Horse & Hound
World Cup Hopefuls
by Abhinav Shankar
With the CWXI 25-man World Cup Squad just announced, Horse & Hound have decided to give you a preview of the fringe players, those attempting to push their way into the starting line-up. Here are the next five.
JE Stedman – Age 22, CW Red (RHB Moderate, RM)
Career – 68 matches, 2904 runs @ 43.04, 5 wickets @ 53.40, 23 catches
Season 10 – 16 matches, 780 runs @ 48.75, 7 catches
Comments – Jimmy Stedman is a quality batsman who is superb at turning the strike over in order to get that big target. Bowlers find him extremely hard to bowl to as he uses little jabs and pokes to find the gaps, and then finds the boundary to finish the job. He had a spectacular Season 10, shining while much of CW Red fell around him. Stedman keeps to himself a lot of the time and is extremely modest. One can`t help but feel that his strong team-orientated focus has overshadowed his individual brilliance, racking up numbers many professional batsmen aspire to.
AA Cameron – Age 19, CW Green (RHB Very-attacking, RFM Economical-bowler)
Career – 42 matches, 168 runs @ 24.00, 49 wickets @ 38.96, 8 catches
Season 10 – 13 matches, 36 runs without dismissal, 19 wickets @ 31.79, 1 catch
Comments – Andy`s reaction at being named in the provisional 25-man squad was one of humility and surprise. Yet his place is fully deserved after a solid Season 10, where his economy rate was superb, frustrating batsmen with his hurrying-on deliveries. Andy generates decent pace of a short-ish run-up, but some of his short stuff can be easily punished. When Cameron finds his length, he is very hard to put away. An under-estimated player, Andrew`s confidence and eagerness are a huge advantage. His mis-haps in the field however, are not.
DP Towns – Age 24, CW Colts (RHB Moderate, OS)
Career – 84 matches, 2310 runs @ 36.09, 34 catches
Season 10 – 14 matches, 713 runs @ 43.42, 4 catches
Comments – Many see Daniel Towns as a prolific under-achiever. Before Season X, people were wondering whether his senior role in the Colts side was deserved. After Season X, they were forced to eat some humble pie. Definitely not your typical smashing, bashing and crashing One-Day batsman, Daniel knows his role and goes about his business in his own time. His ability to spend long periods at the crease was a highlight for an otherwise timid Colts season, whose batting regularly misfired. Perhaps given a chance in a more secure line-up, we might see a different Towns. He has not quite grabbed his opportunity at International Level, and with several promising young talents, he`ll have to watch his back. Daniel is a capable slips fieldsman and will fight until his last breath for his precious Colts.
AJ Blackman – Age 20, CW Black (RHB Attacking, RM)
Career – 61 matches, 1984 runs @ 41.33, 22 catches
Season 10 – 14 matches, 574 runs @ 39.31, 6 catches
Comments – A cricketer of old, Blackman could be easily lost if placed back in the 1980`s or 90`s. Speaking plainly and hoarsely, Blackman is the manly figure in an otherwise gangsterish/childish line-up at CW Black. He has minimal footwork, but that doesn`t matter when you can smack the ball to and over the fence again and again. His career record is outstanding, many believe the only time he fails at the crease is when there`s no challenge. His attitude against pacemen could be invaluable at the World Cup, and with his darkened mullet and leather-lined hands, he might just win it himself.
A Crampton – Age 20, CW Blue (RHB Attacking, WK)
Career – 57 matches, 1650 runs @ 40.24, 31 catches and 3 stumpings
Season 10 – 15 matches, 562 runs @ 56.20, 8 catches
Comments – A recent uproar has surrounded the naming of Alex in the 25-man World Cup squad. Often having to fight for his `keeping position at CW Blue, he seems to have walked into the reserve wicket-keeping spot for the national side. But there doesn`t seem to be much argument against him. His breath-taking stroke-play and solid work behind the stumps is supremely under-rated, and all of his 562 runs in Season 10 were vital. If he can translate his impressive domestic form onto the International Scene, he will provide stiff competition to the CWXI resident home-boy and `keeper, Ashley Chaulk.