The first World Premier League Competition has been announced today, as a 20/20 single knockout cup, which will be contested by 18 teams. It will consist of 17 matches spread out over five rounds. These rounds will be qualifying, the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final.
It will work like this:
The competition will be held over ten days in New Zealand. There will be two games a day, excluding the semi-finals and final which will be held on individual days.
Five grounds will be used, these are:
Eden Park will host five games including the semi-finals and the final, while the other four grounds will each host three.
The 18 teams will be made up of some current and some non existent teams. They will come from 11 different countries which are Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates.
The teams have been released as follows:
I will be simulating these games using the board game, card cricket. I will try to update you before each game with previews and after each game with scorecards and summaries on what has happened.
The next thing that I will be releasing will be the teams marquee players and their seeds.
NOTE: This is my first story so all comments both positive and negative would be appreciated.
Each team will contain one marquee player from their home country with the exception of the Dubai Masters who will receive the best associate player in the world Ryan ten Doeschate.
Each team will then be randomly assigned with 18 other players bringing their squad total up to 19. The players have been split up into pools according to their ability to help make the teams even.
The 19 players they will end up with will roughly contain:
NOTE: Some of the batsmen may be part time bowlers and some of the bowlers alright batsmen.
The marquee players are mainly the captains and vice-captains of their respective countries and have been assigned as follows:
The number next to each team is the team?s seed. It is based on where the team?s international side is ranked in the ICC world rankings (test and ODI) as well as the 2007 ICC world 20/20 championship. It does not take into account the team?s squad strength. There seed will decide what side of the draw they are on and hence who they will play in the first round. I have split it up so no two teams from the same country are on the same side of the draw.
The next thing that I will be releasing will be the team previews, starting with the two Australian teams.
The presentation in this story is top of the range. I like this idea, as it's different to what we usually may see.
Good start to this mate, looking forward to it
Great all-round ability in Michael Clarke, Kieron Pollard, Irfan Pathan and Yasir Arafat, these four players are all likely to be in the starting XI. They can all get through their part with the bowl plus make useful contributions with the bat. They also have reasonable depth in the wicket-keeping department with front runner Kamran Akmal backed up by West Indian Patrick Browne and Australian part-timer, Michael Dighton.
Weaknesses
They have a real lack of experience and depth with their middle order batsmen and their back up bowlers. Players like Indians Virat Kholi, Subramaniam Badrinath and Amol Muzumdar must over come their lack of international experience and stand up with the bat. The three pace bowlers Abdur Rauf, Ravi Rampaul and Chris Mpofu must also do the same as they try to back a reasonably weak bowling attack lead by Dale Steyn.
Key Players
New South Wales will probably have to rely on their four most experienced players, batsmen Michael Clarke, wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, all-rounder Irfan Pathan and bowler Dale Steyn. Although these four players are all under 29 years of age they will they will be a key if New South Wales are going to have success.
Prediction
As the top seeded team they should get past the first few rounds, but even in the process will very much get tested. As they get further into the tournament they?ll lack of squad depth may begin to show preventing them from continuing further.
First Fixture
The New South Wales Blues first match will be against the winner of the qualifying match between the Dhaka Warriors and the Harare Heroes. It will be played at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
10. Victorian Bushrangers
Squad
Strengths
They have a strong bowling line-up which includes two very good opening bowlers in Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Sidebottom. They are backed up well by pace men like Dimitri Mascarenhas and Ben Hilfenhaus. Also at their services will be left arm spinner Monty Panesar and part-timer Marlon Samuels.
Weaknesses
Their weakness will probably lie in their batting. They will need to find a solid opening partner for Sanath Jayasuriya as well as a couple of middle order companions for Ricky Ponting. They also lack a quality wicket-keeper. They will have to rely on Gareth Hopkins and Phil Mustard who both lack international experience.
Key Players
The Victorian Bushrangers key players will be top order batsmen Ricky Ponting and Sananth Jayasuriya plus opening bowlers Michael Johnson and Ryan Sidebottom. They will need Ponting and Jayasuriya to get them off to a good start with the bat as well as Johnson and Sidebottom to do the same with the bowl.
Prediction
The Victorian Bushrangers will have high hopes coming into the tournament. On the back of their strong bowling line up they should get past the first couple of rounds. To progress further they will need to find some more quality batsmen.
First Fixture
The Victorian Bushrangers first match will be up against England?s first seeded team the London Wasps. It will be played at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
NOTE: Next update will contain the two South African teams. Also please feel free to post what you think the teams line-ups should be for their first games.
The Cape Town Cobras strength should be there batting. They have a line-up which will consist of VVS Laxman, Jean-Paul Duminy and Jaques Kallis. They also have a long tail with the likes of Sohail Tanvir, Mansoor Amjad and Gareth Batty and who could be batting down at number seven, eight and nine.
Weaknesses
Their bowling attack is relatively unknown with little international experience. It will be lead by Dilhara Fernando, Ashish Nehra and Peter Siddle plus includes bowling all-rounders Sohail Tanvir and Gareth Batty. They also lack a real quality spin bowler and will need Batty and Mansoor Amjad to get through some overs.
Key Players
The Cape Town Cobra's key players very much include South Africas trio of Kallis, Duminy and Mark Boucher. They will all be keys with the bat as well as Boucher with the gloves and Kallis with the ball.
Prediction
As the second seeded team the Cape Town Cobras would of liked a better squad. They will need some good wins to get them past the first few rounds and may struggle later on.
First Fixture
The Cape Town Cobras first match will be against the winner of the qualifying match between the Trinidad and Tobago Pirates and the Dubai Masters. It will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
9. Johannesburg Lions
Squad
Strengths
The Johannesburg Lions strength is very much there middle order batting. Their middle order is packed full of class and includes England's Ravi Bopara, New Zealand's Ross Taylor and Australia's Brad Hodge. With Graeme Smith above them plus the hitting power of Peter McGlashan and Dwayne Smith below them, this makes a formidable batting line-up.
Weaknesses
The Johannesburg Lions weakness will probably be their bowling. They will need to find at least a couple of strong pace bowling compatriots for Zaheer Khan. They will also have to settle on a wicket-keeper with Peter McGlashan, Pankaj Dharmani and Andre Fletcher all being able to do that job.
Key Players
The Johannesburg Lions key players will be Indians pace-spin duo of Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh. They will need to stand up and lead a relatively weak bowling line-up. They both have piles of international experience in all forms of the game and could really shut a team down when bowling in tandem.
Prediction
Will probably have a tight first round clash and if they win that they may be up against the top seeded New South Wales Blues. To progress further into the tournament they will need their bowlers to stand up.
First Fixture
The Johannesburg Lions first match will be up against the West Indies first seeded team the Jamaican Kings. It will be played at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
NOTE: The next update will contain the two Indian teams.
The Mumbai Indians have a lot of power hitters all through their order who can clear the rope. At the top they got explosive openers Herschelle Gibbs and David Warner while lower down the order they got all-rounder Albie Morkel and bowler Tim Southee. Brad Haddin is also a very handy player at attack and defensive. He may be required to open the innings or bat further down the order. They also got a huge amounts of spinning options which includes bowlers Johan Botha and Saeed Ajmal plus all-rounder Samit Patel and part-timer Steve Tikolo.
Weaknesses
With the exception of the great Sachin Tendulkar they lack solid middle order batsmen. They have strong openers and a powerful lower order but some relatively unknown batsmen like Tikolo and van Jaarsveld will need to preform. They also lack a high quality pace bowler. They have two good pace bowling all-rounders but lack a specialist x-factor bowler who will be able to take wickets at key moments.
Key Players
As usual they will need to rely on Sachin Tendulkar with the bat. His presence will be a key if they are going to post or chase down large totals. South African Albie Morkel will need to stand up with both the bat and the ball. He will be part of a relatively unknown bowling line-up and may be required to up the run-rate near the end of the innings.
Prediction
Tough first up match against a Pakistani team which they should win. If they make it past that they will be required to face the Canterbury Wizards at home. They have a reasonable squad but it will be a tough ask for them to win it.
First Fixture
The Mumbai Indians first match will be up against Pakistan's second seeded team the Lahore Eagles. It will be played at Eden Park in Auckland.
12. Delhi Daredevils
Squad
Strengths
A middle order that includes India's powerful duo of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh. These two both have the ability to clear the ropes as well as work it around through the middle stages. Their line-up will also include the likes of batsmen Ashwell Prince and all-rounders Shane Watson and Shakib Al Hasan.
Weaknesses
A bowling line-up that includes 50% of their players coming from outside the big eight countries. They will need some of these inexperienced players to stand up at this level. They also lack some real quality openers which include Pakistan's Manzoor and Hafeez as well as Sri Lanka's Tharanga Paranavitana. These players will need to get them of to a good start at the top of the innings.
Key Players
Chaminda Vaas will be the key with the bowl as he leads a very inexperienced bowling attack. He will need to bowl a really solid four overs and hope the rest of the side chips in around him. MS Dhoni will be a key with both bat and gloves. His presence behind the stumps is immense as well as his ability to turn a match with the bat.
Prediction
A very inexperienced line-up that will find it tough. Their first up match will be a real mountain to climb as they are up against a fired up Auckland side at home. If they manage to make it past that they may find themselves up against Pakistan's first seeded team.
First Fixture
The Delhi Daredevils first match will be up against New Zealand's first seeded team the Auckland Aces. It will be played at Eden Park in Auckland.
NOTE: The next update will contain the two Pakistani teams.
The strength of the Karachi Raiders lies in their bowling. It is an attack spearheaded by Englishman James Anderson and Australian one day specialist Nathan Bracken. Their back-up options are also strong as they will have the services of Mathew Hoggard and Michael Mason. Also their two spinners Pakistani Danish Kaneria and all-rounder Thilan Samaraweera will hold the job of reducing the opposition during the middle overs while
Weaknesses
The Karachi Raiders weakness is their batting. They do not have a lot of depth or experience. The Australian trio of Phil Jaques, Chris Rogers and Marcus North will have to preform well if they are going to be successful. All three have little international experience but are very solid domestic players. They also lack some hitting power down the order. There two main middle order all-rounders Collingwood and Samaraweera are more workers of the ball than hitters.
Key Players
Marquee Player Younis Khan leads an inexperienced and relatively unknown top order. He will have to fire to take the pressure off the rest of the top order. Paul Collingwood will also have a key role as he will be batting just below the top order. He may have to come out and play a vital role if the top order doesn't preform
Prediction
The Karachi Raiders are likely to struggle. Their squad does not back up their seeding of forth being the best Pakistani team. They will probably need their key players to fire and if they make it past the first round they may find themselves up against one of the home teams the Auckland Aces.
First Fixture
The Karachi Raiders first match will be up against England's second seeded team the Leeds Rhinos. It will be played at McLean Park in Napier.
14. Lahore Eagles
Squad
Strengths
The Lahore Eagles have two quality all-rounders in Jacob Oram and Yusuf Pathan. They are both renowned hitters of the cricket ball as well as very handy bowlers. A bowling line-up that boasts the name of Muttiah Muralitharen is normally always going to be a strength. He is backed up well by New Zealand pace men Kyle Mills and Ian Butler as well as Aussie quick Stuart Clark.
Weaknesses
The Lahore Eagles have few weaknesses. In their batting line-up they don't have any world class names but they do have solid players at the international level. Misbah-ul-Haq and Neil Mckenzie are the notable names and others such as Owais Shah and Mohammed Kaif are on the fringe of international selection for their respective countries.
Key Players
With class throughout their line-up the Lahore Eagles don't have one particular key player. With the lack of part-time bowlers Oram and Pathan could be a key to get through their respective overs with the ball as well as clearing the ropes near the end of their innings with the bat.
Prediction
A well balanced side like the Lahore Eagles are always going to have a change of doing well. They have the possibility of going reasonably deep into the tournament. They will have to come together well and play as a team if they are going to get past a tough Mumbai Indians side in the first round. Winning this match may put them up against the Canterbury Wizards at home in Chritchurch.
First Fixture
The Lahore Eagles first match will be up against India's first seeded team the Mumbai Indians. It will be played at Eden Park in Auckland.
NOTE: The next update will contain the two New Zealand teams.
The Auckland Aces main strength may end up being the depth in their batting line-up. They will have players all the way down to eight and nine who have the ability to score some handy runs. The likes of Vettori, McCullum, Taylor, Maharoof and Thompson may all think of themselves as all-rounders but none will be likly to be batting above eight.
Weaknesses
In contrast to one of their main strengths they have a reasonably weak top/middle order. They will have to find an opening partner for the hard hitting Indian Virender Sehwag as well as some batsen to partner Jayawardene in the middle order. Another one of their weaknesses could be their keeping. Both of their keepers, the young Carlton Baugh and old Chris Nevin have had little international experience.
Key Players
Their key players will probably have to be their two best batsmen Sehwag and Jayawardene. Even thought the Aces bat deep they will need to get them through the middle stages of the innings to not leave players like Vettori to much to do. Vettori's main role will be to get down four good overs he will be the key if they are going to reduce the opposition to small totals.
Prediction
Having a home croud always lifts your chance at winning a title. A squad that sees some real youth and some real experience does have the potential to go well. To go all the way key players will have to stand up and Vettori's captaincy will need to be top notch.
First Fixture
The Auckland Aces first match will be up against India's second seeded team the Delhi Daredevils. It will be played at Eden Park in Auckland.
11. Canterbury Wizards
Squad
Strengths
The Canterbury Wizards are a reasonably balanced side. They shouldn't have a problem in the keeping department with marquee player Brendon McCullum, Englishman Geraint Jones and two part-time options in AB de Villiers and Lendl Simmons. They also have a well balanced pool of all-rounders. This is lead by Andrew Symonds and includes Indian Bhatia and Pakistani Alam. Also don't be surprised if you see batsmen Brendon Nash bowl a few medium pacers. The Wizards also have both solid batting and bowling line-ups. Katich and de Villiers remain the big names in the batting side of things while the bowling attack will be lead by South African veteran Makhaya Ntini.
Weaknesses
A team with many strengths normally has few weaknesses and this is the case here. Maybe a bit under done in the spin department with only two fringe international players, Paul Harris and Jason Krejza.
Key Players
The Wizards jey players include Brendon McCullum and Andrew Symonds. They will both play similar roles with the bat and that will be to up the run-rate when required weather it will be from the start of the innings in McCullums case or down the order with Symonds. McCullum will have to lead his side from behind the stumps while Symonds will have to bowl well weather it is he gentle medium pacers or his part-time spinners.
Prediction
A team like the Canterbury Wizards should be bound to do well. With a strong squad boasting some of the worlds best 20/20 players and a favorable draw that sees them at home for the first two rounds they really should do well.
First Fixture
The Canterbury Wizards first match will be up against the Sri Lankan team the Columbo Bears. It will be played at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
NOTE: The next update will contain the two English teams.
Its not really a strength but more of a moderate batting line-up. It includes the English duo of Strauss and Pietersen as well as Sri Lankan Chamara Kapugedara. Another thing to note is that they should have reasonable depth to their batting line up with several bowling all-rounders including Parnell, Batty, Kumar and Mohammed.
Weaknesses
The London Wasps weakness will probably be their bowling. Umar Gul will have to be supported by Wayne Parnell, Praveen Kumar and Lionel Baker with the new ball plus at the death, while spinners Gareth Batty, Dave Mohammed and Pragyen Ojha will have to restrict the scoring during the middle stages. All of these players have a lack of experience on the international scene so will have to preform better than they are know for if the Wasps are going to do well.
Key Players
One of London Wasps key players will be Pakistani pace man Umar Gul. He will have a vital role to play while the Wasps are out in the field if London based side are going to do well. He leads a side that lacks international experienced and international quality bowlers. He isn't one of the biggest names in world cricket but New Zealander James Franklin could also be a key player. He is the only notable all-rounder who is neither batting or bowling favored. His role will be to bat solidly and record four good overs with the ball.
Prediction
The London Wasps don't really have one of the strongest squads. They will have to really on some good team efforts backed up by good captaincy if they are going to go well. There first up match against the Victorian Bushrangers is bound to be a tough one.
First Fixture
The London Wasps first match will be up against Australia's second seeded team the Victorian Bushrangers. It will be played at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
13. Leeds Rhinos
Squad
Strengths
They will have the services of some quality all-rounders, which are lead by Englishman and marquee player Andrew Flintoff. Also in their squad is the only player in the game who is truly a real all-rounder, Tillakaratne Dilshan. He is predominantly a batsmen but also bowls part-time off-breaks as well as being a part time wicket-keeper. Some off their other all-rounders include big Kenyan Thomas Odoyo and West Indian Ramnaresh Sarwan.
Weaknesses
One of their weaknesses will be a quality, top of the range wicket-keeper. Bangladeshi Mushfiqur Rahim is the front runner for this duty but is being challenged by second choice Pakistani Sarfraz Ahmed. Another of their weaknesses will be their batting line-up. It does feature some of the best in Flintoff and Sarwan but there are also some huge gaps to fill. Upal Tharanga will need to be partnered by little known players McIntosh or Ganga plus they will need to hope Silva and Flynn can bolster up their middle order.
Key Players
As in most of the cases one of their keys will be their marquee players Andrew Flintoff and how he goes as one of the front line batsmen. He could find himself batting as high as four or as low down as seven. Indian youngster Ishant Sharma will also be a key as he heads up an average bowling line-up. He wont necessary have to take wickets with Mendis in the side but will need to keep down the runs from the beginning.
Prediction
On the back of their reasonable squad they will hope to do all right. A favorable draw sees them potentially start off with two winnable games even if they would go into both as underdogs.
First Fixture
The Leeds Rhinos first match will be up against Pakistan's first seeded team the Karachi Raiders. It will be played at McLean Park in Napier.
NOTE: The next update will contain the two West Indian teams.
It seems that finding a strength for the Jamaican Kings is similar to finding a needle in a haystack. They do however have some explosive players with the bat which includes Chris Gayle the only batsman to have scored a 20/20 international hundred.
Weaknesses
Overall one of the weakest squads. It includes none of the big eight teams regular pace bowlers. Relatively unknown newly named Bangladeshi captain Mashrafe Mortaza will most likely lead an attack which will include Pakistani Iftikhar Anjum and Indian Manpreet Gony. Back-up Indian test spinner Piyush Chawla may also feature in a very weak attack. They also lack depth in the wicket-keeping department, middle order batting as well as some more all-rounders.
Key Players
Chris Gayle will have to provide the x-factor at the top if he is going to get his team on the front foot. His explosive nature and ease of hitting boundaries will definitely be a key. Shahid Afridi will also be a key with both the bat and the ball. He also has an explosive nature with the bat as well as been the only real bowler of note. He will play a vital role weather which will be taking wicket and reducing the runs.
Prediction
A weak squad and not that favorable draw. They find themselves the lowest ranked of the top teams per country meaning that if they win their first game they could have to face the New South Wales Blues. I wouldn't really except them to get far.
First Fixture
The Jamaican Kings first match will be up against South Africa's second seeded team the Johannesburg Lions. It will be played at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
15. Trinidad & Tobago Pirates
Squad
Strengths
The Trinidad & Tobago Pirates have one of the most well balanced teams in the competition. They have several quality options for opening the batting which include, Gambhir, Vaughan, Prior and Ryder. They also have other good batsmen which include their marquee player Shivnarine Chanderpaul and West Indian Xavier Marshall. They have lots of all-rounders which include Chigumbura and White plus hard hitters Jesse Ryder and Morne Morkel. There bowling cupboard seems to be brimming with quality. Their pace attack features Morkel, RP Singh and Balaji as well as Collymore and V Singh. They even have two quality spinners which are New Zealander Jeetan Patel and Sri Lankan Malinga Bandara.
Weaknesses
They should have very few weaknesses with almost every part of their game filled with skill and quality. Their bowling attack is real quality but it does lack international experience.
Key Players
One of the only teams who you can't really pick out any key players in particular. Jeetan Patel isn't a New Zealand regular but he could be forced into playing the number one spin role here. Jesse Ryder who is also from New Zealand could well be another key. His nifty medium pacers will be important as well as his explosive batting power at the top.
Prediction
They will have to play one extra match to win the tournament because of how low they are seeded. This shouldn't really be a problem with the depth they have if they just keep on winning. The Trinidad & Tobago Pirates may be an outside change but with 20/20 cricket anything can happen.
First Fixture
The Trinidad & Tobago Pirates first match will be a qualifying game against the Dubai Masters. It will be played at McLean Park in Napier.
NOTE: The next update will contain the Sri Lankan team and the United Arab Emirates team.
The Colombo Bears batting line-up has a good mixture of youth and experience. The have exciting youngsters such as Martin Guptill and Suresh Raina while they are complimented well by the experienced Kumar Sangakkara and Hasim Amla. They also have a reasonably solid bowling line-up. It will be lead by the likes of Edwards, Harmison and Nel who shall be backed up by all-rounders Grant Elliot and Luke Wright as well as spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Abdur Razzak.
Weaknesses
They don't have the strongest squad in terms of depth. Specially in terms of batsmen they have players with little or no international experience like Leon Johnson and Neal Parlane. They also lack part-time bowlers who can be vital in 20/20's to get though some overs if your front line bowlers are expensive. With the exception of Luke Wright none of their batsmen are really capable of bowling at this level.
Key Players
Kumar Sangakkara is probably their best batsmen as well as their wicket-keeper. He will hold one of the vital three or four spots and will need to play big from there. The Indian duo of Wasim Jaffer and Suresh Raina are relatively unknown on the international scene but have built up their names though a great domestic record. One of them could provide the key to a big score.
Prediction
They have a good seed of six. This along with a strong batting and solid bowling line-up should hope to progress them past at least the first round. They will however be up against a Wizards side in front of their home fans.
First Fixture
The Colombo Bears first match will be up against New Zealands's second seeded team the Canterbury Wizards. It will be played at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
18. Dubai Masters
Squad
Strengths
A batting line-up that boasts the quality of Alistair Cook, Michael Hussey, Rohit Sharma and Ryan ten Doeschate is always going to be a strength. Not only are these well known players but all except Cook have very good 20/20 records. They also have a strong pace bowling attack. This features Brett Lee and Darren Sammy as well as Australians Doug Bollinger and Brett Dorey.
Weaknesses
One of their weaknesses is an international quality wicket-keeper. They will have the services of Australian Luke Ronchi as well as the only Canadian in the competition Ashish Bagai. They also lack a world class spinner. Nikita Miller should be solid but may lack the x-factor required to brake big partnerships.
Key Players
Their major key with the bowl will be the experienced Brett Lee. His job will be to take early wickets and build pressure on the opposition. Michael Hussey is fast building a reputation of one of the best batsmen in the world. A 20/20 average of over 40 at a very good strike rate would make you one of the first batsmen down time and time again.
Prediction
When it comes to squad strength they will be about the middle of the pack. With both good bowlers and batsmen it will be their low seed that may let them down. As the lowest seeded team they will have to play an extra game at the beginning to qualify for the main draw.
First Fixture
The Dubai Masters first match will be a qualifying game against the Trinidad & Tobago Pirates. It will be played at McLean Park in Napier.
NOTE: The next update will contain the Bangladeshi team and the Zimbabwean team.
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