Round 1 - Ravens v Allstars at Ravens Unkindness (completed)

Ravens v Allstars

Ravens: Cribb, Phlegm, Jackson, Deane, Dong, Howell, Laing, Faithful, Orr, Ryabovol, Chung.
Allstars: Manera, Himann, Lewis, Downpipes, Olsen, O'Driscoll, Storer, Funkotron, Davis, Emm, Bradford.

Two teams who'll be vying for a spot in finals meet in the opening round of Season 12. On a pitch which should bring the Ravens right back into the game, both Hache Emm and Thomas Bradford are going to have to take on a load of responsibility if the Allstars are to take anything out of the game. Callum Laing is the only new signing to be making his debut in this game, and will be batting at 7. Jake Howe will be disappointed to miss out.

Despite the pitch being far more suited to the Ravens, the Allstars will still go in favourites due to a star studded batting lineup and an opening bowling partnership which frightens even on the flattest tracks. If the Ravens are to win, they're going to need to avoid having to use the plethora of bowling resources available to them and have their strike bowlers do the damage early. There is certainly a level of responsibility heaped on Michael Chung, the Asian defensive medium bowler who will be expected to apply pressure from ball one, while also chipping in with wickets on a friendly surface. For the Allstars, Leumas Himann will have to show the same resilience and poise that he has in the ALC in order to set the Allstars up for mammoth totals.

The real strength of the Ravens lie in their incredible depth. Filled with allrounders, they bat down to number 10 and have 8 genuine bowling options available to them if things go wrong. The fact that star all-rounder Callum Laing is only the 7th choice says it all. Expect the Ravens' tail to frustrate the Allstars. The Allstars, on the other hand, field a more conventional cricketing lineup however there are serious concerns about their tail, which starts at number 8, despite Alec Funkotron's strong season with the bat last year.

All that said, the Allstars possess a more coherent lineup that is certain to gel. Despite the pitch not being in their favour, the Herald predicts a 70 run win to the Allstars, with Hache Emm and Thomas Bradford taking 12 for the match between them, while Michael Chung will provide some resistance with a tight first innings spell of 4/55 off 25 overs.

Herald Tips
Mousey - Ravens
Eds - Ravens
Baxter - Ravens
Morgieb - Allstars
Cribbage - Ravens
Callum - Ravens
Gazza - Allstars
Eggman - Allstars
Jager - Ravens
Skippos - Allstars
Fung - Allstars