OLLIE Rayner admitted this week he is ‘on a hiding to nothing’ ahead of his first Twenty20 campaign with Middlesex.
The Panthers summer signing enjoyed some major highs with previous county Sussex during the 2011 slog-a-thon, most notably a match-winning 5-17 against Somerset.
However, he will not be putting himself under stress to repeat the feat this year with the Lord’s tenants, insisting the format is set up to produce a run fest.
Therefore he will be taking the pragmatic approach and letting the batsmen sweat under the pressure.
He said: In T20 anything can happen, but I love it and I’m looking forward to it. There is no point in putting yourself under pressure as a bowler because you are set up for failure really.
"If you bowl well people say well bowled but if you get hit the distance the crowd love it. So you just have to concentrate on hitting your areas and hope for the best. But one day you might bowl terrible and get five wickets while on another day you might bowl brilliantly and get smashed."
Rayner and co start their South group campaign against arch rivals Surrey at Lord’s tomorrow evening (Thursday) in a 6.15pm start.
Before that they host the West Indies tourists today (Wednesday) in a one-day fixture.
