Associates

Tim Wigmore’s weekly look at the game below the Test-playing nations 1 10 6

Tim Wigmore picks his XI made up of purely second-tier nations

Every so often, a talking head will come up with a solution to the lack of fixtures for associates: an Associate XI, to tour the world and play in world events. It is a terrible idea. Players want to play for their countries, not an XI made up of the best of the rest, which is why no other sport has such a concept. Still, that is no reason not to have a bit of fun and pick an XI. Below is my selection for an associates team in ODI cricket – comments, criticism and abuse in response all very welcome! 1. Paul Stirling - Ireland There are few more natural timers of the ball than Stirling, who hit two ODI centuries against Pakistan before turning 23. If it is true that his penchant for chipping to cover in his 20s is infuriating, Stirling’s ball-striking ability is rare, against any opponent: his belligerent 92 in Nelson last year set up Ireland’s victory over the West Indies and set the tone for their entire World Cup campaign. If Ireland are to justify their increased opportunities, much more consistency is needed from Stirling. 2. Mohammad Shahzad (wk) - Afghanistan At the start of 2015, Shahzad was dropped for the World Cup because he was overweight. Shahzad has been taking his wrath out on opening bowlers ever since: his helicopter shot and impudence defined the spirit of Afghanistan in the World T20 this year – his shot-making against South Africa was particularly breathtaking – and he was belligerent in Afghanistan’s ODI series against Zimbabwe, Scotland and Ireland. In defiance of his girth, Shahzad is also very respectable behind the stumps, and his celebrations at the fall of each wicket a thing of wonder. More than anyone else, Shahzad is the hero for young Afghan cricketers today. 3. Ed Joyce - Ireland The best batsman beyond the Test world, even in his 39th year, Joyce remains Ireland’s linchpin, and hit two magnificent centuries against Afghanistan last summer, including a career best unbeaten 160. He might be about to leave county cricket for good, but Joyce’s commitment to Ireland remains undimmed, sustained by the belief that he will be able to play in Ireland’s inaugural Test in 2019. No one would begrudge him that. 4. Mark Chapman - Hong Kong The second youngest player to make an ODI hundred in history, Chapman is a stylish left-hander who is highly adaptable, comfortable either as the aggressor or working the ball around in the middle overs, and has a steely temperament. He is a

particularly proficient player against spin, but Hong Kong would be advised to enjoy Chapman while they can. Chapman learned the game in Hong Kong but was a student in New Zealand, and debuted for Auckland last year, soon slamming 157 in a domestic 50-over game. New Zealand are known to be impressed by his combination of versatile batting, leftarm spin and prowling backward point fielding and, now he is established in the Kiwi domestic game, Chapman might never play for

Hong Kong again. 5. Preston Mommsen (c) - Scotland The last pick for this side, but Mommsen is a fine player of spin and capable of belligerence against pace, too, as he showed by slamming Dawlat Zadran for three consecutive sixes last year. After sneaking into this team, Mommsen is the outstanding choice as captain: he is an aggressive leader of Scotland and, through the force of his example, has led the side to become arguably the best fielding unit of any associate nation. 6. Kevin O’Brien - Ireland Think of Kevin O’Brien and you will think first of that barmy innings in Bangalore five years ago to topple England.Yet there is much more to him than that: he has relished his promotion to five for Ireland in ODIs this year, and found increased consistency with the bat. He is also a skilled mediumpace bowler in the Adam Hollioake mould, with an array of cutters and a refusal to shirk a challenge. 7. Mohammad Nabi - Afghanistan A canny and resourceful cricketer, Nabi marries classical batsmanship with fine offspin which, though it does not turn prodigiously, is ideally suited to ODI cricket. Nabi, Afghanistan’s former skipper, showed off his quality in the recent ODI series against Bangladesh, opening the bowling and taking 2-16 in Afghanistan’s victory, and proving considerably more effective than Moeen Ali’s offspin was for England against the same opponents. 8. Rashid Khan - Afghanistan Simply the best spinner beyond the Test world, Khan has a legspinner’s bag of tricks, including a terrific googly, and bowled outstandingly in Afghanistan’s recent series against Bangladesh and Ireland. To add to that, Rashid is an unorthodox and highly effective lower order player, the sort who can drive captains to despair, and is still only 18. He is shaping up as being the most exciting associate cricketer over the next decade. 9. Dawlat Zadran - Afghanistan It is a measure of Dawlat’s skill – he can generate conventional and reverse swing at 90mph and has a lethal yorker – that he has ousted Hamid Hassan and Shapoor Zadran as the leader of Afghanistan’s attack. Hostile in any conditions, Dawlat is also a brutal striker of the ball at the death, and once hit four sixes in seven balls to win an ODI in Zimbabwe. 10. Timm van der Gugten - Netherlands Glamorgan’s player of the year, Van der Gugten’s short, muscular bowling action oozes effort, and generates pace approaching 90mph. Netherlands’ fixture list might be sparse, but Van der Gugten is wellestablished as the leader of the attack: a spell of 3-21 in the WT20 against Bangladesh ought to have set up another famous Dutch victory. Should the ICC’s plans for a 13-team ODI league be ratified, the Netherlands have a good chance of being the 13th team – though whether that country will be determined by on-field merit or cricketing potential no one is sure. If the Netherlands are allowed to make the step up from 2019, then Van der Gugten and Somerset’s Paul Van Meekeren will form a new ball pair who are not easily overawed. 11. Boyd Rankin - Ireland How it pained Ireland in the 2015 World Cup that Boyd Rankin was unavailable, because of his brief England career, leaving Ireland’s attack devoid of the hostility needed to sneak into the last eight. Rankin’s return, at the start of 2016, has proved underwhelming so far, but his pace and bounce make him one of the most potent quick bowlers in associate cricket. While his county summer was disrupted by injury, some of Rankin’s spells were as hostile as he has ever mustered.

Apologies for missing out go to Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar (UAE), Kyle Coetzer, Matt Machan (Scotland), Nizakat Khan (Hong Kong), Roelof van der Merwe (Netherlands), Tim Murtagh (Ireland).