Champions League T20 : Somerset suffers with squad problems

Tags: Champions League Twenty20 2011-12, Somerset, Craig Kieswetter, Joseph Charles Buttler, wicketkeeping, t20

Published on: Sep 13, 2011

Somerset are likely to have to field a weakened side at the Champions League Twenty20 despite naming key players in their initial squad. Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler could both be selected in England's squad to face West Indies in the two Twenty20s at The Oval, which clashes with the qualifying event, leaving Somerset without a major wicketkeeper.

Somerset are likely to have to field a weakened side at the Champions League Twenty20 despite naming key players in their initial squad. Craig Kieswetter and JosButtler could both be selected in England's squad to face West Indies in the two Twenty20s at The Oval, which clashes with the qualifying event, leaving Somerset without a major wicketkeeper.

That responsibility is set to fall on Alex Barrow, a 19-year-old, who has yet to play a Twenty20 match and has just four first-class appearances. Meanwhile, Somerset won't have the services of Kieron Pollard, as he will represent Mumbai Indians, or Marcus Trescothick, who no longer travels overseas due to health reasons.

However, Somerset have three players with IPL experience in their squad: MuraliKartik and Alfonso Thomas, who play for Pune Warriors, and Roelof van derMerwe, who was part of the Delhi Daredevils squad in the last edition. James Hildreth, who scored 346 runs in the Friends Life t20, is also in the squad.

Leicestershire, meanwhile, have all the 13 players who played for them in the Friends Life t20. Abdul Razzaq will be the only Pakistan player in the tournament, subject to him being successful in his visa application, after Pakistan's Twenty20 teams were overlooked. The tournament will be Paul Nixon'slast, after he recently announced his retirement. Andrew McDonald, the Australia allrounder, and James Taylor, who recently made his ODI debut for England, are also part of Leicestershire's squad.

The qualifying stage of the Champions League starts on September 19 and Somerset and Leicestershire will have two matches each to try to reach the main stage of the tournament.

Somerset: Alex Barrow, JosButtler, Nick Compton, Adam Dibble, George Dockrell, James Hildreth, GemaalHussainMuraliKartik, Steven Kirby, Craig Kieswetter, Craig Meschede, ArulSuppiah, Alfonso Thomas, Peter Trego, Roelof van derMerwe.

Leicestershire: Matthew Boyce, Nathan Buck, Josh Cobb, Jacques Du Toit, Harry Gurney, Claude Henderson, Matthew Hoggard, Will Jefferson, Andrew McDonald, JigarNaik, Paul Nixon, Abdul Razzaq, Greg Smith, James Taylor, Wayne White.

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