David Leggat: Overseas hits and misses

Victorian Brad Hodge stood out among the opening contenders. Photo / Getty Images

If you've never heard of Mark Cleary, Mitchell Claydon and Travis Birt, don't worry - you won't be alone.

The HRV Cup brought 20 overseas imports into the domestic short game, which culminates in Auckland hosting the final against defending champions Central Districts at Colin Maiden Park on Sunday.

Some were barely here long enough to unpack their bags, some proved poor value and others were top-rate signings.

So how many would make a form team of the cup? In this case, five get in alongside six "locals".

When weighing merits of players against each other, you need a certain criteria. So, in this instance, it is a minimum of five innings for batsmen and 20 overs for the bowlers.

Why those numbers? Well, you've got to draw a line somewhere.

T20 is a batsman's game. The poor saps paid to fling the pill their way are on a hiding to nothing but can help their cause by being smart.

They must use variations in pace, hit the blockhole and make the batsman work for his runs. Oh yes, getting wickets and being economical is also on the "should have" list of qualities.

There are some subtleties to the game but there's no time to play themselves in. See it, hit it, is one key rule.

Who was unlucky to miss this selection? CD's tidy allround import, Mike Yardy, Northern Districts' hardworking new ball bowler, Graeme Aldridge, and Otago opener Aaron Redmond for starters.

What of the duds? Otago's campaign was done in by the weather, with four of 10 games either washed out or abandoned, but still their English pros, Chris Nash and Darren Stevens, didn't deliver.

Herschelle Gibbs managed only 96 runs in five innings for ND, who got the services of New South Wales opener David Warner for only two innings.

Brett Lee's return of four for 114 - 28.5 apiece and going for 8.14 runs an over - would have disappointed Wellington, who managed to work their way through five imports, including the aforementioned no-names Cleary and Birt (okay, Birt did play three T20s in February last year, but even so ...)

Canterbury's Rob Nicol and Victorian Brad Hodge stood out among the opening contenders.

Nicol topped the aggregates and he got his runs at a decent 131.33 strike rate; Hodge averaged 65.33, at 139.0.

Former England ODI player Luke Wright was good value for Wellington, who missed him when he was laid low for several days by a foot injury.

Best of the imports? Canterbury's Ryan ten Doeschate and CD's Ian Blackwell, so they're in with bells on.

Ten Doeschate scored one less run than Nicol, at a decent rate, averaged 40.5 and pocketed 12 wickets at 17.66 each. Economy rate? 8.48. A shade high but we'll live with that.

Blackwell's stonking 68 not out off 33 balls against Auckland at Pukekura Park on Wednesday sped CD into Sunday's final.

The 32-year-old Durham pro averaged 33, got his runs at a breakneck 181.31 strike rate and took 10 cheap wickets while conceding less than six an over. Top numbers.

Luke Woodcock's in to provide a bit more tidy left-arm spin. He was economical and averaged more than a wicket a game.

The mid-innings slogger is Auckland's leftie Colin Munro, who overcame a couple of ducks in his first two digs to back himself and flayed several attacks, en route to 195 runs at a hectic 159.83 strike rate.

Peter McGlashan is the gloveman but only if he keeps playing those daredevil reverse pull shots.

The fast-medium men: Andre Adams, the veteran Michael Mason and the lively Richard Sherlock, who is in partly to add colour with his eye-catching hairstyle.

All got wickets, Adams and Mason were pretty tight and Sherlock's 14 wickets topped the list.

HRV CUP FORM TEAM

Rob Nicol (Canterbury)
285 runs at 31.66, strike rate 131.33

Brad Hodge (ND)
196 runs at 65.33, SR 139.0

Luke Wright (Wellington)
206 runs at 41.2, SR 158.46

Ryan ten Doeschate (Canterbury)
284 runs at 40.57, SR 121.88, 12 wickets at 17.66, economy rate 8.48/over

Ian Blackwell (CD)
165 runs at 33, SR 181.31, 10 wkts at 16.7, ER 5.75

Colin Munro (Auckland)
195 runs at 39.0, SR 159.83

Peter McGlashan (ND)
108 runs at 21.6, SR171.42, nine catches

Luke Woodcock (Wellington)
11 wickets at 13.45, ER 6.16

Andre Adams (Auckland)
12 wickets at 13.91, ER 6.42

Michael Mason (CD)
12 wickets at 17.83, ER 6.51

Richard Sherlock (Canterbury)
14 wickets at 16.21, ER 7.69