Stanford 20/20 Betting: Even Chris Gayle may look energetic with the money at stake

Twenty20 / Ed Hawkins / 16 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

The Hawkeye View - Ed Hawkins talks us through the eleven England players who are likely to line up against the Stanford All Stars and tells us that with the pay cheque at stake, we as punters can be sure everyone is going to be giving 100%.

Chris Tarrant probably won't be in Coolidge, Antigua on November 1, which is a shame. To have Tarrant stood on the outfield at the Standford Cricket Ground before the $20m All Stars and England contest and announce 'Let's play, who wants to be a millionaire?' would be fitting for a match which is as farcical as it is unedifying.

Hopefully once the novelty of 22 men playing to line their pockets for obscene amounts of cash rather than tradition, prestige, honour and achievement - the four cornerstones which respected sporting events are based on - subsides, Texan billionaire Allen Stanford will realise that his 'big idea' is flawed.

Until then, however, Kevin Pietersen and his All Stars opposite number have the opportunity to secure their futures for their families and the brethren of the men under their leadership, too. Ask the audience, phone a friend or 50-50?

KP will only be able to ask a chum for assistance to help make his dollar decisions and it is likely that with ten colleagues on the pitch - each receiving a cool $1m each if England win - and four back in the dressing room - just the $250,000 for them - that there will be plenty of captaining by committee.

If strong leadership is the first casualty of this greedy exercise then rest assured that honesty - in terms of players trying - will not be. England's players will be able to afford a luxury home on a Caribbean island of their choice if they succeed so expect them to bust an absolute gut. The All Stars, too, will put in everything. Who knows? Even Chris Gayle may look less laconic than usual.

And for that as punters we can at least be thankful. With both teams so focussed it will be a betting heat worthy of a meaningful sporting contest. England at [1.67] are shortening all of the time with the All Stars [2.22]. Yet will the lure of all that lolly tempt Pietersen and pals to tinker with plans and line-ups. Here we try to second guess the strategy...

Team

Two changes are guaranteed from the last time England played a Twenty20 match - a crushing nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in June. Dimitri Mascarenhas and Tim Ambrose, who both played in that game, have not made the squad so their places will go to Samit Patel and Matt Prior. Steve Harmison could replace James Anderson and room will also need to be found for Andrew Flintoff. This is the likely line-up: I Bell, M Prior, K Pietersen, A Flintoff, O Shah, P Collingwood, R Bopara, L Wright, S Patel, S Broad, S Harmison. The All Stars line-up is not so easy to pick, save to say that it will be seven West Indies regulars and then the rest made up from the top performers in the domestic competition. Look at their squad here http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/stanfordtwenty20/content/squad/365057.html

Batting line-up

Although the team above has been listed in the probable batting order, this is where the money madness is most likely to take hold. Will England be able to resist not promoting either Flintoff or Luke Wright, who opened in their last Twenty20 outing, to one of the opening berths? Ian Bell and Matt Prior have been solid in 50-over cricket but it would be fair to say that they have been more circumspect than destructive. Otherwise Wright and Flintoff could be used in floating roles. For example if England are flying at 100-1 off 12 overs, they could be promoted to next man in.

Bowling

In no circumstance should Steve Harmison be given the new ball. Instead of England's players being filthy rich they would be wearing dirty looks. Harmison can be a liability with the new white ball and has the potential to spray it around, allowing the opposition the fast start they crave. Instead go with Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad to open the bowling. They both have good control and can hit the splice early on, making it tough to score. Harmison should be used in the middle overs to take crucial wickets to slow the run rate. Wright could be trusted with bowling the death bowlers. In two tight games against New Zealand he kept his head and England may well turn to him again. Just imagine if it comes down to the final ball. The $20m delivery. 'Come on Wrighty, hit the block hole...no pressure son'.