Twenty20 takes 22 players
We really like Twenty20, but it can be difficult to report on. It’s more difficult to identify that one, stand-out performance from a player.
Twenty20’s more of a team game than you might think. With only 20 overs, it makes sense that one big innings from a batsman decides the match, but quite often it doesn’t work like that. Even if there is a big innings, it’s not necessarily the most influential.
With scores being closer, outfielders have a greater influence than they do in other forms of the game and we’ve written before about the value of the Twenty20 wicketkeeper. Conversely, bowlers only get four measly overs with which to make an impact.
So you can get a bit sick of writing about the batsmen and as we said, it can be hard to identify that day’s hero anyway. For example, in today’s match between New Zealand and England, Owais Shah hit 47 off 35 balls, but was that really any better than Phil Mustard’s 40 off 24?
Thankfully it’s Paul Collingwood to the rescue, like a ginger superhero boasting special powers like ‘doggedness’ and ‘a strong work ethic’. Paul’s 54 off 28 balls was the biggest innings as well as being the quickest of those that lasted more than a few balls. Plus, we really like Paul Collingwood so we try and write about him when we can, anyway.
Subscribe to the King Cricket email updates
We are still a bit mental about slow cookers
I like this young fella, Mustard.
Any wicket keeper, who stands up to 86mph bowlers has got balls.
Big f*cking shiny ones.
He’s “hot stuff”, and “saucy”, and other such puns.
He’s not ballsy, he’s yellow.
(He’s ballsy really.)
I did think Superhero was a bit harsh on the young buck..
He said something along the lines of “he only stands up in the hope he gets a smack in the face to improve his looks”
I think a lot of people would be keen on the fella, some may even find him spicy…
Sorry, I’ll stop now.
Suave, are you sure your married?
I’m not married.
My missus is, but I’m not. We’re part of your typical British dysfunctional family, with a fella who has a bit too much of the man love for cricketers.
King Cricket, I’m very disappointed that there’s been nothing from you yet about Jesse Ryder.
Really?
I would have thought he was just your type.