HOT HOWELL HAS DROPPED ENGLAND HINT

I FLY to the Caribbean next week in preparation for the CPL, where I will be coach of Jamaica Tallawahs, so I’ve been keeping a keen eye on the T20 Blast to see if I can get any tips.

I was really impressed with Gloucestershire’s Benny Howell the other night against Kent, and it’s no surprise he’s taken 33 wickets since the start of last season’s Blast, way out ahead of anyone else. He’s not exceptionally quick but he’s clever and always seems to be one step ahead of the batsmen. He pre-empts them and bowls the ball they least expect. That’s an art in itself.

England are naming experimental squads for T20s and Benny might have a very good chance of making the next one. It’s what the Blast is for, to get ready for international cricket and he’s the top performer at the moment.

It gives me a little bit to think about ahead of the CPL. There are only a couple of pitches in the West Indies that really help the pacemen, so the guys that take the pace off seem to do well, and seeing the likes of Benny succeed is a great boost.