NatWest t20 Blast

[st_brendy]

And yes, my understanding is that it is only international cricket that has banned runners.

As well as having Carberry running for Dawson yesterday, we also had a runner in at least one t20 game last season too.

[pompeymeowth]

Sussex's batting isn't the same without Nash and Prior (and no Styris this year). If Wright and RHB fail, there's not much else in a big hitting sense.

Unless they prepare slow, low surfaces at Hove, I can see Sussex struggling to get out of the South group if they have to put out this batting line-up too many times. Zaidi at number 5?

We'll probably lose Jordan for a bit as well. Still they are doing a good job at the moment (the bowlers I mean). Top of the group.

[Aidan11]

Middlesex lose both their games in the experimental double-header.

[st_brendy]

Sussex's batting isn't the same without Nash and Prior (and no Styris this year). If Wright and RHB fail, there's not much else in a big hitting sense.

Unless they prepare slow, low surfaces at Hove, I can see Sussex struggling to get out of the South group if they have to put out this batting line-up too many times. Zaidi at number 5?

We'll probably lose Jordan for a bit as well. Still they are doing a good job at the moment (the bowlers I mean). Top of the group.

Now that Mascarenhas has retired, Yardy has to be a contender to replace him (in my mind) as the best domestic English t20 bowler.

You've certainly got one of the best bowling attacks in the South group.

[hopeforthebest]

Middlesex lose both their games in the experimental double-header.

I don't think we shall see any more double headers unless the Sky cash is so tempting.

[st_brendy]

Middlesex lose both their games in the experimental double-header.

I don't think we shall see any more double headers unless the Sky cash is so tempting.

It's a good point that Angus Fraser made today: Middlesex are only allowed to certain amount of days of t20 (and one-day?) cricket at Lords each summer, so it makes sense for them to maximise this as far as possible by increasing the number of matches they play on those selected days. (And it's for that reason why we have NEVER played a t20 at Lords before, because they prioritise the more local matches vs Surrey and Essex, to maximise attendance).

Had they been played on separate days, one of these matches would have had to be played at an outground.

No other county has such an issue.

[Durhamfootman]

fair point

I still think it's a very good idea that could be rolled out around the grounds. Then again, it's probably such a good idea that it will be disregarded out of hand

[st_brendy]

fair point

I still think it's a very good idea that could be rolled out around the grounds. Then again, it's probably such a good idea that it will be disregarded out of hand

Fraser did also throw in that the ECB had their own reason for agreeing it to, that being to use it as a trial run.

So who knows, maybe we will need to see it more next season. (But unless it's somewhere like Taunton, I don't think so. Yesterday wasn't the first instance of a pitch dying and becoming more difficult to score on, after the first match was done and dusted.)

[Durhamfootman]

don't have to use the same pitch, of course

[hopeforthebest]

don't have to use the same pitch, of course

As I said earlier, it's hardly possible to use two wickets as during the first game the second wicket would have fielders running all over it.

[SaintPowelly]

Whats the difference between playing 2 T20s and a 40 over game ??

a 50 over game sees 100 overs in a day, a FC game sees 96, I dont see the problem. They can roll it between games too.

I like the double header concept, I often think travelling for a T20 isn't worth it, but I'd do it to see 2 games.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The counties have been saying they can't get crowds for longer format limited overs games. Which I took to mean that most people don't want to spend the whole day at a game. Surely two games in one day just replicates that.

[st_brendy]

The counties have been saying they can't get crowds for longer format limited overs games. Which I took to mean that most people don't want to spend the whole day at a game. Surely two games in one day just replicates that.

Agreed.

The crux of t20 is get to crowds in for a short, sharp game of cricket.

Playing two games completely defeats that. Not so much for "real" cricket fans (I'd have no issue attending two games in one day), but surely it does for a casual person who the counties are attempting to attract in.

[hopeforthebest]

Then there's the weather to take into account, rain would affect two games in one fell swoop. I suspect also that food and drink sales would not be double the amount taken in a single game.

[st_brendy]

Unless Surrey have a fantastic last nine balls here, they're going to have to take some early wickets. Because at Taunton, this score doesn't look anywhere near enough.

And the first of those final nine balls is a 6.