From accepting captaincy for the first time at the age of 35 to the ILT20 giving opportunities to young players, skipper Colin Munro opened up in a candid chat.

ILT20 2023table-toppersDesert Vipershave been very impressive with their performances this season and a lot of the credit for their displays must go to their skipperColin Munro, who despite not having much franchise experience when it comes to captaincy, has led the team with aplomb.

While discussing about donning the captaincy hat in a candid interview, a 35-year-old Munro said: “To be honest, I was a bit shocked at first because I’ve never been asked to lead a franchise before, but when I was given the opportunity, I thought ‘yeah, why not? Better now than never’.”

“Towards the end of my career, I’m always looking to give back to the environment and what better now than to lead as a captain, to get the best of players around me. I was a little shocked, but after a couple of days, I told Vipers I’d love to take the opportunity,” the New Zealand batter said.

Munro also made his goals with the team in the ongoing tournament clear. “We’re obviously set out the tournament as a new franchise, as a new team, and we’re trying to make it to the final, and we’re on our way there. We want to have big games coming up, so we’re in a good position so far,” he said.

Munro then described his relationship with head coach James Foster and Director of Cricket Tom Moody. “Moody has been around for a long time. He knows everything about cricket. You know you’re not going to win every game. As captain, you sort of live and breathe every ball. So when there’s a lot of change, it’s your problem because you have put them on to bowl. You can’t do that, you’re just going to charge ahead as you can with these guys because they’re giving me the freedom to go out there and just make some calls,” the New Zealander revealed.

“So it’s easy working with those two (James Foster and Tom Moody) because they’re very experienced and the rest of the coaching staff are, you know, coaches in their own regard too. So there’s a lot of brains coming to the party,” he added.

As far as his teammates go, Munro was effusive in his praise for star batter Alex Hales, who has set the tournament ablaze and is the leading run-scorer in ILT20 2023. “He’s just scored five (four) fifties in a row and a hundred there as well, so he’s batting really well, he’s in a really good headspace,” he said.

“To be mentally fresh when he comes into cricket (is good), so you know long may that continue for us. But it’s awesome to see the gears he’s going through. It’s not always just bang, bang bang. He’s going through the gears and making sure he’s back in most games,” Munro added on Hales’ run in the ILT20 league.

Hales’ form aside, Munro was quick to laud the entire backroom staff that has contributed to the team’s success. “Everyone has been unbelievable. From the background staff, going back to people in the commercial office, guys doing the media stuff, everyone that’s part of the family. And that’s a very easy way to throw around when you play franchise cricket. But this is good because everybody feels very welcomed, whether you’re playing or not, everybody is put into the pot and grows this team and franchise in the game,” he asserted.

When asked to explain about the potential of the ILT20, Munro said: “I think you see, obviously on a bigger scale, teams like in India, in the IPL. Since the IPL has come, cricket has gone to another level. Hope this (tournament) can do the same. We can see some serious talent around this area.”

While discussing the impact of the local players from the UAE, he said, “Rohan Mustafa is bowling some real crucial overs for us and batting at the top of the order… We’ve got Sheraz (Ahmad) who can bowl death and we’ve also got Ali Naseer as well. We probably thought he wouldn’t play, but he is. He is in the mix, and he has got a lot of cricket ahead of him being a youngster but they can bat and bowl, and are big hitters.”

“I think hopefully it’s got room to grow and the UAE players are learning from the experiment, but they can still bat and bowl and get us, so hopefully it’s got room to grow and make sure the UAE players are learning from the experience and just make sure that they’re actually taking a lot out of it, rather than just coming to training, asking questions, seeing the players how to get better,” Munro further explained.

While confessing that the Vipers have had the easiest run in terms of games, Munro said that some of their games were coming in “thick and fast”, but for them, it is all about using the squad well.

Looking forward to the remaining league stage games, Munro seems focused although he wouldn’t be surprised with a change in the dynamic of the teams. “We’ve obviously got two games in Sharjah which is a little bit of a travel, so for us it’s using the squad mainly. And I think all the teams have some new players coming in, but that adds a bit of a different dynamic to their teams,” he stressed.

“We stayed in with our team, got Luke Wood as the replacement, but he comes in for a lot of players. It’s interesting to see how the other teams go about bringing in their players. Sometimes it can work out, sometimes it can backfire,” Munro concluded.

Even though table-toppersDesert Vipersare having a great run inILT20 2023, head coachJames Fosterstill believes that being complacent is not an option, with lots of work still to do.

“We’re in a nice position at the moment, but there’s still a lot of work to do. There’s a lot of confidence on the side. The guys are playing well, but we still have some important matches coming up,” Foster said.

While Foster chose not to comment on other teams, he emphasised the importance of the group having fun together and how having renowned players like skipper Colin Munro, wicketkeeper Sam Billings and Alex Hales in the side helps in that regard.

“We’re lucky ’cause we have got world-class players, it’s part of the recruitment process. But it’s just understanding, being nice and calm and requirements you need to assess, you need to understand and absorb some pressure.”

He also stressed the importance of players making the most of the opportunities that they receive. “When you see there’s an opportunity there, you can reverse the pressure back onto the opposition. That’s why we’ve done so well.”

While further elaborating on opportunities, Foster went on to cite the example of when the Vipers beat MI Emirates by seven wickets.

“The way we bowled against MI Emirates the other night was phenomenal. You’re bowling against the best players in the T20 format, left-right combination, with the short boundary, whilst you’re unable to get them out. I thought we absorbed so much pressure there. We showed a lot of skill level, and that was great to see.”

He complimented the Vipers’ and ILT20’s highest run-getter, Alex Hales. “Hales is in great touch, he’s one of the in-form players around the world. It’s great to see him bat in the innings, continuing the form with us. He’s great around the group, he’s relaxed, very chilled out and it’s great to see him in form as well,” Foster said.

Foster also praised skipper Colin Munro, who is enjoying his first-ever stint at captaining a side with the Vipers. “Munro has been around a long time in franchise cricket, he has so much experience and is able to tap into that. He’s been great for us as a group, more so as a leader around the group. I know he has been captaining exceptionally well. I think the way he’s sort of been able to juggle the overs is required, sometimes with the short boundary, big boundary, creating some challenges – I think he’s done a wonderful job. So the way Muns is going, leading from the front as well, which is nice. But it’s just his demeanour around this group has been high class.”

While crunching numbers is a norm in T20 cricket now, Foster accentuated the need for also factoring in the on-field conditions. “We’ve got an experience in this group as we’ve been touching on, from coaching as well as a playing point of view. So we’re just tapping into that, doing our research. On the analytical side, you become aware of what sort of lines and lengths that are going to be key. We don’t need to change much, but there are little adjustments for sure,” he said.

“Some grounds are a bit more spin conducive, historically. Some are bigger scoring grounds, so you do that research, but the most important thing is that you’re playing with what’s in front of you – the conditions, what the ball is doing, what’s the weather like when there is dew when there isn’t dew there. So those are the most important things. Yes, you do research, but playing with what’s in front of you is the most important thing in my opinion,” Foster added.

Foster also praised the local UAE talents like Rohan Mustafa, Ali Naseer and Sheraz Ahmad in the Vipers squad. “They have been doing superbly well. We’ve given Rohan a specific role, a new role for him as well. He bowled some really high-pressure overs as well, like those two overs he bowled against Pooran and Pollard was exceptional. And he really seems to be enjoying that challenge as the UAE boys have been doing as well. Ali has been around the group, he hasn’t bowled as much as he probably liked, and contributions in the field have been key. The way Sheraz has had his opportunities to bowl, he has made some major contributions,” the Vipers’ head coach opined.

Looking ahead, the 42-year-old head coach believes that the ILT20 has the potential to change the fate of UAE cricket. “Well, if you think about this league, all the overseas stars and the starting XI, that’s great to see. And also the impact it’s potentially going to have on UAE cricket. In each team, you got two UAE slots, but I’m a big believer that it’s going to have a huge impact on UAE cricket. The opportunity to learn from some of these wonderful players, from all of these sides, is going to be a great thing.”

Sherfane Rutherford was the best performer for the Desert Vipers with 50 off 23 balls

A clinical performance once more fromDesert Vipersin the ongoingILT20 2023awarded them an important win against Dubai Capitals on Thursday in Dubai. BattersSam BillingsandSherfane Rutherford’s fifties helped the Vipers geta 180-plus score.

The Capitals kept losing wickets from the beginning in their chase and eventually fell 22 runs short of the target.

Chasing 183 at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai Capitals sent out their openers, Robin Uthappa and George Munsey, at the crease. Caribbean pacerSheldon Cottrelldelivered an early blow to the Capitals by removing Munsey for a duck in the second over.

Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza joined hands with Uthappa at the crease. Both batters accumulated quick runs before Uthappa departed for 30 runs in the fifth over. The Capitals managed to pile up 45 runs for a couple of wickets at the end of the powerplay.

The asking rate kept on rising from there on, with the Capitals struggling to find momentum. After 10 overs, Raza (41) and Dasun Shanaka (11) could only manage to drag the Capitals to 77 runs with eight wickets still in hand.

Both all-rounders had departed by the end of the 13th over, leaving the finish to skipper Rovman Powell and Yusuf Pathan. The Vipers’ bowling attack though made sure they picked up regular wickets.

After the quick departures of Pathan (5) and Chamika Karunaratne (10), the onus was totally on Powell. The Capitals’ skipper smashed two boundaries and just as many sixes before falling prey to pacerLuke Woodin the 19th over. Powell walked back to the dugout after scoring 33 off 25 balls, as the Capitals’ hope to qualify for the playoffs ended.

Desert Vipers reduced the Capitals to 160 for seven at the end of 20 overs and grabbed another win by 22 runs.

Early in the evening, the Capitals opted to bowl first after winning the toss in a must-win game for them. The Vipers’ opening duo of Alex Hales andRohan Mustafawalked out to bat on a used pitch, with Fred Klaassen taking the new ball for the Capitals.

Hales got dismissed in the first over for just one, making way for skipper Colin Munro at the crease. Mustafa smacked Hazrat Luqman for a couple of aerial hits in the second over before Munro (1) departed in the third over.

The Vipers then raced to 45 for three in six overs but also lost Mustafa. The UAE batter’s cameo of 31 runs off 21 balls, which comprised three boundaries and a couple of sixes, helped the Vipers get off to a decent start.

The Capitals had restricted the Vipers to 76 for four in 10.3 overs, with Sam Billings batting at one end. Caribbean hard-hitter Sherfane Rutherford joined forces with Billings in helping the Vipers get a move on.

Both batters unleashed against the Capitals’ bowling attack, as the runs started to flow. The ruthless Rutherford smashed Yusuf Pathan for five consecutive sixes in the 16th over, taking the score to 143 for four.

Billings (54) and Rutherford (50) brought up their fifties before getting dismissed, as all-rounderTom Curran’s 17-run brief stay made sure the Vipers ended their innings with 182 for seven on the board.

A victory for the Vipers means they have guaranteed themselves a top-two finish.

Brief Scores:Desert Vipers 182/7 in 20 overs (S Billings 54, S Rutherford 50; F Klaassen 3/34) defeated Dubai Capitals 160/7 in 20 overs (S Raza 41, R Powell 33; S Cottrell 2/36)