Khawaja could be the tops for Glam in T20 campaign
USMAN Khawaja could be promoted to the top of the order for Glamorgan’s Vitality Blast campaign and is relishing the chance to spearhead a more experienced side to glory.
After a desperate season so far in 50-over and four-day cricket, the Welsh county are hoping to start afresh when their T20 campaign gets under way at Hampshire tonight (7pm).
They are boosted not only by the presence of in-form Khawaja – who has hit three centuries in three games for Glamorgan – but also by the return of overseas batting stars Colin Ingram and Shaun Marsh.
With captain Ingram and fellow Australia star Marsh alongside him in the Glamorgan top four, it’s not a surprise that Khawaja holds out greater hope for the Blast competition.
“I think we’ve got a strong team and a very good chance,” he said. “We haven’t played very well in four-day cricket but a lot of the guys here have more experience in the T20 format.
“Getting Colin and Shaun back and a wealth of experience with Hoges (Michael Hogan) around and Graham Wagg too – that’s invaluable in pressure situations.”
The change of pace could be a challenge for Khawaja, who has made his name as a Test batsman for Australia and shone in County Championship action for Glamorgan last month.
But the opportunity to lead Glamorgan to a second successive Finals Day – and go one better than the semi-final defeat they suffered to Birmingham Bears last year – excites Khawaja.
“I find T20 probably the most teambased format that we have in cricket,” he added.
“In four-day and one-day cricket you can be out there in the middle for a long time, but in T20 everyone is playing unselfish cricket and just trying to score as many runs for the team.”
On his potential new position at the top of the batting order, he added: “There’s not much time to settle in opening the batting, but you’re not going out to try and slog every single bowler. Sometimes you have to apply, but you’ve got to adapt to the situation.
“The more you play, those things tend to happen naturally.
“It’s been nice to get time in the middle (in the four-day games), I would have been in the nets otherwise. You learn the most from match scenarios.”
Glamorgan will be without injured seam bowler Marchant De Lange for the opening game against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, but expect to welcome back Wagg, Aneurin Donald as well as Craig Meschede and David Lloyd from their own injuries.
“De Lange is a big loss as he’s a world-class bowler when he gets going, he is as fast as anyone in the world, but we’ll just have to find a way around it,” added Khawaja.
U Khawaja, A Donald, C Ingram (capt), S Marsh, K Carlson, C Cooke (wk.), D Lloyd, G Wagg, C Meschede, A Salter, T van der Gugten.
Glam (probable):