MOHAMMED MUDASSIR ALI: The key question for future opponents is quite simple: how do you beat a side that looks like they've been playing with each other in this format for their entire careers, even though the tournament only began 12 months ago?
Welsh Fire have a long tournament ahead of them after exposing their shortcomings against Southern Brave, while the defending champions reassured fans that absolutely nothing has changed since last year.
The key question for Brave’s future opponents is quite simple: how do you beat a side that looks like they’ve been playing with each other in this format for their entire careers, even though the tournament only began 12 short months ago?
Southern Brave’s key strengths are based on the fact the bulk of their squad have the skills required to succeed in short-format cricket ingrained as muscle memory, while those who don’t are exciting young talents who will only develop at a rapid rate in this setup.
This formula allows the side to both perform in the now while also building a framework to look upon come draft time - even if that is many months away. It’s a system that the world’s top franchises (Mumbai Indians…. cough, cough) have executed with a great deal of success.
Vince top scored with 71 off just 41 deliveries whilst Davies also contributed with 26 off 21 [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]
So have Southern Brave cracked the code straight away? Maybe, but they remain fallible. You can’t help but notice that the Brave XI is leaning towards the older side, and whilst it sounds like an attempt to make something out of nothing, there could be a tactical opportunity to take the upper hand against the trophy holders, although that opportunity may not be available until next season.
The average age of the Brave fast bowlers is over 30 - Michael Hogan (41) and Chris Jordan (33) are integral cogs - and because of that the door is ajar for the rest of the field to make ground. If Brave’s home guard loses their way, reassembling an attack - built on domestic spin and seam - will be much harder to achieve.
Age is just a number for Hogan who at 41 delivered 1 for 7 off his 10 deliveries [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]
James Vince is undoubtedly the side's biggest asset as both skipper, opening batsman, and leading top scorer for the Brave, both last season and in the opening game as he blazed 71 off just 41 balls.
Any team which has realistic ambitions of winning against Brave, and particularly at the Ageas Bowl, will have to learn to keep Vince quiet. That means making him look to clear the boundary rope early - not allowing the Brave skipper to get set and rotate the field, or pick gaps for four which he can do at will in the form he is in.
To do that means scoring big. The average Hundred score at the Ageas in 2021 was a tidy 139 - some 32 runs more than managed by Welsh Fire on Wednesday. It is not enough to go through the motions against Brave, it is very much a case of go big or go home with our tail between your legs.
Vince, as everyone knows, loves a cover drive and square cut, so attacks should eliminate that shot from his arsenal. Bowl full, bowl on the stumps, and make him do the work.
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