems to go to Yorker every ball for his death bowling, yet in that 19th over he executed so badly that the first four balls were all full tosses.

The batting still looks one batsman light, I think Smith needs to be tried higher up the order.

And I agree with the comments about Barnard's captaincy in this format. Some of the field placings were poor. The Taz Ali over has already been mentioned and there was another over (I can't remember who bowled but it was a seamer from the pavilion end) where we didn't have anyone at cow corner and two boundaries were one bounce fours over mid wickets head. To then top if off by bowling OHD in the last over who had gone for 48 off 3 was bizarre.

The positives are Taz still looks promising, Tariq looked effective yesterday and Webster's batting was what we hoped for.

Unfortunately there are just too many weak spots in the team this year so now we just have to hope it's not a totally embarrassing campaign.

In response to messages about plan and balance of the team, if we lose this as it looks like will be the case, it will have to force a rethink. 0-3 isn't good enough at any point, let alone at the start.

One of Booth/Bamber should come in, Davies should drop out and another extra bat lower down the order, however they would look needs to come in

How Woakes didn't get Mohammed out in that spell I'll never know

whitelightning wrote:

I thought Thompson was supposed to be a strong T20 bowler?

I remember him being taken apart in a T20 game against us either last year or the year before so never had high hopes for him as a T20 bowler

Andy wrote:

Booth would only be able to play if Webster or Tariq don't?

I could be wrong but I thought last year was his last year as an overseas and this year he counts as a domestic player. My guess is he's still injured following limping off in the Yorkshire game.

ITE7376 wrote:

Mikkyk wrote:

I agree that this is our weakest team for a few years. Briggs is a huge loss and I can't see Tariq or Taz (yet) making the impact that he did. Also lost Moeen, who did contribute at times. As you say take out Mousley and Gleeson and that's four of the starting XI from last season gone. No Bethell either.

The two overseas are going to have to go very well for us to make an impact on the competition this year.

My guess at the XI - Yates, Davies, Hain, Barnard, Jani, Smith, Garton, Thompson, Woakes, Ali, Tariq.

If Garton isn't fit then I would expect OHD to be the seamer and everyone else shuffle up the order. Or perhaps OHD plays anyway and one of Smith/Jani drops out.

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No Bethell either. oh jeez I'd forgotten that.

Also lost Moeen, who did contribute at times.
as hit and miss as his batting was I feel like his contributions with the ball will be missed much more. having that genuine spin option batting in the top 5 and being able to bowl minimum 12 overs of 'proper' spin is an invaluable option.

I think Tariq will do pretty well, i imagine he'll be tight or even very tight but he won't offer the wicket-taking threat, breaking of key partnerships and taking key wickets, that Briggs did. His weird action and only short spells to work him out will keep him difficult for people to get used to. hopefully.

pretty much as you say I think Briggs will be the one who is most missed, though.

jani over (say) Shaikh or Malik is an interesting one- out of interest what's your reasoning there?

Jani has shown more in the 50 over stuff in terms of ability to score quickly/hit big and his form in the seconds has been better than Shaikh's. I don't see Malik as a T20 batsman.

whitelightning wrote:

You missed out Webster. Briggs will be a huge miss this season in the T20. Feels like the fast bowler attack looks stronger than it has, but we are a solid batter short. Really annoying some of the the pointless fixtures that always seem to rob us of key players. Surely, the players would benefit far more developing and playing with their counties.

Sorry yes I did. Webster over Smith probably

I agree that this is our weakest team for a few years. Briggs is a huge loss and I can't see Tariq or Taz (yet) making the impact that he did. Also lost Moeen, who did contribute at times. As you say take out Mousley and Gleeson and that's four of the starting XI from last season gone. No Bethell either.

The two overseas are going to have to go very well for us to make an impact on the competition this year.

My guess at the XI - Yates, Davies, Hain, Barnard, Jani, Smith, Garton, Thompson, Woakes, Ali, Tariq.

If Garton isn't fit then I would expect OHD to be the seamer and everyone else shuffle up the order. Or perhaps OHD plays anyway and one of Smith/Jani drops out.

Very much suggests they are 'managing' Woakes by not playing him in the CC with a view to him being in the T20 side.

Good to see Shaikh get a score as has been struggling for runs a little.

Andy wrote:

If RCB make the final he'll play that then line up for England in the 1st Test four days later.

Archer is being 'rested' for the first test due to playing in the IPL. That's a separate conversation but I'm surprised Bethell is a shoo-in given the scenario.

Andy wrote:

Mikkyk wrote:

Could Zak Crawley be a long term solution for us at the top of the order?

Seems to have lost his way at Kent after England and might want a change of scenery and/or division one cricket. That would solve the Davies problem and allow him to bat lower down the order.

Banter?

No. Hameed lost his form after being dropped by England, moved counties and is now flourishing