Northern League - Week 1 - Match 1 - Worcestershire Royals vs Lancashire Lightening

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Worcestershire Royals vs Lancashire Lightening

Pitch Conditions:

A pacey wicket with some bounce. A great track for seamers who will be be the biggest threat in this game. Some swing throughout but bowlers who can really bang it in will find good bounce. Once a batsman has got in and is used to the bounce the pitch provides may be able to score well.

Lancashire team and tactics away to Worcestershire

1. Stephen Moore
2. Phil Mustard (wk) (c)
3. Jesse Ryder (Ov)
4. Graham Napier
5. Tom Maynard (U25)
6. Kane Williamson (Ov) (U25)
7. Tom Smith
8. Mitchell Marsh (U25) (Ov)
9. Nathan McCullum (Ov)
10. Ryan Harris (Ov)
11. David Payne (U25)

Total U25 = 4
English qualified = 6
Injuries – Chapple, Croft, Anderson
Toss: Bat first, create scoreboard pressure to try and suffocate the Worcester reply

Captain: Phil Mustard – in the absence of both Chapple and newly appointed skipper Anderson, Mustard steps in as he is well versed in English conditions and has good experience with Durham

Batting:

With the likes of Lee and Meaker likely to be playing for Worcs plenty of pace will be put onto the ball, this means both Moore and Mustard can use this pace to their advantage, with shots likely to fly off the bat. Moore’s job is to try and bat throughout the innings, if he gets to around 80not out then his job is more than done, Mustard will go after the bowlers from the start, taking his usual advantage of the power plays but also using the pace on the ball. Ryder will come in at 3 as he is an experienced head and a naturally quick scorer. Napier is at 4 and he will come in with licence to play his natural game, if for whatever reason the team gets off to a poor start then he will drop down the order. Maynard and Williamson are both good mid order players, with Maynard in particular a good, quick scorer. Should it get to the likes of number 7 onwards then there are worse one’s than Tom Smith to come in (a guy who normally opens for Lancs), together with the likes of Marsh and McCullum to come in, we are confident that they can help boost the score if necessary.

Bowling:

Harris (1,3,12,19)
Napier (2,4,17,19)
McCullum (5,7,14,16)
Payne (6,8)
Smith (9,11,13,15)
Marsh (10,17)
Williamson will ‘float’ as a second spin option if needed

Harris and Napier open the bowling and will both get a two over spell, both are naturally quick bowlers capable of bowling around the 90mph mark. I want them to run in and give it their all in this spell, bowl as quickly as they can to get the maximum out of the pitch, and use all the excess bounce they can get to unsettle the Worcs batsmen.

After this initial burst David Payne will come into the attack to continue their work, Nathan McCullum will also get a go, as he is accustomed to bowling in powerplays and has an excellent 20/20 record. Hopefully he can use to bounce to his advantage. Kane Williamson is also available to bowl spin should the pitch prove responsive to it

Tom Smith and Mitchell Marsh will take the majority of the middle overs, with Smith getting through his full allocation and will both swing the ball and vary their pace when needed, Harris will also be brought back for a one over burst to try and disrupt proceedings.
The death overs will be bowled by Harris and Napier, the quickest and most experienced pacemen available, both are capable of bowling Yorkers and throwing in the odd slower ball.

Jesse Ryder suddenly decides to return to cricket again then

hodge wrote:Jesse Ryder suddenly decides to return to cricket again then

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Kiwireddevil wrote:

hodge wrote:Jesse Ryder suddenly decides to return to cricket again then

Drat, I wanted to post that

Worcestershire Royals tactics vs Lancashire at New Road.

1.Kevin Pietersen
2.Vikram Solanki (C)(wk)
3.Ian Bell
4.Adam Lyth(U25)
5.David Miller(U25)
6.Yusuf Pathan
7.Shakib Al Hasan(U25)
8.Gareth Andrew
9.Brett Lee
10.Stuart Meaker(U25)
11.Junaid Khan(U25)

English Qualified-6
U25-5
Overseas-5

Toss-Bowl first

Batting tactics:

Pietersen and Solanki will have licence to attack from the off, Pietersen will definitely enjoy the bounce of the pitch. Bell and Lyth's role will be to keep the scoreboard ticking over throughout the middle overs, with Miller, Pathan, Shakib and Gareth Andrew all capable of finding the ropes at the death of an innings.

Bowling:

Stuart Meaker(1,3,12,14)
Brett Lee(2,4,17,19)
Gareth Andrew(5,7,9,11)
Junaid Khan(6,16,18,20)
Shakib(8,10,13,15)

With the option of Pathan and KP to turn their arms over should these bowlers prove to be expensive. Junaid and Lee provide a very good death bowling unit, with Andrew and Shakib's main aim to be keep things tight.