World Cup wicketkeeper Paul Nixon insists England are in good shape ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 opener on Thursday.
Keeper offers advice to England's Twenty20 hopefuls
World Cup wicketkeeper Paul Nixon insists England are in good shape ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 opener on Thursday.
The veteran Leicestershire gloveman was one of the only positives to come out of England's time in the Caribbean earlier this year.
Matt Prior has gone on to replace the two-time domestic Twenty20 Cup winner as the country's first choice keeper.
But the 36-year-old is still well placed to comment on England's prospects in South Africa.
Experience
"The pitches out there are going to be crucial but we've got some canny guys," Nixon told
Sky Sports News. "Jeremy Snape has been outstanding in Twenty20 cricket for Leicestershire.
"His thought processes are brilliant. The way he gets a batsman who's in, and gives him one to bowl at the new guy as often as he can, or the less big-hitting guy, is an example.
"Those are the little areas that we can just tweak and I think that Jeremy's and Darren Maddy's experience of playing the game in four finals and winning two bodes well for English cricket."
Game plan
Peter Moores' side are in Cape Town ahead of their opener against Zimbabwe on Thursday, and Nixon also has some tips for the squad.
"In this form of the game 15 or 20 balls done exceptionally well by somebody whether it's a batsman, a bowler, or a fielder can win a game," he added.
"We've just seen Luke Wright come in on his one-day debut and play absolutely beautifully and he played proper cricket shots.
"It's important that the guys can keep wickets in hand in the first four or five overs and bat through. They need to set a platform at the end where we've got five or six wickets in hand."
South Africa take on West Indies in the tournament opener live on
Sky Sports 1 from 4.30pm on Tuesday, ahead of England's vital first match two days later.
