The Cricketer Magazine – June 2018

STAR MAN

COLIN MUNRO

PPI RANK: 

STAR MAN

JOE DENLY

PPI RANK: 

58.9% 134.2

COMPETITION

WIN RATE STRIKE RATE

STAR MAN

ASHTON AGAR

PPI RANK: 

ECONOMY 6.91

Semi-fi nalists last year, Hampshire fi elded a
strong outfi t, containing Shahid Afridi, Mason
Crane, Kyle Abbott and George Bailey. Whilst
Afridi and Bailey are absent this year, their
replacements of Colin Munro and Mujeeb Ur
Rahman are able replacements. Rahman, a
17-year-old mystery spinner from Afghanistan,
was a key fi gure in the recent World Cup
Qualifi er. He is the youngest player to feature in
the IPL where he took 14 wickets – with a highly
impressive economy-rate of 6.99 – for Kings XI
Punjab. He was also the fi rst male cricketer to
play an international fi xture who was born after
the turn of the millennium. Rahman will have
fellow spinners Mason Crane and Liam Dawson
to bounce ideas o. The idea of Rahman and
Crane (18 wickets in 2017) bowling in tandem is
a tantalising one. James Vince holds the record
for most runs in a T20 Blast season (710 in 2015)
and fi nished third in the run-scoring charts (542
runs at 38.71, SR 158.47) last year. Munro will be
available until his CPL commitments start in
August. Dale Steyn is due to replace him for the
remainder of the campaign. OR

Kent come into the Blast on the back of

encouraging limited-overs form, having won

fi ve Royal London One-Day cup matches in a

row to qualify for the quarter-fi nals. Much of

their early-season success has been down to

Kiwi fast bowler Matt Henry – whose stint at the

club ends in June – and Kent fans will be hoping

that compatriot Adam Milne can continue in

the same vein. Old-stagers Mitch Claydon and

Darren Stevens will provide reliable seam bowling,

but what of the spinners? James Tredwell and

Adam Riley have barely played a game this season.

Imran Qayyum has potential, but Kent have

increasingly been turning to Joe Denly’s part-time

leggies. In the batting department, Heino Kuhn

and Denly have had good one-day campaigns,

and will form a strong batting line-up with Daniel

Bell-Drummond, skipper Sam Billings, and the

underrated Alex Blake. Telling contributions

from overseas allrounders Carlos Brathwaite

(fi rst four group games) and Marcus Stoinis (last

nine group games) will be crucial if Kent are to

progress beyond the group stage.

Geo Barton

Hampshire

Coach Craig White • Captain James Vince
Overseas Colin Munro (NZ), Mujeeb Ur
Rahman (Afg), Dale Steyn (SA)
Last season Semi-fi nals

Kent Spitfi res

Coach Matt Walker • Captain Sam Billings

Overseas Adam Milne (NZ), Carlos Brathwaite

(WI), Marcus Stoinis (A)

Last season Group stage

SOUTH DIVISION

Colin Munro 24

James Vince 77

Sam Northeast 205

Rilee Rossouw 170

Tom Alsop 435

Liam Dawson 87

Gareth Berg 390

Chris Wood 519

Kyle Abbott 189

Mason Crane 342

Reece Topley 517

Daniel Bell-Drummond 172

Joe Denly 80

Sam Billings 143

Marcus Stoinis 63

Darren Stevens 320

Alex Blake 455

James Tredwell 486

Imran Qayyum 636

Mitch Claydon 356

Adam Milne 107

Calum Haggett 596

2017 run-rate 8.44 2017 economy 8.17 2017 run-rate 8.63 2017 economy 8.88

STRONGEST XI STRONGEST XI

Team rating

2,955

Team rating

3,414

It is 10 years since Middlesex won the T20 and

their performances have been disappointing

since. They have invariably languished near the

bottom of the southern division. Last year, despite

the expensive hirings of Dan Vettori as coach and

Brendon McCullum as part-time captain, they

fi nished seventh. McCullum and his Kiwi cohort

Tim Southee have not been retained, though Vettori

is back as coach, despite an ordinary three-year

record with Bangalore Royal Challengers. Ashton

Agar – a sort of modern version of Vettori – has been

recruited instead, and Dwayne Bravo – whose star

as an exceptional death bowler has slightly faded –

is available for the fi rst six games. Middlesex have

never possessed truly big hitting batsmen – they

are populated more by stylists like Dawid Malan

(captain) and Nick Gubbins, though Eoin Morgan

should play once England duties are done in mid-

July. But even without Toby Roland-Jones, they still

have an impressive bowling attack featuring Steven

Finn and Tom Helm and a strong spin department

led by Nathan Sowter and augmented by Agar. The

key will be giving them enough runs to defend.

Simon Hughes

Middlesex

Coach Daniel Vettori • Captain Steven Finn

Overseas Ashton Agar (A),

Hilton Cartwright (A), Dwayne Bravo (WI)

Last season Group stage

Paul Stirling 252

Dawid Malan 99

Eoin Morgan 118

Stevie Eskinazi 513

Dwayne Bravo 6

Nathan Sowter 365

John Simpson 362

Tom Helm 425

James Franklin 201

Ashton Agar 85

Steve Finn 209

2017 run-rate 8.34 2017 economy 8.41

STRONGEST XI

Team rating

2,635

Prediction: Quarter-fi nal Prediction: Group stage Prediction: Semi-fi nal

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