CLT20: Know your teams

In the lead-up to the 2012 Champions League Twenty20, we take a look at seven of the 14 teams in contention for the tournament.

Auckland Aces, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Hampshire, Kolkata Knight Rider, Highveld Lions and Mumbai Indians,Perth Scorchers, Sialkot Stallions, Sydney Sixers, Titans, Trinidad & Tobago, Uva Next and Yorkshire.

Auckland Aces

Qualification: Winners, HRV Cup

Captain: Gareth Hopkins

Star value: Martin Guptill, Lou Vincent, Andre Adams, Azhar Mahmood

The Auckland Aces made it to the CLT20 qualifying tournament after they won the HRV Cup beating Canterbury Wizards in the final by 44 runs in January. Led by former New Zealand wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins, the Aces lack international value with only a handful of players with experience at the top level. Much of their success will rest on the role of their top order, including current and former New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Lou Vincent, as well as the all-round efforts of Andre Adams who has enjoyed much success over the past few years in county cricket. This is Auckland’s second trip to the CLT20 after a win-less qualifiers last year.

 

Chennai Super Kings

Qualification: Runners-up, IPL 5

Captain: MS Dhoni

Star value: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel

This will be CSK's fourth appearance in the CLT20, having won the second edition in 2010. Arguably the strongest Twenty20 franchise in the world, CSK owe their success to a close-knit unit in which the owners have retained much faith. With Dhoni as leader and proven Twenty20 match-winners in the ranks, this is the team to beat. Having failed to win the title in IPL 5, Dhoni's team will be out to gain lost ground with another strong show in South Africa where they won the trophy two years ago.

 

Delhi Daredevils

Qualification: Fourth place in IPL 5

Captain: Mahela Jayawardene

Star value: Mahela Jayawardene, Kevin Pietersen, Morne Morkel, Irfan Pathan, David Warner, Ross Taylor, Virender Sehwag.

A strong Twenty20 side boasting a tremendous batting line-up and quality bowlers, Delhi go into the CLT20 as one of the favourites – should Virender Sehwag be passed fit. They did well in IPL 5 before losing their way at the end, but with Kevin Pietersen, David Warner and Ross Taylor available for the entire tournament they will be a serious threat to opposition teams.

 

Hampshire

Qualification: Winner, Friends Life t20

Captain: Dimitri Mascarenhas

Star value: Shahid Afridi, Dimitri Mascarenhas

Hampshire, winners of the England’s domestic Twenty20 competition, will hope to progress from the CLT20 qualifiers into the proper tournament in their first appearance. Pooled with Auckland and Sialkot Stallions, this team has its task cut out. Lacking international experience, Hampshire will rely heavily on Dimitri Mascarenhas, opener Michael Carberry, former Zimbabwe allrounder Sean Ervine and Shahid Afridi. Also in their ranks is the spin-bowling allrounder Glenn Maxwell, part of Australia’s squad at the ICC World Twenty20.

 

Kolkata Knight Riders

Qualification: Winners, IPL 5

Captain: Gautam Gambhir

Star value: Gautam Gambhir, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee, Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum, Shakib Al Hasan

After winning their first IPL title this year, KKR will enter the CLT20 as one of the favourites. Their star-studded line-up speaks for itself, but key for the Gautam Gambhir-led team will be to adapt to the South African conditions. In 2009 IPL KKR had a woeful time, with then captain Brendon McCullum struggling with the bat and as leader. At home, and coming off a poor World Twenty20, key allrounder Jacques Kallis will be heavily relied upon.

 

Highveld Lions

Qualification: Runners up, T20 Domestic Cup

Captain: TBA

Star value: Neil McKenzie, Sohail Tanvir, Dirk Nannes

The Lions have been weakened by the absence of regular captain Alviro Petersen, who injured his left hand during a recent encounter with the Cape Cobra, and the decisions by Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel to play for their IPL sides. However, with CLT20 experience and knowledge of the home conditions they are not to be underestimated. The new coach Geoffrey Toyana has backed the team to deliver with a good mix of experienced players and exciting new prospects in Chris Morris, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock and Pumelela Matshikwe.

 

Mumbai Indians

Qualification: Direct entry as title holders

Captain: Sachin Tendulkar

Star value: Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Rohit Sharma, Dwayne Smith

The defending champions will be out to retain the trophy in tougher conditions than in India, and with a strong batting and bowling attack at its disposal. With Sachin Tendulkar fit the batting has been solidified and the master veteran will also resume the captaincy. Undoubtedly one of the toughest teams to beat, Mumbai Indians have the firepower to lift another CLT20.

Perth Scorchers

Qualification: Runners-up, Big Bash League 

Captain: Marcus North 

Star value: Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Collingwood, Shaun Marsh

One of the less glamorous sides in the CLT20, the Marcus North-led Australian outfit is a tough Twenty20 side. Key to the side’s success in South Africa will be the performances of the few players with international experience – chiefly veteran batsman Simon Katich, who captained NSW to victory in the CLT20 three years ago, Shaun Marsh, Brad Hogg, Herschelle Gibbs and Paul Collingwood. The team's wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi is also an integral member of the side, having kept outstandingly in this year’s Big Bash League in which Perth were runners-up. This is a side with an able pace-bowling attack.

 

Sialkot Stallions

Qualification: Winners, Faysal Bank T20 

Captain: Shoaib Malik 

Star value: Shoaib Malik, Imran Nazir, Naved-ul-Hasan

This year will see Pakistan’s first representation at the CLT20 in the form of current Faysal Bank T20 winners Sialkot Stallions. The team was also the representatives in the 2008 tournament but that event was cancelled after the Mumbai terrorist attacks and Pakistani teams had been kept out of subsequent tournaments. The Shoaib Malik-led Stallions will need to qualify for the main event and will take on Auckland Aces and Hampshire two days later in a bid to seal their progress. This is a side that won an unprecedented 25 Twenty20 games between 2005 and 2010.

 

Sydney Sixers

Qualification: Winner, Big Bash League  

Captain: Brad Haddin  

Star value: Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Pat Cummins, Nathan McCullum, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith

The stronger of the two Australian teams at the CLT20, Sydney are the winner of the inaugural BBL and have the ability to push the best teams in the tournament. Though David Warner has opted for his IPL franchise, in Shane Watson the team has the best allrounder in the game. Add Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, Michael Lumb and Moises Henriques and the batting looks very good. This is also a fine bowling team, led by Australia's new-ball pair of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc with New Zealand import Nathan McCullum a canny spinner.

 

Titans

Qualifications: Winners, T20 Domestic Cup 

Captain: Martin van Jaarsveld 

Star value: Jacques Rudolph, Roelof van der Merwe

South Africa's T20 champions Titans have been dealt a massive blow with AB de Villiers’ injury ruling him out of the tournament, and that leaves the side lacking a match-winner with the bat and in the field. The side lacks international experience with only captain Martin van Jaarsveld, Roelof van der Merwe, Jacques Rudolph, Paul Harris, Farhaan Behardien and Hieno Kuhn having played for South Africa. What they lack in international exposure the team can hope to make up with in the form of Twenty20 freelancer Alfonso Thomas whose experience around the world makes him a valuable asset. He also has CLT20 experience, having played with Somerset in 2009.

 

Trinidad & Tobago

Qualification: Winners, Caribbean T20 

Captain: Denesh Ramdin 

Star value: Denesh Ramdin, Darren Bravo, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons

T&T, who made the finals of the inaugural CLT20 in 2009, will be without their three top players - Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine - who have elected to play for their IPL franchises. However, they will be joined in South Africa by captain and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, legspinner Samuel Badree and batsmen Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo. The squad also boasts of a number of emerging players such as batsman Evin Lewis and allrounder Yannick Ottley, who impressed with a match-winning unbeaten 52 against Bangladesh after Trinidad crumbled to 12 for 5 in the recent Asia versus the Caribbean series. There is also the allrounder Kevon Cooper who made heads turn in IPL 5 playing for Rajasthan Royals.

 

Uva Next

Qualification: Winners, Sri Lanka Premier League 

Captain: Thilina Kandamby  

Star value: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacob Oram, Umar Gul, Upul Tharanga

The newest of entrants in the race for Twenty20 glory, Uva Next came to prominence after winning the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League this year. A good mix of local Sri Lankan talent and players with international experience – such as captain Thilina Kandamby, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacob Oram, Umar Gul, Upul Tharanga, Andrew McDonald, Fawad Alam and Dilhara Fernando – Uva Next will be out to prove they belong with the best in the business. Their drawback is that most of their home-grown taken has not experience of South African conditions.

 

Yorkshire

Qualification: Runners-up, Friends Life t20 

Captain: Andrew Gale 

Star value: David Miller, Ryan Sidebottom

The most low-profile of teams at the CLT20, Yorkshire earned a place in the qualifiers after finish second best to Hampshire in England's Friends Life t20 this year. Though they have a host of experience domestic players, Yorkshire lack players with international experience and that leaves much reliance on local boy David Miller and former England fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom. The team suffered a blow shortly before departing for South Africa with news that England batsman Jonny Bairstow had been ruled out due to a wrist injury. Yorkshire will play Uva Next and T&T in the qualifying stage.