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[valiantlad]

Opening in 20/20 league tonight, how should I go about it?
Rotate?
Hit?

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Go big or go home!

[mdl_1979]

Look to score off every ball, so even if you don't think a boundary is possible, knock the ball into the gaps, and run hard!

[Nickauger]

Play your natural game otherwise you wouldn't be asked to open!

[johnnyw]

Just play like chris gayle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df-1nwdanL8&feature=related

[uknsaunders]

Simmy is your man on this subject.

I've played a fair bit and just be positive. Don't worry about a quiet start, always best to take a quick look before looking for boundaries. Don't neglect the singles, 3 singles an over with a boundary equals a very healthy rate.

[praguetaz]

I open for my team and i'm no big hitter - I punish the bad balls and just play good cricket shots.. running 1s and 2s are very important and the boundaries when you start to see the ball well. Don't worry about dot balls and stay cool and focused on the next ball. If your partner is a big hitter rotate the strike and let the big hitters and quality to come do some damage and be the solid one that stays in just in case. However, if you've got quality to come then review after every 3-5 overs and start hitting out more but then again.. pick your ball....

[Burdy]

SMASH THE GRANNY OUT OF IT!!!!!!! No one remembers the 50's from 30 balls, everyone seems to remember 50 from 15 balls.

[praguetaz]

SMASH THE GRANNY OUT OF IT!!!!!!! No one remembers the 50's from 30 balls, everyone seems to remember 50 from 15 balls.

You see.. this is the problem with T20!
They remember if you set the team up as the steady reliable opener keeping ahead of the required run rate that leads to winning the championship for the first time in our history... as I did last Saturday!!!

[Simmy]

Simmy is your man on this subject.

I've played a fair bit and just be positive. Don't worry about a quiet start, always best to take a quick look before looking for boundaries. Don't neglect the singles, 3 singles an over with a boundary equals a very healthy rate.

the way i see it.

the 1st two bowlers are usually the best, advantage of 20/20 opening is u have a little bit of time to have a look.

watch the 1st two overs wait for the bad ball. and smash it!
once uve got ur eye in a little bit still smash the bad ball but looked to push the good balls into gaps instead of just playing in safe. the key is to look at the gaps in the field. if u are a smasher and they have deep mid on and mid off but no body backward point give ur self a bit of room and try and play the ball where the gaps are. dont try and get carried away with smashing 4's and 6's as keeping the board ticking over with 1's and 2's is just important.

do not pre meditate ur shots play the ball as u see it.

[Byo]

You are there for a good time not a long time - so swing hard and smash it!!!

[praguetaz]

the way i see it.

the 1st two bowlers are usually the best, advantage of 20/20 opening is u have a little bit of time to have a look.

watch the 1st two overs wait for the bad ball. and smash it!
once uve got ur eye in a little bit still smash the bad ball but looked to push the good balls into gaps instead of just playing in safe. the key is to look at the gaps in the field. if u are a smasher and they have deep mid on and mid off but no body backward point give ur self a bit of room and try and play the ball where the gaps are. dont try and get carried away with smashing 4's and 6's as keeping the board ticking over with 1's and 2's is just important.

do not pre meditate ur shots play the ball as u see it.

Aaah finally.. someone who really knows how to open in T20....

I've been watching the T20 County sides on Sky the last few days and the games have been shocking except for a few batsmen that manage to get 30-50 runs, which has been the major contributor. Notts lost to Lancs today by 3 runs after chasing a score of 110 and were cruising for at least the first half of the game! It seems that most just want to smash it and get themselves out cheaply mistiming or straight to a fielder which is what the Lancs batsmen did and continued to do to post 110!!! Lancs however had a quality bowling line up but it was Notts batting that really let them down....

[Burdy]

I still say, SMASH THE GRANNY OUT OF IT.
praguetaz, if you are only really going to play a 'normal' innings, then a normal field to you will be effective. Get a genuine pace bowler to bowl full and at off stump or just outside off, Set up a ring field, 3rd man and probably either long off or deep extra. Will let you make your own mistakes when you are trying to play over the top or go for the legside when you get 'bogged' down playing normal style cricket in a short format.

[praguetaz]

I don't go out to play a normal innings although it may sound like that. It's actually our very first season of T20 in Prague so apart from the 'smash' the ball in the training net sessions, i've just observed how many teams have been bowled out for less than 20 overs and how easy batters give away their wicket to yorkers and inswingers on the leg stump cramping up the batsman. We do have a decent standard of bowling in Prague and it's great to see how effective the spinners can be too - my main point is that you need one person to 'steady the ship' who might be an opener like me whilst rotating to allow partners to play that style...  I still hold that good cricketing shots and a steady head that can defend their wicket can be an effective way to get runs on the board for the team, but it's just my opinion from having taken part in my first season and observations from IPL and County Cricket off the TV...

How did our man play who originally posted this question or do i need to read back!?