The Big Bash

Thanks to those nice people at Bet 365 I've watched a few of the games in the Aussie T20, the so-called Big Bash. For those who don't know, you can register on their website and, for a minimum balance of £5, watch live streaming of all sorts of sports for free. Good, reliable streams too and well worth the money, even if, like me, you never bother to place a bet.

Anyway, I have watched a few games and today saw Shaun Marsh play a fine innings that contained a dazzling array of shots. Admittedly he was helped by one of the more shambolic fielding performances I have seen, with run outs, stumpings and catches missed with a frequency that suggested an unofficial award for worst fielder was attracting numerous entrants. There was also Shaun Tait, bowling at 93mph but with zero direction. Strike bowlers are fine if they can control the ball, but Tait reaffirmed my belief that he is an expensive luxury, one good ball an over accompanied by some genuine rubbish that Marsh, once used to his pace, treated with disdain.

Its a puzzle why no county has made a move for Marsh, who can play all forms of the game with equal skill, though averages around 40 suggest a very good, rather than outstanding player. Which brings me neatly to an expansion on a comment I made on the Forum yesterday. For me, in T20 cricket your top three should be your best batsmen and/or the ones who give you the best chance of taking full advantage of the Powerplay. After all, they have the full innings at their disposal and can shape an innings from the outset. Those who follow may have limited opportunity and thus should only be attaining high averages if the top three isn't working well.

Look at Derbyshire last season. No issues with Martin Guptill, but Wes Durston and Chesney Hughes only had one innings each of substance and our best average came from Ross Whiteley who was more often number six. Marsh today scored his unbeaten 99 from just 52 balls, a singularly impressive rate that it is hard to imagine anyone, sans Guptill, matching in our colours. Such performances dictate, make and break matches and, as I've written before, Karl Krikken will need to give some thought to his best batting line up in T20, especially if Usman Khawaja turns out to be part of it.

Khawaja has to open, presumably with Chesney Hughes, who looked leaden-footed against spin last year. Alternatively, you could go with Durston, who did so well as opener the previous year, but either way I'd suggest Ross Whiteley as number four, where his clean hitting would have more chance to influence games. With Madsen then at five, a resourceful player of spin with a wide range of shots, the batting would be pretty steady, even without the presence of a genuine master-blaster.

What makes a huge difference in this cricket is fielding, which is why I still see a role in this competition for Garry Park. He did well in it last year, when a shoulder injury meant he rarely bowled, but his fielding was, as always, a joy. I would always have Park in my one-day side assuming he was fit and in decent form, while Clare and Poynton would offer decent lower order ballast, as would Wainwright if things went pear-shaped and a rebuilding job was required.

Whatever combination of bowlers was used (and it would be nice to have an overseas player who could use the long handle like Rana Naved has done for Tasmania), I think Derbyshire are capable of matching any side in the field. On such factors are games won and lost.

No doubt something Krikk will be reinforcing to his young charges as the build up to 2012 continues in the New Year.