Power Hitting & Drinking

Yorkshire Vikings 159-5 beat Lancashire Lighting 138-7

Sussex Sharks 164-4 beat MCC 146-9

Yorkshire Vikings 176-4 beat Sussex Sharks 102 all out

Emirates T20 Tournament - Winners Yorkshire Vikings

The Sevens, Dubai

Friday 20 March 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

My first time at this particular venue & "tournament". Although I've been to both International T20 & Test Matches up the road at Dubai Sports City.

First bit of "silverware" this season for the White Rose. Actually, an insanely large coffee pot. Good luck to whoever has to get that on the plane home & through Customs.

In all 3 matches, the side batting first won. T20 passes by in the blink of an eye doesn't it? My concentration not helped by others participating in the three hour swill at the Premium Buffet With Alcohol. Some serious Power Drinking out there.

What I thought I noticed was that Yorkshire were able to restrict boundaries conceded. That is a good skill to have. In the final, Hodd & Leaning put on 99 to recover from 77-4 (after being 16-3). And then England's Adil Rashid bagged a four for.

Sussex had previously won this tournament four times in a row. Obviously, it's a phoney war. But, "winning is a habit".

There's some intriguing match ups out here. Notably the Openers. Encumbent Alastair Cook. Recent discards Compton & Carberry. New pick Adam Lyth. And widely tipped Alex Lees. All of whom now move on to the four day game in Abu Dhabi. Mouthwatering.

I'm not normally one for stalking players. But, the opportunity to shake hands with & wish well to Nepali Cricket Captain Paras Khadka who was sat behind me was too good to miss. Great that MCC picked him.

OK. So, Friday is the religious day off, weekend in these parts. Expats tell me it is not what it was. But, Friday "all you can eat & drink" buffets are a thing out here. Lots of hotels & restaurants putting out ever more elaborate spreads to outdo each other.

Today, being Friday, for around 70 quid, you could get into the ground and have a 1230 until 1530, 3 hour run at a barbecue & the bar. Read that again, and the bar. Some Troopers were even buying booze for cash money BEFORE open season. And then again after the freebie shutters had gone down.

I've served my time on Power Drinking. And I knew there'd be Industrial International Lager only. (Amstel, Budweiser & Heineken as it turned out). So, I declined. Casualties and Atrocities aplenty. Fisticuffs towards the end of the final.

And now, a bit of KP T20 opinion.

Here's what I can't remember. Retired. Dropped. Sacked. Did Kevin Pietersen retire from International T20? Or was that part of his general, get your P45, sacking?

Because, here's what I don't get. If there is a lifeline back for him. Based on form. As "suggested" by Colin Graves. He surely doesn't have to go anywhere, or play for anyone, to demonstrate his T20 form. That's out there for anyone & everyone to see. He's out there playing in Big Bash & the Circuit.

Test cricket, yes. The Ashes, yes. He needs to play some/lots of First Class Cricket to put himself in the frame for those. But T20 (dare I include ODI). If Graves is wiping the slate clean, the Selectors could just pick him (or not).

102/241