Gloucestershire (H)

[dazedpenguin]

It's that time again.

Squad: (surprised there's no Richards). Lawrence off with England which weakens the batting and the bowling options (it may be eccentric, but his bowling is effective in T20):

Harmer, Allison, Cook, Critchley, Das, Khushi, Nijjar, Pepper, Sams, Snater, Rossington, Walter, Westley

Westley is in good form this season so that might carry over to T20, but I'd choose: Pepper, Rossington, Das, Critchley, Walter, Khushi, Sams, Harmer, Allison, Snater, Cook.

Grant Roelofsen is in the Gloucestershire squad.

[JasonP]

Richards figures in the T20 2XI matches this year
4.0.63.0
4.0.52.2
2.0.39.1
2.0.31.0

Not that surprising he’s not in the squad.

[Perov]

I think Nijjar in for Snater would be my only change. I agree that Richards leaks runs. Allison hit 100 of 53 balls today at Hampshire and  clubbed 7 sixes, and deserves a chance.

[nat]

Richards figures in the T20 2XI matches this year
4.0.63.0
4.0.52.2
2.0.39.1
2.0.31.0

Not that surprising he’s not in the squad.

It's surprising he makes the 2XI squad.

[dazedpenguin]

Players do get better as they get more experience. But let’s stick with the relentless negativity.

I wasn’t suggesting he should walk into the team. None of the seamers, Cook excepted, covered themselves in glory last season.

[Caughtright]

I acknowledge that it was not T20, but Richards took a fifer on his first class debut for us, against what is nowadays a Test-playing nation.

[SirChef26]

This will be the team

Rossington
Khushi
Pepper
Critchley
Walter
Sams
Harmer
Nijar
Allison
Cook
Westley (will float depending on the match situation, e.g if we lose two early wickets in the PP he'll come in).

Same team as 2022 and it'll be the same outcome. It's a decent side and we may have enough to sneak through the group, but then we'll come up against a Lancs/Bears/Notts away in the quarters and get smashed. In order to take the next step, we needed a world class overseas (either frontline bowler or opener) but decided to keep Sams which was a big mistake. They'll never replace Ravi no matter how much they keep trying.

Lawrence being unavailable is a real pain as I suspect/hoped he'd have opened with Rossington. The most important part of T20 cricket is the powerplay and not having a proven/settled opening pair will hurt us across the comp as it did last year, unless Khushi surprises us all and has a Pepper-like breakthrough, which I can't see as he lacks the raw hitting power you need to open effectively in T20 cricket.

Finally, he's not been mentioned on the thread, but Beard will be missed as well. He's no world-beater, but a decent T20 bowler who did alright last year. Certainly better than Allison, who leaks runs like a sieve.

[Perov]

At least the game is on You Tube, although on the downside,  Simon Ward is the commentator. 

[Andy]

At least the game is on You Tube, although on the downside,  Simon Ward is the commentator.

He died a few years ago? Excellent performance in Young Winston.

[bwildered]

 Mark Adair looked useful the other day, certainly had a good eye, worth T20 rookie contract .

[JasonP]

Mark Adair looked useful the other day, certainly had a good eye, worth T20 rookie contract .

Irish players count as overseas players since they got Test status so no chance of that happening.

[Perov]

Mark Adair looked useful the other day, certainly had a good eye, worth T20 rookie contract .

Irish players count as overseas players since they got Test status so no chance of that happening.

I'm sure you are right Jason, which throws into question, how were we able to field 4 overseas players when the limit is 2?

[JasonP]

Mark Adair looked useful the other day, certainly had a good eye, worth T20 rookie contract .

Irish players count as overseas players since they got Test status so no chance of that happening.

I'm sure you are right Jason, which throws into question, how were we able to field 4 overseas players when the limit is 2?

It was a tour match so they can play who they like, I guess?  There probably isn't a limit of 2 for those games.

[dazedpenguin]

Essex won the toss and will bowl first. Nijjar and Pepper left out (Pepper as precaution due to a minor injury he got playing in a game last week). A big blow missing both Pepper and Lawrence.

Rossington, Khushi, Das, Critchley, Walter, Westley, Sams, Harmer, Snater, Allison, Cook

[dazedpenguin]

The YouTube feed appears to be down. At least the audio commentary is working.