Abu Dhabi Swingometer

MCC 221 all out
Yorkshire CCC 372 all out
MCC 220 all out
Yorkshire CCC 73 for 1

Yorkshire win by 9 wickets
Day 3

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

Alastair Cook, Lyth, Bairstow & Rashid from the England party to the West Indies are on view out here. If he'd avoided a niggle, maybe Liam Plunkett would've been on the field as well. At one stage, pre selection, I wondered whether Lyth, Bairstow, Rashid, Plunkett, Brooks & Ballance might all go to the West Indies. (Along with Root). But that all 6 (ie excluding Root) would be left out of the XI, miss Yorkshire's early Championship campaign, and be glorified drinks waiters.

That would have really cheered the Headingley North East Standers up. It'd have needed a 17 man squad anyway. In the event, Rashid has moved up the pecking order with the injury to Moeen Ali. Plunkett has moved up the pecking order with the injury to Chris Woakes. Bairstow will, surely, be the wicketkeeper batsman understudy to Buttler.

Intrigue for me is;

I can't see how they can play Trott, Lyth & Ballance.

If they play one spinner is it Rashid or Tredwell?

Is the third seamer pick behind Anderson & Broad, Jordan or Plunkett?

Part of the backcloth is the World Cup debacle. There will be a clamour to jettison the old, embrace the new. Using the term loosely, Trott & Tredwell represent the old. I'm sticking my neck all the way out. I think they'll go with Lyth & Adil.

Gives me Cook, Lyth, Ballance, Bell, Root, Buttler, Rashid, Stokes, Broad, Plunkett, Anderson - not necessarily in that order.

The game out here in Adu Dhabi changed a little with the injury to Graham Onions. Not quite as much of a test for the Yorkshire contenders.

At the end of Day 3 here's my Abu Dhabi Swingometer.

Plunkett - swings DOWN. Due to not playing, not having the chance to impress, an injury concern.

Bairstow - swings DOWN. Got nowhere in the first dig. Keeping fairly tidy though.

Rashid - swings UP. 2 for 51 off 14.5. 42 runs off 57 balls batting at 8. 4 for 72 off 22.5 Overs. Looked fluent with the bat. Nice high arm with the ball.

Lyth - swings UP. 113 in the first go. Even bowled a few overs, some maidens & snaffled Carberry. Red Ink not out as the winning runs were hit.

Cook - swings DOWN.  Faced 36 balls. 8 runs.

Efficient plan A win for Yorkshire. Get 350 plus in your first dig. 20 wickets & do the bits & pieces.

105/245