T20 Blast 2019

[Durhamfootman]

there we go. 121 off 60 balls for Mo. 8 fours and 11 sixes

with Ravi the other night and Morgan before that, Ed Smith will be thinking... Morgs, Ravi and Mo... has all the makings of the best 4, 5, 6 in test cricket

He'd play them at 1/2/3 so Root, Stokes, Bairstow and Buttler don't have to move...

he doesn't mind shuffling the pack, so I'd expect him to put Roy back as opener, ditch Burns (who is frankly just boring to watch) move Stokes to open, keep honest Joe (because he's captain so he has to stay), give the gloves to Buttler who is a destructive T20 player and there you have a magnificent looking batting line up for the Oval.... "beat that, you Aussie w@nkers!"


"oh sh1t, you did..... how on earth did that happen, Thorpey?"

"players fault, boss"

[st_brendy]

Lancs threw it away, despite looking like the best team in the comp

am I right in thinking that Essex only just scraped through?

Sussex did the same to us last year

We needed two off the final ball against them in their third to last group game. We only got one (run-out coming back for the second). If we'd have got both, Essex would have been knocked out with two games to spare.

Even as it was, the tie still left them second from bottom in the group and needing a miracle.

Fair play to them.

fair play to Ravi. He's had 3 consecutive stellar matches

And yet had the Euro t20 Slam not been delayed until next season, Ravi wouldn't have featured. It was meant to start about two weeks ago, I believe.

He wasn't in Essex's side initially (which largely resulted in their poor start to the group - they were playing an out-and-out bowler in place of him, leaving the balance of their side all wrong), apparently because they knew that they wouldn't have him for the back end of the competition so why bother selecting him at all. (Seemed to me like Essex were cutting their nose off there.)

As soon as it got postponed, suddenly he reappeared in their side again. Just in time.

[Durhamfootman]

makes me wonder why Essex allowed him to sign for a side in a rival competition. If I was an Essex fan, I'd be furious. I wouldn't even be happy with a Durham player signing for the IPL during our domestic season (I consider Stokes and Wood to be England players while they are on England contracts).

[st_brendy]

Lancs (vs Essex), Sussex (vs Worcs), Middlesex (vs Notts) and Gloucs (vs Derby) would be my bet for finals day.

Lancs to win it.

Spot on so far.

looking like 3 out of 3 for brendy

Derby fans will be thrilled

Boom

[Durhamfootman]

4 out of 4

[Durhamfootman]

the South seem to have lost their stranglehold on T20

[Durhamfootman]

Just watched the highlights of Mo's match winning knock against Sussex from the other night. Sussex dropped him 4 times.... 4 times. the first was a dolly by Carey behind the stumps when Mo was on 5, then he was palmed over for six, then he was caught on the rope... but literally on the rope so given six, then he spooned one up high and was dropped again

Sussex..... what were you doing?

[st_brendy]

the South seem to have lost their stranglehold on T20

I'd say it's a mixture of the north group getting stronger (for years it was only really Notts, but Lancs and Worcs have really joined them recently), and the south group being so strong that some big hitters don't even make it out of the group. Especially in a wet summer like we've had.

Somerset, for example, have an incredible batting line-up. Statistically the best opening pair in the competition, followed by at least three more really big hitters. Only ABDV finished with a better strike-rate then Abel. After Lancs and Sussex, I would make them the best t20 side. And yet, thanks in part to a wonder innings from Morgan, they didn't even make the top four. We went into the final week with seven sides fighting for three places, and into the final day with five sides fighting for two places. So tight it was basically a game of musical chairs.

Gloucs qualifying was disappointing. You could argue that, on paper, they've even weaker than Glamorgan. But they play on a sticky, crappy Bristol wicket, which massively suits their slower bowlers (hence turning Benny Howell into the best t20 bowler the world has ever seen). They get the job done at home, and fair play to them (although, ironically, not against Derby who have a similar-ish attack). But they were never likely to compete against a top t20 side on a decent wicket. Finals Day isn't played at Bristol, so them qualifying was a waste.

[Durhamfootman]

just noticed that it's Dribble finals day

that's good, isn't it? Not being aware of it. Not surprising though, given that it's nearly next year already.

Going to get worse too. Next year, T20 finals day is going to be 6 weeks after the QF's, seemingly.

[Durhamfootman]

Pat Brown doing his best to keep Worcs alive, but it looks like it will be too late

[Durhamfootman]

and now a run out

carnage. Notts losing their heads from a position of dominance

[Durhamfootman]

disaster of an over 3 wickets for just 3 runs

7 needed of the final over. Should still be okay

Samit mustn't have a clue where he is. He's playing for a different team every week atm

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good figures for Mo with the ball. 1-13 off 4.

[Arthur Crabtree]

5 off 3. WOrcs might do this.

[Durhamfootman]

final ball.... Notts only need to tie, so only need 1 run