Marcus Hook’s Surrey CCC column: T20 favourites reminded that competition is no breeze
Every T20 game is a potential banana skin as well as a way to make a name for yourself. Sean Abbott certainly did that by seizing the moment against Kent.
As expected, the early pace-setters in the Vitality Blast were Surrey in the South Group and Lancashire in the North. But both have already been reminded that T20 cricket is no respecter of status.
Lancashire were bowled out for 98 the other day, though not before Surrey opted to rest Gus Atkinson and Sean Abbott for Sussex’s trip to the Oval.
Perhaps the absence of both of Sussex’s overseas players was a factor in the South Londoners’ decision.
The Sharks’ Nathan McAndrew and Shadab Khan were unavailable for selection as a precaution following a collision in the field in Sussex’s opening T20 game against Somerset.
Nevertheless, Sussex kept Surrey to 148, which was just enough to give their weakened line-up the chance to pull off a surprise victory with one ball to spare.
Some will point to a couple of LBW decisions that didn’t go Surrey’s way, but that’s cricket.
County umpires are in an impossible position. Now that every game is either televised or available to watch live on YouTube, I sense we’re not far away from affording umpires the chance to review controversial decisions.
At the moment, it just doesn’t seem right that we can watch slow-motion replays in real time, but the umpires can’t.
While many point to the lack of cricket on terrestrial television as a barrier to raising the game’s profile, there’s no shortage of live cricket thanks to the internet.
A league table of last summer’s online viewing figures appears on page 160 of this year’s Wisden Almanack. Surrey were second with Lancashire top, but the key figure is that the total number of views across all 18 counties exceeded 27 million.
PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
