Champions League Twenty20 - Group A Preview
by Juris Graney
Champions League Twenty20 Odds
A1 – Deccan Chargers +500
A2 – Somerset +1000
A3 – Trinidad & Tobago +1500
A1 - Deccan Chargers +500
The star studded Deccan Chargers are equal +500 favourites for the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 tournament and for good reason.
The current Indian Premier League champions, led by former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, has the firepower in the batting and the lethality in its bowling stocks to cause some serious headaches for teams.
Gilchrist’s T20 international stats are impressive for his strike rate of 141.66 but less so for his average of 22.66 and having yet to score a T20I half century, his impact in the team is more for his ruthless captaincy as it is for his glove work behind the stumps.
Six of their nominated 15 players have yet to play internationally but the mainstays of the team are the who’s who of world cricket.
VVS Laxman is graceful, Scott Styris a genuine all-rounder joins the brutal Andrew Symonds while Chaminda Vaas and Fidel Edwards will pepper their opposition with quick vicious deliveries.
Will move through the initial stages easily and will no doubt feature in the semis.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Andrew Symonds – Forsaken by Australia following a spate of bad behaviour, Symonds is still one of the most dangerous players in the world and he will be keen to show all of those in his home country that no matter how wayward the media wants to make you look, they have lost a genuine talent.TEAM
Adam Gilchrist (capt), VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma, Andrew Symonds, Fidel Edwards, Scott Styris, Chaminda Vaas, RP Singh, Ryan Harris, Pragyan Ojha, Y Venugopal Rao, T Suman, Azhar Bilakhia, Harmeet Singh, SM Shoaib.
A2 – Somerset +1000
Former gritty Australian opener Justin Langer leads is one of England’s hopes this year but their compatriots Sussex are slightly ahead of them according to the bookmakers.
It is hard to see Somerset factoring in the finals but they will move through the initial stage with only Trinidad & Tobago standing in their way.
Langer and Marcus Trescothick will lead the way in the batting and both former internationals can belt a ball with intent. The team has already signalled its intent stacking their line up with batsmen and all rounders with just South African-born Charl Willoughby and PS Jones recognised quicks, the rest of their attack will be based on slow and medium pace part timers which, when they face top quality batsmen should and will be punished.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Peter Trego – An England international in the waiting, this all-rounder scored 241 runs at an average of 48 this season and has hit a 54-ball century against Yorkshire. He also has a sense of humour about him. Asked what he would be if he wasn’t a cricketer, the 28-year-old answered, “homeless”.
TEAM
Justin Langer (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Zander de Bruyn, Omari Banks, James Hildreth, Craig Kieswetter, Pete Trego, Arul Suppiah, Alfonso Thomas, Max Waller, Charl Willoughby, Wes Durston, Mark Turner, Jos Buttler, Ben Phillips.
A3 – Trinidad & Tobago +1500
The only West Indies representative, T&T feature some decent talent but interestingly, they feature two brother combinations.
Daren and Sherwin Ganga along with the Bravo boys, Dwayne and Darren make up the most of danger men with Dwayne the unlikely statistics leader showing his real value as an all rounder.
Averaging 29 with the bat at a strike rate of 127.78, Dwayne backs those stats up with an average of 24.21 with the ball and an economy rate of 8.15 for his 38 wickets in 40 matches.
Elsewhere in the team, Rayad Emrit is attempting to bring the Mohawk back while Lendl Simmons and Densesh Ramdin will want to remind the world and the West Indies they are still capable of international duties.
Considering the contract disputes that plagued the Caribbean kids during the recent Champions Trophy, those names might once again be in consideration for the major league.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Samuel Badree – the little known 28 year old is a more than handy leg spinner and will come into good use on the sub-continent. With 14 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 12.07
TEAM
Daren Ganga (capt), Sherwin Ganga, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons, Dave Mohammed, Kieron Pollard, William Perkins, Samuel Badree, Rayad Emrit, Navin Stewart, Sunil Narine, Adrian Barath.
