Thoughts on Leicester

Just as one swallow does not make a summer, one defeat does not end your hopes in the T20. But what will end them quite quickly is if we don't learn from that defeat.

The team selection, whoever was responsible, was flawed. I am assuming that Mickey Arthur had the final say, but Samit Patel would have had a sizeable input too.

While acknowledging that Nye Donald didn't cost us anything last night, his glove work was not tidy, his dismissal was poor, having just lost his opening partner to a good ball and asking him to open with no form - indeed, very little cricket - behind him was ill-thought. If and when he fires, he can put a game out of reach, but my concern is that asking him to keep, after a lengthy layoff with an arm injury, risks aggravating the problem. 

To be three wickets down in 13 balls is a lot from which to recover. Perhaps a rethink is required, with Martin Andersson, who was in splendid form last night as he has been all season, promoted to open, as he did last year with success for Middlesex. If we get off to a good start, then Donald could come in at three, tee off (which he is always going to do) and take us on. If we lose an early wicket, David Lloyd could go in at three. 

Samit is too high, at five. He can still hit a ball, but it is either a boundary or a single, as he isn't fit enough to run the twos. So he should drop down the order, maybe again giving late impetus on his day.

The selection of Nick Potts was odd, after no selections this year. Then to only bowl him in one over - the second - against a couple of batters we all know are dashers was odd. I do fear for Nick as he needs a big end of season to earn a new deal, but his tendency to drag one or two down every over is especially costly in this format. 

Ghazanfar? He looks a class act and will take a lot of wickets this year. No one seemed to pick him and if that first over lbw shout had been given his way, the result could have been different. His two wickets came from deliveries that spun in different directions and he got far more turn than either Trevaskis or Patel (although Samit bowled tidily). After his first over went for sixteen, the next three conceded only thirteen and the only blemish was the dropped caught and bowled. He looks a good signing.

We aren't far away from a good side. Based on last night, we could easily accommodate Guest for Potts with Andersson and Lloyd picking up the other overs. With a tweak to the batting order, modifying it as required by the game situation, our side would look better with the following line up:

Jewell

Andersson

Donald/Lloyd

Madsen

Lloyd/Donald

Whiteley 

Guest

Patel

Chappell 

Ghazanfar

Brown

Pat Brown had a nightmare last night, but anyone who has played cricket has experienced this sort of game. He's too good not to come again, but hopefully Harry Moore isn't too far away from fitness, which might change the line up again. But with an attack where 8 to 12 overs might be spin, you have to pick your best wicket keeper.

Thoughts?