Twenty 20 Cup

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I belive that this all kicks off today. I was just having a read of this. Anyone got any thoughts or tips? thanks

The Gloucestershire Gladiators have looked a team transformed in 2009 so far and we're happy to get with them at a big price for this season's Twenty20 Cup, which gets under way on Monday.

The return of coach John Bracewell has paid immediate dividends for the west country side.

The Gladiators have already shone in the 50-over format, comfortably winning a competitive Friends Provident Trophy group to give themselves a home tie in the semi-finals.

The west country outfit were the bee's knees in one-day cricket during Bracewell's previous reign around the turn of the century and the way they have started upon his return suggests something special could be brewing again down Bristol way.
Admittedly, the Gladiators will need to improve massively on their 2008 Twenty20 performance - one win and a bottom-placed finish in their group.

However, it could be argued this was something of a blip rather than the norm.
In 2007 Gloucestershire were runners-up in this competition, while the year before they were quarter-finalists.

Many of the players from that 2007 run are still very much involved at Gloucestershire and Bracewell's influence should ensure there is marked improvement on last year's disappointment.

Bracewell took a fairly average New Zealand side to the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 event two years ago and he may just be able to produce the Midas touch again.

Hamish Marshall has a proven record in this format, scoring over 200 runs in each of the past two seasons.

Craig Spearman is another who can 'biff it around', around Chris Taylor has been in the runs in the FPT of late.

On the bowling front, James Franklin will be missed when he links up with New Zealand for the World Twenty20, but we still think it's worth siding with the Gladiators at the odds available.

They've already been nibbled at after their good start to the season but can still be backed at 22/1, although it's Victor Chandler's place terms of half the odds for a final spot that prompts us to head to them and take their 20/1.

That fleeting mention of the World Twenty20 prompts us to explain exactly what the situation is with this season's domestic competition.

Basically the group stages are being staged in two periods. The first lasts from May 25 to June 4. The tournament then takes a break to give the World event centre stage, before the groups are completed between June 22 and 28.
The two top from each regional group, plus the two best third-placed teams progress to the quarter-finals which are slated for July 27-29. Then finals day, which includes the two semis and the final, takes place on August 15.
While technically the domestic and World Twenty20 events do not clash, that does not mean the World T20 stars will be able to play all the domestic games.
Most countries have warm-up games planned so, for example, the members of England's 15-man squad will not be available for several - if not all - the early Twenty20 Cup action.

This will hurt some teams more than others.

One-day kings Essex are among the favourites for the tournament but they will have the heart ripped out of their team for several games with Ravi Bopara, Graham Napier and James Foster - all of whom have starred with the bat in this format - selected by England.

That certainly makes their odds of 10/3 about them winning the south division look skinny as it will leave their 'lesser' players plenty to do. Alternatively, you could decide that the 10/1 currently available about Essex winning the trophy is value as they could well have all three back for the knockout stages, but at present it's the former opinion which is worrying us.

Kent are also high in the market. We like their chances much better and, in what usually turns out to be a highly competitive tournament, they are our other outright picks.

As already mentioned, they won in 2007 and only lost in the final last year.
They have lost Yasir Arafat (19 wickets last season) to Sussex and captain Rob Key will be missing for some of the games due to his England call-up, but their squad is made up of some very good 'bits and pieces' cricketers, with the likes of Azhar Mahmood, Justin Kemp and Martin van Jaarsveld all a threat at this level.
Then you have a rising star in county cricket Joe Denly leading the way at the top of the order. The youngster had been tipped by some to make England's T20 squad, but Kent will be gad to have him available.

He made 384 runs in last season's competition and 279 the year before.
On the bowling front, James Tredwell offers specialist threat - his 15 wickets last season came at a cost of just 14 runs apiece.

We feel the Spitfires will give us a run for our money so will take a small slice of the 15/2 on offer.

Of the other threats, Durham are the favourites with many layers, but we're rather concerned by their disappointing FPT efforts.

They do have a strong squad, but the signing of Aussie David Warner hasn't gone entirely to plan - he'll be with his national side for at least some of the campaign.
Shaun Pollock won't be around to take wickets this year and prices as low as 5/1 look just too short in what is always a tough competition to predict.

Current holders Middlesex can still be backed at 16/1 to go back-to-back, but they will miss England's Eoin Morgan and Owais Shah for much of this campaign - both starred in last season's success. Dirk Nannes is also gone from last season's winning side.

Turning away from the outright market, Stan James' top batsman market interests us, with plenty of value appearing to be on offer down the list.

It's hard to argue against Marcus Trescothick's position as the 9/1 favourite - the former England star is in form, opens, plays his home games on a Taunton track renowned for its run-making ability and is part of a team that has impressed so far in the FPT.

But it's not so easy to understand why Kevin Pietersen (currently injured and a player who the ECB are unlikely to let play too often for Hampshire) is at 12/1.
We're also not too sure whether the aforementioned Bopara and Warner (also 12/1 shots) will play enough games to justify their lofty position in this market.
Instead look down and you will find Kent's Denly on offer at 25/1 - a player who, barring injury, is sure to play for the Spitfires in every game.

With Kent among the favourites, he could well play more than the 10 group games while he is also an opener - always a key factor to have on your side in the Twenty20 top runscorer lists.

Only Yorkshire's Anthony McGrath (a 33/1 chance this time) outscored Denly in the 2008 tournament, so we think he's a value pick here. Sky Bet go just 14/1 which we think looks about right.

Gloucestershire's Marshall could also attract some cash at 25s, but the other player we're going to take a punt on here is Ian Blackwell.

Now at Durham, the big-hitting former England all-rounder regularly came in at four for Somerset in 20-over cricket and it's easy to see him doing likewise - or perhaps even higher - for his new county.

He's a player who has played some eye-catching T20 innings in the past and he's already made a couple of good FPT scores at Durham this term.

Few players can hit a ball as far as Blackwell and if he finds his top form, he'll look good value at 50/1.

And if the layers are right, he's another with a good chance of playing as many as 13 matches.

We suggest backing both Denly and Blackwell each way, the terms being a quarter of the odds for a place in the top five

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