Impact of Sri Lankan Openers in the WT20 2016, India

The opening combination for any team will be the most important in the ICC World T20 2016 as it will be imperative to make use of the hard new ball and the field restrictions in the first six overs before the spinners come in and put on the choke. The Sri Lankans have gone in for a new comer in the opening position along with the experience of a veteran. Let us see how these two will combine and what impact they are likely to have on the WT20 2016 in India starting next month.

Tillakaratne Dilshan

Tillakaratne Dilshan might be on his last legs but he still retains all of his class and flair. He is a destructive batsman who loves to make a bit of room, free his arms and trash the ball through the cover region. Strong on the cut and pull he is not one to shy away from a battle and loves to takes the bowler on as he showed in the 2015 World Cup when he slammed 6 fours in an over off the fearsome Mitchell Johnson. He is also known for his innovation and daredevilry, the famed ‘Dilscoop’, named after him!

Dilshan loves the big stage and he was the Man of the Series in the 2009 edition of the WT20 and has been a high impact player for the Lankans in all formats for more than a decade now. He did not fare well in the 2 T20I’s that he played against India recently, Ashwin had his number on both the occasions but he is a true champion and will be a big threat to every team that comes up against Sri Lanka. The fact that he can bowl canny off-spin and is still the best fielder in the side says a lot about his fitness and agility.

Impact Rating – 8/10

Niroshan Dickwella

Dickwella is an aggressive left handed wicket-keeper batsman who made his T20I debut against India recently. Although he made just 5 runs in the two matches but one could see that he had an aggressive streak about him. He charged Ashwin and got a single off the very first ball that he faced in the 2nd T20I and then charged again off the second but was stumped as he missed the ball by miles. The fact that he had the confidence to use his feet against the main threat that India possessed showed that that he at least had the guts to take a champion bowler on and not get dictated.

He was selected on the back of his tremendous performances in the recently concluded Super T20 Provincial Tournament back in Sri Lanka where he trashed 3 fifties in just 6 innings to score 179 runs at a monstrous strike rate of almost 175 runs per hundred balls. If he can find his range and get into his groove then he can form a very potent partnership with Dilshan.

Impact Rating – 6.5/10

The Lankans might be missing their regular wicket-keeper opening batsman Kusal Janith Perera, but they do have Dickwella, who might still be raw but can be a lethal weapon if he can get some confidence under his belt early on and with the experienced Dilshan to guide him from the other end.

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Fantastico McCullum Slams the Fastest Test 100 in his Final Test!!

Some men write their own destiny, end their careers on a high. Not many sportsmen can time it perfectly and almost every great hero lives just long enough to become a villain. Bradman needed just four in his last test innings to finish with a test average of 100, he made a duck. Javed Miandad and Aravinda De Silva, arguably the finest batsman their countries had produced, played their last matches in the World Cup in 1996 and 2003 respectively, both ending on the losing side and going out in anonymity.

This was Brendon McCullum's last match, his 101st and he walked in to bat with New Zealand in huge trouble at 32-3 in the 20th over. His successor, and master batsman, Kane Williamson was struggling to even properly lay bat on ball on a green pitch - he was on 3 off 44 balls when Baz walked out to a guard of honour given by the Aussie's.

McCullum heaved wildly off his first ball and missed and on the second attempt the ball flew over the slips for a fortunate boundary. This looked like it would end very quickly. When Smith called upon Marsh just minutes before the lunch break, McCullum launched a vicious attack on the bowler. A straight six, cuts, cover drives and to round off another gob smacking six over wide extra cover to take 21 off the over! Easy-Peasy!!

He slashed at a wide Pattinson delivery and Marsh flung himself to take a stunner but Pattinson had overstepped, Baz reprieved on 39. That was probably the break that he needed and the mood that he was in, his shots only got bolder and more outrageous! He brought up his fifty off 34 balls with a heave down the ground that flew over Bird's head for a straight six. McCullum was by now an almost unstoppable force, playing a high impact innings in his last test.

He kept swinging his willow like a madman but kept evading the fielder's. He brought up his 100 of just 54 balls, the fastest ever, with a four over extra cover and raised his bat to a standing ovation from the crowd at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. He beat the record set by the enigmatic Viv Richards in 1985-86 against England off 56 balls and which was then equalled by Misbah ul Haq against the Australian's in 2014.

He eventually finished on 145 off just 79 balls and his 179 run partnership with Corey Anderson waltzed New Zealand to 370 in just 65 overs on a green top where the ball swung extravagantly but a determined batsman in his last test swung his willow more decisively in the end.

His cavalier approach and thrill-a-minute style will be sorely missed and one can only wonder why he did not choose to play the upcoming World T20! Captain Fantastico and a batsman who lived by the sword and died by it, Baz, you will be sorely missed!!

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Fantastico Tahir, Morris Seal the 1st T20I for South Africa

After completing a remarkable come from behind 3-2 series win the South Africans were in high spirits and England looking to get their mojo back as both the teams clashed at Newlands in the first T20I of the two match series.

For South Africa, De Kock missed out due to a niggle which meant that De Villiers would have to take the gloves behind the wickets. Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bowl first with a slight bit of rain in the air and dodgy weather.

England got off to a swift start with both Hales and Roy taking on Rabada and Abbott as they missed their line and length. They whizzed to 36-0 by the third over but a back of the hand slower ball got Roy out, Rabada the beneficiary. It still looked like England were on course for a big total as they reached 50-1 after the power play. Imran Tahir got Hales caught brilliantly by Duminy, after he was tackled by Rabada, rugby style; thankfully no one suffered a serious injury.

At this point, England suffered a meltdown as they continued losing wickets to Tahir, by playing some senseless cricket. Tahir was Fantastico with his line and length and used his variations cleverly to leave England tottering at 81-6 after 13 overs. Tahir had figures of 3-0-16-4 and he had changed the entire game within a few overs. England now had only Jos Buttler left but even he struggled to find the boundaries. England eventually finished on 134-8 off their 20 overs, Tahir being the most impact player for South Africa with four wickets.

South Africa opened with De Villiers and Amla and they got off to a relatively brisk start reaching 25 in three and half overs when Topley got the outside edge of Amla's bat but Buttler grassed the chance. The English all rounder duo of Jordan and Stokes, though, brought England right back in the contest when they took out the openers in successive overs. The two bowled 4 overs for just 18 runs in addition to the two important wickets as South Africa reached 50-2 in eight overs. At the end of 12 overs they had reached 74-2 and with only a small target to chase, it was all going to plan for the Proteas.

Rashid got Duminy and Moeen Ali got rid of the Protea skipper Faf du Plessis to set the cat amongst the pigeons. Moeen Ali got Rilee Rossouw in the 18th over but Miller slugged a six and a four to restore some parity. Chris Jordan, in the penultimate over first got the dangerous Miller off the first ball and then Wiese off the fifth to seeing the match again in England's favour.

That left Reece Topley with 15 to defend off the final over of the match. Abbott got a single off the first ball and Morris creamed a four and a six off full tosses off the next two deliveries to bring the equation down to 4 off 3. The fourth delivery was a dot but Morris and Abbott scampered two's off the final two deliveries to seal the win for South Africa! Topley could have forced the match into a super over if he had collected the final delivery cleanly and knocked the stumps over to run the batsman out, but it was not to be as England were left ruing what could have been!

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Impact of England All-Rounders in the WT20 2016, India

All-rounders are a much revered species in cricket and their value increases manifold when talking about T20 cricket. They bat at 5-6 providing the difficult job of closing out the innings with big hits and they are entrusted to bowl to batsmen in full flow and expected to get them out. England, at the moment, is blessed with several all-rounders who give them the flexibility to tinker with their playing 11 depending on the opposition and the conditions. Let us glance at the impact that the English all-rounders are likely to make in the WT20 in India.

Ben Stokes

England were desperately crying out for a good all-rounder since the retirement of Andrew Flintoff and during their disastrous Ashes tour of 2013/14 where they were blown away 5-0 in the face of Mitch Johnson, rose Ben Stokes. He blazed away to a century at Perth and he bagged wickets in almost every innings. He was the find of the tour and after a minor slump in 2014; he has risen again to firmly take his place in the lower middle order for England in all the formats of the game.

He is a clean striker of the ball and is not intimidated by a challenge. Capable of playing all around the ground, he showed his audacious hitting prowess by clobbering a 258 off just 198 deliveries in a test match against South Africa. He also made two quick-fire half centuries in the 5 match ODI series that followed – all this, in addition to the numerous wickets that he took along with his equally dazzling fielding efforts. Stokes is a high impact player and he will be the most important player from an English point of view who can win them a game with either the bat or the ball on his own.

Impact Rating – 8.5/10

Chris Jordan

Chris Jordan embodies the perfect all-rounder and a perfect Twenty20 cricketer - bustling medium pace bowler, a hard hitting batsman down the order and a magnificent athlete anywhere on the field. However for all his attractive qualities, he has often lacked in consistency and has thus far failed to deliver on his true potential. He was way below par in the three ODI matches that he played against South Africa recently picking up just a solitary wicket but he came back roaring in the first T20I to claim 3 wickets in his 4 overs while also going at less than 6 runs per over.

Jordan is a lively bowler who looks to befuddle the batsmen with his changes of pace and his batting is all about hard hitting and he is someone who does not take a backward step and does not avoid a battle. He has played 10 T20I matches for England and taken 12 wickets at an economy rate which is on the higher side of 8 runs per over while he has made 95 runs at a strike rate of almost 130.

Impact Rating – 7/10

England also has Moeen Ali, who is also a genuine all-rounder, bowling off spin and who will be an important cog in the English line up. Stokes and Jordan, along with Moeen Ali are all players that can have a great impact on the game and possess the talent to change its course in matter of a few overs.

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Impact of England Pace Bowlers in the WT20 2016, India

Spin bowling will certainly be the key to success in the upcoming World Twenty20 in India but the role of fast bowlers cannot be brushed aside. Bowlers who have variations and who can reverse the ball (yes, it can happen even in 20 overs) and swing it under lights will be a difficult proposition on pitches which might be two paced and not conducive to hitting through the line. Let us have a look at the English pace bowlers and analyse the impact that they are likely to have in the mega event which begins next month.

Reece Topley

Reece Topley is a lanky left arm pace bowler capable of swinging the ball both ways at a decent pace. He also has a deceptive slower ball which is hard to pick up and given his height he will be a difficult customer to face on the uneven pitches of India. He had a stellar ODI series against the strong South African side where he finished as the highest wicket taker from either side, picking up 10 wickets in 5 matches. He will have to work on his control though as he went at more than 6 runs per over during that series and even in the first T20I he travelled at 9 runs per over.

Overall, he has played 53 T20 matches picking up 76 wickets at a strike rate of 15 and an economy rate of over 8 runs per over. He is a good find for England as he has the tendency to pick up wickets and even though he may be a bit expensive, having a genuine wicket taker in your ranks is always a positive.

Impact Rating – 7/10

Steven Finn

Steve Finn is also a lanky pace bowler like Topley but he bowls right handed. Finn, at the peak of his powers had the ability to trouble the best batsmen with his pace and uncomfortable bounce. But problems with injuries and his habit of knocking down the stumps at the non-strikers end in his delivery stride meant him having to change his action and left him low on confidence. But he has worked hard with the England Lions team and has come back rejuvenated and has gradually built up his pace as well. He has the ability to swing the ball and if he can get his act together, he will certainly be more than a handful even in India. He has played 21 T20I’s for England picking up 27 wickets at an economy rate of just over 7.

Impact Rating – 7/10

David Willey

David Willey is the son of former England all-rounder turned Peter Willey and is the preferred choice ahead of Finn at the moment for England. It is probably because he gives them the option of a hard hitting batsman lower down and because he is a very good fielder too. He has picked up just a solitary wicket in the four matches (3 ODI’s and 1 T20I) on the tour to South Africa and has not contributed much with the bat as well so his place will certainly under the scanner. But at his best, he is a good left arm swing bowler who can deliver at decent pace.

Impact Rating – 6/10

In addition to these three, England also have Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan who can be used as medium pace bowlers and who also provide them with batting fire-power as well.

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Impact of England Spinners in the WT20 2016, India

Spin bowling is an area where English cricket has always lagged behind other teams and although Greame Swann provided them with all the natural guile and variations, he was more successful in tests than in the shorter formats of the game. Spin bowling will be the key in India as the pitches will surely help the slower bowlers get turn and bite and as the tournament goes deeper, the assistance will only increase thus making good spinners genuine impact players for any team. England, for once, has all the bases covered and boasts of a very decent spin bowling line up for the ICC WT20 2016 with a leg-spinner, an off break bowler and a slow left arm orthodox bowler, all in their ranks!!

Adil Rashid

Adil Rashid is a leg break bowler who has been on the radar of the English team since a very long time. He has a big turning leg break and a treacherous googly which makes him more than a handful for any batsmen. Throw in his changes of pace, the variations of flight and the dip that he generates – he becomes a menacing and a real threat. He has played 111 T20 matches picking up 124 wickets at an average of 22 and an economy rate of just over 7.

He has been in good form with several eye catching performances against the South African team both in the recently concluded ODI’s and the ongoing T20I’s. He has been economical in the middle overs while keeping his own against the likes of attacking batsmen like de Villiers and Duminy, pegging the run rate back while also picking up important wickets. He is also a handy lower order batsman capable of hanging around and hitting out when required.

Impact Rating – 7/10

Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali is an off break bowler who for all practical purposes is considered to be a part time bowler but he is in reality much better than that. England used him as an opening bowler in the last WT20 regularly and he did not bowl that badly. Moeen has the ability to turn the ball occasionally with his quick arm action but he usually darts the ball into the batsman’s pads, not providing him the room to swing the bat.

He has formed a potent partnership with Adil Rashid and both of them have been key figures for the English in the middle overs helping them keep the opposition in check and at the same time also picking up key wickets denting the opposition. The fact that he is also a very clean striker of the ball and can bat anywhere in the order, provides England both great flexibility and room to play around with.

Impact Rating – 7/10

Liam Dawson

Liam Dawson is a slow left arm orthodox bowler who is perhaps in the squad only to cover for Rashid and Ali. He has been given a chance after catching the eye of the selectors with his performances for the England Lions team, both with the ball and the bat.

Impact Rating – 5/10

England definitely has the goods to become a nuisance to other teams with this line up of spinners. Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali will be the key men for them and Morgan will hope that the duo can keep up with their recent impressive outings against the Proteas.

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Impact of England Middle Order in the WT20 2016, India

The middle order of England seems to be in very good health with three very different batsmen occupying the slots 3-5. The middle order batsmen in the World Cup are all set to be severely tested by spin bowling and England have batsmen who are capable of holding their own against the slower bowlers on turning pitches. Let us analyse each of them and what they bring to the table and the impact they are likely to have on the English performance.

Joe Root

He is a naturally gifted played capable of playing on any surface and excelling in any format of the game. He has a water tight technique along with a calm head and unflappable temperament that helps him shine in all situations. He can score quickly through conventional shots but has unorthodox shots like the reverse sweeps and paddles in his armoury as well. Root has played 13 T20I’s for England scoring 311 runs at an average of over 34 and a strike rate almost touching 130 runs per hundred balls. He is also a very deceptive off break bowler who is rarely called upon but provides the team with a breakthrough on most such occasions.

His maturity and calmness at the crease might just be the tonic that England needs to prosper amid all the big bashing batsmen that they have strewn all around their batting line up. He could be the gel that binds the innings together with sensible batting while the others can do all the violence and try to bash everything in orbit!

Impact Rating – 7.5/10

Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan is the English captain and an inventive and audacious striker of the cricket ball. Known for his sweeps and reverse sweeps he is adept at facing spinners and creating havoc in their line and lengths. He is also a very clean hitter straight down the ground against the quicker bowlers.

Known for his calming influence at the batting crease, he is seldom ruffled by all that is happening around him and is considered to be amongst the best finishers of the game by the English management. He has a very good record for England in the T20I’s playing 55 matches for almost 1300 runs with the strike rate in the 130’s but he has been in wretched form during the limited overs leg during the South African tour. England will hope that he can rediscover his form and magic in time before the World Twenty20 begins next month.

Impact Rating – 7/10

Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler brings to the table innovative and expansive batting, which is both brutal and full of flamboyance. He has two of the fastest ODI hundreds for England and he recently smashed a 73 ball ton against South Africa as England ramped up 399 runs at Bloemfontein. Buttler is a master of innovation and his fearless approach in the middle order has served him and English cricket well up until this point. Consistency is one feature that he needs to work on though, as after a manic hundred and a 48* off 28 balls in the first two ODI’s against South Africa, his form tapered as he made 0, 1, 0 in the last three matches.

Impact Rating – 8/10

This middle order is strong enough and can be extremely dangerous especially if they are given a good launching pad by the English opening batsmen.

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