Ryan ten doeschate: England could have done with Graham Napier yesterday

Twenty20 World Cup / Ryan ten doeschate / 12 June 2009 / Leave a Comment

It's back to indoor training for the Essex all-rounder as the World Cup experience is now over and an opportunity to argue a case for County team-mate Graham Napier getting a game for England. And why Sri Lanka will still be there at the business end of the tournament.

After Holland's exit from the glitz and glamour of the T20 World Cup it was back to the indoor school at Chelmsford for me yesterday.

Nowadays players are expected to make a smooth transition between the various codes of cricket so I've turned my attention to preparing for our Championship match against Kent on Tuesday. Needless to say I watched both games yesterday and had to turn away from the telly with grimaced face as Ireland's bowlers took a pasting from an understrength New Zealand batting line-up.

England struggled to get out the blocks as the South Africans put in another performance which suggests they will be in the Final come June 21. Jacques Kallis received the Man of the Match award but for me Wayne Parnell was the stand-out player and will play a major part if South Africa are to go all the way.

With Fos (James Foster) and Rav (Bopara) now permanent fixtures in England's T20 side I am often asked how Graham Napier fits into the set-up. I've had the privilege of watching his destructive batting from just over 20 yards away and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say he is a phenomenon. This statement is easily backed up by the 152 he got last year, including a record 16 sixes.

Versatility is a massive part of the make-up of a modern T20 player and to have Napes as a No 6 or No 7 would strengthen most international batting line-ups. His batting heroics of last summer elevated his status as a cricketer so his bowling is often overlooked. But he is an out-and-out bowler and that adds serious weight to his credentials as a genuine all-rounder. His brief IPL experience has enriched his cricket no end and he has become a very effective 'death' bowler with an extremely accurate yorker.

If I were to be super critical of Napes as a bowler I'd say he strives for wickets too much during the Powerplays. He probably ends up on the wrong side of that fine line between seeking wickets with the new ball and limiting damage during those crucial first overs.

Is his selecton to this England squad justified? Absolutely. Particularly as England may encounter boundary-hitting problems in the middle and lower order. He also provides lots of 'cover' options and can slot in anywhere in the England order. A player who offers so many different options could well have been useful last night.

All three subcontinent giants - India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - are in action today and Lord's will be rocked to its core with a fanaticism and support that no other teams can muster. Coupled with the heaps of exciting names in all four line-ups, it should make for a great day.

Rohit Sharma has shown immense class with a good mixture of shots and - along with Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Sanath Jayasuriya and Yuvraj Singh - could help boost the tournament's tally of sixes. Having said that, Lord's hasn't offered the short boundaries that Trent Bridge and, to some extent, The Oval have but I am yet to see a field too big for this group of batters.

Sri Lanka hold the record for the highest total in an ODI, 443 in 50 overs against Holland in 2006. I was present and accordingly punished so I have a first-hand account of how well these guys can hit a cricket ball. However I still think that Sri Lanka's main strength lies in their bowling this time and that India have the most consistent line-up of hitters to rival a South Africa side who are yet to fire collectively.

To date we haven't seen much turn for the spinners but they have nonetheless been highly influential. A mix of pace, line and angle can be equally effective as the turn that some pitches offer. The subcontinent batters seem to play spin far better than most which makes today's clashes even more intriguing.

For me, the West Indies will have it all to do against India today and it will take the 'good day' Pakistan to put Sri Lanka to the test. My early favourites were India, South Africa and New Zealand. Now I think I'll pick Sri Lanka to make up my quartet for the Semi-Finals.

But whoever wins, my brief encounter with this T20 World Cup has got me hooked on its every attraction and today will showcase some of its finest participants.

It will be one of the best days for an afternoon on the sofa in front of the telly.