***Official*** T20 Champions League in South Africa

[Contra]

Despite MI winning they are pretty much out no? Bcuz there NRR isn't higher than Lions or Bangalore

EDIT: the one against Guyana? Doesn't say much to do it against them tbh

 

[akilana]

Uthappa should come after Taylor and White. He's more effective down the order.

 

[vcs]

Mumbai should really win it from here... but let's see if they can find a way to bottle it yet again.

Nearly but not quite.

 

[akilana]

EDIT: the one against Guyana? Doesn't say much to do it against them tbh

I forgot about this match. Was talking about the match before that, against SA. He went for 22 off 4 overs, taking 2 wickets.

 

[pasag]

Bangalore

One of the last times this team will be the team I chose to support at the start, really want them to go all the way.

 

[Jono]

My God my love for Kohli continues to grow and grow.

 

[Top_Cat]

The IPL teams are highly disadvantaged by the mercenary factor, though. The Redbacks play together all year round, and they even had a 3 month camp prior to the CLT20. The IPL teams get together twice a year, and even there they are affected by international players sometimes being absent due to their international commitments. It's a massive disadvantage that even the quality of players can't compensate for.

They played a top-end series of only a few games each before this comp, as did Victoria and they've been crap this tourney.

Plus the current team has only been playing together for a short while. For the Big Bash which actually got them to SA, they had Cosgrove, Pollard, Afridi and Cleary in the team AKA, well, the top players (Cleary bowled almost as well as Tait did last season, I reckon). That they've won all their games so far after losing that sort of quality is near miraculous and I don't think you're giving SA adequate credit for not only winning but making it look fairly easy with the bat, only getting themselves in a bit of a hole against Mumbai late in the innings.

The teams they've played against have just been ordinary and I think the pitches have been a fair bit slower then people expected which has suited SA. The team has many limitations but there's two things they've done better than everyone else; get a good start with the bat and field brilliantly.

 

[TT Boy]

Alexander was impressive last night, touching 145kph+ and getting enough movement. Look forward to seeing him when he is fully fit. O’Reilly is lively as well. Guyana are ****ing hopeless.

 

[TT Boy]

JP will struggle to get another IPL deal, brings nothing to the Mumbai side. Mumbai should cut loose Bravo as well, still not sure how he is a better 20/20 cricketer than McLaren.

 

[popepouri]

Alexander was impressive last night, touching 145kph+ and getting enough movement. Look forward to seeing him when he is fully fit. O’Reilly is lively as well. Guyana are ****ing hopeless.

First time I saw Alexander in the last match. Looked promising.

 

[shivfan]

It was a decent allround performance by Bravo, 29 off just 17 balls, and two wickets, which shows he may just be playing himself back into form in time for the tour of Sri Lanka....

 

[Redbacks]

Plus the current team has only been playing together for a short while. For the Big Bash which actually got them to SA, they had Cosgrove, Pollard, Afridi and Cleary in the team AKA, well, the top players (Cleary bowled almost as well as Tait did last season, I reckon). That they've won all their games so far after losing that sort of quality is near miraculous and I don't think you're giving SA adequate credit for not only winning but making it look fairly easy with the bat, only getting themselves in a bit of a hole against Mumbai late in the innings

I guess from the performances so far the addition of Klinger and Ferguson are handy in terms of maintaining our batting strenght. If anything, Cosgrove out helps in terms of releasing the pressure he put on the side with his poor running between wickets.

One way or another we have certainly been able to turn around the culture of the side since the dire straights of a few years back.

The team has many limitations but there's two things they've done better than everyone else; get a good start with the bat and field brilliantly.

Agree, good fielding has been a key component to our success. Bhogle wrote an article on the very issue a few days back.

http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/477357.htmlhttps://exchange.uwi.com.au/OWA/red...icinfo.com/magazine/content/story/477357.html

 

[Jayzamann]

http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/477357.html

Think your IT guys are being nuisances there

Harsha Bhogle: Why are India a poor fielding side? | Opinion | Cricinfo Magazine | Cricinfo.com

 

[Top_Cat]

I guess from the performances so far the addition of Klinger and Ferguson are handy in terms of maintaining our batting strenght. If anything, Cosgrove out helps in terms of releasing the pressure he put on the side with his poor running between wickets.

Thought he ran quite well last season, tbh. Was shocking.

One way or another we have certainly been able to turn around the culture of the side since the dire straights of a few years back.

Yeah, the Shield results have been improving and certainly they're less apt to crash with the bat under the slightest pressure. The bowling in FC cricket is a massive issue, though. Big hopes for Cassell next year.

Agree, good fielding has been a key component to our success. Bhogle wrote an article on the very issue a few days back.

When you're a weak team, you need to take control of the stuff you can. Like fielding. Reckon the next season will see the return of SA putting up big totals at home. The bowling, even with Cassell, is a huge worry.

I've seen and commented on some encouraging signs from Bailey, though.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Have you heard anything about Jerry in the pre-season, Corey? Hopefully SA look after him, as he should still be "handled with care" with his injury history, and I'm not sure he'll be up to playing ten first class games throughout the season yet.

 

[Top_Cat]

Been very quiet, tbh. I wonder how aware SACA are of his fragility because I they have him in mind to play every game, especially with Cleary leaving and Haberfield falling out of favour a bit.

 

[Beamer]

JP will struggle to get another IPL deal, brings nothing to the Mumbai side. Mumbai should cut loose Bravo as well, still not sure how he is a better 20/20 cricketer than McLaren.

You are kidding me? Bravo has not been great with the ball this year but is twice the batsman and fielder McLaren is and has just started to get his bowling form back in the last two games.

I definitely agree that Guyana have been useless though. They can be very decent on slow/low turners but they are shockingly ill-equipped to deal with South African conditions. That is why I was pretty disappointed when Guyana won instead of Barbados, Jamaica or T & T. I think Jamaica would have been pretty good on these pitches tbh.

Oh well.

 

[Top_Cat]

Didn't see the match last night but notice Siddle took a few last night. Only saw highlights, any other impressions of how he bowled?

Looks very fit, tbh.

 

[Noble One]

Wayamba surely the let-down of the tournament. A side that contains half the Sri Lanka squad and some other players on the fringe should not be so terrible.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah sorta provides a decent example of how even a team who plays together regularly isn't guaranteed good performances. Whether you have a team of champions or a champion team, still have to play good cricket. And Wayamba is both, really.