1983-2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/twenty20/8548200/Twenty20-who-stands-a-chance-of-making-finals-day-this-season.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/may/31/twenty-20-cricket-season-guide The Friends Life t20 season begins on Wednesday with Hampshire, the holders, taking on Somerset at the Rose Bowl. Here is everything you need to know about the tournament. Groups North Derbyshire Durham Lancashire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Warwickshire Worcestershire Yorkshire South Essex Glamorgan Gloucestershire Hampshire Kent Middlesex Somerset Surrey Sussex The top four teams from each group progress to the quarter-finals, with the winners of those ties appearing in the semi-finals on Finals Day itself. Fixtures Group stage Wed 1 June-Fri 15 July Opening match Hampshire v Somerset, Rose Bowl (Wed, 7.10pm) Sky Sports 1 Quarter‑finals Sat, 6 Aug to Mon, 8 Aug Semi-finals/Finals Day Sat, 27 Aug, Edgbaston Counties Derbyshire Never been to finals day and only Glamorgan have lost more group matches, but signing of New Zealand batsman Martin Guptil gives them a chance of making the knockout stages for first time since 2005. Players recently ousted coach John Morris so will have only themselves to blame if they miss out again. Durham The competition washout kings — 11 of their 73 matches have been no results — but that only partly excuses their record of one finals day appearance. Potential to do well if big hitters Ben Stokes and Ian Blackwell fire and South Africa batsman David Miller settles. Essex Blew their chances and a lot of money when they hired West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as overseas flop for last season’s finals day. New Zealand pair Tim Southee and Scott Styris look better signings. Holland’s Ryan ten Doeschate, England discard Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier usually provide the fireworks. Glamorgan Have the worst playing record in T20 history having lost 41 of their 73 matches – despite reaching finals day seven years ago. Burly Australian Mark Cosgrove is back as overseas player but much more is needed from a side who have won only eight games in two seasons. Gloucestershire Boast the star signing of this year’s tournament in Muttiah Muralitharan but even the Sri Lankan magician might not be able to conjure up a quarter-final place. Have finished bottom of their group in each of the three seasons since they were beaten by Kent in the 2007 final, so can’t do worse. Hampshire Defending champions but struggling to put their best side out because of injuries. Captain Dominic Cork is in his 40th year but retains the enthusiasm of a man half his age. Kent No cash, no overseas player as yet and, you would think, no hope. Have previous form having won the competition in 2007 but much depends on all-rounder Darren Stevens and England off-spinner James Tredwell in a side with experienced batsmen but rookie seamers. Lancashire Have played more matches — 80 — than any other side in this competition and only Warwickshire have more wins than Lancashire’s 44. Slow left-armer Stephen Parry is a competition specialist but loss of all-rounder Farveez Maharoof to Sri Lanka Test duty a blow. Leicestershire Known as Twenty20 kings when they won the competition in 2004 and 2006 but the crown slipped long ago. Failed to win a home game last season but availability of Australia all-rounder Andrew McDonald a bonus. Hope to add Pakistan all-rounder Abdur Razzaq to revive fortunes. Middlesex Got plenty of publicity for signing Adam Gilchrist last season but still missed out on the quarter-finals. South Africa all-rounder Ryan McLaren but may be better value having helped Kent win the T20 four years ago. Northamptonshire It is 19 years since they last won a trophy but they have made their best start to a season since 1985. Start the T20 as the only unbeaten side in all cricket this season and have added competition specialist Johan Botha, the South Africa off-spinner, to in-form all-rounders Andrew Hall, Chaminda Vaas and James Middlebrook. Nottinghamshire Started to get to grips with this competition and narrowly missed out on last season’s final. Destructive Australian David Hussey, back from the IPL, needs just 151 runs to overtake Brad Hodge as the leading run scorer in the history of T20 cricket. Somerset Presumably have brushed up on the laws having missed out on the title last season through their failure to run out Hampshire’s Dan Christian. Powerful outfit with Marcus Trecothick again dominating county attacks and Alfonso Thomas back from the IPL. Kieron Pollard’s early unavailability is a blow. Surrey Won the first T20 in 2003 and still boast the fourth best record in the competition despite not having been to finals day since 2006. Australian seamer Dirk Nannes is a decent replacement for the injured Shaun Tait, and Jason Roy an exciting talent. Sussex Plenty of good bits-and-pieces cricketers ideally suited to this competition which they won in 2009. Mike Yardy’s slow left arm always effective at county level and South African Wayne Parnell adds pace. Umar Gul’s delayed arrival because of visa problems is a setback. Warwickshire Have won more matches than any other side in the competition but have yet to win the trophy. Have not reached finals day since 2003 and have missed out on three previous finals days at Edgbaston. New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel recruited as overseas player but hopes of attending their own party at Edgbaston on August 27 may hinge on fitness of all-rounders Neil Carter and Chris Woakes. Worcestershire Never been to finals day and were hapless last season when they won only five of their 16 matches. Only Gloucestershire lost more games. Will rely on spin to turn things round with Bangladesh slow left-armer Shakib Al Hasan and Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal signed as competition specialists. Yorkshire Never gone beyond the quarter-finals and often flatter to deceive in this competition. Handicapped by absence of an overseas player because of financial restraints but England seamer Ajmal Shahzad’s availability a bonus. Canny spinners in Adil Rashid and David Wainwright.
1983-2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Author Posted June 1, 2011 Hampshire v Somerset Somerset won the toss and elected to bat Hampshire team JHK Adams, MJ Lumb, JM Vince, ND McKenzie, BAC Howell, CP Wood, AD Mascarenhas, DG Cork*, N Pothas†, DR Briggs, Imran Tahir Somerset team ME Trescothick*, AV Suppiah, PD Trego, NRD Compton, JC Hildreth, JC Buttler†, RE van der Merwe, L Gregory, SP Kirby, AC Thomas, M Kartik
Sachin=GOD Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Is Somerset a minnow in this competition - SirJohn is supporting them so I wonder :hmmm:
ganeshran Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Is Somerset a minnow in this competition - SirJohn is supporting them so I wonder :hmmm: :haha: Isnt Afridi playing in this match? Or he isnt playing because of the PCB chakkar?
Sid Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Sir John is supporting Somerset becoz of his another beloved cricketer Murali kartik
Sachin=GOD Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 :haha: Isnt Afridi playing in this match? Or he isnt playing because of the PCB chakkar? I think they've not given him the NOC because of his "retirement".
Sid Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Sir John has done it for Somerset as well ,struggling at 37-3 .
Sid Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Looking forward to see Josh Butler bat, he was impressive last year.
1983-2011 Posted June 1, 2011 Author Posted June 1, 2011 two pune warriors are in somerset, kartik and thomas
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