Dwayne Bravo interview: Northern Superchargers star on The Hundred, Headingley fans and Yorkshire's 'perfect' weather

Bravo is the biggest name playing for the Headingley-based Northern Superchargers’ men’s squad, but admits a talented lineup haven’t yet played to their potential.

Northern charged to a six wicket win over Manchester Originals in their opening match, but their form has been far from super since then as they slumped to defeat by Trent Rockets, Oval Invincibles and London Spirit.

As far as Bravo is concerned, that makes the rest of their campaign a must-win.

Speaking before Friday’s game at Birmingham Phoenix, Bravo admitted: “It hasn’t been an ideal start after winning our opening game, losing three games on the trot.

“I am enjoying the tournament and the team and my new teammates, but we need to start winning. I think I’ll be more happy if we start doing that.”

With the likes of Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Wahab Riaz, Adil Rashid, David Willey and Adam Lyth to pick from, there’s no lack of talent in the Superchargers’ men’s squad.

Bravo insisted: “We have the depth and the quality of players.

“It is just a matter of [at] key moments we need to play better, but I think we have what it takes to turn it around definitely.

“So far, we are not capitalising on good starts or being able to close a game down.”

On a personal note, Bravo has taken five wickets from 80 deliveries, but had less success with the bat, scoring 19 off 13.

“My bowling form is good,” he reflected.

“But more than my personal form I just want us to play better as a team and win more games and I think that’s what the fans want.”

Bravo is no stranger to Headingley, but appearing there as a home player is a new experience and he is keen to give the Yorkshire crowd something to cheer.

“When you have good home support it really gets a team going,” he said.

“Unfortunately we haven’t been able to do justice for the support we have.

“Hopefully in the next home game we have, against Manchester on Sunday, we can turn things around.

“It is a derby game so we are looking forward to that and it is going to be a full house again, but we definitely need to play better cricket and start to get some wins on the board.”

A veteran of everything from Test to T-20 cricket at international and domestic level, this is Bravo’s his first experience of The Hundred.

“It’s good, it’s different,” he said of the controversial format which is in its second season.

“Anything that is different from the traditional way of the game, some people will have different opinions, but it is what it is.

“The new generation is catching on to it and people love to see entertainment; it is short, it’s fast, it’s entertaining and we get high-quality cricket.

“It is a good tournament.”

T-20 remains the dominant short form of the game and Bravo said: “It’s the same ctricket, the same intensity.

“It is faster, but the basics of the game remain the same - there’s a powerplay, the dismissals are the same.”

But while Twenty20 has spread across the globe, Bravo isn’t sure The Hundred will do the same.

“I think other countries will want to develop their own brand, so everyone is doing their own thing,” he predicted.

“They will all want their own identity. The 6ixty is about to start [in the Caribbean], there’s the Big Bash, there’s a T-10 in Abu Dhabi…

“I just know the shorter format of the game will take the world by storm and I think that’s what the cricketing world is capable of.”

Bravo spoke to the Evening Post from Rola Wala, an Indian street food restaurant at Trinity

Kitchen in Leeds which has launched a new ‘Supercharger Butter Chicken’ dish.

More than 400 children and families went along to meet players from the Supercharger’s men’s and women’s teams and for Bravo, it was a welcome distraction.

“I’ve not had much chance to do anything other than play and travel,” he said of his time based in Leeds.

“But so far it’s good and the weather has been good, so that makes it perfect.”