End of the road for Trescothick?
Marcus Trescothick's demise in the shortest format leads this week's countdown of the things that mattered in the NatWest T20 Blast
Marcus Trescothick's emphatic return to form - he has just scored his fourth Championship hundred of the season - has been one of 2014's most heart-warming tales.
Round two was better than round one. At Grace Road, Andrew Flintoff took 3 for 26, showing that his yorker remained in fine working order. The first innings of his comeback was less impressive, ending on 1 to a self-described "horrendous shot". No matter: "I just can't stop smiling," he effused.
Player focus: Michael Hogan
Not many would be allowed to keep Justin Langer waiting but Michael Hogan can: so convinced is Langer of Hogan's worth that he has kept a berth open in Western Australia's squad for 2014/15 in the hope of being able to convince him to return. Hogan's reputation - in so much as he has one - is for relentless first-class excellence from his rangy build. But he's also a skilled death bowler. He earned an amazing tie against Kent when his last over went for only three, and he yielded only eight from his final over against Surrey at The Oval, with Vikram Solanki unable to get any bat on a final ball yorker outside off stump to hand Glamorgan a four-run win.
The notion of spin twins is a stirring one for many cricketing romantics. That is especially true when, as in the case of Yorkshire, both players are homegrown. Azeem Rafiq and Adil Rashid have both been through tumult in their careers but they have combined superbly so far in the Blast this season, already sharing 25 wickets. Rashid's tale is familiar, but Rafiq's is just as interesting. He stood-in as Yorkshire captain, with considerable success, in T20 two years ago: quite a fear for a 21-year-old. His career has stuttered since - partly due to Rashid's resurgence. For all their T20 success, Yorkshire are still yet to partner Rafiq and Rashid in the Championship in 2014.
His effect hasn't been as spectacular as in the County Championship, but Saeed Ajmal has also been magnificent in the Blast, taking 12 wickets at 19.75 apiece while going for only 6.07 an over. Ajmal signed off from this season's Blast with 3 for 17 at Edgbaston: he now goes to the Caribbean Premier League. His mystery and control - equally effective in and out of the Powerplay overs - have been instrumental in Worcestershire's rise to third in the North Division, and the Rapids will now fear submerging without him.
In comparison to Ajmal, Jeetan Patel is a rather less exciting import: an offspinner who enjoyed a fairly nondescript career with New Zealand But no one at Warwickshire would dispute his worth, and Patel's gratitude in return was shown when he rejected the chance to tour the Caribbean with the Kiwis last month. His 2 for 17 helped Warwickshire trump Ajmal on Friday and snap a four-game losing streak: Patel now has eight wickets in his last three Blast games.