Don't have a problem with seeding a later group stage, and Batstats seem as good a way as any. But in order to get to a last 32 group stage there is going to have to be some sort of serious prelims, and, fair or not, they are going to have to involve sides who are already out of the BT Cup, just so we can get the bloody thing moving! For example, I got knocked out by a I.1 side on Sunday, but I don't mind playing a qualifier this Sunday, or any Sunday for that matter, even though I'm a previous semi-finalist, reached the last sixteen of the England BT20s, and have a manly Batstats ranking of 149! :-) But to be serious for a moment, there is no point in having qualifier snobbery, if I'm good enough to be in the last 32 group stage, then I'll win a qualifier anyway - If I'm not I won't - So where's the problem?
Later, Trev