Er. Could someone WhatsApp Chris Gayle and deliver him our commiserations…?
Such may be the message gleaned from the ECB that weekend should the live draft for Your Hundred of Sunday mirror the mock version undertaken by journalists on Wednesday at Lords.
Gayle has been the chief casualty of this dream draft, as media clubs road-tested the laptops and technology to be used for the actual thing in Sky Studios on Sunday.
However he was not the only participant with a top-tier reserve price of #125k to overlook choice — Lasith Malinga also left by the wayside despite a dire flurry early on to snap highest bowlers — while at lower price brackets Shane Watson, Mohammad Amir and Faf du Plessis proved surplus to requirements.
Each media group of two, representing among the eight teams in The Hundred, needed around 100 seconds to generate their team selections and Trent Rockets — together with the honor of first select in a pre-drawn order — wasted little time at bagging mystery spinner Rashid Khan.
Sky Sports Cricket (Oli Burley along with David Currie) were tasked with building Welsh Fire to a formidable proposition — possibly as one of the great, great grandfathers chiselled a living from the plantations and the other had once been around a stag do in Cardiff.
However, our awareness of affinity to the jet-red outfit already boasting Jonny Bairstow and star players Tom Banton and Colin Ingram climbed as our urge to scupper our rivals by nicking and second-guessing their targets.
The precariousness of this job became apparent as Southern Brave, took number one on our wish-list, left-armer Mitchell Starc however, paceman Kagiso Rabada along with Kane Williamsons expert services were secured. The inclusion of left-armer Shaheen Afridi provided some very important assortment with Henry Brookes a thrilling potential on the seat.
So Matt Critchley obtained an early nod Will Beer providing cover 35, given the brief boundaries at Cardiff a factor, choosing two frontline spinners within an XI felt like a luxury. Wicketkeeper Ben Coxs choice may wait till the subsequent rounds, awarded either Bairstow or even Banton could do a job together with the gloves.
How much Bairstow will probably be next summer, due to international obligations, is a moot point therefore Joe Clarke is about stand-by to step in on peak of the purchase.
The placement of players at the draft meant that Welsh Fire did no company in Round Two so all we could do was observe as the likes of Quinton de Kock and sit and Imran Tahir moved everywhere.
But that is the beauty of picking your team as part of a draft as opposed to in isolation — which you can perform The Hundred site .
Since his co-coaches and Welsh Fires Gary Kirsten will figure out on Sunday, the best-laid strategies and hopes are far from guaranteed from coming into fruition, but there lies the struggle. Itll be compelling viewing.
Tom Banton (r/h opening batsman)
Jonny Bairstow (r/h top-order batsman)
Kane Williamson (r/h top-order batsman, overseas)
Colin Ingram (l/h top-order batsman)
Laurie Evans (r/h top-order batsman)
Colin Ackerman (r/h batsman, r/a off-spin)
Samit Patel (r/h batsman, l/a spin)
Liam Plunkett (r/a quick bowler, r/h batsman)
Matt Critchley (r/a leg-spin)
Kagiso Rabada (r/a fast bowler, abroad )
Shaheen Afridi (l/a quick bowler, abroad )
Joe Clarke (r/h batsman)
Ben Cox (wicketkeeper, r/h batsman)
Henry Brookes (r/a fast-medium)
Will Beer (r/a leg-spin)
The Hundred Draft — Live will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket, Main Event & Sky One from 7pm on Sunday.
It will also be available through Sky Sports Facebook and YouTube stations, as well as live on the Sky Sports app and streamed skysports.com.
Read more: damienykjlk.total-blog.com