Opinion
Let me take you to an alternative world, perhaps the one most would have realistically expected to be in.
The England and Wales Cricket Board have marked a new season, with Championship cricket well underway, and the Hundred arrives in less than three months, with the board anxiously hoping attendances and pounds come with it.
No matter your location, age or stance on the introduction of the product, even the vaguest of cricket followers are likely aware of its inception. Amazingly, a ball mightn’t be bowled in these bright colours until 2021, and the squads may be notably altered. But for the purpose of this exercise it pays to ignore those realities for a few minutes.
The eight squads have established very little, but identities are taking shape already. If the idea of getting behind a team brings uncertainty or apathy, perhaps this highly unhelpful guide can assist.
Trent Rockets
Bright colours appeal to you, although as a more conservative type, so does dependability. You can mostly bank on Joe Root gluing together the batting surrounded by the proven white-ball abilities of Alex Hales, Luke Wright and D’Arcy Short. You value experience in various T20 tournaments very highly and none other than Rashid Khan fits that bill. You want to support a stable, consistent side between performances.
Southern Brave
Fans at the Ageas Bowl might be quite the opposite. Are you the bold, daring type who enjoys a little confrontation and a sprinkle of controversy? Maybe you prefer a side with a handful of matchwinners opposed to just solid players all round. Most importantly, pace and plenty of it. Blessed with a mix of Jofra Archer, Andre Russell, Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills, your need for speed is more than covered. Furthermore, you love Chris Gayle and wish he was signed.
Northern Superchargers
Potentially one for Australians following the Renegades in the BBL, with several past and present players featuring, none more so than long-time Melbourne captain Aaron Finch. As a fan of this side, you crave power-hitting, caring less for finesse and working the ball around busily, with a top six including Finch, Chris Lynn and Ben Stokes. You’re a mysterious type and will be thrilled at the prospect of Adil Rashid’s leg spin and Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s little bit of everything in tandem. Your dislike of the Brave means you are far apart, and not just geographically.
Welsh Fire
You’re probably an Australian in awe of the regularly jaw-dropping efforts of Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc or a South African who loves watching Colin Ingram in full flight and hopes Simon Harmer returns to play more tests. On the subject of Harmer, conceivably you just love a feel-good story. There’s also journeys of Liam Plunkett the World Cup winner and Ryan ten Doeschate, a largely unheralded international with a fabulous set of statistics.
Oval Invincibles
Spin to win is your weapon of choice. You know that six of the top ten all-time IPL wicket-takers are slow bowlers, and you’re lucky to have Sunil Narine, who is eighth. Young leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane gets to line up alongside him too. The prospect of two Curran brothers in the same XI is a nice narrative for you – that or you’re a Sydney Sixers BBL supporter there are a few of them here! You take comfort in having an experienced coach at the helm, and Tom Moody is that.
Manchester Originals
Unobtrusive yet outspoken when poked. Your coach might’ve been a more dour batsman better suited to the longer form, but you want to see innovation and sixes. Fortunately Simon Katich has Jos Buttler, Dan Christian and Phil Salt at his disposal. You have an eye to the future, and talented young English bowlers like Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson could have long international careers. Even you were surprised by the high price fetched by Dane Vilas, but you’re most likely a Lancashire fan anyway and can overlook that.
London Spirit
A lot of people love Shane Warne, and this is his side. This group might appeal to many Australians. It could the prospect of a Warne-Glenn Maxwell combination or the memories of Mohammad Nabi in the BBL, Rory Burns scoring an Ashes century or a young Mohammad Amir scything through Australia. It could be that your home turf simply must be Lord’s and you won’t settle for any less. You like high-end living, and the lure of that pavilion and royal blue kit is too much to ignore.
Birmingham Phoenix
You saw some highlights of Cameron Delport in the last 12 months and found them irresistible. Alternatively, the selection cycles of Moeen Ali and Ravi Bopara mean you have a soft spot for them. You may be a Bears supporter in the T20 Blast or simply acknowledge that coach Andrew McDonald and star batsman Kane Williamson are just plain good blokes.
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