T20 Finals Day 2012, Swalec Stadium

Seen as it is currently raining, I thought I get this up now and give people a chance to throw some predictions out there and see who gets closest!

Semi final 1: Sussex Sharks Vs Yorkshire Carnegie

Matt Prior and Scott Styris are the big batting firepower for Sussex and this is what they will use to try and get themselves up to unassailable totals, but their bowling is perhaps their slightly weaker suit and with a Yorkshire batting line up including Bairstow, Miller, Root, Pyrah, Ballance and Gale this could spell trouble. The big trouble with Yorks is whether Big Tim will be allowed to play, as with Mitch Starc already out, it could leave them light on bowling too, with big pressure on the youngsters Rafiq and Ashraf. They are the best fielding side in the competition however, and given how close finals day normally is this could be the deciding factor.

Winners: Sussex


Semi final 2: Somerset CCC Vs Hampshire Royals

Well, the perennial chokers make it to their fourth successive finals day which is a great achievement in itself given the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket but they will be desperate to finally get over that last hurdle and secure Somerset's second T20 title. Much of their batting hopes rest on Trescothick, Buttler, Kieswetter and Trego, but with no Compton it leaves a lot of biff, but not a lot of graft. Hampshire beat Somerset in the second of their three successive final defeats although Somerset did gain revenge at this stage last year, and whilst Hampshire are probably the weakest side of the four on paper, any side can do it on their day and they have enough potential match winners in McKenzie, Briggs, Dawson, Adams, Vince and Dimi to beat any side they come up against.

Winners: Somerset


Final: Sussex Sharks Vs Somerset CCC

As a Somerset fan it pains me to say it, but I think Sussex will be too strong with Matt Prior the key player and will take victory this year.

I'm driving to Cardiff in a few hours to stay with a mate from uni for a couple of nights either side.

Do Somerset get Morkel and Levi? Could be the turning point for Somerset,

Tres, Levi, Kieswetter, Trego, Hildreth, Buttler, Morkel, then Thomas, Dockrell etc for bowling.

Hoping it could be Somerset's year to win it again.

The last thing I can find about them is Brian Rose claiming that they have got clearance to play, but I won't believe it till I see them on the field given how much trouble we have had from overseas players this year.

I reckon Morkel will play he agreed to play from the start and did, isn't he also in cardiff atm for the one day game?

Levi.... its a bonus if he does play, however we do have the batting either way.

Think we will drop Katich.

Probably will be:

Vince
Adams
Carberry
Mckenzie
Dawson
Ervine
Masceranhas
Wood
Bates
Briggs
Ali/Griffiths

Morkel was ruled out of the ODI injured, so I personally doubt he'll play. Levi will.

Bresnan has been allowed to play for Yorkshire.

I personally think that Sussex are the strongest team. There batting is strong all the way down (allowing them to keep going without worrying about what is coming next), they have a fine battery of spinners and in Liddle an underrated left-arm quick.

But as ever at T20 finals day anybody could win.

With a fair amount of rain forecast we could get shortened games too. If that's the case the bowling will become crucial, and then I might be inclined to back Somerset.

My overall impression of Somerset is that they aren't quite the side they've been in the past this time round. But they still have loads of top players and I'd back them to beat Hampshire, who look like they lack a little cutting edge without Maxwell or Afridi.

Yorkshire have a lot of very good underrated players - I'm thinking of Ballance (look up his stats and you'll see how good he is!), Rafiq and Ashraf. But I think they might just lack a bit of discipline with the ball if Nash, Wright, Prior, Goodwin, Styris and co. get going.

That's why I really want to say Somerset will win this year Shelsey! It just seems this will be their year. They've come into this year without the big names of the past, Pollard, and aren't the favourites and can fly under the radar to a certain extent. Trescothick has just come back from injury, and is just hitting form at the right time and they get to play the second semi final against the "weakest" of the 4 teams. It just has to be there year!

I am with you though, I think the winner will come from the first semi final as they are the two strongest sides, and have been throughout the year but it is very much on the day and anyone can win, but if I were betting on it I would be putting it on Sussex.

We're happy with being under-dogs, we were in 2010...

First surprise coming up?

Yorks make an imposing 172-6 off their 20 overs against Sussex ....

Sorry, that should be second surprise. First surprise was that it's not raining in Wales!

Well played Yorkshire, outplayed us.

Pity sky's commentary team is so biased, they have been a disgrace today.

Dowie the dragon cheated at the Swalec mascot race. Fire him!

Hampshire win toss and will field.

Surprised Sussex batted so poorly, but I suppose anything can and does happen in the T20...

Levi gone, Trescothick now in. Plan did not work there.

Mascarenhas looking unplayable, getting Tresco and figures of 2 for 4 after 2.

Som 22-2.

Mascara 2 for 11 off 4 overs.
45 - 3 after 9 overs. Somerset need a big innings from Buttler.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote: Somerset need a big innings from Buttler.

...who promptly plays on.... 54 -4 after 10.3 overs.

Buttler drags on and Som going no where 54-4, Will do well to post 130 now.

4 runs in last 12 balls... Pressure building.

Terrible from Som 58-5, Kieswetter needs something stunning now or likely to be Hampshire v Yorkshire in final.

And at last, Kieswetter hits a boundary. New ball please, way out of the ground.

Wow - fantastic result! Actually referring to me cutting the grass front and back amongst thunder and lightning just befor the rain came down here!

Anyway, Somerset seem to be playing as if they're already in the final.

Clearly a great spell from that wily old fox (even if he doesn't play for Leics) Dimi.

Saw some of the first game. Yorks played well but other than Gnasher the Sussex batsmen failed to show.

91 - 6 off 17 overs.

Looks like Somerset may break their sequence of losing in the finals....

125 -6 off 20. Some sort of total to defend. But Hants will be gutted if they don't win from here.

good knock from Kieswetter (the last over shot was pretty remarkable), but Somerset made a mess of that really.

27 - 0 after 4 overs. Carberry already hit five boundaries.....

Carberry chancing his arm and so far it's coming off. But hold on, a very fine catch by Buttler at mid-wicket accounts for Adams. Do Somerset sniff a chance?

59 -3 off 10 overs. Hants making a meal of this chase. Should still win....

72 - 4 off 12.2 Finely balanced....

getting very interesting now.

No magic from the Great Alfonso!

Hants getting there ....

shocking bowling from Thomas I'm afraid today, hasn't read the pitch at all. Poor field placing too from Trescothick, never trying to stop the singles...

So, yeah. When I predicted a Sussex-Somerset final, I meant Hampshire-Yorkshire. Honest.

I predict the Yorkies for the final. So well done Hampshire on winning this years T20...

comon hampshire!!!

Hampshire to bat first.

Hampshire 116/4 after 16. Now to go big, 160 on.

I must say I really like Nasser as a commentator: he comes up with some really interesting stuff "if you're bowling yorkers at the death get your cover sweeper a bit straighter".

150 - 6 sounds like a reasonable total on this pitch.

Hants 150-6 off their 20.

''Reasonable'' as the Corporal says but I fancy Yorks to chase that down. Hants are going to need to take wickets if they are to pull this off ....

Yorkshire 34/2, JB in now and needs a repeat of semi.

Mascarenhas 2/12 has been g8t in semi/final.

Yorks 46-3 off 8 and up against it.

Dimi completes a great bowling day with 2-20 off his 4 including the wicket of Billy Root's brother.

47-4 Bairstow out. Yorks really up against it. Hants clear favourites.

JB gone. Yorks 47/4 and in more trouble than the Surrey fielders on Tues day

MASSIVE over from Briggs. Only goes for a single and gets the wicket of Bairstow.

Hants well on top ....

skyeman wrote:JB gone. Yorks 47/4 and in more trouble than the Surrey fielders on Tues day

Consecutive sixes from Miller of Ervine! Massive blows! He's been really impressive all tournament.

Wow, 3 big SIXES from Miller, maybe, just maybe.

Would like to say this game is in the Ballance but his failure to get the ball off the square (7 off 15) is tipping it heavily towards Hants ....

Fantastic, Nasser says "Miller has struggled against spin" then smacks a SIX into the river, then Bumble says "he struggled there" and then Nasser says "Well, he did'nt hit it as far as he hit the seamers" Classic.

guildfordbat wrote:Would like to say this game is in the Ballance but his failure to get the ball off the square (7 off 15) is tipping it heavily towards Hants ....

Mercy, not in the Ballance now, Yorks 93/5.

Yorks 10 year wait for a one day title looks likely to continue