| Twenty20 cricket is under scrutiny at the moment | | | | wins at the time of writing, and they have also have |
| and this is particularly true in England. The individual | | | | never reached the last four. Opener Rob White is in |
| rewards on offer from the Stanford West Indies All | | | | scintillating form but it is their clutch of South African |
| Stars v. England matches have massively increased | | | | Kolpak allrounders - Andrew Hall, Nicky Boje, Lance |
| player incentives in this year's Twenty20 cup. | | | | Klusener and Johan van der Wath - who hold they |
| Competition is further increased by the finalists | | | | key to their success. They are also available at 6 |
| qualifying for the big money Champions League | | | | with Betfair to win. |
| tournament in September, but which are the teams | | | | The team with the most surprising Twenty20 record |
| likely to contend the crucial semi final matches on | | | | is Durham. A good One day team - they are the |
| 26th August? | | | | reigning 50 over tournament champions - they are |
| The three group stage divisions are made of six | | | | the only team never to have progressed from the |
| teams, from which the top two progress to make | | | | group stage, but they look like breaking that trend |
| the quarter finalists. Each team plays the other in its | | | | this year. They are packed with former internationals |
| group twice, and despite this long schedule of | | | | such as Steve Harmison, Phil Mustard, Liam Plunkett |
| matches, some counties already look destined for | | | | and Gareth Breese and have two match-winning |
| the last eight, and they are not necessarily teams | | | | South African allrounders of their own, in the form of |
| expected to succeed. | | | | Shaun Pollock and Albie Morkel. They can be backed |
| Middlesex currently top the south division with 100% | | | | at an attractive 7.6 (13/2) to win. |
| record, which is a marked improvement on previous | | | | If these three teams would provide a fresh look to |
| performances which saw them qualify from the | | | | semi finals day, Kent would provide continuity. Last |
| group stage just once in five years. The Lord's outfit | | | | year's champions have been favourites from the |
| are joint favourites at odds of 6 (5/1) to win with | | | | outset and a strong start in the group stage should |
| Betfair and are certainly playing with enough | | | | see them qualify from the south division with |
| confidence to go all the way, despite having a lack of | | | | Middlesex. |
| star names in their line-up. | | | | They are on offer at 6.2 (5/1) to repeat last year's |
| They have a fluid batting line-up that can change | | | | triumph and this represents excellent value. Skipper |
| according to the state of the game and have in | | | | Rob Key is a wily captain who is expert at managing |
| Tyron Henderson a big hitting batsman who can hit | | | | his bowlers and his own opening partnership with Joe |
| the crucial boundaries. The bowling is led by | | | | Denly usually gets the innings off to a good start. |
| Kolpakker Dirk Nannes, an Australian playing on a | | | | They bat all the way down their order, with classy |
| Dutch passport, whose pace and left arm swing | | | | allrounders Azhar Mahmood, James Tredwell, Yasir |
| makes regular inroads at the start of the innings. | | | | Arafat and Ryan McLaren threatening with bat and |
| Midlands/West/Wales division leaders | | | | ball. |
| Northamptonshire are another team with a full set of | | | | |