SQUAD
LIKELY PLAYING XI
The bowling department looks very thin for the Welsh Fire. Their main reliance will be on David Payne, Jake Ball, and the all-rounders.
While Payne has proven to be very good with the new ball, they have Jake Ball to take care at the death with Ryan Higgins having been inconsistent after recovering from an injury.
The pull-out of Jhye Richardson comes as a bitter pill to swallow, with no express pacers in the side to play the enforcers’ role. Kieron Pollard was another major blow, but in Glenn Phillips, they have more than made up for the loss.
AREAS OF STRENGTH
1) The best part for this squad is the no. of in-form batters in the side. In Jonny Bairstow & Tom Banton, the Welsh Fire have the most explosive opening pair in the competition and also the most explosive side in the entire competition.
2) Glenn Phillips has been doing the all-round job and has absolutely owned the Vitality Blast 2021. He has plenty of runs under his belt, some stupendous catches, and a couple of wickets along too. With 36 sixes, he is the leading six-hitter in the Blast 2021 and only one of the two players along with Daniel Douthwaite with a higher 6s:4s ratio (Min. 250 runs).
3) The best part for this team is that all the batters who batted from #3 to #6 in the Blast 2021 are in stellar form. Ian Cockbain, Josh Cobb, Ben Duckett, David Lloyd, Ollie Pope, and Leus du Plooy have scored runs at a fair clip along with a healthy average.
AREAS OF CONCERN
1) The lack of variety in the spin department is an issue. Spinners are perhaps the biggest asset in the shorter formats of the game, and with this format being shorter than the T20s, lack of spinners could be an issue.
Qais Ahmed has managed to keep things tight, but it’s Matt Critchley who has succeeded far more than Qais with more wickets and a better economy.
Josh Cobb will become a vital pick in the side as he’s the only off-spin option that Welsh have got. While Phillips can bowl some handy off-spin, Cobb has been one of the most economical bowlers in the PP for the last 3 years in the Blast.
Leus du Plooy is the only SLAO option in the side and it will not be a good sign for the team if he’s seen rolling his arm.
2) The challenge for Welsh will begin when the likes of Bairstow and Pope will leave the squad for the Test series against India. But, the headache to select the right players for the right spots will lighten.
3) A good majority of the players from this side are coming back after being sidelined by injuries. Bairstow also suffered a nasty hit on his fingers while keeping wickets in the last T20I against Pakistan which is why I feel Ben Duckett might keep wickets.
Liam Plunkett did not play a single game in the Blast and will have to prove his fitness.
4) The form of James Neesham is a worrying sign. His ideal utilization may be to use him as a slogger at the death and ask him to bowl 10 balls if required judging by the team’s home ground.
VITALITY BLAST 2021 STATS (Relevant stats only)
Cricket Strategist 