Well done Vincey but selfishly still a bit gutted for us. I hope to God that they don't mess him about this time and it is worth his while making the trip.
His final group IPL game is on May 4 (with potential KO matches to follow thereafter). Our final one-day group game is on May 5. So there's no chance him being available to play in that. And an overseas player who doesn't feature in the group stage isn't allowed to feature in the KO stages. (the "Dwayne Bravo rule" after Essex parachuted Bravo in to play against us in t20 finals in 2010 - he duly did nothing with bat or ball, and immediately left again).
Fortunately only one side get relegated from D1 this season. So Kent being without Denly (WC) and Billings (injury) for those two months I think will hurt them more than us being without Vince (WC) - they were already my pre-season favourites for relegation. But nevertheless, we probably have to prepare ourselves with quite a fallow two months.
Kent will struggle, that's for sure but we won the 32 pointer against Warwickshire who may be our hope for staying up.
Yay, we've recalled Donald. Slightly surprised though that it's for Crane (who has been expensive, granted) rather than for Wheal. We still haven't won a toss this season.
And Surrey have decided not to play Morkel, presumably because they're now out. That by itself is great news. But it's even better given that they're replaced him with Ryan Patel, who is more of a batter and can bowl a bit of average seam. So they're only really playing three front line bowlers (and two of them are rubbish).
****ing Rory Burns, the scourge of Hants again with an absolutely amazing catch at slip to remove Alsop....11/1
At the risk of jinxing him, Vincey is batting like a million dollars atm...5 boundaries already, 27 from 17. **** and there it is, should've kept my fingers to myself....Bowled by Meaker for 28... Just watched the replay and it was a good ball from Meaker.
It's annoying though, because Meaker is their only bowler who concerns me. We could have been just a little bit more careful against him. It was a wonder catch from Burns, but it was a slash from Alsop.
It was probably the previous 6 dot balls that done him. Vincey will always play that way when he's in form I think.
Run rate is very healthy. But we've spent almost the entire innings one wicket behind. Whenever we get back on track wicket-wise, we lose another.
I do think we've left runs out there. At the Oval, against that attack, I'd have been aiming for 340. But once we fell four down relatively early on, I'd have happily taken a score around the 300 - 310 mark. Great knock, Daws.
His red ball batting has stepped up this season (so far). But in white ball, I'd say this is his third season now of being a top all rounder. England might end up regretting picking Denly over him, given Dawson's current form.
