As the County Championship takes a well-earned half-time break, its manic little brother, the Friends Life t20 takes centre stage. It started in fairly low-key fashion on Wednesday night when champions Hampshire defeated runners-up Somerset at the Rose Bowl with nine balls to spare. It was more exciting at Derby the following evening where Lancashire managed to scramble their way to a tie. Tonight there was a full set of matches with a range of results and plenty of eye-catching performances to whet the appetite for the next three weeks' of action.
So what lies ahead? Well, i said it last year and I'll say it again. Absolutely anyone can win it. Hampshire, Essex, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire are my tips for the semis but this format really is a lottery. Last year, the cricket media were buzzing about the big name signings but the competition produced some unexpected stars such as Danny Briggs, Simon Kerrigan, Alfonso Thomas and Jimmy Adams to go with some more established names like Marcus Trescothick, Adil Rashid and Mark Cosgrove. Of the aforementioned short-term international recruits, only Kieron Pollard and David Hussey truly earned their big pay days so will the World Class of 2011 fare any better?
Already Hussey has made his mark with a 45-ball 60 in today's win over Derbyshire, for whom Wes Durston and Chesney Hughes have flown the flag this week for the 'little people'. Hampshire have made it two wins in succession without the assistance of banned Shahid Afridi. Imran Tahir, James Vince and Dmitri Mascarenhas can manage perfectly well, thank you. Dirk Nannes has had a few moments for Surrey but the biggest name of all, Muttiah Muralitharan, looks nothing like a match-winner for Gloucestershire so far. I reckon the best buys will come from New Zealand or South Africa. Scott Styris has returned to Essex who, with Tim Southee and Ryan Ten Doeschate, have a formidable line-up. Opener Martin Guptill will boost Derbyshire and Johan Botha will feel at home with fellow 'Saffers' at Northants. Sussex's Wayne Parnell has T20 pedigree but will Umar Gul be any better than Rana Naved-ul-Hasan?
There is plenty to play for and not all the stars have yet set foot on these shores this summer but I reckon that, just as IPL4 threw up Valthaty, Mishra and Sharma, so the 9th Twenty20 county competition will thrust some lesser known locals into the limelight, too. Nash, Durston and Keedy, perhaps? Let's sit back and see....
