Natwest T20 Blast 2015

Dozen Wicked Words

England's T20 competition under way.

Northants Steelbacks look like they are heading for a heavy defeat, away to Durham not an easy starter for them though.

Glamorgan hit 240 against Surrey.

ECB website does quite well with updating what's going on around the grounds.

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/articles/live-natwest-t20-blast-13


Edit: Steelbacks put out of their misery by the rain and Duckworth Lewis

paulie21

See a few star names are playing tonight. Amla for Derbyshire think this might be his only appearance (37 off 29 so far) and Gayle at it for Somerset

Cricket fan

Stirling 90 and 88 in his last two innings.

Kevin and Niall also doing well for Leics

Dozen Wicked Words

Porterfield top scored with 55 today for the fecking Bears who beat the Steelbacks off the last ball. Steelbacks were at least 20 short in the target they set though so I suppose the bowlers did well to make a game of it.

Rjd2

Not as keen as some are for franchise cricket, but when you see beastly stuff from Gayle and our Stirling and nobody covers it, instead Sky are showing dour games, well I dunno, something has to give.

No clue how the debut of Gayle was not on Sky, just amateur stuff really.

Dozen Wicked Words

If there is going to be franchise cricket, the smaller counties need to be given a financial reward, a big one, for giving up what, in effect, keeps their heads above water. Even Essex, one of the bigger non test ground teams, have said T20 pays for their County Championship campaign, and I know Northants only survive because of T20 and occasional off field events.

It could work if sky pay enough to televise it, not convinced people would get behind it though. I'm not sure I'd be that invested in an East Midlands team, not feeling it at the minute, suppose it might change if it ever came about. Leicestershire, Northants and Notts wouldn't be a bad underdog team though!

Weather is an issue in England Aussies don't have to worry about too often, sky giving over their schedule to replays of the 2013 final or whatever when the English weather strikes aren't going entice them to throw money at it.

Cricket fan

Well the ECB are apparently restructuring the county championship into 3 divisions of 7 with Ireland,Scotland and a Devon/Cornwall XI the 3 new sides added,

This means less games for each county in the championship and opens up more space for the LO competitions.

Rjd2

Cricket fan wrote: »

Well the ECB are apparently restructuring the county championship into 3 divisions of 7 with Ireland,Scotland and a Devon/Cornwall XI the 3 new sides added,

This means less games for each county in the championship and opens up more space for the LO competitions.

Its a shame to cut 4 day cricket, but ultimately a lot of counties desperately rely on the money that t20 generates and its a very cramped Summer schedule so something had to give.

Rjd2

http://www.espncricinfo.com/natwest-t20-blast-2015/engine/match/804505.html

Taunton is a notoriously small and flat ground where you get regular big scores.

So no surprise to see Chris Gayle going mental today:p

Still losed though:eek:

Rjd2

Some good points on twitter tonight about the Blast. They could do with shaking up the commentary, Knight is soooooooo bland and Cork is dull enough.

The Big Bash had Ponting and Gilchrist who were a breath of fresh air, the current lot just feel like an afterthought.

Dozen Wicked Words

Fantastic start to Steelbacks T20 campaign so far. Played three, lost three. Beaten by the Rapids ! in the latest match.

Gillespy

Rjd2 wrote: »

Some good points on twitter tonight about the Blast. They could do with shaking up the commentary, Knight is soooooooo bland and Cork is dull enough.

The Big Bash had Ponting and Gilchrist who were a breath of fresh air, the current lot just feel like an afterthought.

The A-team were doing the test match. Order was restored last night at Headlingley. Vaughan fits in well with the usual Sky lot. What a game it was too by the way, as good as anything you'll see in the IPL or The Big Bash. Special from Buttler.

Rjd2

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Fantastic start to Steelbacks T20 campaign so far. Played three, lost three. Beaten by the Rapids ! in the latest match.

Afridi a proper waste of money, he probably sold a few tickets but not made a match winning contribution. Ye better have someone good to replace him when he buggers off.

Gayle after 3 game averaging 300:eek: Machine.

No clue who is going to win, but not sure about Notts been 5/1 favourites.

Unimpressed hugely so far despite winning today, if Hales or taylor was go get called up for the ashes they would be screwed.

Dozen Wicked Words

Rjd2 wrote: »

Afridi a proper waste of money, he probably sold a few tickets but not made a match winning contribution. Ye better have someone good to replace him when he buggers off.

You're dead right, has been underwhelming, but they did a "night with" evening which sold a few tickets, good few Pakistani fans have turned up just to see him in t20 games. No one lined up yet to replace him, doubt the money is there for a big signing.

Have a feeling tournament will be a write off for Northants by the time he's gone anyway.

Dozen Wicked Words

Northants win! Finally, they have points on the board. Willey blasted the Derbyshire attack all round the park, Afridi chipped in too, so a good night for a change.

Rjd2

I think Willey could be a useful option at number 6 if Billings fails.

While Taylor is a superior player than him, he is suited to top of the order, Willey has the potential to be very destructive at the end, and probably not ready to be a frontline bowler so yeah six it is:p

Dozen Wicked Words

Rjd2 wrote: »

I think Willey could be a useful option at number 6 if Billings fails.

While Taylor is a superior player than him, he is suited to top of the order, Willey has the potential to be very destructive at the end, and probably not ready to be a frontline bowler so yeah six it is:p

I'd say you are spot on really.
If he can stay fit he'll be a useful bowler, left arm pace is always welcome in a team, can definitely be destructive with the bat and is a decent fielder. There are players ahead of him but he has plenty of years of good cricket ahead of him to force his way into the team. It would be good to see a home grown Northampton lad make it, whilst still at the county, it's been a while.

Dozen Wicked Words

Convincing win away to Yorkshire for the Steelbacks, 5 points out of 6 in last three games.

Dozen Wicked Words

Steelbacks on a roll, just beat Lancs. Lightening, defending a barely par score. Great stuff.

Dozen Wicked Words

Steelbacks into the quarter finals, saw them comfortably beat Yorkshire, ground was absolutely packed. Well oversold, people sitting on the grass all round the boundary, 3 or 4 deep.

Must have done well financially out of this years comp, so the talk of franchise cricket will mean counties like Northants, who rely on t20, will be looking for their fair share of the 40 million Sky are supposedly going to bid, for an 8 team, city based league.

http://gu.com/p/4bxqh

ArmaniJeanss

I like the small nature of the competition at the moment, when local lads from Derbyshire and Durham can grab some spotlight along with a sprinkling of overseas stars. Not sure I'd like to see another star studded line up copying IPB and BBL, though it would generate big income which the ECB probably feels they are missing out on.
London v Cardiff with well paid superstars jetting in and out, or Yorks v Lancs with lesser players? I'd always prefer the latter.
Obviously the link says the current county comp could continue in some format but imo it would be clearly marginalised.

Dozen Wicked Words

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I like the small nature of the competition at the moment, when local lads from Derbyshire and Durham can grab some spotlight along with a sprinkling of overseas stars. Not sure I'd like to see another star studded line up copying IPB and BBL, though it would generate big income which the ECB probably feels they are missing out on.
London v Cardiff with well paid superstars jetting in and out, or Yorks v Lancs with lesser players? I'd always prefer the latter.
Obviously the link says the current county comp could continue in some format but imo it would be clearly marginalised.

Absolutely agree, I personally think Northants attendances would hold up pretty well even in a marginalised competition. When the Steelbacks had Afridi he certainly added loads with the corporate events and lunches and general off field activities, but the crowds before and after him for the actual T20 competition were as good, in fact as I said, I have never, ever seen the County ground as full as I did against Yorkshire the other week, even in the 2013 season when we won the whole thing.

Richard Hillman

I enjoy the Blast and its always nice to have cricket in the evening but it is miles behind even the carribbean league. I was watching the CPL final the other night and the atmosphere and spectacle was unbelievable. Having the blast shown in 50% full grounds, no atmosphere and Florence and the Machine or One Direction being belted out to an audience of Middle aged men just isnt a spectacle.

The whole package needs to be looked at if they are going to persist with the current format. The PA DJ's need a clip round the ear with the type of music they are playing. They are aiming their music towards 12 year old girls as opposed to the actual demographic of the crowd. When the PA plays the likes of Delilah or Sweet Caroline, the crowd sings along. Everybody has a few drinks on the them and engages in the sing song. It improves the atmosphere. It makes the place seem like it is a good night out.

The commentary too can be pretty County Championship. Its more suited to a long days play as opposed to a 3 hour spectacle. The likes of Danny Morrison can irk some people but you cant doubt his enthusiasm.

I'm not opposed to the Franchise system but if they are going to go ahead with it then they need to have it on Terrestrial Television. It would be little to no different to the T20 Blast if they just go ahead with Sky and their conservative approach. Even if the coverage is shared between Sky and Terrestrial TV, It would gain a hell of a lot more interest with the public. A lot of people unsubscribe from Sky during the Summer with no Football or Rugby on. Its the floating fan that they need to attract to make it a success.

Rjd2

Ah here leave the gorgeous Florence out of this. :mad:

The attendances on Friday night have been very good for most sides, sell outs practically for all the tv games and the bigger sides, the Friday night slot does work very well and it has for years.

I completely agree with the commentary criticism, it really does feel like the reserves team and the fact that so often it drifts into talk about England is infuriating especially in the slog overs. Ponting and Gilchrist were superb in the Big Bash, I'd like Sky to try and find some dynamic personalities like them. Youngish guys who have played the format, but who can analyse the action and unlike the old guard actually sound like they want to be their.

Forget terrestrial tv, that is a dead duck, all the channels are dropping live sport, BBC have binned the open and have to split the Six Nations with ITV and C4 can't be bothered to show the NFL.

I'd love to see t20 at peak times so the nation can watch, but so many reasons that won't happen. Cricket is stuck with Murdoch.

The franchise model, they may as well go with it, just to get it out of their system as I am bored senseless by talk about it.

I try to avoid linking to blogs, and the guy who wrote the below has a twitter page which can be annoying at times, but I thought the below was a fascinating dissection of franchises and the t20 game in England.

Very much worth a read.:)

https://pitchinspectionblog.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/006-skyfall-the-definitive-t20-dossier/

Cricket fan

One of the reasons I like the Blast is that it doesnt have the same old mercs like Gayle in it every game, but rather some local guys. I understand why that has to change and franchises need to be drafted in but I feel it'll lose a bit of that local feel and become like a generic IPL knock off like nearly every other t20 league seems these days.

Plus from my perspective less teams = less games for the Irish players. I've no idea how they could fit in a county t20 league around a franchise tbh but best of luck to the organisers

Dozen Wicked Words

Northants in all sorts of financial trouble, so I'd say they would take any offer sky might give at the moment. Over half a million in the red, talk of them being first 1st class county being wound up, really worrying times for my little county team.

Dozen Wicked Words

Quarter finals start tonight, Sussex Sharks at home to Northants Steelbacks. Would be great for their coffers if Northants win but fancy Sussex unfortunately. Rossington out injured who is a really solid, dependable batsman. And I'm working so will have to make do with twitter updates.

Rjd2

Is Afridi playing?

Dozen Wicked Words

Rjd2 wrote: »

Is Afridi playing?

No, he didn't re-sign.

Rjd2

Obviously better bowling line ups internationally, but that was monster hitting from Willey. Got to get him batting higher for England.

Shame Northants have to let him go though, also Kleinveldt and Levi aren't missing many meals these days, maybe that is why Northants have no money.:pac:

Dozen Wicked Words

Andrew Hall and David Sales are both off the books so catering budget unchanged! Absolutely delighted! Fantastic win, have only seen the couple of minute highlight reel so looking forward to watching it in full, real shame Willey is more or less definitely off next year but would be a great send off if we won the t20.

Now I'm off to see how ridiculously expensive a flight to Brum will be weekend after next!


Steelbacks!

Dozen Wicked Words

Bears into last four again.

Rjd2

Utterly farcical the last 2 quarter finals. If Worc are going to host a quarter final without floodlights middle of August, then it had to be in the daytime.

Also Lancashire and Kent tie, but Lancashire progress due to losing less wickets. F off. Super Over probably make to much sense for ECB sadly.

Dozen Wicked Words

Birmingham play Northants in first semi, don't fancy our chances much. Lost twice to them this year.

Rjd2

Tough match that, Birmingham a quality t20 side, also still rumours that Mc Cullum may show up for finals day as well, doubt NZ would be to keen as he is meant to be resting, but they will be trying very hard to get him.

Dozen Wicked Words

Northants in talks with Afridi for finals day apparently, White is probably out with a side strain, shame because he's been bowling well.

Dozen Wicked Words

Finals day will be Willey's last in a Steelbacks shirt. Expected, but still very sad. Yorkshire are a decent county anyway and hopefully he'll do ok there. Signing off with a couple more centuries would be nice.

Dozen Wicked Words

Afridi is back for final, not sure a long haul flight is great preparation but still.

Dozen Wicked Words

What a win! Into the final again, come on you Steelbacks!

Rjd2

Bit of a mess towards the end from Warwickshire, Evans at 7? Absurd, how few balls their biggest hitter got to face. Woakes never got a bat either, Clarke is a gun, but today definitely not one of his finer days.

Good knock from Levi to get them home though.

Lancashire cruising against Hampshire as well.


Hopefully the final is decent, but worried the pitch does look a little knackered.

Dozen Wicked Words

Bit short in the end but a good tournament for Northants again and no real surprise Lancashire winning.

Rjd2

Faulkner is a mouth so and so. :mad:

Decent final after 2 drab semis.