Abhinav Shankar here. You would have last seen my work when I interviewed Ferd and now I'm back with this! During the next few weeks I`ll be doing profiles on EVERY player of EVERY team. This would have been done earlier, but my boss Nat... um... my boss, my wonderful, ***y boss made me do them again differently. Wonderful chap he is. Please let me know if I have made any mistakes, or left anyone out.
So, this week we have...
Cricket Web Black
S Bhatia
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RFM
Sangrah is well-known as being one of the friendliest competitors out there. Not only that, but he is a classic all-rounder with superb skill. Most pacemen are known for their temper and aggression. Bhatia however, relies purely on his ability and the large amount of work he puts in. More of a First-Class bowler than a One-Day one, Bhatia’s impeccable line and length does the talking. Has the potential to play many International games.
A Blackman
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RM
A solid player with a sound technique. He is a traditional cricketer who possesses no huge shots, but gets the job done. Performing admirably, he has already scored 116 in a FC game for the Blacks. He gives everything for his team and it is reflected in his batting and fielding ability.
CM Broadbent
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RFM
A quiet player, who gets the job done. Outstanding in the few One-Day Internationals he has played for the CWXI, Chris relies on good pace and movement to get his wickets. A tad unreliable, but on his day, he is unplayable.
CR Butler
Cricket Web Black
LHB
RM
An awesome, powerful batsman who can really turn a game. One of the best in the business, Butler will always be looked upon as a senior player who dictates the turn of play in a match. Beautiful to watch with his cuts and pulls, Butler punishes anything short. He is already a proven ODI player, his best innings being a wonderful 108. Very useful with the ball. Black fans are glad he is theirs.
AP Chaulk
Cricket Web Black
RHB
WK
Rapper, hard-ar$e, cricketer. Ash’s attitude is not one that is often linked to cricket. His carefree attitude reflects on his batting prowess, but in a good way. Although his wicket-keeping is average, he has an array of huge shots and shows them off best when playing One-Day cricket. It is this that had him picked for the CWXI and he is succeeding on that higher level as well. His FC batting has been patchy, however he proved that he could stay at the crease for a long period of time with his controlled 173. The next Gilchrist or the next Eminem? Time will tell.
DC Cole
Cricket Web Black
RHB
SLA
A virtual unknown, DC Cole is yet to make his mark. Hopefully next season we will get to see more of this promising player, if he sticks around.
D Delkap
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RM
Injury prone. Huge swinger of the ball and with decent line and length, Delkap has the ability to succeed. Let’s hope he has the will.
DY Dubb-Lynch
Cricket Web Black
RHB
Wicketkeeper
A sound batsman with a batting style more suited to the longer version of cricket, he is often second choice to team-mate Ash because of his inferior batting. However, his keeping ability is far superior and that is what will see him do well. Indeed, Ash Chaulk felt so threatened by DL’s `keeping that he tried bowling for his off-season club New York with little result. If he keeps training and working hard, he could well be a future star.
A Ferd
Cricket Web Black
RHB
OS
The Nadeem Shahid of the Development League. Promising so much when playing for his off-season team New York, Ferd has not yet made his mark for the Blacks. Given plenty of opportunities, Ferd has squandered these by getting starts and then playing stupid shots, normally just outside his off-stump. Hopefully a big score is just around the corner. An excellent fielder.
RJ Hing
Cricket Web Black
LHB
SLA
Afridi? Why not? This hard-hitting, spin bowling dude takes cricket in his stride. He has a natural hard-hitting ability and he uses this to his advantage, especially in One-dayers. Hing’s slow-left-armers are nothing more than handy, and if he wishes to succeed for his domestic side or beyond, he will need to develop one of his trades to its full potential. His up-and-down form means he is often always hero… or villain.
C Hinton
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RM
Useful medium-pacer who is still unknown and unproven. Needs to make himself known.
DA Kearsley
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RM
Superb young player with substance and style. Always chipping in with a fifty or more, David does what others cannot always do – consistently make big scores. He is a very controlled batsman with good shots along the ground and sometimes the big bash over mid-wicket. Best suited against pacemen, “Kears” is a candidate for a newbie spot amongst the National team. He also can bowl decent medium-pacers. A great team player.
AC Loc
Cricket Web Black
RHB
OS
Perhaps the best One-Day batsman going ‘round at the moment. Loc is brilliant to watch and has already done his bit for the Blacks in his short career. The only thing missing from his artillery are consistent First-Class scores. Good luck to him!
Z Mohammed
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RF
A guy who gives his all at everything. A batsman with his own style and a bowler of great pace with a very long run-up, Mohammed is a very handy player for the Blacks. Watch out for this player in the future.
NS Pickup
Cricket Web Black
RHB
LS
Leader and ginger. Black fans unite when Neil “Supreme” Pickup leads his team onto the field. Known for his amazingly poor batting as much as for his red-hair or his deceiving leg-spinners, Neil gives his all for the team, whether it be for CW Black or for the national side. He is devoted to Cricket, and all know of him for one reason or another. He has been the CWXI’s leading spinner for quite a while now and things don’t look like changing too quickly. Pickup has strong morals and has lead a few Player’s Strikes in his time. A lovable bunny to all.
DP Richards
Cricket Web Black
RHB
SLA
An under-rated bowler who always gives his best, Richards has Vettori-like control which contributes to his outstanding economy rate in First-Class and One-Day games. Although he doesn’t take many wickets, David is very useful in slowing down the opposition’s scoring rate. In fact, more than a third of the overs he bowls are maidens. He has caught the eye of the Cricket-Web National Coach Richard Dickson who believes that economy in One-Dayers is the key to success. Can be useful with the bat.
CP Thompson
Cricket Web Black
RHB
RF
A youngster in the Cricket-Web system, Thompson seems to want results without working hard for them. He has definite talent, but he never seems to want to put in that extra effort. Natural ability will only take him so far. He has shown glimpses of perfection with the bat and already has a First-Class century. A quick bowler with varied control, Thompson is not a regular for the Blacks and with his inconsistency it’s not hard to see why. With more application, Thompson may finally get to where he wants to be.
MW Wilson
Cricket Web Black
RHB
LFM
Simply amazing. That is the way many are describing this new sensation. A player favouring the on-side, Wilson hits the ball hard when batting and hits the pitch hard when bowling. He impressed many in the junior ranks and is already ripping it up with the big boys. As long as the big-time doesn’t go to his head, he will play for the CWXI. And will succeed.