Post by longstop on Aug 16, 2018 22:07:00 GMT
So, it comes down to the last game of the qualifying stages. Sussex have had an excellent week with two impressive wins over Glamorgan and Gloucestershire, both of which were in qualifying positions at the beginning of the week. The results now mean that we are one win away from qualifying for the Quarter Finals. A win guarantees qualification and a tie or a no result would mean that Glamorgan would need to win handsomely against Surrey. A defeat though would mean we are out of the competition as the winners of the Glamorgan v Surrey game would go above us unless it was a tie or washed out.
For the optimists, we could still come second and, as I understand it, have a home Quarter Final tie, but we need to win and Kent and Gloucestershire need to lose against inferior opposition, but if we can repeat the Glamorgan performance on Middlesex… But, do we want to play at home when our away form is so good?
That’s the mathematics out of the way, so let’s focus on the night ahead. Middlesex have won 2 and lost 11 of their 13 games in this year’s T20 Blast. How they have avoided the rain is as mysterious as how they have performed so poorly. They have lost six consecutive games, the first of which was our victory at Lords by 12 runs. Middlesex haven’t disgraced themselves in too many games, but they have rarely batted and bowled decently in the same game.
Only Paul Stirling stands out in the batting department with 440 runs at a rate of 156 per 100 balls. Other batsmen have scored significantly less runs and at generally at a much slower rate – and that is probably the nub of their failings this season. When it comes to bowling, no one stands out. It’s the reverse problem with bowling – few wickets or expensive. James Fuller is the leading wicket taker with 12 wickets in 13 games at a rate of over 10 per over.
In many sports, playing the bottom side at home would be an easy last game. We all know that T20 doesn’t work like that. It can all hinge on the odd shot evading a fielder or one or two bad overs. I’d like to say that it’s a banker home win, but I’ll reserve that opinion until after the game like all the best pundits. A Quarter Final place? We will see.
For the optimists, we could still come second and, as I understand it, have a home Quarter Final tie, but we need to win and Kent and Gloucestershire need to lose against inferior opposition, but if we can repeat the Glamorgan performance on Middlesex… But, do we want to play at home when our away form is so good?
That’s the mathematics out of the way, so let’s focus on the night ahead. Middlesex have won 2 and lost 11 of their 13 games in this year’s T20 Blast. How they have avoided the rain is as mysterious as how they have performed so poorly. They have lost six consecutive games, the first of which was our victory at Lords by 12 runs. Middlesex haven’t disgraced themselves in too many games, but they have rarely batted and bowled decently in the same game.
Only Paul Stirling stands out in the batting department with 440 runs at a rate of 156 per 100 balls. Other batsmen have scored significantly less runs and at generally at a much slower rate – and that is probably the nub of their failings this season. When it comes to bowling, no one stands out. It’s the reverse problem with bowling – few wickets or expensive. James Fuller is the leading wicket taker with 12 wickets in 13 games at a rate of over 10 per over.
In many sports, playing the bottom side at home would be an easy last game. We all know that T20 doesn’t work like that. It can all hinge on the odd shot evading a fielder or one or two bad overs. I’d like to say that it’s a banker home win, but I’ll reserve that opinion until after the game like all the best pundits. A Quarter Final place? We will see.
