"Sussex have always looked a strong bowling line-up, but they're without Rashid Khan which is one big loss they've got. For some reason I'm going for Somerset."
Friday 14 September 2018 15:41, UK
Who will win T20 Finals Day? Which rookie should England pick if Stuart Broad is rested in Sri Lanka? Is James Anderson England's greatest-ever player? Dominic Cork discusses in the latest Hit for Six...
They're all really tight days and it's been a case of who turns up. Sussex have always looked a strong bowling line-up, but they're without Rashid Khan which is one big loss they've got.
For some reason, I'm going for Somerset. I don't particularly know why as they've obviously had a terrible time in the County Championship over the last two games and their record at Finals Days and semi-finals hasn't been great.
But their all-round abilities and the way they've been able to play T20, I just think Somerset are going to come out on top.
Surrey have just been the outstanding team. People will always look at somebody like Morne Morkel with his 50 wickets and think it's just down to him but the whole set-up at Surrey has been well put together with Alec Stewart at the top, Michael Di Venuto as head coach and then their backroom staff and coaches.
Their young players are fantastic and we're seeing them in the England side - the likes of Ollie Pope, the two Currans. I also think we're going to see Rory Burns go to Sri Lanka, so it's been an excellent effort.
They've played the best cricket, and to win that amount of games on the trot just shows they're head and shoulders above the rest.
I played in the same side in which he made his England debut, and he's done so well throughout his career. He's always been a hard-worker, he's always been a guy who's got the most out of his ability.
He's always had a passion to do well, captaining a World T20 side, a winning side in the West Indies and being part of an Ashes series win and obviously being able to captain a County Championship team to success up in Durham, so it's hard to pick one that stands out.
He deserves all the accolades that he's going to get, and I'm sure England will be tapping into his knowledge once he joins them this winter in a coaching capacity out in Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
There's quite a few they'll look at to bring through - the likes of Olly Stone. I've always been impressed with him and the way he bowls with pace, although I know he's had a few injury problems.
Even Jamie Overton, whose brother Craig has obviously been on an Ashes tour last year and made his debut, I think he's done very well. Henry Brookes is another lad from Warwickshire who I know has had injury problems, so it'll be interesting to see who they pick.
If it was me, I would just want somebody who can bowl quick and be able to hit the deck because they're such slow wickets out in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. I would probably favour Stone to be the rookie to go in there and maybe force his way into the side.
But if they do rest Broad, I think it gives them more options for an all-rounder in there to maybe play them altogether.
I think they'll stick with Keaton Jennings, even though I've read reports that Trevor Bayliss is nervous about his selection. I think they'll go with Burns and Jennings. Against India, it was a difficult series for both teams with the ball moving as much as it has done throughout the summer.
Wickets have really helped seam bowlers, so I think they'll definitely take Jennings, and he and Burns will be the opening pair come the first Test match in Sri Lanka.
Their decision will be whether they go with a No 3 batsman and bring in a James Vince or a Joe Denly - it'd be Vince for me - or will they stick with Moeen Ali at three? That opens up more spaces to get in the likes of Chris Woakes and maybe also the possibility of that rookie.
I don't think we are ever going to see what Jimmy Anderson has done in the Test arena again. Nobody is going to beat the record he's going to set whenever he decides that's it. I think he's got his eyes set on 600 wickets.
He'll be up there with some of the greatest players in English Test cricket and in world Test cricket as well. You don't go past Glenn McGrath with not being one of the greatest, so he's definitely up there.
Cook knows him better than anybody else, and if he's said that then that's great for Jimmy, but he's the sort of guy who will play it all down.
He'll say that McGrath and Dale Steyn are better bowlers than him, which he has done, but if we're going to be honest, Anderson is up there with one of the best cricketers we'll ever see. Once he decides to retire, it'll be another hole that we'll have to try and fill.
We will fill it, but whether we get somebody of the ilk of Cook and Anderson is unlikely. Players won't have their longevity in Test match cricket. He's somebody that everyone will remember for what he's brought to English cricket and to Test cricket worldwide.
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