County Cricket

As they shell out nearly $1bn on the inaugral Twenty20 Champions League...

You heard the one about the Asian broadcaster that pays $1billion for the rights to show the new Twenty20 Champions League?

No. How does that go?

Well, basically, ESPN Star have paid $1billion to own the commercial and marketing rights for the Twenty20 Champions League.

Right. I've got to admit to being a little disappointed at the punchline. Nonetheless, big news.

It sure is. It makes the Twenty20 Champions League the highest value cricket event on a per game basis.

Jees, that is barmy. What did the organisers say?

Erm, "This makes the Twenty20 Champions League the highest value cricket event on a per game basis."

Right. Without copy and pasting from a news source, remind me when it all kicks off?

It begins in December, and will include two teams from Australia, India and South Africa, one from Pakistan, and of course Middlesex from Blighty.

How come we only get to enter one?

Not entirely sure, but next year's tournament will be expanded to 12 teams, so I imagine we'll get more then.

Course it will. Then in four years time we'll have four counties from each country entering, including group stages and a tournament that drags on forever and gives non-champions the chance to win a trophy called the "Champions League".

Was that a dig at football?

That obvious was it...

Here’s a reality check - four days after Middlesex beat Kent in the most thrilling Twenty20 Cup final yet, the English finalists could face the Twenty20 Champions League freeze.

England’s two premier Twenty20 challengers may be excluded from competing in India as The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is adamant on its ruling that no players who played in the rebel ICL will be allowed to take part.

Under those laws Middlesex would be eligible but Kent duo Azhar Mahmood and Justin Kemp both turned out in the IPL rival competition.

Australia and South Africa have sided with India, thus putting an end to a possible ECB organised alternative in Abu Dhabi.

Despite all the obvious riches available, missing out on a shot at the title of World Club Champions would hurt more.
 
The BCCI confirmed the eight-team tournament would commence between September 29 and 8 October with the winners walking away with a whopping £3m pot.

Eight teams will play 15 matches with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals.

Like a bolt from the blue or from somewhere else, Sri Lanka's little big man Sanath Jayasuriya will now be unavailable for Warwickshire's Twenty20 Cup campaign after being named in Sri Lanka's squad for the Asia Cup in Pakistan. "The news comes out of the blue," says Warwickshire's Director of Cricket Ashley Giles. "It's disappointing especially given his recent form in the IPL." Lest we forget, Jayasuriya is the only player to score more than 12,000 runs and take more than 300 wickets in the 50-over game. In short, it's a big loss to the Bears. 

So Charlie Shreck signs a new two-year deal with Nottinghamshire and he seriously doesn't expect to use this picture...

Simon's tourettes took the form of unprompted breakdancing...

Jones back on song...

So then, another busy weekend of cricket?

Yep, it was a Friends Provident Trophy frenzy.

So fill me in.

Ignoring the Craig David lyric, I’ll start with Friday’s game in Cardiff, where Glamorgan were beaten by Gloucestershire by six wickets. Craig Spearman’s knock of 66 from 81 balls saw the visitors reach the target of 203 with six overs to spare.

And just the one game Saturday too?

Yep. While you were sitting idly on the beach all day, 11 South African Kolpak players took part as Leicestershire played Northants in the Midlands division.

That’s a lot of Proteas action. Did any of them make an impact?

Read more ...