The Reverse Sweep

County Championship of the week #6

Bilal Shafayat (Hampshire) - The Comeback Kid grabbed his second opportunity with a redemptive zeal at the Rose Bowl even if he fell seven short of a deserved fairytale hundred.

Phil Jaques (Yorkshire) - Powered the second-highest successful chase in Yorkshire's long history with 160 at Bristol.

Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire) - Continued his stunning immediate impact at Trent Bridge with 162 and 55 in the draw with Middlesex.

Gary Ballance (Yorkshire) - Played the support role to Jaques in their 203 run stand and then timed his acceleration to perfection to reach his own ton and take Yorkshire over the line.

Tom Maynard (Surrey) - Turned the game at New Road on its head together with a magnificent 143 (off 154 balls) as Surrey narrowly failed to win a game after following on for only the second time since 1868.

Darren Stevens (Kent) - Stared ignominy in the face at Chelmsford when his side were 9 for five to strike a beligerent hundred against Essex.

Geraint Jones (Kent) - Kept Stevens company in a 194 run partnership to score 88 - the other nine Kent wickets added just 31 runs.

Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire) - Bagged only his sixth first-class five wicket haul and then struck a quickfire 38 to help Yorkshire beat the clock at Bristol.

Ollie Rayner (Middlesex) - Hit his maiden Championship hundred after going in as nightwatchman at Trent Bridge and remained unbowed on 143 before taking four 2nd innings Notts wickets with his off-breaks. 

Craig Meschede (Somerset) - Took three wickets in each innings as well as hitting a better than a run a ball 62 as the weather denied injury hit Somerset at Chester-le-Street.

Mark Davies (Kent) - Showed his struggling old county what they are missing with a masterful display of seam bowling, which saw him take four Essex wickets for 20 runs in 24.4 immaculate overs at Chelmsford. 

...and a quick word for our 12th man, who with apologies to Rory Hamilton-Brown, who continued his good start to the season with a hundred at New Road, is his young team-mate George Edwards, who impressed on debut with five wickets. Just how deep is Surrey's stock of fast bowlers? 

Where next?

Read our previous County Championship weekly XIs

Nick Compton: runs and jokes at Kevin Pietersen's expense

If at first you don't succeed...

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #2

Chris Dent (Gloucestershire): Steadfast six hour ten minute knock of 114 from the 21 year old Bristolian gave his side the initiative over fancied Hampshire at a bowler friendly Rose Bowl.

Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire): The forgotten hero of England's triumphant World T20 side from 2010, made an instant impression for his new county with a crucial 131 at the Riverside as Notts beat Durham.

Nick Compton (Somerset): After 236 against Cardiff MCCU and 99 against his former county Middlesex, the grandson of Denis continued his run-laden start to the season with a second innings 133, which so nearly helped his side turn the tables on Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Dawid Malan (Middlesex): It could just quite as easily have been Kent's Mike Powell, but Malan's painstaking 297 minute epic 88 was worth at least a hundred runs more due to an unusually treacherous Lord's surface. He was eventually last man out after shepherding the tail to add 127 for last three wickets to help Middlesex post 256. It proved crucial in the final reckoning.

Michael Yardy (Sussex): In the week his honest and heartfelt account of his depressive illness was published in this year's Wisden, Yardy compiled a captain's knock of 110 to lead his side to a big victory over the reigning champions at Aigburth - where Sussex were hammered in the corresponding fixture last season.

Michael Bates (Hampshire): The purists have been salivating about his keeping, but where were the runs his detractors asked? A second innings 87, which so nearly helped his side avoid defeat against Gloucestershire allied to an eye-catching display behind the stumps should go some way towards answering that one for one of our County XI to watch.

Mat Coles (Kent): Last week he made our XI with his maiden first-class ton, this time it was his bowling that shone with nine wickets as Northamptonshire were put to the sword by an impressive Kent.

Jonathan Clare (Derbyshire): A dream match for the budding all-rounder saw him hit 21 and 43 with the bat and take five for 17 and six for 40 with the ball to help Derbyshire win their first two matches of the season for the first time since 2002.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire): Employed as overseas star for his bowling, his county will be grateful that he can bat too after the New Zealander strolled to the crease at number 10 with 52 required to beat Somerset and duly smashed 43 in 36 balls to settle the epitomy of a see-saw clash at Edgbaston. 

Steve Magoffin (Sussex): The Australian was too good for Lancashire as he ripped through their fragile batting line-up with seven for 34 in the second innings and nine wickets in the match. His match figures were an astounding 35.5-18-55-9. 

David Balcombe (Hampshire): After impressing on loan at Kent last year the 27 year old started the season with a bang with the best figures ever at the Rose Bowl of eight for 71 as part of an 11 wicket match haul.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #1

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

It's not jealously KP, it's pure and simple indifference

Retaining the County Championship isn't easy...

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship 2012 Preview: Division 1 - Nottinghamshire

The 2010 Champions had a disappointing defence of their title last season. Can they challenge again in 2012?

Strengths

James Taylor, Adam Voges and Michael Lumb have arrived to supplement what now looks a very strong batting line-up that also features Alex Hales, Samit Patel and skipper Chris Read. Andre Adams continues to lead the line and will be looking to repeat his success of 2010 (68 Championship wickets) and 2011 (67). 

Weaknesses

The bowling is over-reliant on Adams a situation likely to be exacerbated by Darren Pattinson missing the first two months of the season. International call-ups have permanently deprived Notts of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, and Patel, Hales and Taylor could all join them this coming season.

Main man

Of all the young batsmen jostling for position as next man in to the Test side, James Taylor looks to be the most likely to force his way in. A big debut season following his arrival from Leicestershire could help him do that sooner rather than later.

Look out for

Chris Read's heroics with the bat. We've lost count of the number of times he has saved his side.

Prediction

6th - Stronger bowling attacks may successfully raid a helpful Trent Bridge wicket too often for this to be anything but a season of struggle for the champions of two years ago. 

Where next?

Read our Division 1 previews: Durham, Lancashire, Middlesex, Notts, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Division 2 previews: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northants and Yorkshire

2011 County Cricket Review: including Heroes of the Season, Best and Worst XIs, and a whole host of other nonsense

County Championship 2011 Preview - Nottinghamshire 

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

England, the Lions, a treacherous banana skin and a Buttler

As potential banana skins go, tomorrow’s 50 over warm-up match between England and the Lions is a particularly slippery one surrounded by a cricket square sized area of treacherous black ice that is invisible to the naked eye.

On the one hand you have a team mostly coming in on the back of a chastening 3-0 Test series whitewash trying to immediately adjust to the 50 over game. Either that or in the case of Ravi Bopara for example, having spent the last three weeks carrying drinks.

Whilst on the other you have a young side fresh from winning a series 3-2 against Sri Lanka A who have done nothing but play limited over cricket in Asia for the past few weeks.

When you also factor in that individuals like Jos Buttler and Jonathan Bairstow will be eager to impress coach Andy Flower in order to get the nod for the ODI series with Pakistan and others like Joe Root and Alex Hales will be striving to show that they are ready for a call-up to the first choice squad, it’s not difficult to see what is perhaps more than likely going to happen.

A couple of years ago, strong performances from Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb for the Lions against the senior squad propelled them into England’s T20 side for the victorious World Cup campaign in the Caribbean.

Who will be the big noise this time? We’re going to go for the safest of bets and predict that Buttler, a man who scored two centuries in the aforementioned trip to Sri Lanka and who averages 70.57 in List A games with a strike rate of 128. That’s pretty decent.

Flower and the senior squad are probably relieved that it is Pakistan and not they who are Afghanistan’s opposition in their first ODI tomorrow. Either way the senior side are likely to be up the Khyber come the end of proceedings tomorrow.

Where next?

How good are this England cricket team?

India v England ODI series: England marks out of 10

Pakistan vs England - England series marks out of 10

England's tale of woe against spin in Asia

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Hampshire

 
After starting our preview of the runners and riders in the County Championship with Durham, we head south to the Rose Bowl to look at Hampshire, who will be looking to improve on last season’s disappointing seventh placed finish.

Strengths

There are many. The opening partnership of Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams is arguably the best in the division, and the likes of Michael Lumb, James Vince and Sean Ervine are also talented batsmen.

The acquisition of Imran Tahir from Warwickshire means that Hampshire will have a potent spin attack with the immensely promising Danny Briggs already looking like an England spinner of the future.

On paper the pace ranks also look strong with Kabir Ali, Simon Jones, James Tomlinson and the shrewd acquisition of Friedel de Wet, as well as canny skipper Dominic Cork…

Weaknesses

…but Kabir and Jones have both had injury concerns and it is doubtful whether either will last the whole season – or even sadly half the season in Jones’ case.

The county also has a long recent history of underachievement in the championship, so it will take a brave man to predict that will change in 2011.

Main man

The addition of Friedel de Wet looks like a canny piece of business and if he can reproduce his spell with the second new ball in the Centurion Test of 2009 against England with any sort of regularity, then he should earn a bagful of wickets. But can he stay fit?

Look out for…

If it is a hot summer then purists should enjoy watching Tahir and Briggs bowling in tandem.

Prediction

4th  - serious challengers for the title, but not quite winners in our view this time.

Where next?

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Durham

2010 County XI of the season

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

England waltz to World T20 glory as a nation awakes to an alcoholic haze

One team was utterly fearless and maintained a high intensity from first ball to last whilst sticking to its inherent attacking principles. They fielded like demons and were ruthless in executing their game plan. But this team was England and not Australia as it has been so often in the past. As such, we at the Reverse Sweep are now claiming sage like status for predicting England would win before the tournament. Well, you have to get one right eventually!

Maybe the amazing feats of Michael Hussey only 48 hours before had drained the Aussies? Whatever the reason for their lethargy, it was an inspired England who bossed the final from the three early Australian wickets to when captain Paul Collingwood smashed the winning runs off the dismal Shane Watson, who seemed to want his Mum such was the anguished and demoralised look on his face.

We may have moaned before the tournament that this World T20 came too soon after the last one in England less than a year ago, but we aren't complaining now despite the alcohol fuelled haze of this May Monday morning. England are utterly transformed from the team that famously lost to the Netherlands in last year's competition and skipper Collingwood and coach Andy Flower must take enormous credit for that as do the selectors for picking the right squad for once.

Until yesterday neither Michael Lumb or Craig Kieswetter had made a significant individual score but had continually given England the basis during the powerplay overs from which to set or chase. Michael Yardy was also an inspired pick. His 65mph darts aren't the most attractive but they were effective throughout the tournament despite Cameron White's best efforts yesterday. Finally, Ryan Sidebottom has proved the doubters wrong and his early wickets of Watson and Brad Haddin in the final gave England an early initiative they never lost. So that's four out of four for Geoff Miller and company.

Crucially, England's best batsman and most penetrating bowler were also at the top of their games throughout the tournament. Kevin Pietersen was back to his super-confident and arrogant best and deservedly won the Player of the Tournament award with 248 runs at 62 and a strike rate of 138. Meanwhile Graeme Swann took 10 wickets at 14 and had an excellent economy rate of 6.5. Both too played vital roles in the final.

Having restricted Australia to 147 for six, England appeared to be favourites but even so their supporters were nervous given Australia's tendency for rousing fightbacks and England's past propensity to wilt under pressure. But despite losing Lumb to Tait with the score on only 7, Pietersen and Kieswetter saw off the remainder of Tait's and Nannes' early blast with the new ball, and then started to tuck in to Mitchell Johnson, Steve Smith and especially the hapless Watson, who's three overs cost 42.

When 45 runs came from overs 11,12 and 13, the end was nigh for Australia with even Tait and Nannes taking punishment. By this time, England only required 30 for victory with eight overs to go and Kieswetter and Pietersen had added 111 for the second wicket. Pietersen then tried to hit Smith out of the ground, but only found David Warner. However, his job was done and Collingwood and Eoin Morgan guided England home after Kieswetter too lost his wicket attempting the extravagant. England won with three overs to spare, which represents a thrashing in T20 cricket.

So, finally, after thirty five years of trying, England have finally won an ICC limited overs world event and the country that gave cricket T20 has finally learnt how to play it. The hope for England fans is that they can maintain this new found penchant for limited overs cricket and capitalise on the psychological edge this could provide when the Ashes start in six months time.

But for now let's salute Paul Collingwood's world champions.

 

Biff! Baff! Pow! Lumb and Kieswetter are England's Batman and Robin

There are many reasons why England have done so well at this World T20. But surely one of the biggest has to be the performance of its fledgling opening partnership of Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter.

Prior to this tournament probably only Marcus Trescothick, of those that have opened the batting for England in T20, compares favourably with the best exponents around the world of this crucial art in 20 over cricket. It is absolutely critical to get the innings off to a fast start and take advantage of the initial six over powerplay. The likes of Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and even Andrew Strauss were unlikely ever to be able to do that and so it proved.

Previous Englandopening partnerships would probably have scratched around when chasing 129 for victory, and scoreboard pressure and squeaky bum time would have been the likely result. But Lumb and Kieswetter have a different approach that has really come off. By the time they both departed having scored a combined 72 runs between them off 55 balls with nine fours and three sixes, England were on easy street. So hats off to the selectors for a brave and inspired choice here especially as they knew they would cop some flak for picking two South African born batsmen.

 

Neither Lumb or Kieswetter has made a fifty yet in this tournament but that fact should not hide the important role they have played. Kieswetter has hit 159 runs at a strike rate of 113 and Lumb 133 at 145. As such, in most cases one or both has helped give England a fast start, which has crucially meant that Kevin Pietersen has not arrived at the wicket under immediate pressure to hit boundaries.

Let's hope that they can keep it up when if as expected they face the pace of Dirk Nannes and Shaun Tait on a bouncy Bridgetown wicket. A nation holds its breath in anticipation. 

England's World T20 squad

Well for once the England World T20 squad I selected a few days ago was pretty much exactly the one announced by the selectors today, with only two differences.

But I won't be giving up the day job yet; more's the pity. Otherwise, I would have had to make the unfathomable decision to pick Ryan Sidebottom in my squad. I think we have to go back to 2008 for his last good game for England and his fitness has to be drawn into question.

Elsewhere though the selectors have been brave. Matt Prior has rightly been left out of the squad - he could do with the rest and with the emergence of Craig Kieswetter, two wicketkeepers would have been one too many.

Ravi Bopara has been rewarded for his excellent form in the IPL with Kings Xi Punjab and as arguably the most experienced T20 player in the squad will likely open the batting with Kieswetter. Michael Lumb too has been picked following strong performances for England Lions and now Rajasthan Royals over the winter.

Unfortunately, Adil Rashid hasn't been picked, with Sussex captain Michael Yardy given the nod. Yardy isn't a bad choice given the likely pitch conditions with his useful part-time spin and middle order hitting offering an interesting option for Andy Flower and Paul Collingwood.

Other than that with the exception of Sidebottom for Owais Shah, the squad is the same as mine. Shah can consider himself unlucky. He has done well in T20 for England, but seems to have become persona non-grata with the selectors.

Given England are grouped with West Indies and Ireland, they must have a good chance of progressing to the second stage and maybe even reaching the semi-finals. Beyond that though is likely to be a step too far with the Australians and Indians in particular looking strong.  

Shane Warne, a Rajasthan revival and a big helping of humble pie

Last week I confidently predicted that the only thing that Rajasthan Royals were going to win in this year's IPL was the wooden spoon.

I've got nothing against Rajasthan and I've especially got nothing against Shane Warne. Admittedly, I loathe PowerPoint presentations, marketing and brand management and all these were in evidence at the Royals global franchise press conference a few weeks ago at Lord's.

But my confident prediction was based on Rajasthan's dreadful performances in their first three matches culminating in the embarrassing defeat by 10 wickets to Bangalore, where they were hustled out for 92 and then Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey chased the target down in just over 10 overs. With twoof their best players, Graeme Smith and Dimitri Mascarenhas injured and out of the tournament, and the Damien Martyn experimenthaving failed at the cost of over $5,000 per run, Rajasthan looked a shambles.

But Shane Warne does not have a reputation as an inspirational leader for nothing and the Royals now look like a galvanised unit. Michael Lumb, who would be in my England squad for the World T20, has stepped into Smith's shoes and done well. Yusuf Pathan, repeated his incredible hitting exploits against Mumbai, with another six laden innings yesterday against last year's winners Deccan Chargers. Shaun Tait has found his straps along with Sumit Narwal and with Shane Watson to come in, Rajasthan suddenly look buoyant.

Deccan followed in the footsteps of Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab as Rajasthan have now recorded three wins in a row. Maybe a repeat of their victory (see above) in the inaugural tournament is not now out of the question. If they do achieve what would be an incredible turnaround then you can bet that poker addict Warne will be the one playing the wiliest hand.

And me, I'll enjoy eating my humble pie. Can I have some custard on it please?

Who should make the cut for the England World T20 XV?

Such is the life of an international cricketer nowadays that not all of the England touring party to Bangladesh will return home together to cooler climes. Two of their number, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood, instead head off to Bangalore and Delhi respectively for lucrative assignments in the IPL. They will join Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, Michael Lumb and Eoin Morgan from the 30 man provisional England squad who are already in India; Dimitri Mascarenhas having left the tournament early with injury. 

And it is the shortest form of the game that is the next assignment for England with the World T20 in the Caribbean starting on April 30th, where they find themselves in Group D with the hosts and Ireland. So whilst most of the players will be recuperating and getting ready for the English domestic season, the selectors will be gathering in the coming days to pick the XV for the tournament. It is unlikely that the selectors will look outside the provisional squad named on March 1, which means that potentially useful players like Ian Blackwell and Samit Patel will miss out along with Alastair Cook who failed to make the cut despite being captain for the Bangladesh trip.

It is to hoped that the selectors are tuning into ITV4 to watch the IPL as they will see that Bopara has rediscovered form and confidence in a format that he excels in. He should open the batting with Craig Kieswetter, who made such a good impression for England A and then the 1st XI over the last few months. The selectors should also use the opportunity to give Matt Prior a rest and give the Somerset keeper the gloves in order to pick an extra batsman. Prior has not really shone in T20 and others, notably the unorthodox Shah and Lumb rather than Jonathan Trott or Ian Bell, can offer England more with the bat. The other batting places are straightforward with Pietersen, captain Collingwood and Morgan seemingly nailed on for the middle order spots.

The absence of Andrew Flintoff and underrated Hampshire captain Mascarenhas hands a reprieve to Luke Wright who will likely bat at number seven and be used as a fifth bowler. Tim Bresnan has also done enough to be selected in the XV having shown that he can offer useful runs with the bat and control with the ball. It may come down to a straight choice between the two for a place in the final XI.

This leaves six bowling spots. If the IPL and last year's World T20 in England teaches us anything it is that spin, extreme pace and the ability to bowl yorkers tend to hold the sway in this format. For instance the best bowlers in the last World T20 were Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis and Shahid Afridi. With the pitches in the Caribbean likely to be slow, England should play two spinners in each match and name three in the squad. But are the selectors brave enough?

Graeme Swann, inexplicably not playing in the IPL, picks himself and James Tredwell, who has proved to be a good T20 player with Kent, will also go. That leaves one more spot for a spinner. Adil Rashid has been messed about so much by the selectors, but he did well in last year's tournament and deserves another chance. The other Yorkshire spinner in the provisional squad David Wainwright, looks a good prospect but surely Rashid should get the vote ahead of him?

If fit, Stuart Broad and James Anderson will be in the squad, which leaves one place open. Assuming that the selectors don't have a brainstorm, Sajid Mahmood will not be picked and Liam Plunkett's winter of drinks carrying suggests that he is not at the forefront of Geoff Miller's mind either unless he wants a gin and tonic. With Graham Onions injured, that leaves Ryan Sidebottom, Ajmal Shahzad and Steve Finn to fight it out. Shahzad deserves to go for me.

So my squad with first choice XI in bold is:

Bopara, Kieswetter, Pietersen, Collingwood (C), Morgan, Shah, Wright, Swann, Broad, Tredwell, Anderson, Lumb, Bresnan, Shahzad and Rashid