Clydesdale Bank 40 Discussion Thread

[Shelsey93]

First topic message reminder :

The CB40 can be a damp squid of a competition. The format is wrong (debatably), the picture of a final on a damp September day in front of a half-full crowd is in my head, and there are too many dead games, leading to counties fielding virtual 2nd XIs with regularity.

But that is what we have, and the tournament starts tomorrow with a repeat of Surrey v Somerset.

The three groups were drawn as follows:

A: Netherlands, Leicestershire Foxes, Worcestershire Royals, Lancashire Lightning, Middlesex Panthers, Essex Eagles, Gloucestershire Gladiators
B: Scottish Saltires, Durham Dynamos, Hampshire Royals, Surrey, Welsh Dragons, Somerset, Nottinghamshire Outlaws
C: Unicorns, Derbyshire Falcons, Yorkshire, Kent Spitfires, Warwickshire Bears, Sussex Sharks, Northamptonshire Steelbacks

Matches to be played over the Bank Holiday weekend are:

Friday 4th May

Surrey v Somerset @ The Oval - Live on Sky Sports 4, 3.00; Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17909365 (BBC London/ BBC Bristol)

Surrey 295-6 (Hamilton-Brown 101, Davies 72, Meschede 2-57) Somerset 190 (Compton 53, Meaker 3-24)

Surrey won by 105 runs

Sunday 6th May

Scottish Saltires v Surrey @ The Grange - Commentary link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910138 (BBC London)

Surrey 187-7 (Rudolph 69, Haq 2-27) Scot 118-6 (Berrington 43*, Spriegel 2-16)

Surrey won by 18 runs (D/L)

Gloucestershire Gladiators v Netherlands @ Bristol - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910365 (BBC Bristol)

Neth 239-6 (Myburgh 77, Young 2-31) Gloucs 238-8 (Howell 72*, Seelaar 4-42)

Netherlands won by 1 run

Lancashire Lightning v Leicestershire Foxes @ Old Trafford - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910367 (BBC Lancashire)

Lancs 296-3 (Croft 82, Prince 79, Moore 74, Cobb 1-37) Leics 291-7 (Cobb 137, Boyce 64, Kerrigan 3-44)

Lancashire Lightning won by 5 runs

Unicorns v Derbyshire Falcons @ Wormsley

Derbys 287-3 (Guptill 125, Durston 120*, Querl 2-58) Unicorns 158-9 (Reece 36, Hughes 5-29)

Derbyshire Falcons won by 129 runs

Warwickshire Bears v Northamptonshire Steelbacks @ Edgbaston - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910141 (BBC Coventry and Warwickshire/ BBC WM)

Northants 209-7 (Hall 52*, Barker 3-41) Warks 212-4 (Bell 82*, Clarke 54*, de Lange 2-31)

Warwickshire Bears won by 6 wickets

Yorkshire v Kent Spitfires @ Headingley - Live on Sky Sports 2, 1.30; Commentary link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910369 (BBC Leeds/ BBC Kent)

Yorks 175-9 (Root 49, Coles 6-32) Kent 176-6 (Stevens 59, Rafiq 3-22)

Kent Spitfires won by 2 wickets

Monday 7th May

Leicestershire Foxes v Essex Eagles @ Grace Road - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910698 (BBC Leicester/ BBC Essex)

Match abandoned without a ball bowled

Middlesex Panthers v Gloucestershire Gladiators @ Lord's - Live on Sky Sports 2, 1.30; Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910932 (BBC London/ BBC Bristol)

Middx 157-8 (Simpson 29, Young 3-26) Gloucs 161-5 (Howell 45*, Rayner 2-29)

Gloucestershire Gladiators won by 5 wickets

Hampshire Royals v Welsh Dragons @ Rose Bowl - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910694 (BBC Solent)

WD 173-7 (Walters 68, Ali 3-44) Hants 151-2 (Vince 83, Carberry 60, A. Jones 1-4)

Hampshire Royals won by 48 runs (D/L)

Scottish Saltires v Nottinghamshire Outlaws @ The Grange

Notts 219-7 (Read 59, Haq 2-34) Scot 108-0 (Macleod 58*)

Scottish Saltires won by 18 runs (D/L)

Northamptonshire Steelbacks v Unicorns @ Wantage Road

Unicorns 79-3 (Reece 27*, de Lange 2-19) Northants 16-1 (Coetzer 10*, Wheeldon 1-9)

No Result

Worcestershire Royals v Netherlands @ Kidderminster - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/17910696

Worcs 172-4 (Solanki 63, Bukhari 3-29) Neth 139-1 (Myburgh 74*, Borgas 55*, Shantry 1-23)

Netherlands won by 9 wickets (D/L)

[jimbohammers]

Spriegel played really well at the rose bowl on Sunday as well, only one that really seemed up for the fight.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Surrey have to win tomorrow to have a chance of going through. But if the weather forecast is anything like accurate, with rain coming in from the west, the most likely outcome is the match at Taunton being rained off.

[jimbobgooner]

spot on corporal only 4.3 overs bowled in the match and sadly that is the end for surrey this season in the cb40

[Guest]

Sussex 103-1 from 17 overs..

Matt Coles is having a shocker with the ball today.

[guildfordbat]

spot on corporal only 4.3 overs bowled in the match and sadly that is the end for surrey this season in the cb40

Disappointing way to go out and lose our CB 40 title. However, we can't blame the weather too much. Too many indifferent performances - particularly with the bat - did the damage before today.

[Mike Selig]

Weather has got the best of potential excitement in group B which is a shame.

Lancashire have provided more proof that they are a force to be reckoned with, amassing an extraordinary 324/4 off 37 overs before the game was washed out. Middlesex produced an excellent all-round performance against Essex at Lords, and will regret their patchy form, and confusing line-ups at times - they have the makings of a fine one-day side, if what I saw today is anything to go by.

Group B was ruined by rain, and Hampshire go through. After their exploits in the T20 recently, would you bet against them? They certainly seem a very well balanced side.

Sussex's demolition of Kent coupled with Warwickshire beating a depleted Yorkshire (and the rain) means that Kent miss out in group C.

I got most of the way through a match report of the Middlesex game and then deleted it. I may write one tomorrow, but right now it's late so I will just leave you with my thoughts:

Dawid Malan is far too good a player not to play international cricket at some point: it is time he starts scoring the volume of runs his talent demands. Technically he is virtually flawless, he can play shots all around the ground against pace or spin, and seems to relish the challenge of a tricky pitch (although not today). The first time I saw him in a championship match a few years back (he made 70odd against Essex IIRC) I said to my gran that I would be very surprised if this kid didn't play for England in the future (I was unaware that he hadn't qualified yet). I rehearse this now to disappointed, as it would mean he hadn't made the most of what he had. The problem is of course mental - a bit like Gower (the analogies are striking) used to, he has a tendancy to get out to nothing shots when not looking in any kind of trouble. Today was a very fine innings (against it is fair to say fairly mediocre bowling) - I can only remember 2 balls missed, and it wasn't all big shots, there were plenty of ones and twos knocked into the gaps.

I fear the domination of T20 (and heavy bats, and short boundaries) is leading to spinners (and in particular young finger-spinners) no longer being willing to give the ball some air. Yes, I know this makes me sound like a grumpy old man, and I know it is a strange thing to say when even this week-end we saw Waller, Raffiq and Briggs all have some success. But today on a pitch which offered turn and bounce (Phillips got a few to really grip) all 4 spinners simply darted the ball in. From Stirling this is understandable, he is a part-time bowler brought on with the required rate exceding 10 per over, by darting it in he was always likely to succeed and he did. But from Phillips, Harbajhan and Smith I expected better; indeed I thought Harbajhan would be tough to play having seen Phillips's first over, but he never troubled the Middlesex batsmen; if Essex do have some young spinners coming through then he is not a good role model.

Any regulars at Essex here who can testify to fielding standards this year? I thought they were poor. Certainly Middlesex's outcricket was far better: much more energy in the field, much more pressure put on the fielders with the running, and much more on the ball with putting key fielders in the right places - as shown by Smith's 3 well-judged catches as opposed to Shah (who is not a good fielder) dropping Malan at long-off off Harbajhan (what was he doing there?).

The young guy Sandhu (LMF) will be a good one-day bowler - good control and subtle variations. He is however an old-fashioned cricketer, not much of an athlete. I suspect that will have to improve if he is to be a regular feature.

Middlesex seemed like a confident, well-drilled side (it is the first time I've seen them this year). They are also quite young. If they can get another seamer and a spinner come through they could challenge for the county championship within a couple of years.

[JDizzle]

I think the Lancashire game deserves a mention! Lancs were 324-4 before rain intervened and Stephen Moore had compiled 113 off 105 balls and Steven Croft 67 off 52, but the stand out performance was a ridiculous sounding knock from Tom Smith. He scored 106 off just 46 balls, which is just unbelievable.

A couple of lads from Worcestershire in Jack Shantry, who has made himself a List A regular at New Road now, and Joe Leach, who is making his debut for Worcs First team this year and got ABDV out in the Tour Match, both came through the ranks at one of my local clubs and I just want to mention it as they have a fantastic Youth policy and have won the Birmingham League and National KO in recent years without paying a single player which is phenomenal. And although both got a pounding today it's great to see a club from a county in Shropshire which isn't known for it's cricketing history produce players like this, and with some of their lads there in the England Youth set up at the moment I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more come through in the next few years!

[guildfordbat]

I think the Lancashire game deserves a mention! Lancs were 324-4 before rain intervened and Stephen Moore had compiled 113 off 105 balls and Steven Croft 67 off 52, but the stand out performance was a ridiculous sounding knock from Tom Smith. He scored 106 off just 46 balls, which is just unbelievable.

A couple of lads from Worcestershire in Jack Shantry, who has made himself a List A regular at New Road now, and Joe Leach, who is making his debut for Worcs First team this year and got ABDV out in the Tour Match, both came through the ranks at one of my local clubs and I just want to mention it as they have a fantastic Youth policy and have won the Birmingham League and National KO in recent years without paying a single player which is phenomenal. And although both got a pounding today it's great to see a club from a county in Shropshire which isn't known for it's cricketing history produce players like this, and with some of their lads there in the England Youth set up at the moment I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more come through in the next few years!

JD - very good post flagging several interesting aspects. Thanks.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

The semi finals passed almost unnoticed - unless I've missed another thread.... Both one sided affairs.

Hampshire stroll past Sussex. Wright scored well over half Sussex's runs with innings of 122. Total of 219 nowhere near enough. Hants win by 8 wickets with 7 overs to spare.

Looks like a very comfortable victory for Warks against Lancs. The Lancs tail is hanging on in but required run spiraling upwards with 35 required off 2 overs.

Outstanding one day season for Hants whether or not they win the CB40 final...

[guildfordbat]

The semi finals passed almost unnoticed - unless I've missed another thread.... Both one sided affairs ....

Outstanding one day season for Hants whether or not they win the CB40 final...

That's right, Corporal. The semis seem to have passed almost unnoticed. Hopefully, most of the 606 v2 posters have been outside actually playing the game!

Warks have so much strength in depth. Some of it often below the radar. Their top wicket taker this season in both the CC and CB 40? Rather surprisingly perhaps it's seamer Chris Wright who couldn't get a game with Essex. Although it didn't come off, I noticed Chris Woakes batted today at number six. A couple of (sensible) Warks' followers I know continue to insist he'll end up a better batsman than bowler. Maybe something to keep in mind on the England front.

Hants doing so well too. They seem to have a hidden ruthless streak. I like that.

Should be a very good final with both sides by then going for their second trophy of the season.

[Mike Selig]

The semi finals passed almost unnoticed - unless I've missed another thread.... Both one sided affairs ....

Outstanding one day season for Hants whether or not they win the CB40 final...

That's right, Corporal. The semis seem to have passed almost unnoticed. Hopefully, most of the 606 v2 posters have been outside actually playing the game!

Warks have so much strength in depth. Some of it often below the radar. Their top wicket taker this season in both the CC and CB 40? Rather surprisingly perhaps it's seamer Chris Wright who couldn't get a game with Essex. Although it didn't come off, I noticed Chris Woakes batted today at number six. A couple of (sensible) Warks' followers I know continue to insist he'll end up a better batsman than bowler. Maybe something to keep in mind on the England front.

Hants doing so well too. They seem to have a hidden ruthless streak. I like that.

Should be a very good final with both sides by then going for their second trophy of the season.

Nothing so exciting for me I'm afraid, I was in a meeting most of the day.

Surprised both semi-finals were quite so one-sided, the 4 sides involved seemed fairly evenly balanced.

[jimbohammers]

Missed the semi final as i was away but what a win for Hants, sounded like Carberry and Vince put on a great show. Carbs making the England Selectors take notice?

With no Briggs or Dimi for Saturday we will go into the game as under-dogs, but hey we like that tag

What a season it has been for us in the shorter format, 2 finals for this young team is just a brilliant achievement

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