Quick follow up

After espousing my thoughts on success in T20 cricket last night, along came the perfect example from the Sydney Sixers today.

After only just managing to top 150 on a slow pitch, very similar to the County Ground, the Sixers completely tied down their opponents with the very attack I referred to last night. Brett Lee's pace top and tailed the innings, while four spinners led by veteran Stuart McGill and Nathan McCullum bamboozled the rest as the Sixers ran out winners by a country mile.

It was a very good performance and for me was one of the best team efforts I have seen in the competition. Boundaries were hard to come by, but the Sixers batsmen ran hard and got a higher score than they perhaps should have done. Meanwhile, the bowlers were backed up by a fine fielding display in which everyone played a part, McGill setting an early example with a diving catch at backward point that belied his age.

A later chase by McGill to the boundary edge produced some comedy gold from the commentators, Greg Blewett and Tom Moody. The former suggested that McGill's hamstrings, as an older player, would not be as long as they once were. "Tell me about it", said Moody, "I can only touch my knees now..."

Good stuff all round and an excellent way to start a day off.

I'm well aware that some tracks are more conducive to spin than others, but generally the batsman has to work harder against spin as he has to generate, rather than use the pace of the ball. By the same token, when a bowler alternates between yorkers and throat balls, as Lee has been doing, its not the least potent of weapons...