GB's Season Preview...

[Blewy]

LEICESTERSHIRE

Leicestershire in my view have the side to take out Division 4 One Day league and also the side to challenge most of the teams in 4 Day Division 3…
Manager David Kennett has built a solid team up around his star batsman Ricky Ponting.
The likes of Bell, Ogden, Wells, Samaraweera, Lumb and Deitz all give good support, but the key to Leicestershires success is the consistency of this lot. Their bowling attack looks good despite being a little under-rated. The likes of Muller, Swain, Dagnall, Wright and DeFreitas have all shown they can do the job, but will be relied on to do it constantly.
Player to Watch Out For: Apart from Ponting, Keep an eye on fast bowler Scott Muller. Muller has had a good off season and looks ready to lead this Leicestershire side to its 1st trophy. Muller is a wicket-taking bowler and he will be out to establish himself at 1 club, with this being his 3rd club in as many seasons..


GLAMORGAN

Glamorgan’s season will rely heavily on how their 2 allrounders play. Klusener and Ganguly will need to do a lot to carry this team to any silverware.
There batting is solid with Powell, Dale, David Hemp, and now his little brother Owen Hemp, whilst in the bowling department they have picked up Faisca, Jones and Clark to partner up with Black Parkin and Davies.
Glamorgans best chance is in the longer version of the game, but plenty will rely on the 2 allrounders.
Player to Watch Out For: Owen Hemp produced some outstanding scores in last years academy series, if he can produce them in the big time then a lot of the pressure will be released off the shoulders of Ganguly and Klusener..

 

[lord_of_darkness]

keep goin g.b great work !

 

[Cloete]

we want TN . well atleast i know i do . may-b he's saving the best teams of each division last.

 

[Blewy]

All teams will be done by Tuesday night...


Now im setting a deadline for myself...


Can i meet it???

:P :P :P :P :P

 

[marc71178]

All teams will be done by Tuesday night...


Now im setting a deadline for myself...


Can i meet it???

:P :P :P :P :P

Surely it doesn't matter though, since deadlines don't mean anything if you believe some people!

 

[Rich2001]

All teams will be done by Tuesday night...


Now im setting a deadline for myself...


Can i meet it???

:P :P :P :P :P

I think you can as I think you have already written them :P, going by some of you others... I can't blieve your high standards (pay me later ) and reguality on the forum you could miss nearly all the transfers in your reports, even like 3 days after the transfers, in your report they still play for the orginal side and are the star players :rolleyes:

 

[nibbs]

All teams will be done by Tuesday night...


Now im setting a deadline for myself...


Can i meet it???

:P :P :P :P :P

Can he do it? Not much time left:O

 

[Cloete]

i'll b pretty p-issed if he doesn't :!( :!( :!(

 

[Blewy]

plenty of time...

I Hope...
:P :P :P :P

 

[bugssy]

i just spoke to gb and he said he will try and do most of them by tonight. he is at work so will be done between the hours of 10pm and midnight est (eastern standard time)

 

[Cloete]

cool. can't wait to hear about tn . let's hope it's good news :rolleyes: :duh:

 

[nibbs]

let's hope it's good news :rolleyes: :duh:

haha

 

[Rik]

cool. can't wait to hear about tn . let's hope it's good news :rolleyes: :duh:

He'll probably put you down as a struggler...just like me...when I'm one of the strongest in the division, most probably the 2nd strongest 4D team...

 

[Cloete]

nah. i think Vic will be struggling more than me in 1d but four day will be very tough. also GB said i did well with some sims he ran. will b interesting to see wat he puts. and wat he says about my layers. i can't wait for the first game of teh season

 

[Blewy]

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia have been dissapointing since the formation of the WCC, and as far as I can see, Season 3 will be no different.
They have an immense ammount of talent over in the west of Australia but have failed to come up with any results which would be called successful.
It has been their lack of a top class bowler which has stopped them from taking any silverware, and this year doesn’t seem to be any different…
Their batting has plenty of depth with Martyn, Gilchrist, Goodwin, Langer, Hussey and the young rookie Keegan. They are a chance to gain promotion in the 4 day arena, but will need to be at their best when they play the top 2 or 3 teams. Whilst for the 1 day game thy will Struggle to avoid the drop in a very strong Division 1 comp…
Player to Watch Out For: D.Martyn, As usual Martyn will be the standout batsman in the WA ranks, he must have another good season along with Gilchrist and Langer for WA to be any chance..

TAMIL NADU

Tamil Nadu have without doubt been strugglers in the WCC after releasing their star batsman S.Sharath at the end of the 1st Season. This year I see as their turning point.
They may not get promoted and may even get relegated, BUT they have some good talent which next season they can build on and I believe with the right trading they can make their way back to the top level of the WCC. Their bowling is their strong point, with Rose, Chapman, Shrinivas and Highsmith leading their charge. Whilst in the batting department they have Jayasuriya, Flowers, Samuels and Highsmith.
For Tamil Nadu to avoid relegation I think 1 or 2 wins against either Karnataka, Kent or Lancashire, on top of being consistent throughout the season will see them with a strong 4 Day finish..
Their 1 day season will be a lot tougher but Tamil Nadu, have proven they can be a thorn in the side of any team if they turn up to play..
Player to Watch Out For: E.Flowers and S.Highsmith are both very important to this TN side.. They can provide the runs their bowlers very much need to get some wins.. Over the years they have struggled to do this but these 2 could give the TN fans something to cheer about…


LANCASHIRE

Lancashire have themsleves in a funny spot this season.. They may get re-promoted to the top flight in the 4 day game but on the same card get dropped to Division 2 in the 1 Day league…
Manager Graham Banks will be looking to a few of his big names to guide his side through what could be an interesting season for them...
Dravid, Schiller, Mendis and Baumgarner will hold a lot of the responsibility as to how well Lancashire fare…
Rookie K.Sullivan will have plenty of responsibility this season despite having no experience in the big league. He will be required to perform to a very high standard if Lancs are to get what they hope from this season…
Player to Watch Out For: A.Schiller will be out to repeat his efforts from last season… In his rookie season he performed very well but it will be how he backs up last season which is most important…
Lancashire faithful will be hoping he does..

 

[nibbs]

Tuesday is over in New Zealand. Can't be too long to go in Australia.

*and just as I posted that message GB sends in some of previews :O :O :O *

 

[Blewy]

still 2 hours to go in OZ....

but still 9 previews to go, can he do it???

 

[nibbs]

odds:

2/1 - no
100/1 - yes

 

[bugssy]

i have faith mate.

 

[Blewy]

KENT

After a huge season last year Kent will be out to show they can handle the pressure of the top grade…
At 1st they will test their strengths in the 1 day side of the game, but their side is in the top 2 contenders to take the title in the 4 day Division 2 league…
The Kent side has lost some power with the retirement of Steve Waugh, but they have picked up VVS Laxman, who should strengthen their 4 day side no end…
Their 1 day side’s strength is based around their bowlers, and despite manager Richard Twymans statements that his side may struggle in the 1 day game, Kent have the side to challenge for the title…
Kent IMO will be the team of Season 3, and possibly providing England their 1st piece of Silverware in the WCC’s top flight..
Player to Watch Out For: Without doubt Andy Flower is Kents MVP, and this season he will need to rise up and fill the shoes of Steve Waugh.. Flower has the ability to score big runs and his value to this side is enormous.. But 1 other player who was disappointing for Kent last season was M.Saggers look for him to be a big factor in Kent’s charge this season…


HAMPSHIRE

Hampshire have been been a steady team over the last few seasons, but their fans are starting to get restless for results…
Manager Rueben Verghese has a couple of big jobs to do this season. One is to avoid relegation from the D2 4 day league, whilst the other is to gain promotion to the 1 day Division 2 league..
The harder of the 2 will be the 1st.. In the 1 day side of the game he has some brilliant players in the likes of MacGill, Dawes, Tremlett, and Kambli, who should be able to get Hampshire to the 2nd division. Whether it be by winning the league or making it to the promotion play-off spot remains to be seen..
In the 4 day version of the game its not a matter of them not having a good side, it’s a matter of their opponents being a bit to strong…
Hamps have some good players in their side but the loss of Graham will prove costly in my opinion…
He was a big key in their 4 day side and his loss will be very crucial…
Player to Watch Out For: The move from NSW will be a big one for Stuart MacGill, and I believe it will prove to be a good one.. MacGill shone in Season 1 of the WCC but struggled last season in a great bowling line-up. This season there will be more responsibility on him and he should make an impact…


KARNATAKA

Karnataka were the surprise team of Season 2. They not only wiped the floor with all in their way in the 4 day version of the game, but they also destroyed all in their path in the VB Cup..
Season 3 will be a big test for Karnataka, to see how they back up after such a huge season..
Karnataka will again be one of the toughest teams in the WCC, their One day campaign is strong showing in their favouritism to take the Division 3 league, whilst in the 4 day league they will be among the top 3 contenders to move to Division 1 for Season 4…
The big thing with Karnataka is they could well become the 1st team in WCC history to take 3 titles in 1 season..
Player to Watch Out For: A.Kale will be a key this season, he has the ability to score big hundreds and if he fires then Karnataka could well be on their way to the Elite class of the WCC..
The form of season 2 star, A.Jones will also be a big factor in Karnataka’s season results….


NEW SOUTH WALES

The relegation to Division 2 in the One day version of the game infuriated NSW manager Rob Malone.. After this he has made some BIG moves in the transfer market bringing the likes of Kallis, Cairns, Kirsten, Streak and the return of former Blue M.Slater..
These guys arrive along with star rookies Ferguson and McDowell, to help get the Blues back to the side they looked like in season 1…
They are outright favourites to take the Division 2 One day league and re-gain their spot in the top flight, whilst in 4 day they will face an amazing test in which any team could go down and any team could take the title..
The form of Lara, Bevan and queit achiever Corey Richards could determine the blues fate..
Player to Watch Out For: The pre season form of Chris Cairns has not only impressed those within the WCC but has astounded manager Bugssy Malone who expected him to make an impact but not so soon…
If he can continue that form through the season proper then NSW could be having a very different season to last…


QUEENSLAND


Queensland cleaned up the 1 day title for the 2nd season running last year but would have been disappointed in their 4 day efforts..
They were amongst the challengers but fell away at crucial stages.. This year could be a big year for them.. They could go 1 of 2 ways, either fly high and make it a 3-peat in 1 day and take the 4 day title or they could begin to fall away and may struggle to stay up in 4 day..
Their bowling looks a bit suspect in the longer version of the game, but with the batting they have, that can be covered…
Hayden, Love, Maher and Hussain will again be the strength of their batting but the batting skills of rookie H.Fogden will add massive depth to their line-up…
Player to Watch Out For: Andy Bichel will have added pressure on him this season with the bowling ranks of the Queensland Bulls severely tested. If Bich steps up then Queensland be very very dangerous…