It's refreshing to hear a player shun the vast sums of money on offer in the IPL to focus on Test cricket, or at least to try and gain position in the Test side.
Ravi Bopara has gone the way that Eoin Morgan may look back and wish he had, by searching for early County Championship form rather than financial lure of the IPL. Morgan is the player that is probably in pole position to replace Paul Collingwood in the Test side after being the spare batsman in the recent Ashes series, yet his decision to play T20 cricket in the early months of the domestic season may affect the selectors thoughts when the squad for the first Test of the summer against Sri Lanka is made sometime in the middle of May.
I personally am perplexed by Morgan's decision, barring the obvious financial advantages, perhaps that is a good enough reason. It is indeed a lot of money (he was signed for Kolkata Knight Riders for $350,000), but surely it goes against all cricketing logic for his own career. Morgan is only 24 years old, this is a critical stage for his Test career where he can forge a real convincing case that he is the man to bat at number six for the England Test side, but by going to the IPL he would basically be hoping to be selected for the opening Sri Lanka Test on the back of a few cameos in a T20 competition. Surely Andy Flower and Andy Strauss cannot select someone that will ultimately have played zero First-Class cricket in 2011 ? It seemed logical for Morgan to turn his back on the IPL, albeit for just one season, while he establishes himself in the Test side, should he do so, ensuring he receives an even healthier pay packet in the IPL 2012 version. Maybe it's unfair of me to criticise his decision, the cricket world is changing and there is less emphasis on the importance of Test cricket in the eyes of some of the players.
Bopara certiainly won't have a clear run on the vacant middle order slot, Morgan may have certain assurances his decision will not harm his case for the Test team, though it surely has to. James Hildreth of Somerset, in my eyes, is another fierce competitior after another highly impressive season in 2012 and a successful campaign leading the England Lions in the West Indies domestic four-day tournament. Hildreth finished as the second highest run-scorer in the competition before they returned home prematurely in order to prepare for their own domestic seasons. The Lions finished in 3rd place and would have qualified for the knockout stages.
Hildreth scored 546 runs at an average of just over 60 including two centuries. Bopara will indeed be under pressure from the Somerset man to succeed in the early stages of the County Championship where several matches are shoehorned into the opening couple of months.
Bopara initially was not selected by any of the franchises for this year's IPL, but following Collingwood's injury, Rajasthan Royals displayed an interest and were willing to pay £100,000 to secure his services. Now if the reprting on this is accurate and Bopara has turned the opportunity down to focus on that Test spot, then he deserves praise for putting his career ahead of swelling his bank account. When Bopara returned from the IPL last year his technique was set in IPL mode, so his back foot was automatically moving in the direction of square leg which would have been a modification aimed at giving himself room to flay the ball through the offside. Not so handy against the moving ball back on England's early season seamers where patience is a more worthwhile attribute.
He may not have a roaring start to the season, but at least he is giving himself the best opportunity to impress the England selectors, and doing so in the right format to gain Test selection. As I alluded to earlier he did initially put himself up for auction in the IPL, so let's just hope the reason he has now turned the IPL down is solely about looking after his cricketing career and no alternative external factors.
Friday 1 April 2011
Thursday 31 March 2011
More pink ball and floodlights!
We are still in March yet the traditional County season opener has already concluded, once again the more reliable weather in Abu Dhabi was the selected venue as further trials were carried out with the use of a pink ball and day/night first-class cricket.
Crowds are generally sparse for the County Championship so any options that are being explored to swell the numbers through the gate for what is essentially a very good standard of domestic cricket and fiercely competitive, can only be worthwhile experiments.
Rahul Dravid is certainly keen for more trials in differing conditions and nations with the pink ball. He clearly had no problems in sighting the ball as he stroked his way to 106 runs in the MCC's second innings. Perhaps more importantly than his runs is the fact he is a member of the World Cricket Committee and give offer first-hand advice to the rest of the committee of how they can take these experiments forward and make this type of cricket a very viable option.
The game itself saw the County champions, Notts, largely outplayed for much of the game that lasted only three of the scheduled four days. For a variety of reasons Notts were some way from being at full strength, names such as Andre Adams, Darren Pattinson, and Andy Carter unable to make the trip. That did however give Wayne Noon the opportunity to hand debuts to Jake Ball and Brett Hutton.
The MCC included some exciting names, led by Aussie Chris Rogers, the side included new Somerset signing Steve Kirby, Stephen Moore, keeper Steven Davies, and the Afghan paceman Hamid Hassan. Unfortunately Simon Jones was selected to travel, but as ever, an injury scare resulted in him pulling out.
It was supposed to be a batsman's paradise thought you wouldn't guess from first innings totals of 218, for the MCC, and 108 by Notts. Then Dravid took control with his century, ably supported by Stephen Peters, Moore and Davies, who all registered early season half-centuries.
The target of 468 was always most unlikely for Notts, espeically when they were reduced to 21-4. Mid-lower order resistance was essential, and Ali Brown, Chris Read, Steven Mullaney and Paul Franks duly obliged with fifties to give the match a look of some respectability.
Luke Fletcher missed much of the 2010 season and set about his work in 2011 with renewed optimism. He snared four wickets in each innings while maintaining a very good economy. Not to be outdone, the Afghan quick also caught they eye, Hassan took seven wickets in the match. Steve Kirby took a 5-29 for MCC in the first innings, but his game was cut short by a minor calf injury that saw him fly home for treatment. It is hoped he'll be fit for April 9th when Somerset take on Cardiff MCCU at Taunton.
So is it worthwhile shifting this fixture to Abu Dhabi ? In my opinion, absolutely. Changes need to be made to get the bigger crowds into first-class cricket in England. Test cricket is exceptionally well supported so there is a love for the longer game, and if times can be shifted to play during the evening, then surely more people will fancy a night at the cricket after work, and not to watch some 'hit and giggle'. The pink Kookaburra ball and various other aspects of this experiment will naturally need further testing. Does the colour last on the ball ? Will dew play a big factor ? Will visibility be a problem during twilight times ?
The amount that can be gained from these experiments means the trials are absolutely worthwhile, the faster, the better.
Crowds are generally sparse for the County Championship so any options that are being explored to swell the numbers through the gate for what is essentially a very good standard of domestic cricket and fiercely competitive, can only be worthwhile experiments.
Rahul Dravid is certainly keen for more trials in differing conditions and nations with the pink ball. He clearly had no problems in sighting the ball as he stroked his way to 106 runs in the MCC's second innings. Perhaps more importantly than his runs is the fact he is a member of the World Cricket Committee and give offer first-hand advice to the rest of the committee of how they can take these experiments forward and make this type of cricket a very viable option.
The game itself saw the County champions, Notts, largely outplayed for much of the game that lasted only three of the scheduled four days. For a variety of reasons Notts were some way from being at full strength, names such as Andre Adams, Darren Pattinson, and Andy Carter unable to make the trip. That did however give Wayne Noon the opportunity to hand debuts to Jake Ball and Brett Hutton.
The MCC included some exciting names, led by Aussie Chris Rogers, the side included new Somerset signing Steve Kirby, Stephen Moore, keeper Steven Davies, and the Afghan paceman Hamid Hassan. Unfortunately Simon Jones was selected to travel, but as ever, an injury scare resulted in him pulling out.
It was supposed to be a batsman's paradise thought you wouldn't guess from first innings totals of 218, for the MCC, and 108 by Notts. Then Dravid took control with his century, ably supported by Stephen Peters, Moore and Davies, who all registered early season half-centuries.
The target of 468 was always most unlikely for Notts, espeically when they were reduced to 21-4. Mid-lower order resistance was essential, and Ali Brown, Chris Read, Steven Mullaney and Paul Franks duly obliged with fifties to give the match a look of some respectability.
Luke Fletcher missed much of the 2010 season and set about his work in 2011 with renewed optimism. He snared four wickets in each innings while maintaining a very good economy. Not to be outdone, the Afghan quick also caught they eye, Hassan took seven wickets in the match. Steve Kirby took a 5-29 for MCC in the first innings, but his game was cut short by a minor calf injury that saw him fly home for treatment. It is hoped he'll be fit for April 9th when Somerset take on Cardiff MCCU at Taunton.
So is it worthwhile shifting this fixture to Abu Dhabi ? In my opinion, absolutely. Changes need to be made to get the bigger crowds into first-class cricket in England. Test cricket is exceptionally well supported so there is a love for the longer game, and if times can be shifted to play during the evening, then surely more people will fancy a night at the cricket after work, and not to watch some 'hit and giggle'. The pink Kookaburra ball and various other aspects of this experiment will naturally need further testing. Does the colour last on the ball ? Will dew play a big factor ? Will visibility be a problem during twilight times ?
The amount that can be gained from these experiments means the trials are absolutely worthwhile, the faster, the better.
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Repercussions of the IPL in England
Following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League auction at the weekend, what impact, in terms of disruption to the counties, will it have on the start of the domestic campaign in England ?
The IPL gets underway on the same day as the County Championship season kicks off (April 8), and while some counties will be hampered by the absence of some of their finest talents for a substantial length of time, the impact could indeed have been more severe. There were several English and English based players that were not selected for any of the franchises.
The prolonged contractual discussions between Essex and Ravi Bopara seemed to focus around the details of IPL payments, a potential compensation percentage for him being allowed to play in the tournament, which all proved unnecessary as Bopara was not picked up by any of the franchises. New team-mate Owais Shah will be absent from the Essex line-up for the duration his franchise, Kochi, are in the competition, as will all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate who will join up with Kolkata Knight Riders. Of course Essex will have been aware of Shah's intention prior to him signing for the Chelmsford club.
In Essex's situation, they may opt to sign an overseas batsman for the early part of the Championship season to ensure they make a strong start in attempting to regain Division One status. Money gained by way of compensation for two players joining the IPL, will help fund a possible move for South Africa's Hashim Amla, who had a brief, yet very successful, stay with the club in 2009 when he averaged in excess of 100 after three first-class matches.
Along with Shah and ten Doeschate, there are a further seven players that would have started the domestic season in England, had the IPL riches not come calling. Michael Lumb returns to the IPL, joining Kevin Pietersen at Deccan Chargers, his club skipper at Hampshire Dmitri Mascarenhas aims to impress at Kings XI Punjab and Somerset pace bowler Alfonso Thomas will play for new franchise Pune Warriors. From a cricketing aspect Somerset are disappointed Thomas will be heading over to India, but they also understand the opportunity and support him in his decision.
The recently retired England Test batsman Paul Collingwood will not start the season with Durham as Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals view him as a vital member of their side. In a way you cannot begrudge Collingwood the opportunity to earn himself some serious money (although his $250,000 fee may be one of the bargains) such has been his commitment to the Test side, and he should be available for the duration of the tournament. Franchises may well have been put off signing the likes of Graeme Swann, Jimmy Anderson, etc, as they would be required to return home early and prepare for the Test series against the touring Sri Lankans. Pietersen and Stuart Broad are the only England Test regulars featuring in India.
Leicestershire made the decision to bring Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald back to Grace Road as their overseas player for 2011, but an IPL contract with Delhi Daredevils delays his arrival. The same applies to Somerset's overseas position, retained by Murali Kartik for 2011, and also the fortunate owner of a wealthy IPL contract, alongside Somerset team-mate Thomas at Pune Warriors.
I am sure there are several other players that may have fulfilled an overseas vacancy with a County from April had they not secured an account swelling contract for a few weeks work in India. Names such as David Hussey may have been (and may still be later in the season) re-united with Nottinghamshire, James Franklin may have returned to Gloucestershire and if finances allowed, Worcestershire may have applied for the services of Shakib al Hasan from the start of the season but for their inclusions in the IPL. Of course it is understandable for the overseas players to opt for a similar or substantially improved wage for around seven weeks work in comparison to the hard yards of a full County season.
The one situation which I find slightly bewildering is the decision taken by Eoin Morgan to sign an IPL contract, and the same applies to Bopara should a franchise have offered him a deal. With Collingwood retiring from the Test side, it clearly opens up a position in the England middle order that will more than likely be filled by a batsman, such is England's preference to play six specialist batsmen. What better way to project your talent, form, and potential as Collingwood's replacement than scoring heavily with your County in the Championship prior to the Sri Lankans arriving late in May ?
Morgan instead will be trying to slap it about in 20-over cricket! Now unless he has received approval from the England management, surely he would have been better served, not concentrating on his bank balance but preparing as best he can for Test cricket. If he is selected for England, he will be going into the Test series without any first-class cricket under his belt in 2011, or with very limited game time.
The lack of an offer may ironically work in Bopara's favour should he find some early season form with Essex. He also offers the kind of part-time medium pace that Collingwood used to offer England. Having bamboozled Mike Hussey with his last ball in Test cricket, Collingwood may rightly argue his part-time label, and as the Ashes hysteria is still abound, we shall uphold his protestations.
Somerset's James Hildreth will also hope to catch the eye of the selectors after impressing with the England Performance squad over the winter in Australia. He had comfortably his best County Championship season last year proving to his critics that he can score plenty of runs away from the batsman-friendly Taunton as well as punishing attacks at home. Hildreth scored 1,440 first-class runs, including seven centuries, at a mightily impressive average of 65.45.
Bopara and Hildreth will also both get the opportunity to press their claims when the England Lions compete in the West Indies domestic first-class competition during February and March. Leicestershire's James Taylor who is also part of that squad should not be overlooked as possible replacement for Collingwood, but the opportunity may have come too soon for him.
The players due to be away on IPL duty could miss around six County Championship fixtures, and also a handful of 40-over matches, so once again there has been disruption to best laid plans for a handful of the English counties, but we should be aware it could have been much worse. With so many Championship games being shoehorned into the months of April and May, there has to be changes made either to the scheduling of the domestic fixtures or the creation of an IPL window that does not affect other cricket around the world. Of course with the volume of cricket being played this is becoming increasingly problematic to successfully arrange, and that particular challenge continues.
The IPL gets underway on the same day as the County Championship season kicks off (April 8), and while some counties will be hampered by the absence of some of their finest talents for a substantial length of time, the impact could indeed have been more severe. There were several English and English based players that were not selected for any of the franchises.
The prolonged contractual discussions between Essex and Ravi Bopara seemed to focus around the details of IPL payments, a potential compensation percentage for him being allowed to play in the tournament, which all proved unnecessary as Bopara was not picked up by any of the franchises. New team-mate Owais Shah will be absent from the Essex line-up for the duration his franchise, Kochi, are in the competition, as will all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate who will join up with Kolkata Knight Riders. Of course Essex will have been aware of Shah's intention prior to him signing for the Chelmsford club.
In Essex's situation, they may opt to sign an overseas batsman for the early part of the Championship season to ensure they make a strong start in attempting to regain Division One status. Money gained by way of compensation for two players joining the IPL, will help fund a possible move for South Africa's Hashim Amla, who had a brief, yet very successful, stay with the club in 2009 when he averaged in excess of 100 after three first-class matches.
Along with Shah and ten Doeschate, there are a further seven players that would have started the domestic season in England, had the IPL riches not come calling. Michael Lumb returns to the IPL, joining Kevin Pietersen at Deccan Chargers, his club skipper at Hampshire Dmitri Mascarenhas aims to impress at Kings XI Punjab and Somerset pace bowler Alfonso Thomas will play for new franchise Pune Warriors. From a cricketing aspect Somerset are disappointed Thomas will be heading over to India, but they also understand the opportunity and support him in his decision.
The recently retired England Test batsman Paul Collingwood will not start the season with Durham as Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals view him as a vital member of their side. In a way you cannot begrudge Collingwood the opportunity to earn himself some serious money (although his $250,000 fee may be one of the bargains) such has been his commitment to the Test side, and he should be available for the duration of the tournament. Franchises may well have been put off signing the likes of Graeme Swann, Jimmy Anderson, etc, as they would be required to return home early and prepare for the Test series against the touring Sri Lankans. Pietersen and Stuart Broad are the only England Test regulars featuring in India.
Leicestershire made the decision to bring Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald back to Grace Road as their overseas player for 2011, but an IPL contract with Delhi Daredevils delays his arrival. The same applies to Somerset's overseas position, retained by Murali Kartik for 2011, and also the fortunate owner of a wealthy IPL contract, alongside Somerset team-mate Thomas at Pune Warriors.
I am sure there are several other players that may have fulfilled an overseas vacancy with a County from April had they not secured an account swelling contract for a few weeks work in India. Names such as David Hussey may have been (and may still be later in the season) re-united with Nottinghamshire, James Franklin may have returned to Gloucestershire and if finances allowed, Worcestershire may have applied for the services of Shakib al Hasan from the start of the season but for their inclusions in the IPL. Of course it is understandable for the overseas players to opt for a similar or substantially improved wage for around seven weeks work in comparison to the hard yards of a full County season.
The one situation which I find slightly bewildering is the decision taken by Eoin Morgan to sign an IPL contract, and the same applies to Bopara should a franchise have offered him a deal. With Collingwood retiring from the Test side, it clearly opens up a position in the England middle order that will more than likely be filled by a batsman, such is England's preference to play six specialist batsmen. What better way to project your talent, form, and potential as Collingwood's replacement than scoring heavily with your County in the Championship prior to the Sri Lankans arriving late in May ?
Morgan instead will be trying to slap it about in 20-over cricket! Now unless he has received approval from the England management, surely he would have been better served, not concentrating on his bank balance but preparing as best he can for Test cricket. If he is selected for England, he will be going into the Test series without any first-class cricket under his belt in 2011, or with very limited game time.
The lack of an offer may ironically work in Bopara's favour should he find some early season form with Essex. He also offers the kind of part-time medium pace that Collingwood used to offer England. Having bamboozled Mike Hussey with his last ball in Test cricket, Collingwood may rightly argue his part-time label, and as the Ashes hysteria is still abound, we shall uphold his protestations.
Somerset's James Hildreth will also hope to catch the eye of the selectors after impressing with the England Performance squad over the winter in Australia. He had comfortably his best County Championship season last year proving to his critics that he can score plenty of runs away from the batsman-friendly Taunton as well as punishing attacks at home. Hildreth scored 1,440 first-class runs, including seven centuries, at a mightily impressive average of 65.45.
Bopara and Hildreth will also both get the opportunity to press their claims when the England Lions compete in the West Indies domestic first-class competition during February and March. Leicestershire's James Taylor who is also part of that squad should not be overlooked as possible replacement for Collingwood, but the opportunity may have come too soon for him.
The players due to be away on IPL duty could miss around six County Championship fixtures, and also a handful of 40-over matches, so once again there has been disruption to best laid plans for a handful of the English counties, but we should be aware it could have been much worse. With so many Championship games being shoehorned into the months of April and May, there has to be changes made either to the scheduling of the domestic fixtures or the creation of an IPL window that does not affect other cricket around the world. Of course with the volume of cricket being played this is becoming increasingly problematic to successfully arrange, and that particular challenge continues.
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