English County Cricket

The county cricket season is nearly over, but Saturday offers up the Yorkshire Bank 40 final—a showpiece one-day match at Lord's between Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan.

The Welsh side are underdogs with all bookmakers, but after defeating last year's winners Hampshire in their semi-final, they will be full of confidence heading into the limited-overs showdown.

Notts boast a squad with a number of international stars—although, as we saw last year when Hampshire beat Warwickshire via the very last ball, anything can happen.

Here's a look at some of the key players set to be involved at Lord's.

Jim Allenby, Glamorgan

A major figure in Glamorgan's run to the final, Jim Allenby has proved himself equally adept with bat and ball.

The Aussie all-rounder was his team's best performer against Hampshire in the last round, finishing not out on 74 runs —the highest score of any Glamorgan player.

He also produced the most economical return of any bowler, limiting the south-coast side to just 18 runs in his eight overs.

The 31-year-old could prove a major asset in both innings at Lord's.

Graeme Swann, Nottinghamshire

One of England's Ashes heroes, Graeme Swann, makes his return to county cricket following a brief rest after his exertions against Australia.

The off-spinner enjoyed a fine series with ball in hand and Notts fans will be hoping he can recapture his good form at the home of cricket.

Lord's is well known for having a good wicket and Swann is sure to be given a key role in his side's bowling attack, particularly after his five-wicket haul against the Aussies at the same venue back in July.

If he's at his best, Swann has the ability to take the game away from Glamorgan by ripping through their top order.

Simon Jones, Glamorgan

Former England fast bowler Simon Jones will be looking to go out on a high after announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket other than Twenty20 after Saturday's final.

The 34-year-old, who terrorised Australia in the 2005 Ashes, still has the quality to trouble Nottinghamshire's best batsmen with the pace and accuracy of his deliveries.

Jones is in confident mood ahead of the final, telling the Daily Mail:

It's always a good wicket at Lord's so we should have a great game. I know all sides say it but if we play to our best I know we can win.

The former Hampshire man is capable of finding lateral movement and will need to put on a show if he is to bow out with a trophy.

With the Ashes taking a back seat until the winter series in Australia, attention turns to domestic matters—namely the Yorkshire Bank 40 final between Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan.

The showpiece event on the county cricket calendar takes place at Lord’s on Saturday.

Here’s a look at a few talking points, the key performers and a prediction ahead of this limited-overs final.

When: Saturday, September 21. 11:30 BST.

Where: Lord's, London

Watch: Sky Sports 2, from 11:00 BST

Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire finished top of Group A, with nine wins from 12 matches, and beat Somerset in the semifinal. Most current talk around the Outlaws involves the controversial decision to recall their Ashes stars Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann.

The England duo have made little contribution to Nottinghamshire's progress—excluding a pair of appearances from Swann—but seem likely to take the place of two semifinal heroes.

Both have been included in a 15-man squad and it will be interesting to see the Outlaws' stance on the matter, and whether they follow Warwickshire's 2007 approach when they surprisingly omitted Ian Bell.

Glamorgan

After finishing second in Group C, Glamorgan qualified for the semifinals as the best-placed runner up, having a marginally superior net run-rate to Northamptonshire.

In the semifinal they took on favourites Hampshire and secured a well-earned 31-run victory by containing their opponents' fierce batting lineup.

The Welsh side are perhaps surprise finalists, without a squad of marquee names. However, they enjoyed not-too-distant success in limited-overs cricket, winning national titles in 2004 and 2002.

Key Players

Jim Allenby has been instrumental in Glamorgan's success, making several decisive contributions with both bat and ball.

His semifinal performance almost single handedly dragged his side to Lord's. A crisp 74 was the highlight on the batting card and his miserly 18 runs from eight overs proved the most economical return by a bowler.

Allenby snared both openers in that match and Nottinghamshire will need to be especially wary of him during both innings of this game.

While it's hard to ignore the impressive campaigns of so many Outlaws, the return of Graeme Swann sprinkles the Nottinghamshire side with stardust.

Rested and presumably reinvigorated from his post-Ashes break, Swann should be chomping at the bit to take centre stage here, and Glamorgan will do well to suppress his impact. 

Prediction: Nottinghamshire to Triumph

Nottinghamshire’s lineup looks a little too formidable for the Welsh outfit to overcome, particularly in the batting department.

On paper they have too many players of international calibre and with their bowling core potentially reinforced by Ashes stars, expect the Outlaws to be crowned champions of the 40-over format.

Durham have won the 2013 LV County Championship, after easing home to an eight-wicket win over Nottinghamshire (via BBC Sport).

Paul Collingwood's side began Day 3 needing just 62 runs to claim victory against their relegation-threatened opponents. However, rain at Chester-le-Street initially halted their quest, with both sides confined to the dressing room by a steady drizzle.

Thankfully, for the hosts, the skies eventually cleared, allowing them to chase down their modest total and lift a third title in six years

The result had always seemed likely after Durham's seamers had pulverised the Nottinghamshire batsmen in the first innings, bowling them out for an embarrassing 78. Having slumped to 74-6 themselves, Collingwood and Paul Mustard came together to form a crucial 121-run partnership, guiding the home side to 256, with both veterans passing 50 on the way.

That partnership effectively secured the title, and although Nottinghamshire improved second time around with the bat, accumulating 246, the damage had been done by their first innings collapse. They left Durham needing just 69 runs to be crowned county champions once again.

With the best part of two days left to play, the weather was the only factor likely to prolong Durham’s wait any further, and eventually—after several umpire inspections—play was allowed to resume at 13:30 BST.

Harry Gurney twice frustrated the home side's chase, claiming the wickets of Keaton Jennings and Scott Borthwick, but Durham progressed on to reach 69-2.

Mark Stoneman batted through to 35 not out and hit the winning boundary to secure a title last won back in 2008 and 2009.

The ECB's recent announcement that Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad were available for the YB40 Final between Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan opened up a can of worms.

While their county side Notts have negotiated 13 encounters in order to get to Lord's, Swann played just twice in the competition back in May, while Broad hasn't figured at all.

Which raises the question: Is it fair that the two Ashes superstars, who have been in the limelight all summer, should waltz back into the team at the expense of others for a one-off match?

Of course, there has been opposition from the romantics—or more accurately, the various message boards and fans forums where the English domestic game is discussed.

What about the poor lads who have put in the hard yards? What about the players who have trekked around the country since the competition began in May only to be cruelly robbed of their moment of glory?

Notts fans will remember an almost identical incident that backfired a few years ago featuring the same duo.

In their 2010 domestic T20 competition, the Midlanders qualified for Finals Day, and Swann and Broad were made available despite the off-spinner not playing at all and Broad only playing a couple of group games throughout the qualifying campaign. The stars were fast-tracked into the side but the unsettled Outlaws lost their semi-final against Somerset, with Broad’s return of one wicket for 44 runs less than inspirational.

Another area of concern for Outlaws coach Mike Newell is form.

While the rest of the squad have been playing week-in, week-out for months, Swann's and Broad’s season effectively finished when the Ashes ended on 25 August. Now, all of a sudden, despite having no match practice in four weeks, the duo will be expected to hit the ground running and provide match-winning performances.

But despite these legitimate issues, it would be a huge error to leave a combined total of 490 List A wickets, 264 of which were in ODIs against some of the best batsman in the world, sitting in the dressing room. Added to this is Swann’s miserly economy rate of 4.42 from over 200 matches and the ability of the pair to provide rapid late-order runs.

Statistics aside, perhaps even more important are the intangible qualities they bring to the team.

Their experience and know-how on the big stage and the increased confidence their presence brings to the rest of the side could be enough to get Notts over the line.

One last nail in the naysayers' coffin comes from the Friends Provident Trophy semi-final in 2007.

As reported on ESPN Cricinfo, England released Ian Bell to play for Warwickshire in the fixture. However, the county made the tough decision to leave the gifted stroke-maker out and stick with the lineup that had got them to the last four. 

They consequently stumbled to a 40-run loss.

So it’s bad luck to the pair who miss out (although a share of the prize money may brighten their spirits), but there is simply no room for sentiment in professional sport.

Date: Saturday, 7th September.

Time: 12:45.

Venue: Ageas Bowl, Southampton.

TV Info: Sky Sports 3.

Weather: Possibility of showers throughout the day.

Preview

The gruelling YB40 competition which began in May finally edges towards its conclusion with defending champions Hampshire facing surprise package Glamorgan in the first of the semifinals.

Hampshire are arguably the number one white-ball team in the country and are current holders of this trophy after their dramatic victory against Warwickshire last year.

With a lineup packed with talent, their general strategy is based on a plethora of spinners and hard-to-hit seamers strangling the opposition batsman, while their own willow-wielders such as Jimmy Adams and James Vince go big at the top of the order.

Glamorgan progressed to their first one-day competition semi-final since 2004 as best runner-up, which was no mean feat as they emerged from a group that contained the likes of Somerset and Middlesex.

They have a side containing plenty of old heads such as Murray Goodwin and Dean Cosker while Jim Allenby and Graham Wagg are high-quality county performers with both bat and ball. 

The last 40 over contest between these sides was in 2012 and the Royals ran out comfortable winners by 107 runs.

Team news

Pakistani Sohail Tanvir, who has 15 YB40 scalps, returns for Hampshire but Michael Carberry is on England duty.

Hampshire (from): Adams (c), Ervine, Dawson, Roberts, Vince, Mascarenhas, Griffiths, Briggs, Wood, Wheater (wk), Tanvir, McKenzie.

For Glamorgan, Australian international, Marcus North, has returned home and won't be available.

Glamorgan (from): Wallace (c), Rees, Cooke, Goodwin, Allenby, Wright, James, Wagg, Smith, Salter, Cosker, Hogan and Jones.

Key Men

Dimitri Mascarenhas is bringing down the curtain on a perhaps unfulfilled career by adding one more piece of silverware to his beloved Royals' trophy cabinet. Since making his debut in 1996, Mascarenhas has taken more than 450 limited overs wickets whilst supplying some lethal late-order blows.

In this season's tournament he has 13 wickets in nine games but perhaps more importantly has delivered his overs at an economy rate of 4.52.

The signing of Michael Hogan was perhaps the shrewdest piece of business in all of county cricket. Since arriving from Australia, the paceman has led Glamorgan's young pace attack with 61 first-class victims and 22 in the YB40. The ex-Western Australia player's duel with Hampshire's top order could be crucial in determining this contest.

Form: (Most recent first)

Hampshire: WLWWWL
Glamorgan: WWLWWW

Views From The Dressing Room

Hampshire coach Giles White told the club's official website:

We understand the route to Lord's and to Finals Day's and things like that. What we try to do is take one game at a time. We've been a very professional outfit in one-day cricket this year if we can do that again then hopefully we'll be able to start thinking about Lords after that.

Glamorgan skipper Mark Wallace explained to his club website why he was looking forward to the match:

The One-Day 40 over matches were a highlight of the season for me - we kicked the group stage off so well in the games against Yorkshire and Middlesex. I always love playing cricket, but wins like that make it extra special! It's just such a great format to play as the pace of the action makes it all more exciting, for the team as well as the crowd.

Prediction

Glamorgan may have won six of their last seven but a visit to "Fortress Ageas Bowl" is never an easy task. The powerful Royals haven't lost a YB40 game at home this season and the Welsh county will have to play out of their skins to get a result.

In what looks like a definite move to resurrect his international career, India's opening batsman Gautam Gambhir has signed for Essex until the end of the season.

He replaces New Zealand's Hamish Rutherford, who will return home after the Twenty20 finals day, as Essex's second overseas player. Gambhir's move also helps Essex in their bid for promotion to Division One of the County Championship. 

Gambhir, who hasn't played for India since the fourth Test match against England last year, will in all likelihood make his Essex debut against Northamptonshire on August 20th. He said (via the Daily Telegraph):

I am delighted to have this chance to make my county cricket debut with Essex. After the IPL ended, I was looking to play some competitive cricket and playing for Essex will give me that opportunity.

He was earlier overlooked by the national selectors for the ongoing India A tour of South Africa and even the 'other' India A home series against New Zealand, due to start later this month. The selection committee reportedly gave a green light when Gambhir approached them for a county stint, which he believes will improve his chances of making India's squad for the year-end tour of South Africa.

The BCCI, which in the last five years or so hasn't been overtly welcoming of Indian cricketers participating in county cricket (due to its wrangles with the ECB and issues such as "burnout") softened its stand and gave a no-objection certificate to Gambhir to rediscover his form. 

If Gambhir scores heavily for Essex, and follows it up with big scores for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy matches prior to the South Africa tour, he's certain to make the squad.

He would do so as a third opener along with Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, currently India's first-choice pairing. Earlier this summer, Gambhir worked closely with former India opener WV Raman to iron out his technical deficiencies. His problems were mainly about falling over and, later, a fidgety approach to run-making. Looking to dab the ball to third man, he would get bowled by chopping the ball onto his stumps or get caught in the slips chasing a loose ball outside off because his release shot wasn't coming about.

The county stint with Essex will give Gambhir a chance to put his work with Raman into practice, in a match situation and against decent first-class bowlers. The county cricket schedule, which is strenuous to say the least, will ensure that Gambhir plays one or two games a week: for someone desperately searching for game time, there is nothing better than a stint in England.

The deal also gives Gambhir the chance to improve upon his poor record in England (three Tests, 102 runs at an average of 17). If you compare it to his overall record, it doesn't make good reading.

What's undeniable in Gambhir's progression as a cricketer is his inherent appetite for runs. Wickets in England are dying out towards what is the end of the season, which could suit Gambhir's style of run-making; the fear of the swinging ball at the start of the season may well have disappeared.

As someone who's always been rated as one of the finest players of spin in India, his skills could come in rather handy, just as wickets in England start taking turn at this time of the year. Most importantly, his motivation to win back what he believes is his rightful place in India's Test XI could lead to strong performances for Essex. 

Besides Gambhir, leg-spinner Piyush Chawla will also be heading over to England for a similar stint with Somerset till the end of the season. Chawla, who played for Sussex in 2009, will be looking to regain his place in India's spin-bowling pecking order after being displaced by Amit Mishra, whose performances in Zimbabwe have represented a massive turnaround in his international fortunes.

During his time with Sussex, a stint which could be considered a great success, he picked 36 wickets in six County Championship matches with four five-wicket hauls and, as batsman, scored an unbeaten 102. Given the wickets at Taunton, Chawla's skill could come in handy for Somerset, who will be looking to assure themselves of a Division One place next year.