NatWest T20 Blast: Birmingham Bears ready to go, says Laurie Evans
Laurie on the Bears' new captain, big-hitting 'Baz', and the World T20 winners
Friday 20 May 2016 08:33, UK
In his first column for Sky Sports, Birmingham Bears batsman Laurie Evans gets set for the start of the 2016 NatWest T20 Blast on Friday, by talking about the Bears' new captain, big-hitting 'Baz', and the World T20 winners...
There is no doubt that us players are eagerly awaiting the return of the 'Friday night lights' of the T20 Blast.
The cold of April and early May seems to have disappeared, and fans too will be excited for the start of the T20, but for players and coaches, our planning began way back in the winter months.
Cricket is transforming at a serious pace and getting ahead is what everybody is working hard for. If you sit still in this form of the game, you get left behind.
I've been fortunate enough to make back-to-back finals-day appearances for the Birmingham Bears, being part of a winning team in 2014.
Some are expecting similar success this year, but our new skipper Ian Bell certainly isn't letting us rest on our laurels.
So far in four-day cricket, he has encouraged method, hard work and graft, but I know for sure he'll be looking for us to attack from ball one in our first game on Friday at Nottinghamshire.
He wants the guys to express themselves, and he made that clear from the start by telling everyone on our pre-season tour, 'you don't find anything out by sticking to what you know'.
True to his word, he gave me a chance to captain against the big-hitting might of the West Indies ahead of their World T20 win, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a great honour.
Personally, I reflected on last year's T20 campaign with mixed feelings and have really worked over the winter to push myself and my game forward.
Hitting sixes is a skill, and is great fun to work on, but there's a perfect world which exists as a batsman in T20 cricket, a nice blend of effortless boundary hitting with relative low risk.
The reality is though that striving for consistent match-winning performances without the risk of losing a wicket is a difficult thing to do.
When Brendon McCullum was with the Bears, he said to me, 'I look to come off maybe once every seven games'.
He's one of the world's best and even he knows it's not going to happen every time he runs down the wicket.
Remaining calm and moving on when it hasn't been your day are important. 'Play with a smile', he also always said.
This year, we have another Black Cap in Luke Ronchi with us at the Bears. Having had Jeetan Patel for such a long time now, as well as Baz last year, I certainly feel there is something honest about the Kiwis.
Live NatWest T20 Blast Cricket
The brand of cricket they play is all about putting the team first and getting the win. That's something I certainly try and emulate. Winning games is all that matters.
Hopefully we get off to a winning start on Friday at Notts and in our first home game against Worcestershire the following Friday, May 27, a game which is live on Sky Sports.
There's no doubt this game is the most fun to play, and the crowds are a big part of that. Edgbaston really does seem to create a unique atmosphere, and hopefully we get a full house in for that first home game.
Live NatWest T20 Blast Cricket
Watch the first live game of the 2016 T20 Blast between Essex and Surrey from 7pm on Sky Sports 2 on Friday. Then catch Laurie Evans in action for the Birmingham Bears against Worcestershire Rapids on Friday, May 27, also on Sky Sports 2 from 6.45pm.
