Pooran is striking at 200 in this IPL, so why are LSG making him bat only 14 balls per innings on average?

Alagappan Muthu19-Apr-20231:12

Moody: Can’t make sense of LSG’s batting order

“This isn’t the kind of pitch where you can just come in and tee off.”R Ashwin is as good a judge of conditions in a cricket match as there can be. Jaipur is merely his adopted home ground but he was spot on.Batting is best when you can trust the bounce. You need it to hit through the line. You need it to slog across it. You need it to feel good at the crease. And when it goes missing, things like this game happen.Related

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Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers, right from the first over, which was a maiden from Trent Boult, got the ball to skid through low enough that getting under it and putting power on it just became impossible. They also did not give up the stumps – according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, 94 of the 120 balls ended up on or just outside the line of those three LED sticks.The result of all this was that Lucknow Super Giants had precious little opportunity to play their power game. They couldn’t go over the top. They couldn’t free their arms. Their 37 for 0 was comfortably the lowest powerplay score of the season for no wickets lost.To their credit, KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers found a bit of second wind. They targeted the one bowler who wasn’t suited to these conditions. Yuzvendra Chahal is great at tossing the ball up and wide, preying on sloggers’ desire to hit him leg side and getting them caught off mis-hits. He tried that, only for Mayers and Rahul to connect cleanly, and once that happened, he tried bowling shorter, but because he is slow through the air, they just sat up to be smashed.Super Giants had built an 18-run over on top of an 13-run over. They were 74 for 0 in nine and ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster had them reaching 173. They finished on 154.And that was a function of the pitch. It can be frustrating to see Rahul, who holds the record for the fastest fifty of the tournament, a 14-ball blitz in 2018 – go through the IPL with a strike rate of 114.79, the third-lowest among those who have scored at least 50 runs this year. But this time it wasn’t his fault. Even a player of Jos Buttler’s calibre was 5 off 14 early on and a hitter of Shimron Hetmyer’s calibre was caught somewhere near the 30-yard circle when he was looking to clear the whole ground.Jaipur just didn’t get the memo. In its first IPL game in nearly four years, it rolled the red carpet out for the people who practice the wrong discipline. And there wasn’t any dew either. So on top of not being able to get under the ball, batters also had to deal with it not coming on nicely. It’s the reason why 10 of the 20 overs in the chase produced six or fewer runs.”It’s not one of those innings that I dream of playing,” Mayers, the top-scorer of the match with 51 off 42, said before explaining why run-scoring had been so difficult.”The variable bounce was the hardest thing. The way their bowlers used the wicket, you thought you had the length to get under, but it was tough, it was sliding. So I just tried to aim straight. I also tried to give the bowlers my stumps and tried to hit through the off side as much as possible.”3:27

Were Rajasthan Royals left surprised by the slowness of their ‘home’ ground?

In the end, Super Giants were able to put in enough of a squeeze to come away with victory. But there is still one nagging issue that keeps following them.Nicholas Pooran has faced only 85 balls in this IPL. That is an average of 14 per innings. Only twice has he come in with anywhere near half the innings left to bat – and one of those was against Royal Challengers Bangalore when he showed just how valuable he can be when he’s given time in the middle, finishing with 62 off 19. Thanks to that innings he has the second-highest strike rate (200) for anyone who has faced at least 25 balls at this year’s competition.Why is this happening? Why is a player who is incredibly talented and on top of that in a rich vein of current form limited to cameo appearances?When asked to make sense of this, Tom Moody, an IPL-winning coach, on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out show, said “I can’t. Between Pooran and [Marcus] Stoinis, I think they’ve faced a total sum of 36 balls in a 120-ball game. That’s two specialist batters, Stoinis isn’t bowling [a lot], I think that’s bizarre that they’re only facing that many deliveries when there was an opportunity for one or the other to come in at the fall of the first wicket after such a solid start.”The only possible reason is that Super Giants aren’t particularly confident about the rest of the lower-middle order.The upside of having Pooran in early is obvious. He gets more time in the middle, he scores more runs, their chances of winning increase. But teams in a high stakes tournament like the IPL also have to budget for their plans backfiring. So what happens if Pooran bats at No. 3 and falls for a first-ball duck? Who finishes the innings then?It isn’t the most attractive way to play the game. Nor is it a particularly ringing endorsement of the player’s capabilities. Pooran has scored most of his T20I runs at No. 3 for West Indies – 614 out of 1486 at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 132.But it is a form of damage limitation. IPL games usually go down to the wire. The past few days have made that perfectly clear. In that situation, teams prefer their biggest gun in the middle. Super Giants have decided that that is Pooran and if that means he only gets to face an average of 14 balls an innings, so be it. He’s still striking at 200 and, after six games, they’re shy of first place only on net run rate.

The Indore Test had many similarities with earlier Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests in India – here’s a check

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2023Within the first session – it didn’t even last seven – it was clear that the Indore Test would be dramatic, controversial, and the result was just around the corner. Wickets fell with alarming regularity: 14 on the first day and 16 on the second. India totalled just 109 and 163, . Australia took a handy first-innings lead, and then chased down the paltry 76-run target without fuss. Just four wickets went to the quick bowlers. The pitch earned a “poor” rating, and Australia clawed back in the series after losing the first two Tests.Now that the dust – and there was a lot of it on that pitch – has settled, Andrew McGlashan, Karthik Krishnaswamy and Kaustubh Kumar find that the Indore Test had many similarities to past Tests – like Pune 2017, or Mumbai 2004, or even Bengaluru 2017.

He was really good in 2011. He was awesome in 2015. He was ignored in 2019 but he is more than ready for 2023

Sruthi Ravindranath28-Aug-2023Tim Southee’s career arc could very well be represented by the ODI World Cups he’s been part of over the years.At 22, he made an impression in his first-ever ODI World Cup by taking 18 wickets in eight innings and finished as New Zealand’s best bowler in the semi-final they lost to Sri Lanka in 2011 in India. In 2015, he blew teams away in swinging conditions at home (remember performance in Wellington) before having a rare bad day on the field in the final against Australia in Melbourne. Four years later, a dip in white-ball form meant he was part of just one match in the 2019 World Cup following which he was also no longer a regular in New Zealand’s ODI side.In the lead-up to the 2023 tournament, Southee has shown he still has the stomach for a fight. Three heartbreaks later, he will be back in India, where it all started for him 12 years ago, not just as a seasoned campaigner but also having added new dimensions to his bowling.Related

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Outswing had been the main tool of his trade but he had other tricks too. In the early years of his career, his ability to generate reverse-swing kept him in the game long after the ball lost its shine. Over the years, he went through periods of inconsistency, and with the threat of both traditional and reverse-swing diminishing in limited-overs cricket, Southee had to find other ways to stay relevant.He did that by working on using the crease and developing subtle variations. He produced one of his finest performances across formats in the Kanpur Test in 2021, which was testament to the work he’d been putting in. He also developed the inswinger with the Dukes ball during tours to England, and has also added the knuckle ball, the legcutter and the three-quarter seam ball to his repertoire. In a recent visit to the subcontinent, the ODIs against Pakistan in January this year, he relied on his slower balls and cutters to restrict batters and take wickets.”I think as an international player you have to keep evolving your game if you want to keep playing this level,” Southee said on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai last week. “For me, I’ve been playing international cricket for a while and one of the things I’ve tried to do is staying with the times and trying to improve my game. Especially in white-ball cricket, I try and keep things reasonably simple. And that’s whether it’s through different variations that you can muster or other variations of kinds. I think that’s just been a been a big part. It’s actually just wanting to keep trying to get better and keep trying to improve.”Tim Southee is gearing up for his fourth ODI World Cup•Associated PressThis will be Southee’s seventh international visit to India and he also brings with him over ten years of IPL experience. In the 2016 T20 World Cup, the last ICC tournament which was hosted by India, Southee did not play a single game with New Zealand preferring hit-the-deck style fast bowlers. In the UK in 2019, he watched most of the games from the sidelines owing to injury and average form. But this time around, he will return as a much-improved bowler, having shown what he’s capable of in Asian conditions in the last few years.This August, Southee captained New Zealand’s T20I side against UAE in Dubai, where he picked up six wickets in three matches to become the joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is alongside Shakib Al Hasan. He bagged a five-for in the first T20I to bail New Zealand out, taking two wickets upfront with the new ball and then reaping the rewards of bowling cutters into the pitch to finish off the tail.He even played a match in the men’s Hundred for London Spirit upon landing in the UK ahead of the limited-overs series against England. He finished with 3 for 23 against Birmingham Phoenix, first finding Will Smeed’s edge with a swinging delivery and then returning to bounce out Moeen Ali and Ben Duckett.Ahead of this World Cup, with six ODIs against England and Bangladesh to go, he has picked up 20 wickets from his last 11 matches and has gone wicketless in only one game. His leadership experience – he is New Zealand’s full-time Test captain – will be an added bonus to in the likely absence of Kane Williamson.”I was very fortunate to play in the World Cup here in 2011,” Southee said. “It was a great experience to be a part of it and I guess every time you’ve come to these parts of the world, the guys from New Zealand that were involved in the IPL earlier in the year would have gained as much knowledge as they can about the grounds and the surfaces that we’ll be playing on. It’s a different format, but I guess it’s just you rely on previous experiences that you’ve had in these parts of the world. I think for us in New Zealand, being such a small country, to represent our country is a great honour. I think any time there is a world event, it’s still a massive occasion that the guys look forward to.”Tim Southee and Trent Boult have made 169 appearances together across formats for New Zealand•Getty ImagesNew Zealand’s series against England, their second-last assignment before the World Cup in India, will also reunite Southee with Trent Boult, who returns to the ODI fold after 11 months. The prolific fast-bowling duo also belongs to the U-19 World Cup class of 2007-08 – where Southee finished as Player of the Tournament ahead of the likes of Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Steven Smith, Wayne Parnell and many others who will be part of the upcoming men’s World Cup.Southee and Boult have appeared together 169 times across formats for New Zealand, picking up a total of 852 wickets, which is about 48% of the total wickets taken by New Zealand bowlers in that time. Rising through the ranks from age groups to playing domestic cricket together and going on to become two of the best players the country has produced, Southee and Boult have had similar career arcs – until recently when Boult gave up his central contract and became a T20 freelancer.Southee does not see himself going down that road anytime soon, at least, but is looking forward to the reunion with Boult.”We did some training together before we left New Zealand,” Southee said. “He’s excited to be back playing for New Zealand and he’s a massive part of the one-day team. I think he’s one of the best one-day bowlers going around in the world. For us to have him back, it’ll be great. He was part of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup tournaments in which we made the final. He was a big part of that. I’m sure he’ll be a big part of the side in this this World Cup as well.””I’ve been fortunate to play a lot of cricket in the IPL and I’ve loved every moment of it and every other league I’ve played has been enjoyable as well. I do love playing for New Zealand and I’ve wanted to since I was a kid. For now, it’s about what cricket’s in front, the series against England and the World Cup is at the forefront of my mind at the moment.”Though New Zealand have a plethora of fast-bowling options at their disposal for the World Cup, with Lockie Ferguson and Kyle Jamieson returning from injuries and with Matt Henry in terrific white-ball form, having just topped the wickets chart in the T20 Blast, it will be hard for them to ignore this version of Southee.

He battled nerves of facing the likes of Ashwin and Jadeja, and shone through to top-score with 47

Shashank Kishore13-Jul-20231:50

Deep Dasgupta: Alick Athanaze showed he can attack and defend

Alick Athanaze spent a sleepless night, tossing and turning. The prospect of being handed a Test cap against India, that too on home soil, got his adrenaline pumping. In the stands, his parents were watching him play live for the first time, making it a day of many firsts for the family.”I didn’t sleep a lot,” Athanaze said after the first day’s play. “I slept at 9pm, woke up at 12. Then went to sleep, woke up again at 2am. I was trying to get to the day to come. It was just excitement, I’m happy for the opportunity. It was special playing in front of my family, they’ve supported me right through. Normally when there’s a Test match, we sit in the crowd and watch. To have them here was special.”When his chance came, Athanaze showed why he has been rated very highly. He was solid against pace, combated R Ashwin’s spin with poise and composure, and was the lone bright spark in the West Indies innings as he top-scored with 47.Related

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More than the runs, there was an unmistakable confidence in the manner in which he went about trying to limit the damage after West Indies elected to bat. He came in to bat in the opening session with the side tottering at 47 for 3, and saw the middle order cave in quickly.But right from the moment he drove Shardul Thakur on the up for his first runs in Test cricket, Athanaze showed he wasn’t going to merely dig in and occupy the crease. On the rare occasions the bowlers erred, he was quick to pounce on them, like he did in pulling an Ashwin half-tracker behind square or whip a short delivery off his hip to the square-leg fence.He occupied the crease for 99 deliveries in all, hitting six fours and a six in West Indies’ 150 all out. He later admitted to having battled some nerves as he walked out to bat.”Yeah definitely,” he said when asked if there was nervousness. “Coming against a team like India, facing guys like Ashwin, [Mohammed] Siraj, [Ravindra] Jadeja, obviously there were some nerves at the start. It was really about settling, trying to get my feet [moving], trying to work out what the bowlers were doing.”There was the pressure of wickets falling around me, and their guys were being accurate, bringing in a lot of variations, especially Ashwin. I think we could’ve handled it a bit better as a team. But we’ll learn from this and move on. It was really about giving myself a chance. As long as I did that, you could cash in at the end. Unfortunately I fell a few short of my half-century.”At 24, he has already had five years of domestic cricket behind him, having first made a splash in 2017-18, the year he was selected for the Under-19 World Cup. There, he topped the run charts in the tournament; his 418 runs in six innings comfortably ahead of second-placed Shubman Gill’s 372 that would earn him the Player of the Tournament.But it’s his recent exploits that have made heads turn. Athanaze scored 647 runs at an average of 64, including two centuries and four half-centuries, for Windward Islands in the previous domestic season. Those runs earned him a place on the Test tour of South Africa earlier this year. While he didn’t get a chance to play, he got an opportunity to interact with Brian Lara.”I’ve been working hard. I’ve been working closely with Brian and he has contributed a lot to my game mentally – I wouldn’t say much tactically but mentally – and that has helped me to carry my form right throughout the year,” Athanaze said.The year 2023 has been special for several reasons, not least being his Test selection. He made his ODI debut in June against UAE in Sharjah, where he slammed the joint-fastest half-century on ODI debut. The news continued to get better from there on as he then earned a maiden CPL gig with Barbados Royals. Topping all that, of course, is the Test cap that he received from Desmond Haynes in Dominica.Athanaze doesn’t speak much but is keen to make a mark with a style of play he thinks will suit him best. “My game plans basically remain the same,” he said. “I am an attacking player and I will try to carry that throughout the Test match [but will] just [try] being more responsible.”

Which big name will Scorchers go for, who will the defending champions retain and how can Sixers replace Ecclestone?

Alex Malcolm01-Sep-2023Adelaide StrikersCurrent list: Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath, Annie O’Neil, Madeline Penna, Megan Schutt, Amanda Jade-WellingtonLast playing XI Katie Mack, Laura Wolvaardt, Tahlia McGrath (capt), Bridget Patterson, Madeline Penna, Tegan McPharlin (wk), Amanda-Jade Wellington, Jemma Barsby, Megan Schutt, Darcie BrownLast season’s overseas/retention options: Laura Wolvaardt, Deandra Dottin, Stafanie TaylorDraft picks: 8, 16, 17, and 32What might they want?Strikers have three retention picks in Laura Wolvaardt, Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor, who returns to the WBBL after missing the last two editions. They may not need to use the retention as a lot of other drama will unfold before their first pick and those three players may not be high on the list of priorities for the other seven teams. Strikers’ title-winning attack is very settled and they already have an allrounder in their captain McGrath. Wolvaardt looms as their most likely target given her consistency at the top of the order for Strikers. Allrounders are in high demand so whether Dottin and Taylor would still be available by pick 16 if Strikers took Wolvaardt first remains to be seen. Strikers also need a wicketkeeper after Tegan McPharlin’s retirement last year. There are precious few options in the draft but India’s Richa Ghosh will be in demand and her power-hitting certainly fits in with Strikers’ batting blueprint.Brisbane HeatCurrent list: Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia VollLast playing XI Georgia Redmayne (wk), Danni Wyatt, Grace Harris, Amelia Kerr, Georgia Voll, Laura Harris, Jess Jonassen (capt), Charli Knott, Nicola Hancock, Courtney Sippel, Jess KerrLast season’s overseas/retention options: Amelia Kerr, Danni Wyatt, Jess Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Nadine de KlerkDraft picks: 6, 14, 19, and 30What might they want?
Skipper Jess Jonassen has already declared that New Zealand star Amelia Kerr is the No.1 priority as a retention pick and Heat may need to use it given their first choice is not until pick 6, with plenty of teams above them in the market for a legspinning allrounder. Thereafter, Heat will be at the mercy of the market given their next pick will pick 14. They will likely need another top order batter given they have an established and powerful middle order already and there should be plenty still available including Danni Wyatt who made two half-centuries for Heat last season. Heat may also look to add another fast bowler and India’s Shikha Pandey might be an experienced and familiar option given she has spent some time training in Brisbane this winter.2:16

Jonassen: Brisbane Heat will want to retain Amelia Kerr in WBBL draft

Hobart HurricanesCurrent list: Nicola Carey, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, Elyse VillaniLast playing XI Lizelle Lee (wk), Elyse Villani (capt), Mignon du Preez, Heather Graham, Nicola Carey, Ruth Johnston, Rachel Trenaman, Hayley Jensen, Maisy Gibson, Amy Smith, Molly StranoLast season’s overseas/retention options: Lizelle Lee, Mignon du Preez, Hayley Jensen, Issy WongDraft picks: 5, 13, 20, 29What might they want?
Hurricanes are in an interesting position with two of their overseas players from last year in Lizelle Lee and Mignon du Preez both bypassing the draft and opting for the WBBL’s unique direct nomination path, where they can be signed by a club of their choice post-draft for a reduced salary. But Hurricanes have to take two overseas players in the draft and can only play three in the team meaning one of those two will likely not play for them. However, as far as priorities go, Hurricanes need a strike bowler and they are in luck with Issy Wong being available as a retention pick. Even though she didn’t play last season she was initially contracted and thus qualifies. That looms as a likely option unless a world-class allrounder somehow slips to No. 5 although Hurricanes do already have Nicola Carey and Heather Graham. If they take Wong, their second target could well be another top-order batter given Lee and du Preez were both key planks in the top three and neither are available in the draft.Melbourne RenegadesCurrent list: Sarah Coyte, Jess Duffin, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Sophie Molineux, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia WarehamLast playing XI Hayley Matthews (capt), Chamari Athapaththu, Josie Dooley, Courtney Webb, Erica Kershaw, Carly Leeson, Georgia Prestwidge, Sarah Coyte, Rhiann O’Donnell, Ella Hayward, Shabnim IsmailLast season’s overseas/retention options: Hayley Matthews, Chamari Athapaththu, Shabhim Ismail, Harmanpreet Kaur, Eve JonesDraft picks: 2, 10, 23, and 26What might they want?
Renegades have some interesting choices to make. They can retain Harmanpreet Kaur even though she didn’t play last year. She was outstanding the previous season winning player of the tournament. She brings batting prowess and excellent part-time spin as well as important leadership for a young group. She seems a logical pick at No. 2. But they need another top order batting allrounder and potentially a pace bowler. There should be options available at pick 10 given the way the picks are set to fall. The question will be what the greater priority is given what will be available. Jess Duffin’s return to the squad adds batting depth meaning they could target a pace bowler. But Sophie Molineux’s fitness coming back from a knee injury remains an unknown so another spin-bowling batter might be an option, and there should be a few available.Will Renegades retain Harmanpreet Kaur who missed last season with injury?•Mark Brake/Getty ImagesMelbourne StarsCurrent list: Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Meg Lanning, Sasha Moloney, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Reid, Annabel SutherlandLast playing XI Lauren Winfield-Hill, Sophie Reid, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland, Bess Heath, Kim Garth, Nicole Faltum (wk), Sasha Moloney, Olivia Henry, Rhys McKenna, Sophie DayLast season’s overseas/retention options: Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bess HeathDraft picks: 4, 12, 21, and 28What might they want?
Stars need the best player they can possibly get and are in a very good position at pick 4 given what might unfold infront of them with Thunder, Renegades and Scorchers holding the first three picks. If Thunder opt for Marizanne Kapp and Scorchers opt to retain Sophie Devine instead, and Renegades take Harmanpreet Kaur then players such as Heather Knight, Chloe Tryon, Hayley Matthews, Shabnim Ismail and Chamari Athapaththu are all up for grabs among a host of others who aren’t retention options. If Meg Lanning is fit to play a full season, which is looking likely, then Ismail would be a great option to round out Stars’ attack. If Lanning is unavailable, Knight’s experience would be invaluable. Even if they committed to Ismail and missed out on Knight, there is still likely to be some excellent batters and allrounders available at pick 12 in the second round which would also add value to Stars’ side.ESPNcricinfo LtdPerth ScorchersCurrent list: Charis Bekker, Mathilda Carmichael, Peipa Cleary, Maddy Darke, Amy Edgar, Alana King, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Taneale Pechel, Chloe Piparo, Georgia WyllieLast playing XI Sophie Devine (capt), Beth Mooney (wk), Maddy Green, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Pipara, Amy Edgar, Mathilda Carmichael, Alana King, Piepa Cleary, Lilly Mills, Holly FerlingLast season’s overseas/retention options: Marizanne Kapp, Sophie Devine, Maddy GreenDraft picks: 3, 11, 22, and 27What might they want?
Scorchers are the team most disadvantaged by the move to an overseas draft in the WBBL as they will have to choose between Kapp and Devine as to which allrounder to retain. The decision will shape the whole draft. Either way they go, they will lose a high-quality pace bowling allrounder who bats in the top four and will need to replace her with their second pick at 11. Depending on how the first 10 picks shape someone like Dottin could be available. They could also opt for a batter and back their local bowlers. Athapaththu has played for Scorchers previously and might also be available if Thunder or Renegades don’t take her with their second picks. There is also a scenario where Knight and Taylor are still available at that pick.Sydney SixersCurrent list: Jade Allen, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Emma Hughes, Ellyse PerryLast playing XI Suzie Bates, Alyssa Healy (wk), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Erin Burns, Nicole Bolton, Sophie Ecclestone, Maitlin Brown, Kate Peterson, Angelina Genford, Lauren CheatleLast season’s overseas: Sophie Ecclestone, Suzie BatesDraft picks: 7, 15, 18, and 31What might they want?
Sixers were certain to take Sophie Ecclestone as a retention pick before her shoulder injury. They now have a clean slate with Suzie Bates unavailable for the draft although she may still play for the Sixers as a directly contracted player post draft. That means the Sixers need to find the best players they can with pick 7 and 15. They definitely need a spinner and England legspinner Sarah Glenn could be an excellent option coming off a very good Hundred tournament. Offspinner Deepti Sharma could also be available as a direct replacement for Nicole Bolton who has retired but the Sixers would prefer a legspinner or left-arm orthodox to complement Gardner and Burns. Sune Luus is not a platinum pick but could be a more than handy pick up later in the draft. Another option is to find a seam-bowling allrounder to deepen the batting and Nadine de Klerk is another non-platinum player who could be a good fit after an excellent English summer for Oval Invincibles and Blaze.Sydney ThunderCurrent list: Hannah Darlington, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Olivia Porter, Lauren SmithLast playing XI Tammy Beaumont, Phoebe Litchfield, Amy Jones (wk), Rachael Haynes (capt), Chloe Tryon, Olivia Porter, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Hannah Darlington, Lauren Smith, Belinda Vakarewa, Samantha BatesLast season’s overseas/retention options: Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont, Chloe Tryon, Lea Tahuhu, Heather KnightDraft picks: 1, 9, 24, and 25What might they want?
Scorchers will shape the draft with their retention pick but Thunder are the ones who can set it in motion. They have a lot of great players available and they definitely need high quality players and experience, particularly batters. They can prise one of Kapp or Devine from Perth with that No. 1 pick. Most around the league believe Kapp would be first-choice for any club. But if Scorchers retain Kapp then Thunder have a decision to make. Do they take Devine or do they look elsewhere? They also have pick No.9 which is likely to be a very good player and there is a chance Knight, a former Thunder player, might be available then too. Tammy Beaumont has nominated for a direct route outside the draft and may get to Thunder again so they may look to add another bowler if they can. If Ismail slips through then she might be another they would like to have back after her starring role in their last title in 2020. Amy Jones has also bypassed the draft to be directly contracted by a club and was Thunder’s keeper last season. Thunder will need another keeper if they opt to sign Beaumont.