Friday night fever as world champs clash
PETER Trego admits there will be a party atmosphere in Taunton when West Indies duo Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo square off on the dancefloor tonight.
After helping guide their country to World T20 glory in March, Somerset’s Gayle and Surrey’s Bravo will sit, and possibly groove, in opposite corners this evening.
The pair, also T20 champions in 2012, have almost become as synonymous with on-field celebrations as they have with their destructive batting – with their “Champion Dance” becoming a particular favourite on the world stage.
And Trego is anticipating the pair will continue their on-field antics as both sides search for a further boost to Blast campaigns that started slowly.
“You don’t know if Taunton will see a cricket-off or a dance-off with the way those two carry on,” said the Somerset all-rounder. “There could be some shapes thrown around! T20 is all about entertainment and those two are worth the entrance fee alone.
“Dwayne is very experienced and plays all round the world so we’ve got to stop him doing his stuff. We’ll have plans. His bowling is particularly effective but, hopefully, the Taunton wicket will bounce a bit truer to nullify those skills. He’s world class, though, so he’ll have other tricks up his sleeve.”
Somerset have had the upper hand over Surrey in recent weeks, prevailing in a thrilling Championship match thanks to last-wicket heroics from Jack Leach and Tim Groenewald, while success was far more comfortable in Wednesday’s OneDay Cup win at the Kia Oval.
But Trego is more than aware of Somerset’s indifferent T20 record in the past two seasons – and this year has hardly got off to a flying start with one win in three.
“It’s crucial for us to get those points early on to get us to over that mark for a quarter-final spot,” he said.
“We have good memories against Surrey, you usually have one team you do well against or vice versa, but you can’t rest on those laurels, otherwise it may create an underdog mentality with the opposition which can backfire on you.
“I think there are some teams you fancy in the North Group, but that South Group is so tough to call.
“The way Sussex played against us was almost the perfect game, but the way we responded was fantastic and you know that in the South in particular you’re only a couple of wins from going to the bottom to the top.
“We’re confident that we can come out on top. The Taunton faithful have been terrific down there with more than 8,000 fans – they absolutely love it when Chris is there so hopefully that can carry forward into this game.”
Glamorgan’s Craig Meschede could cause Gloucestershire trouble tonight as the all-rounder boasts the secondbest economy rate – 5.2 – in the competition so far.
Jesse Ryder is one to watch for Essex Eagles, as he will bring up a 3,000-run landmark in T20 matches should he score a further 41 against Middlesex.
Similarly those at Hove should watch the skies for Ross Taylor maximums against Kent Spitfires, as the New Zealand batsman has scored a competition-high 11 sixes so far.