Showing posts with label Tim Southee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tim Southee. Show all posts

Wednesday, 6 January 2021

New Zealand Top of the Test World

When New Zealand completed a rout of Pakistan this week, they did more than win a series; they displaced Australia at the top of the ICC Test rankings, the first time they’ve ever reached the pinnacle. The World Test Championship may be in a bit of Covid-caused disarray but the Black Caps’ achievement is a momentous one. 

They’ve been knocking at the door for ages but an invincible home record in Tests for almost four years is mighty impressive. A World Cup triumph would be exceedingly welcome but no longer will New Zealand cricket fans be forced to boast about near-misses in limited-overs tournaments. 

There have been excellent Test sides before, of course. I remember the Eighties stars like Crowe, Hadlee and Bracewell helping NZ to ten Test series wins and only six defeats in the decade, beating all the major nations including the West Indies, India and Australia. The 1996-2006 period was quite successful, too, albeit against softer opposition, when Stephen Fleming skippered the likes of Nathan Astle, Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum. 

Now entering a new decade, New Zealand are back in the forefront of world cricket. Overcoming the disappointment of losing a World Cup final by the smallest margin possible they have steered their way through a virus-infested 2020 to stand on top of the Test cricketing world. Their easy win over Kohli’s India ten months ago was the last first-class international match played until the Windies bubble came to England in July but a welter of three-match home series triumphs has propelled them to the top of the table. 

Kane Williamson has been amongst the batting elite for several years but his 238 this week ensured he started 2021 as number one in the batting rankings. Ross Taylor is still a useful man to have around, wicketkeeper BJ Watling can make runs while Henry Nicholls is becoming a top-class batsman across all formats. 

However, much of the success has been built on the consistency of the bowling attack. Tim Southee is 32 now but looks as good as ever, passing the milestone of 300 wickets and his slightly younger seam-and-swing partner Trent Boult is close behind him. Another thirty-something left-armer Neil Wagner sits with Southee in the world’s top four but perhaps the future lies with Kyle Jamieson. At 26, the 6 foot 8 giant from Auckland is no spring chicken but he made an outstanding introduction to Test cricket last year, taking 4-39 against India on his debut and captured 11 scalps in the latest game. He’s not notably quick but a record of 36 wickets at just 13.27 in six appearances suggests a major talent. A 6-7 haul in 2019 also makes him a dangerous T20 exponent. 

I’ve no particular personal allegiance to New Zealand but I think it’s great to see a country other than the dominant moneybags, India, England and Australia making a mark on world cricket. If only someone would dare offer them more than a three-match rubber. In the past they have been written off as being poor box-office. Now perhaps the wealthiest sides are running scared. They should be!

Tuesday, 3 April 2018

New Zealand hang on for memorable series win

After the embarrassment of Auckland, England bounced back impressively in the Second Test. However it wasn’t quite enough to level the series. The grassy slopes of Christchurch always look so beautiful and bucolic, even - dare I say it – English. It was a great place for the Barmy Army to witness a winning finale to a five-month tour Down Under, and for four days everyone seemed to be following the script. The Black Caps had narrowly missed out last time and a repeat performance looked likely when Joe Root declared with almost four sessions remaining. 

The first skirmishes were fairly even-stevens. Trent Boult and Tim Southee continued where they left off, grabbing all ten first innings wickets. However, Jonny Bairstow’s 101 and Mark Wood’s unexpectedly classy 52 kept the home side at bay for an extra hour or so. I’d doubted the wisdom of replacing Craig Overton with Wood as much for the former’s useful late-order batting as the latter’s faster bowling. Shows how little I know!

NZ made a terrible start to their response. For Boult and Southee, read Anderson and Broad. The England new-ball veterans ripped out the top five for just 36 runs and a massacre looked a distinct possibility. Enter BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme, who rescued matters with a 142-run stand. Southee then emulated Wood with a run-a-ball fifty to reduce the deficit to just 29.

Alastair Cook’s terrible run continued, edging Boult to the ‘keeper for 14, but this time the next four batsmen each notched half-centuries, even if Joe Root was perhaps disappointed that, yet again, he failed to convert a promising half-century into three figures. Stoneman, Vince and Malan desperately needed good scores to prolong their Test careers into the English summer. This they achieved, but it remains to be seen who is in form after the first five County Championship fixtures. Root indicated that Cook will be opening regardless, which could be a tad premature, although back at Chelmsford, the former skipper is normally prolific.

As for England’s failure to bowl out the home team, that was largely down to, not Williamson or Taylor, but a gritty 83 from opener Tom Latham and a dogged 56 from Ish Sodhi. He defied short stuff from Wood and claustrophobic field settings for spinners Leach and Root for more than three hours. Just as valuable were the seven runs amassed by Neil Wagner. He defended and defied for 103 balls, knowing that the last man, Southee, was unwell and available only in an emergency. In the event he wasn’t needed and somehow the rearguard action was successful. New Zealand had occupied the crease for 124 overs losing only eight wickets. They had drawn the match but achieved their first series victory over England since 1999 and the first at home since the days of Hadlee and Crowe in 1983-4. 

It’s a shame that New Zealand don’t get more opportunities in Test matches. Like England, they are a match for anybody on home soil even though, again like England, they struggle overseas. In Williamson, Boult and Southee, they have three world-class operators who deserve more exposure to Test cricket.

As for England, they still need to find a way of winning Tests abroad. They edged the limited overs contests but seemed to lack the nous to score enough runs or take twenty wickets when it matters. Anderson and Broad are currently irreplaceable and any injuries to either could be disastrous to the country’s chances later this year. Root apart, the middle-order remains patchy, as is the bowling support. Much as it pains me as a Somerset supporter to lose our best bowler in the Championship, I predict Jack Leach keeping his place as specialist spinner It’s up to Moeen Ali to rediscover his mojo, not only in Tests but also in ODIs and T20s. Malan will stay, if only because he plays for Middlesex, and Stoneman’s Surrey connection may yet save him, too. I look forward to the return of county cricket to see who shines brightest.

Saturday, 10 June 2017

Champions Trophy: Bangladesh Tigers roar and Baggy Greens whimper

The competition is certainly hitting its stride now, but England were in ominous form from the word go. It’s no surprise to me that the hosts have scorched their way to the top of Group A with a 100% record. My preview failed to predict the impact of the British weather, always the great leveller in cricket competitions, especially when all the games matter as in the Champions Trophy.

In particular, the rain interrupted all of Australia’s fixtures. Of course, you can’t say that they would have been victorious had the heavens not opened and the covers rolled on. Even Steve Smith admitted his side were in trouble against New Zealand at Edgbaston last week. On the other hand, they were looking good against Bangladesh, Mitchell Starc’s final 4-wicket burst setting up what had seemed a simple target under clear skies.

Today’s defeat to England on Duckworth/Lewis was no fluke, though. Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes had dragged the hosts out of a tricky situation and the Aussies were down and out when play was finally halted for good. That they did so was the result of another dramatic turnaround; one I was delighted to have witnessed at first hand.

As is common in Cardiff, there had been plenty of rain in the previous 24 hours, so it was unsurprising to arrive at the stadium to see the big screen announcing a pitch inspection at 10.45. Fortunately a few sunny spells were helping to dry out the square and outfield and so umpires Llong and Gould gave their go-ahead for an 11.30 start. Phew!

I’d gone for a ticket to see Bangladesh v New Zealand as I’d never before seen the former nation in live action. It was also many years since I’d seen the Black Caps play – in a 3-day game against Essex. I could not have anticipated experiencing the drama of a side’s reversal of fortunes in a 50-over international.

Kane Williamson had won the toss and elected to bat first. With a meagre crowd of neutrals like me, vociferous tiger-waving Bangladesh fans and some keen primary schoolchildren, much of the New Zealand innings was unremarkable. Martin Guptill’s early six was not an indication of things to come, as the wicket seemed to help the Tigers’ seamers. Williamson and Ross Taylor mixed delightful boundaries and play-and-misses but once they fell, a familiar collapse ensued. Broom, Neesham and Santner scampered a number of singles and twos but Mossadek’s spin yielded three quick victims and Rubel Hossain bought the Bangla fans to their feet. 265-8 isn’t a bad total for Cardiff but it should have been more.

Bangladesh’s innings got off to a dreadful start. Tim Southee trapped the previously prolific Tamim Iqbal first ball and the same bowler did for Soumya and Sabbir in his next two overs. Trent Boult also caused huge problems, and the diminutive Mushfiqur Rahim in particular was struggling against pace and short-pitched deliveries and it was probably a merciful release when Milne produced a perfect nip-backer to flatten middle stump. That brought Mahmudullah to accompany Shakib al Hasan. A young supporter beside me asked what I thought the pair should do. Er, be patient, build a partnership and not get out?!

So far, so obvious, but that is exactly what they did. There was no resort to T20-style histrionics; just finding gaps for singles and the occasional four, maintaining the run-a-ball target rate. As time went on, the experienced pair played themselves in, improving their timing against the seam of Neesham, Milne and Anderson. When Boult and Southee were brought back early, Mahmudullah and Shakib were no longer vulnerable; they were on a roll. Mitchell Santner’s spin looked more effective at first but any poor deliveries were punished. The hundred partnership came and went, and each player advanced into the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. The children in the crowd had gone but the few Bangladesh fans were compensating for their absence as they sensed an unlikely victory.

When Shakib reached three figures with his first six, it was game over. Skipper Williamson was powerless, the number of wides increased as bowlers tried a bit too hard and Shakib cracked further beautiful drives and pulls before he risked a swipe too many against Boult and lost his off stump. The partnership had swelled to 222, an ODI record for Bangladesh. It seemed appropriate that Mahmudullah also reached his third one-day century shortly after but it was Mossadek’s boundary which clinched a five-wicket victory with almost three overs remaining.

NZ were definitely out and Bangladesh knew they had to wait another 24 hours to see whether England would do them a favour by beating the Aussies. Which we now know is exactly what Morgan’s men did.

Congratulations to Bangladesh for proving me and many others wrong. I now await to see who I will be seeing meet England at Sophia Gardens next Wednesday. It’s anybody’s guess…

Sunday, 21 June 2015

England v New Zealand – Memorable but for the wrong reasons?

Now that we’ve all caught our breath, it’s time to reflect on the truly memorable ODI series between England and New Zealand. I always felt it would be a competitive contest between a side in captain Brendon McCullum’s mould and one desperately seeking to copy it after that dismal World Cup just a few months earlier. And so it proved.

However, the astonishing turnaround in England’s fortunes must have surprised most onlookers. Of course, the pitches, boundary distances, bat technology and fielding restrictions have all been created to boost run rates and the six count. All that was needed for England to capitalise was introduce the ethos of ‘take a gamble; there’s somebody else padded up should you get out’. The bold policy of picking a bunch of T20 specialists signalled the new regime’s intention and all the players had to do is carry it out to the letter.

Easier said than done, of course, and the Black Caps, as England found out to their cost in the World Cup, are amongst the best in the business when it comes to the fifty-over format. Nevertheless, it has been an exhilarating series for the batsmen and spectators who drool over a succession of heaves over square leg, ragged top-edges over third man and flicks into the crowd just 50 metres from the crease. The records racked up rapidly;
- The most runs in a series of five or fewer matches (3,151);
- The highest ever run rate a five-match rubber (7.15 an over)
- England’s first ever score of 400 (408-9 at Edgbaston)
- England’s biggest winning margin (210 runs, in the same game)
- The fastest ever England century (by Jos Buttler – again!)

And yet New Zealand would have triumphed had Jonny Bairstow not stepped up to the plate in the rain-hit decider at Chester-le-Street! When Joe Root and Buttler smashed centuries in the first game, we knew something special was on the cards. 27 sixes featured in the second at The Oval, where England narrowly failed thanks to the Duckworth/Lewis intervention. At the Rose Bowl, it was the turn of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor to plunder hundreds in a well-measured run chase, before the feat was repeated by Root and Eoin Morgan at Trent Bridge. Here, England made a target of 350 look ridiculously easy. The clincher in the North East included fewer runs and ‘only’ seven sixes but far more drama.

The statistics show that Williamson, Taylor, Morgan and Root each aggregated more than 250 runs, the former finishing on an amazing 396. Of the fifteen players who faced at least 50 balls, only three had strike rates of under 100 per 100 balls. Curiously these were Taylor, Martin Guptill and England’s supposedly big-hitting opener Jason Roy. Morgan’s six tally of 16 easily outnumbered anybody else’s but I have more respect for Willamson’s ability to find the gaps, collecting a mightily impressive 49 fours throughout the series.

So it was all brilliant, wasn’t it? Not if you’re a bowler, it wasn’t! Nobody took even ten wickets. Ben Stokes, Steve Finn and Adil Rashid led the way and, while Mark Wood claimed only two at 78.5 apiece, his economy rate was a very commendable 5.23. Chris Jordan and Neil McCullum went for at least nine an over. The balance between bat and ball has become hideously distorted, but one good thing has been the standard of fielding. Catches will always be dropped occasionally but the athleticism in the deep is better than it has ever been. Just think about the Southee-Boult boundary ‘relay catch’ in the second ODI. And in recent years, Southee seems to make this look routine.

I don’t know whether such a runfest is good for cricket but it will add to the already massive Ashes mania, and boost Sky TV ratings. Bums on seats are already assured, even at Cardiff, although sadly mine won’t be amongst them. Too expensive and not enough remaining holiday entitlement! In my view, from an England perspective, Hales, Roy and Billings have not justified their own hype. However, the series has demonstrated once again that, for all the country’s previously poor recent ODI performances, especially at home, Joe Root and Jos Buttler are world-class.

The other element to celebrate is the spirit in which the series was conducted. McCullum and Morgan are fierce competitors but good friends, and it showed. In this respect, Broad and Anderson were not missed at all. England fans should doff a cap to New Zealand for showing their side how 50-over cricket can be played. Now we just need to allow spectators to admire the skills of Southee, Boult, Henry, Finn et al as bowlers rather than as six-fodder!

Tuesday, 2 June 2015

One-one, but New Zealand deserve the plaudits

Another Test match, another intriguing contest! After capitulating on the final day at Lord’s, New Zealand must feel gloriously vindicated after turning the tables at Headingley, playing the sort of cricket which served England so well last week.

One of the many things I’ve taken from this short but very sweet series is that one-day batting has had a huge impact. Not so long ago, once the seventh wicket fell in an innings the tailenders would be thinking more about their run-up and new ball strategy than getting a few runs of their own. Now, everyone can be a hero with the willow!

Tino Best, Ashton Agar and even our very own Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson have written their names into record books in the past few years. In the past few days we’ve experienced still more fearless fireworks from numbers nine to eleven. Amongst the general glut of boundaries, the last two wickets in the four innings at Headingley have produced more than 300 runs. OK, I know that the second NZ innings was declared during the ninth wicket partnership but that’s still an impressive aggregate for a bunch of bowlers.

At Lord’s, it was mostly Ben Stokes but in Leeds, Luke Ronchi and Matt Henry (each twice), Stuart Broad, Tim Southee and Trent Boult had three-figure strike rates against their names. The Black Caps’ second outing, after another dodgy start, was played out in the image of their brilliant captain Brendon McCullum. Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor and BJ Watling may have ridden their luck on occasions but their aggressive approach pressurised fielders into dropping catches and bowlers like Broad resembling nervous teenagers serving up short-pitched tripe.

The Sunday spectators were presented with a feast of runs, then the NZ tail really rubbed it in on Monday morning, declaring on 454-8. Apart from Latham and Williamson, every player struck at least one six! Watling’s excellent century was the single most important contribution, earning him the Man of the Match award. However, Mark Craig’s 99 unbeaten runs and tight bowling earning five wickets should not be underestimated. Trent Boult and Tim Southee occasionally gave even Anderson a lesson in new ball swing bowling, and Luke Ronchi’s belated Test debut at the age of 34 resulted in 119 runs and some tidy displays behind the stumps. Even Williamson made up for his unusually poor display with the bat by clinching the game with 3-15, his vital victims being the dogged Cook, pegged Stokes and ragged Broad.

England weren’t completely outplayed. After all, it was a Test match in which Alastair Cook and Jimmy Anderson became the first Englishmen to pass 9,000 runs and 400 wickets, respectively. Adam Lyth achieved his debut century on his second appearance, Jos Buttler stuck around admirably for 73 on the final evening and Matt Wood did enough to keep his place for the Ashes.

More worrying must be the form of Ballance, Bell and Moeen Ali. Broad’s clueless bowling may have yielded seven wickets at Headingley but he went for six an over! Acceptable in an ODI but not a Test match. Joe Root fared even worse with the bat but even the finest batsmen have an off-day following his excellent display in the first fixture.

For now, let’s celebrate a wonderful brace of Test matches and in particular the attitude of McCullum and co in levelling the series in such style. The appalling negativity and time-wasting we saw from Cook’s men two years ago should be consigned to history. If the new brooms at England’s helm follow suit, the Aussies may yet face a real challenge later this summer.

Saturday, 21 February 2015

Pakistan join England in the Doldrums

England's humiliation at the hands of New Zealand was almost matched by Pakistan's abject batting performance last night against the West Indies. At Christchurch, Andre Russell's final overs blitz with the bat ultimately proved irrelevant as most of the Pakistani XI capitulated to the Windies attack. Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder left the opposition reeling at 1-4 before Sohaib Maqsood and Umar Akmal steadied the ship. However, by that time, they had no chance of overhauling the 300+ target.

Skipper Misbah gave an honest appraisal that his side were well beaten, and it was an encouraging response from Holder's team following their embarrassing defeat against Ireland. It boosts their chances after all of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Progressing from the group stage is still possible for England, despite being hammered by both hosts in their opening fixtures. Scotland, Afghanistan and Bangladesh should be easier opposition and even if they lose to Sri Lanka six points should be sufficient to go through. However, the sheer scale of their walloping at Wellington must have hit their confidence.

Tim Southee's masterclass in swing bowling put even Jimmy Anderson into the shade. His 7-33 was a Black Cap best and the third most impressive bowling performance in World Cup history. Joe Root, not for the first time, was the only England batman to demonstrate the right temperament to set any kind of challenge, but the wickets fell quickly at the other end. 122 all out in 33 overs was simply pathetic.

Their misery was compounded by Brendon McCullum's dazzling onslaught when he and Guptill came out to bat. The England pacemen had nowhere to hide and Steven Finn's generous helpings of off-stump deliveries were thankfully thumped for four consecutive sixes. Finn's two overs went for 49 and the NZ captain struck the third fastest ODI hundred. Had Chris Woakes not been introduced to dismiss both openers, nobody would have betted against McCullum beating AB De Villiers' recently set record as fastest ODI century.

As it was, the speed of the successful run chase (74 balls) was one of the swiftest ever, and probably the worst experienced by England in this form of cricket. It began and ended with wides and there was no hiding place for Eoin Morgan. At least as a batsman he had got off the mark for a change but 17 runs in 41 balls did little to restore his barely deserved reputation as a world-class 50-over exponent. He now has to steer a demoralised outfit against the lowly Scots to get off the mark as a World Cup captain. Mommsen, Coetzer et al must be licking their lips!

Sunday, 19 May 2013

Broad Turns the Tables

So after three days of very even cricket, the record books will say: England beat New Zealand by 170 runs. And the readers will think, hmm, must have been an easy victory. But it wasn't. The difference between the sides was ultimately a devastating fourth day spell by Stuart Broad. His 7-44 was a personal best at this level but it was heartening to hear him say, when accepting the Man of The Match award, that it should go to his second innings new ball partner in crime James Anderson. Not only did he take his 300th wicket a few days earlier but he also bowled beautifully and economically at the Pavilion End. This probably had the effect of encouraging batsmen to have a go at the more wayward Broad - and get out.

With one and a half days left to score a mere 239, a result was inevitable but difficult to call in whose favour. However, once Broad had sent back the NZ top four with only 21 on the board, England were clearly in front. Nevertheless, Brendan McCullum must be shaking his head in disbelief at the way his side capitulated on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Nevertheless he, like most of his colleagues failed to reach double figures, and it was the nmuber nine, Neil Wagner, who top-scored with 17 before he fell to a farcical run-out to finish things off.

The result was particularly tough on Tim Southee. He is a bowler in the Broad mould who looks good in English conditions yet doesn't always turn style into substance. This week, he claimed ten wickets for 108 in the match yet still finished on the losing side, almost unprecedented in Lord's history. The magnanimous Broad said he felt for Southee (perhaps not that much!) who surely would have taken the plaudits had the Black Cap batting held out for victory.

Instead New Zealand have to regroup and somehow maintain the bowling control in Leeds they exhibited in London whilst demonstrating more diligence with the bat as they did on home soil. Their second innings total of 68 was their lowest against England since Willis and Botham restructed them for 67 at the same ground 35 years earlier. There was a runout in that match, too.

On the other hand, England have broken their 2013 duck against this opposition and must be confident of nailing a 2-0 series win next weekend. Before the game, Matt Prior was being the side's key man and player of the year. A few days later he emerged with two ducks! The only batsmen to come out with any credit were Jonathan Trott and Joe Root, who shared the match's only century partnership, before eighth wickets tumbled for 54 runs. Let's hope the second Test lasts into the fifth day and provide some of the nervy excitement served up in the southern hemisphere a few months ago.

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

New Zealand - where are the match-winners?

After again succumbing so meekly to South Africa this week, the answer to my question could arguably be answered: "On the treatment table". However, even with Vettori, Southee and Taylor in the side, it is difficult to imagine the Black Caps getting close to Amla, AB, Steyn et al now they have the ruthless streak to accompany the all-round talent in depth. With the prospect of two series against England, I'm afraid New Zealand's job of recovery isn't getting much easier in 2013, and their eighth place in the ICC Test rankings looks set in stone for a while yet.

I read this week a quote from the squad that they felt more comfortable with shorter formats. Hmm. Well, it's true that they seem to come alive during World Cups so what is their ODI ranking? Ninth! Well, if that's the NZ comfort zone, I wonder what discomfort means! Even when their respected skipper Vettori was playing regularly, they were languishing in the same doldrums going back to 2010. At that time, Pakistan were struggling and the West Indies had yet to rediscover their mojo, enabling the team to sit briefly at six in the league table.

Look back a full ten years and New Zealand were, remarkably, standing proud in thrid place behind only Australia and South Africa! How could that have happened? Well, between December 2000 and October 2003, they played ten 'series' losing only one (a solitary Test against Pakistan). My use of inverted commas is deliberate as most of those rubbers comprised only two games. Nevertheless they beat Bangladesh and India (2-0) at home, and even the Windies away, Lara, Hooper, Chanderpaul, Gayle and all.

The class of 2003 may not have equalled the glory days of the 1980s when Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe were amongst the best in the world. Nevertheless, captain Stephen Fleming marshalled a very useful squad. Mark Richardson averaged 44 with the bat, while Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle and Fleming were also very good international performers. However, to win matches you also need bowlers. New Zealand were fortunate to call upon a strike bowler in the form of Shane Bond - when fit - backed up by the youthful all-rounder Vettori, Daryl Tuffey and even Scott Styris.

How the Black Caps would love to have a Shane Bond firing on all cylinders this year! A team of useful bits 'n' pieces players may get you to World Cup knockout stages but will always get found out over five days. Guptill and Williamson have promised so much but have yet to show sufficient consistency. Credit to BJ Watling for his battling half-centuries against the mighty Proteas but how they missed the late-order stability provided by Vettori. It was also sad to see Brendan McCullum trying hard to restrain himself at the top of the order. Defence does not come easily and he tends to get out to rash, impatient strokes. Perhaps he should try and play his natural game a la Gayle and Sehwag. At least he'll have some runs on the board before he heads back to the pavilion. On the other hand, his side could become accustomed to three-day Tests, and that would be no good for cricket. Venues would never sell advance tickets for the fourth or fifth days! Bowling remains a problem, too. Tim Southee on his day is a very fine swing bowler but he has too few of such days, and Chris Martin is near to retirement.

IN the past four years, their only series triumphs have been single-game contests against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Nicking the odd victory over Sri Lanka and Australia always helps, and Doug Bracewell will always remember his six-for to beat the Aussies by seven runs in Hobart. He and his fellow bowlers will need more of those this coming year if they are to advance to the dizzy heights of seven in the rankings.

Monday, 11 July 2011

Player of the Week: Alastair Cook

Wow! What a week for cricketing milestones! Harbajhan Singh's 400th Test wicket, Shiv Chanderpaul's West Indies record Test appearance and Arul Suppiah's world best T20 bowling figures of 6 for 5!

I've already written about the Somerset all-rounder's tremendous performance in the short form of the game in a previous blog and I really believed he would be the only realistic candidate for my Player of the Week award. However, in this week's welter of county T20 fixtures, there have been many performances to catch the eye. Leicestershire captain Andrew MacDonald, Sussex's Chris Nash and Surrey 'keeper-batsman Stephen Davies have all turned it on consistently. A few days after Suppiah's record, Kiwi Tim Southee also claimed 6 wickets in an innings for Essex against Glamorgan, including a hat-trick in the final over. In the three games he played this week, he took ten wickets for 71 runs although only in the latest was he particularly economical. He has struck a few big blows at the top of the batting order, too, but has passed ten runs only once in the past nine innings for Essex.

However, my Player for the Week has to be Alastair Cook. I wrote yesterday about his wonderful displays for England in the Sri Lanka Test and 50-over series, not just for the sheer volume of runs while under pressure over his new captaincy duties, but also for his ability to score quickly despite what critics were whingeing about. He always did demonstrate the temperament for a world-class opening batsman and now he's doing the same as skipper. Perhaps he has benefited from the long line of recent England captains coming from Essex (Fletcher, Gooch, Hussain) but he has the talent to go with it. He is already the world's top player in 2011 and at this rate could even proceed to overhaul a few records set by Sachin Tendulkar within ten to fifteen years.

Of course, it would be too much to expect Cook to maintain such prolific form year after year. Gooch and Vaughan have each enjoyed spectacular periods for England with the bat, before age and injury caught up with them. Let's hope Alastair stays fit. He certainly has age on his side and many more Player of the Week awards could also head his way.