Loots Bosman's assault on the Yorkshire bowling at Headingley on Thursday evening has been rightly lauded by eye witnesses on the club site. If that standard continues, fans are in for a rich summer of entertainment.
To be fair, the county haven't an especially long history of big hitters. Counties like Somerset can cite such luminaries as Arthur Wellard and Harold Gimblett in their past, whereas Derbyshire's batsmen, perhaps because of the nature of the wickets in the county, have tended to be more functional than flashy.
Before the Second World War, Les Townsend and George Pope were probably the two best hitters in the side, the former being especially fond of hitting the bowlers back over their head, whereas George favoured the mid wicket area. After the war, Pat Vaulkhard, who played all too infrequently, could hit the ball cleanly, as did Arnold Hamer, though Hamer was not a prolific hitter of sixes.
On occasion every batsman has his day, of course. I remember watching David Smith, a dour and dogged left hander for most of his career, taking Derek Shackleton apart at Ilkeston in 1970, clumping him over mid wicket time after time, a feat all the more noteworthy because:
A) It was Shackleton, who very rarely got hit by anyone and
B) Because Smith rarely played an attacking stroke if a defensive one would do.
Most of the Derbyshire batsmen of my early experience were what my Dad calls "nudge and fudgers," at least until Chris Wilkins arrived in 1970. Their runs were normally acquired with glances, glides and dabs, rather than with full-blooded strokeplay - we could call them accumulators.
I've written about Wilkins before and at length, but the South African, though not a classic batsman, gave the ball a real hit. In 1970 he was close to the season's six-hitting prize, run by a Sunday newspaper and offered great entertainment in his three years at the club. I saw him hit one out of the ground at Buxton, and into the boating lake at Chesterfield on the full. Although he became more restrained as the years passed, books and newspapers were put down and trips to the toilet were postponed when he walked to the wicket. If the first ball was in his arc it would go back over the bowler's head and while he could be undone by movement, there were enough good days to make him memorable. Like Bosman, he arrived as an opening batsman but struggled until moved down to number four, where he played a number of punishing innings, punctuated with what are now called "maximums."
Since then we have had far more attacking batsmen, many of them from overseas, though few were especially known for their six-hitting prowess. Mohammad Azharuddin hit quite a few in Sunday League matches, though my abiding memory of Azha was his wristy strength off his legs and with the cut. Peter Kirsten also hit a few, but was again more a conventional stroke player than a hitter. Shahid Afridi could also hit, but his good days for Derbyshire had the frequency of June snow at Buxton...
For me, the only genuine contender to Wilkins and Bosman as a hitter was, as David Griffin mentions on the club site, Adrian Kuiper. Kuiper was a far from classic batsman and was not in the same league as people like Dean Jones, John Wright or even Lawrence Rowe, but he could really hit a cricket ball.
Sadly, Wilkins and Kuiper never played twenty over cricket, a format for which they would have been well-suited. Both were good fielders, both bowled useful, if not outstanding medium pace, but both gave anything that was in their half of the wicket a fearful whack. I would have them in my fantasy Derbyshire T20 side without a second thought.
However, I am prepared to concede that, for a destructive hitter, Bosman has to take some beating. His first class record is modest - Bosman is one of only a handful of players who have a better T20 record than first class - but his style is eminently well suited to the format and John Morris has done very well to bring such a crowd-puller to the County Ground.
Enjoy him, while it lasts.
Showing posts with label Loots Bosman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Loots Bosman. Show all posts
Friday, 4 June 2010
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Loots!!
There's an interesting piece on the BBC site today about Loots Bosman, in which he states that he hopes to help steer Derbyshire to a semi final berth in the T20.
If he manages that, there's every chance that we'll be renamed the Derbyshire Bosmans!
There's also a somewhat cryptic comment at the end, in which he says:
"I am just looking forward to the campaign and who knows, I might stay for the rest of the season."
Anybody any thoughts on what that means? Does he plan a holiday in the area, is he planning to play some league cricket, or are we going to use him in our remaining CB40 games?
I'm curious... after tonight, very curious!
If he manages that, there's every chance that we'll be renamed the Derbyshire Bosmans!
There's also a somewhat cryptic comment at the end, in which he says:
"I am just looking forward to the campaign and who knows, I might stay for the rest of the season."
Anybody any thoughts on what that means? Does he plan a holiday in the area, is he planning to play some league cricket, or are we going to use him in our remaining CB40 games?
I'm curious... after tonight, very curious!
Thursday, 20 May 2010
C'mon Loots!
Like a few of you, I have watched Loots Bosman in the recent televised matches in which he has featured and been left feeling frustrated.
In the World 20/20, he was run out after facing just one delivery in the first game, then looked as baffled by the slowness of the pitch as everyone else in the second, after which he was dropped from the side.
Yesterday he returned to the fold against the West Indies and again frustrated those of us watching, being caught down the leg side from a delivery that the umpire then gave as a wide. Loots had, to his credit, already walked, the antithesis of most modern players who won't flinch before the umpire's finger goes up.
To be honest, I think the sensible thing is to wait for the umpire's decision, especially for people with livelihoods at stake. I've played cricket for 35-40 years and would reckon that I've been given out a few times when I shouldn't and given not out when I should. These things tend to even out, but Bosman, far from guaranteed a place in the Proteas side, showed good sportsmanship in setting off.
Given the importance of a flyer in twenty over games, logic may suggest Bosman and Chesney Hughes as openers, but Chris Rogers may opt to open. Firstly because he is a top quality opening batsman, but secondly because both Hughes and Bosman don't appear to have running between the wickets as their strongest suit. That may not be an issue if every ball is going to the boundary, but might just be something to think about as the loss of either in this way would be frustrating. I can see merit in both scenarios, with a Bosman-Hughes pairing eminently capable of 50-60 in the first five overs while the fielding restrictions are in place. Either way, a top six of Bosman, Rogers, Hughes, Smith, Peterson and Wagg should give us some entertainment, with Park and either Redfern or Sadler below them as insurance.
I just wonder if any consideration may be given to playing Park as wicket keeper, in a similar role to that undertaken by Peter Bowler when we won the Refuge Assurance in 1990. Neither Poynton or Goddard have scored heavily this season, so Park's taking the gloves would enable an extra batsman or bowler to play. The downside, of course, would be that we would lose him as a bowling option and as an electric fielder. If we opt to play a couple of spinners I would suggest we go with an experienced gloveman, but I'd be surprised if the idea hasn't been discussed when Park has done this for Durham in the past.
If we get two or three memorable knocks from Bosman we will do better than in recent seasons, but we should not expect him to average fifty in this sort of cricket. For the most part it could be a quick fifteen to twenty to build an impetus that the rest can hopefully maintain, but if anyone gives him width to open his shoulders, his track record suggests there could be a memorable game or two.
In the World 20/20, he was run out after facing just one delivery in the first game, then looked as baffled by the slowness of the pitch as everyone else in the second, after which he was dropped from the side.
Yesterday he returned to the fold against the West Indies and again frustrated those of us watching, being caught down the leg side from a delivery that the umpire then gave as a wide. Loots had, to his credit, already walked, the antithesis of most modern players who won't flinch before the umpire's finger goes up.
To be honest, I think the sensible thing is to wait for the umpire's decision, especially for people with livelihoods at stake. I've played cricket for 35-40 years and would reckon that I've been given out a few times when I shouldn't and given not out when I should. These things tend to even out, but Bosman, far from guaranteed a place in the Proteas side, showed good sportsmanship in setting off.
Given the importance of a flyer in twenty over games, logic may suggest Bosman and Chesney Hughes as openers, but Chris Rogers may opt to open. Firstly because he is a top quality opening batsman, but secondly because both Hughes and Bosman don't appear to have running between the wickets as their strongest suit. That may not be an issue if every ball is going to the boundary, but might just be something to think about as the loss of either in this way would be frustrating. I can see merit in both scenarios, with a Bosman-Hughes pairing eminently capable of 50-60 in the first five overs while the fielding restrictions are in place. Either way, a top six of Bosman, Rogers, Hughes, Smith, Peterson and Wagg should give us some entertainment, with Park and either Redfern or Sadler below them as insurance.
I just wonder if any consideration may be given to playing Park as wicket keeper, in a similar role to that undertaken by Peter Bowler when we won the Refuge Assurance in 1990. Neither Poynton or Goddard have scored heavily this season, so Park's taking the gloves would enable an extra batsman or bowler to play. The downside, of course, would be that we would lose him as a bowling option and as an electric fielder. If we opt to play a couple of spinners I would suggest we go with an experienced gloveman, but I'd be surprised if the idea hasn't been discussed when Park has done this for Durham in the past.
If we get two or three memorable knocks from Bosman we will do better than in recent seasons, but we should not expect him to average fifty in this sort of cricket. For the most part it could be a quick fifteen to twenty to build an impetus that the rest can hopefully maintain, but if anyone gives him width to open his shoulders, his track record suggests there could be a memorable game or two.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Our greater need a bowler?
I'd a couple of interesting e mails after Monday's game against Essex, suggesting that we should perhaps have signed another bowler for the T20 instead of Loots Bosman. The argument carries some credence, especially since it would appear that Chesney Hughes could give us a lively start to the innings himself. One suggested that we could have re-signed Charl Langeveldt for the competition, but I'm not sure on a number of counts.
Firstly, the very nature of this competition is that bowlers are cannon fodder, a sideshow if you will, to the big hitting batsmen. By the nature of things there will be times when every bowler will go out of the park, no matter how good he is.
Secondly, as I've said before, a bowler who takes four wickets will do a good job for the team but will win fewer headlines than the bloke who smashes a 23-ball fifty. Look at the inflated reputation and salary earned by Kieron Pollard to see what I mean. The other side of that, of course, is that the batsmen will generally be the people that fans will part with their hard-earned cash to see. I had a lot of time for Langers and he was a fine asset to Derbyshire two years ago, but if you asked me if he would be a bigger draw than Loots Bosman, I would have to say no.
The cricket club is a business and the more people they can attract, the more commercially viable that business will be. If Loots Bosman can conjure up one of his special innings early in the campaign, there could well be a lot of people buying tickets in the hope of a repeat performance.
The final point I would make is that Langers is not quite the bowler he was two years ago. After shoulder problems it can take some time to recover form anyway, but at 35 it is likely to take longer than in a younger man. In the South African competitions this winter he got more "stick" than might normally have been the case and my sightings of him in the IPL suggested that he had lost a yard or so of pace.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying he's suddenly become a bad bowler, but the Langers of 2008 was a very fine bowler. He's still good enough to make the South African squad, but I'd sooner remember him as a class act who didn't make the mistake of one curtain call too many.
Mind you, if we needed an emergency replacement for Bosman we could do worse - and I doubt he'd have been carted around Leek on Monday...
Firstly, the very nature of this competition is that bowlers are cannon fodder, a sideshow if you will, to the big hitting batsmen. By the nature of things there will be times when every bowler will go out of the park, no matter how good he is.
Secondly, as I've said before, a bowler who takes four wickets will do a good job for the team but will win fewer headlines than the bloke who smashes a 23-ball fifty. Look at the inflated reputation and salary earned by Kieron Pollard to see what I mean. The other side of that, of course, is that the batsmen will generally be the people that fans will part with their hard-earned cash to see. I had a lot of time for Langers and he was a fine asset to Derbyshire two years ago, but if you asked me if he would be a bigger draw than Loots Bosman, I would have to say no.
The cricket club is a business and the more people they can attract, the more commercially viable that business will be. If Loots Bosman can conjure up one of his special innings early in the campaign, there could well be a lot of people buying tickets in the hope of a repeat performance.
The final point I would make is that Langers is not quite the bowler he was two years ago. After shoulder problems it can take some time to recover form anyway, but at 35 it is likely to take longer than in a younger man. In the South African competitions this winter he got more "stick" than might normally have been the case and my sightings of him in the IPL suggested that he had lost a yard or so of pace.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying he's suddenly become a bad bowler, but the Langers of 2008 was a very fine bowler. He's still good enough to make the South African squad, but I'd sooner remember him as a class act who didn't make the mistake of one curtain call too many.
Mind you, if we needed an emergency replacement for Bosman we could do worse - and I doubt he'd have been carted around Leek on Monday...
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Bazooka Bosman set to entertain
There is something of an irony in that the side who have been accused (falsely) of signing more Kolpaks than any other county find themselves crossing the sporting divide and picking up a Bosman for the coming season.
This Bosman is no ordinary beast, however. Lungile Loots Bosman is not a man we would have signed as a replacement for Chris Rogers, as his first class record is modest, but as a destructive opening batsman of the highest order in the twenty over thrash, his record is second to none. Bosman averages over 50 in international matches in the shortest form, while his record in domestic matches is a highly respectable 35. If Dave Warner is the King Tonker of twenty over cricket, Bosman is certainly worthy of consideration as the Prince Regent.
He is not just a slogger, despite a strike rate of 176 per 100 balls faced. A record such as his would be outside the compass of someone who just gets lucky from time to time. He has a good technique but a wonderful eye, combined with timing that sends a ball from the middle of the bat to somewhere beyond the boundary ropes on a regular basis. The nine sixes he hit when destroying England earlier this winter ( 94 from 45 balls!) simply replicated those he hit when scoring a similarly paced domestic ton in South Africa the previous year.
In 37 domestic twenty over matches, Bosman has hit 66 sixes, with seventeen more in just six international appearances over the distance. He showed sufficient prowess at despatching the ball to distant parts with South Africa in India to suggest he would have have been an asset in the IPL. In the third of the fifty over matches, his 68 from 46 balls (7 fours, 4 sixes) gave his side a start of 113 in the first fifteen overs before he was dismissed and an initiative they never lost.
I am sure that Derbyshire fans will watch his performances in the imminent World Cup with a great deal of interest, though Bosman has enough feats to his name in the short format to make those further afield take note at this signing. He promises to be the biggest hitter we have had since the halcyon days of Chris Wilkins, another player who hit long and often to enliven our days at the match.
Over the last few months I have written a few times of the need to get either a big name batsman or bowler to help fill the new seats at the County Ground and have suggested Bosman as one worthy of consideration on several occasions. There is little doubt that batsmen will almost always pull crowds more than bowlers, unless you can pick up a Holding or Muralidaran (as he now spells his name.) While a few people may be saying "Who?" at this signing, anyone who really follows the game will be looking at this and realising that Derbyshire mean business. With decent luck from the weather, anyone prevaricating over their attendance at an evening game in the summer may well be swayed by the prospect of Bosman launching the ball to distant parts. If his eye is in, they may need higher netting in front of the play area at Queens Park before the game against Leicestershire in July...
At a time when all counties are finding it difficult to attract big name players, John Morris has pulled out a gem of a signing and should be warmly congratulated. While some may moan that our greater need was a top bowler, the counter argument is that there are few who are prepared to put their body through more work and potentially shorten their careers outside of the IPL. Similarly, many of the really top players - your Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis - don't need it, period. Others are only able to commit to shorter term contracts, like Cameron White, while some don't manage at all - Virender Sehwag, anyone?
The reality is that Derbyshire have signed an electrifying batsman who, if he comes off on anything like a regular basis, should give a different complexion to our twenty over game. There's not that much difference, at the end of the day, between a bowler who gets through his four overs for 20 and a batsman who hits fifty in 25 balls and enables you to score 190 instead of 160. Apart from the fact that the latter will sell a lot more tickets at the gate and swell the club coffers...
Bosman's signing probably means that we can allow Chris Rogers to do what Tendulkar does so well for the Mumbai Indians and simply bat through the innings. As a naturally quick scorer he will not need to go for the big aerial shots and can simply accumulate while Loots, ideally, puts our totals out of sight. With Madsen, Park and Smith to follow, as well as Goddard, Peterson and Wagg, we should have enough batting to do well. If the bowlers have learned lessons from last year, maybe we could see a decent T20 campaign for the first time. It should be well worth watching, that's for sure.
Loots Bosman at Derbyshire. What's that noise I hear? Ah, 'tis the sound of tinkling cash registers...
Bosman signs for T20!
News this morning on the net that Derbyshire have agreed terms with big hitting South African batsman Loots Bosman to be our second overseas star in the T20 this season.
I'll do more on this later, but the presence of Bosman, who spectacularly hit 94 from just 45 balls against England in the winter, should surely help to fill those extra seats at the County Ground this summer.
It has not yet made the club site, but anyone wishing confirmation of the signing and that I'm not pulling an early April Fool should go to
Bosman hit nine sixes in his whirlwind knock against England and has a number of similar feats in the short format.
Excited? You bet. Nice one Mr Morris, more later.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Cobras take a Bodi blow
Having said some nice things about Charl Langeveldt yesterday, it is only fair (I'm that kind of bloke!) to admit he got a doing today from the mercurial Gulam Bodi.
Born in India, Bodi emigrated to South Africa as a teenager and has been seen as a player of talent, sometimes brilliance, for some time. Today was one of those days for the left hander as he smashed an unbeaten 88 from just 44 balls as the Titans hit 136-1 in 12 overs in a lightning-shortened 20 over thrash that left the Cobras chasing 140 under Duckworth-Lewis.
In the course of his knock he hammered Langeveldt, who ended with figures of 3-0-45-0. Robin Peterson bowled two overs and took the only wicket for 26, but such a score was a tall order for the Cobras, who fell eighteen runs short on 122-6. It was a good effort, but ultimately in vain.
Ironically, Langeveldt's hammering took place on a day when he was recalled to the national squad for the forthcoming one day series in India for his experience. Mind you, I can't think of a bowler who hasn't had the odd bad day and there are a lot of average batsmen in cricket who have had occasional good ones.
Of course, one problem for John Morris now is going to be finding someone who can fill the new seats at the County Ground given the limited number of players available. Langeveldt is a very fine bowler, but I'm not sure that we would sell 2,000 extra tickets if he was in the side. Mind you, he might help us win a game or two, which would help!
The same goes, to some extent, for fine players like Alviro Petersen and Loots Bosman. Both are batsmen of some ability and are good fielders. Bosman in particular is a very free scoring player who hits the ball hard, high and often. Of the three he would perhaps be the biggest draw, especially after his brilliant 94 (with NINE sixes) against England earlier this winter. A batting average of 35 in twenty over cricket is impressive, while he also averages 52 in international fixtures in that format. He's not played in England though, so would be to some extent a gamble, not being especially well known.
Like all players of his kind, on his day supporters of his teams will laud him, on others they will moan about careless shots... you can't have it both ways. Bosman plays a little like Chris Gayle and when he comes off it is spectacular. It won't happen every time though, as most of us know all too well.
Petersen and Bosman are also in the South African one day squad in India, suggesting that they are players of high quality in a country that has more than most.
Another player in that squad who MIGHT come under the microscope led the Cobras reply today with 48 from 28 balls, including five sixes.
Herschelle Gibbs.
At 35 his very best days are perhaps behind him, but his talent seems still to flourish. He is perhaps the most brilliant of a nation of great fielders in recent years (apart from a World Cup semi final I could mention and a dropped catch) and has averaged over 70 in one day matches for the Cobras this winter. With 21 one day international centuries and 27 more in first class one day cricket he has been there and printed, as well as bought the T shirt.
His career has had its controversial moments and he has perhaps, at times, not done himself any favours. Yet Gibbs is a player who could come under consideration in the coming months as Derbyshire and other counties search for a star in a limited market. With 93 centuries in all cricket he has little to prove and with an average of one fifty in every five twenty over knocks he has a more than impressive record. In 2008 he averaged over 50 for Glamorgan in a short stay, with one memorable knock of 98 taking just 45 balls.
I don't think Gibbs is a full season overseas player to rank with, for example, Chris Rogers. I wouldn't expect him to score heavily in County Championship cricket these days and he hasn't featured in the longer game for the Cape Cobras this winter.
But the bottom line is, would he put bums on seats as a T20 player?
Yeah, I think he would. And if we can't get Albie Morkel, I'd be happy with Gibbs at 3 in the T20
See you soon.
Born in India, Bodi emigrated to South Africa as a teenager and has been seen as a player of talent, sometimes brilliance, for some time. Today was one of those days for the left hander as he smashed an unbeaten 88 from just 44 balls as the Titans hit 136-1 in 12 overs in a lightning-shortened 20 over thrash that left the Cobras chasing 140 under Duckworth-Lewis.
In the course of his knock he hammered Langeveldt, who ended with figures of 3-0-45-0. Robin Peterson bowled two overs and took the only wicket for 26, but such a score was a tall order for the Cobras, who fell eighteen runs short on 122-6. It was a good effort, but ultimately in vain.
Ironically, Langeveldt's hammering took place on a day when he was recalled to the national squad for the forthcoming one day series in India for his experience. Mind you, I can't think of a bowler who hasn't had the odd bad day and there are a lot of average batsmen in cricket who have had occasional good ones.
Of course, one problem for John Morris now is going to be finding someone who can fill the new seats at the County Ground given the limited number of players available. Langeveldt is a very fine bowler, but I'm not sure that we would sell 2,000 extra tickets if he was in the side. Mind you, he might help us win a game or two, which would help!
The same goes, to some extent, for fine players like Alviro Petersen and Loots Bosman. Both are batsmen of some ability and are good fielders. Bosman in particular is a very free scoring player who hits the ball hard, high and often. Of the three he would perhaps be the biggest draw, especially after his brilliant 94 (with NINE sixes) against England earlier this winter. A batting average of 35 in twenty over cricket is impressive, while he also averages 52 in international fixtures in that format. He's not played in England though, so would be to some extent a gamble, not being especially well known.
Like all players of his kind, on his day supporters of his teams will laud him, on others they will moan about careless shots... you can't have it both ways. Bosman plays a little like Chris Gayle and when he comes off it is spectacular. It won't happen every time though, as most of us know all too well.
Petersen and Bosman are also in the South African one day squad in India, suggesting that they are players of high quality in a country that has more than most.
Another player in that squad who MIGHT come under the microscope led the Cobras reply today with 48 from 28 balls, including five sixes.
Herschelle Gibbs.
At 35 his very best days are perhaps behind him, but his talent seems still to flourish. He is perhaps the most brilliant of a nation of great fielders in recent years (apart from a World Cup semi final I could mention and a dropped catch) and has averaged over 70 in one day matches for the Cobras this winter. With 21 one day international centuries and 27 more in first class one day cricket he has been there and printed, as well as bought the T shirt.
His career has had its controversial moments and he has perhaps, at times, not done himself any favours. Yet Gibbs is a player who could come under consideration in the coming months as Derbyshire and other counties search for a star in a limited market. With 93 centuries in all cricket he has little to prove and with an average of one fifty in every five twenty over knocks he has a more than impressive record. In 2008 he averaged over 50 for Glamorgan in a short stay, with one memorable knock of 98 taking just 45 balls.
I don't think Gibbs is a full season overseas player to rank with, for example, Chris Rogers. I wouldn't expect him to score heavily in County Championship cricket these days and he hasn't featured in the longer game for the Cape Cobras this winter.
But the bottom line is, would he put bums on seats as a T20 player?
Yeah, I think he would. And if we can't get Albie Morkel, I'd be happy with Gibbs at 3 in the T20
See you soon.
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Jayawardene no-no
So we're not going to see Mahela Jayawardena in Derbyshire colours this year.
I have to say that to some extent I'm pleased. His cultured style isn't really made for a 20/20 thrash and he's not going to do deeds that would enable him to go down in legend in the short game.
I was very excited when I first heard of his signing, but the Asian fixture calendar is now so congested that it effectively rules out all players from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. Similar problems were encountered when attempting to sign Mohammad Yousuf.
So where do we go from here? I'm sure John Morris has some names at this stage, but perhaps an all rounder might be the best bet. James Hopes of Australia is a fine player, who can open in 20/20 and bowl at the death, while someone like Loots Bosman of South Africa, who had some devastating displays in their domestic 20/20 this winter, or Luke Pomersbach of Western Australia could be good bets. The latter, a former team mate of Chris Rogers (who has now signed for Victoria) also produced some huge hitting in their version of the game and at 23 has a reputation to make. So too does fellow Western Australian Shaun Marsh, son of former Aussie opener Geoff, who in fact headed the Australian KFC 20/20 batting averages and is now firmly in the Australian selectors thoughts. Another well-known to Chris Rogers and I'm sure that John Morris will sound out the opinions of both him and Dom Telo with regard to possibilities in their homeland.
Its yet more for us to look forward to and 11am cannot come soon enough!
I have to say that to some extent I'm pleased. His cultured style isn't really made for a 20/20 thrash and he's not going to do deeds that would enable him to go down in legend in the short game.
I was very excited when I first heard of his signing, but the Asian fixture calendar is now so congested that it effectively rules out all players from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. Similar problems were encountered when attempting to sign Mohammad Yousuf.
So where do we go from here? I'm sure John Morris has some names at this stage, but perhaps an all rounder might be the best bet. James Hopes of Australia is a fine player, who can open in 20/20 and bowl at the death, while someone like Loots Bosman of South Africa, who had some devastating displays in their domestic 20/20 this winter, or Luke Pomersbach of Western Australia could be good bets. The latter, a former team mate of Chris Rogers (who has now signed for Victoria) also produced some huge hitting in their version of the game and at 23 has a reputation to make. So too does fellow Western Australian Shaun Marsh, son of former Aussie opener Geoff, who in fact headed the Australian KFC 20/20 batting averages and is now firmly in the Australian selectors thoughts. Another well-known to Chris Rogers and I'm sure that John Morris will sound out the opinions of both him and Dom Telo with regard to possibilities in their homeland.
Its yet more for us to look forward to and 11am cannot come soon enough!
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