Ripley glad to have Twenty20 concentration

Glamorgan are the visitors to the County Ground tomorrow (Sunday) as the Friends Life t20 takes centre stage without the anomaly of a Championship game plonked in the middle.

And the Steelbacks’ head coach wants his men to quickly get into their stride.

He said: “I like the idea of building some momentum and if we can win one of the first two games that we’ve got them we’ll be right in it and our competition would be alive.

“The fact that we’ve already won a couple of games means that we’re right in it and we want to continue that.”

To that end there should be a couple of welcome returning players in the shape of Alex Wakely and Steven Crook, both of whom have been on the injured list.

Wakely pulled up with back spasma after the defeat to Somerset and Crook has been out since breaking a finger in the Championship reverse to Lancashire at Old Trafford.

One player who want be facing the Welsh outfit is Andrew Hall who injured a buttock muscle while batting in the week and no date has been set for his comeback.

Ripley added: “We should have Alex (Wakely) and Steven (Crook) back and that will definitely add to the team.

“We’ve tried to use Andrew (sparingly) in one-day cricket as his priority is the four-day stuff and he’s definitely going to be out.

“It would’ve been nice to have him available but it’s not going to happen.”

As for Glamorgan, who have started the tournament in decent form, Ripley knows they are a dangerous animal.

“I think they look like a good side and they’ve got a lot of energy,” he said.

“There are some matchwinners in their side and some very good players but so have we and it’s a Twenty20 game where it can be a bit of a lottery.

“Our form at home in one-day cricket has been very good and we want to continue that.

Northants from: Wakely, Levi, C White, Coetzer, Willey, Duckett, Murphy, Daggett, Azharullah, G White, Crook, Spriegel.