Posted by jrod on January 31, 2008 under VIC | 
Memo to all fans of Victorian Cricket
There is no conspiracy
There is no selectoral bias
There is no grassy noll theory.
And the CIA has nothing to do with this.
Victoria does not have a player in the Australian team, because at this time there is no spot for a Victorian in the Australian team.
Test wise, only two Victorians are currently in the form to play for Australia, the other three are not quite there.
Future PM David Hussey is in breathtaking form at the moment. But the King Probot Hussey, Pup and Roy are all making runs. Generally selectors don’t drop guys making runs, I have stated my thoughts on Michael Clarke being dropped, but we all know they aren’t going to drop him on my recommendation.
CWB’s Nice Bryce McGain is the other player playing at the level of test match standard. He has two hurdles to over come, one is old agedness and two his lack of a first class record. Is he a better bowler than Brad Hogg, king oath, but he is not at Staurt MacGill’s level either.
Brad Hodge has not had a good year (except for the runs he made against a new texas eleven with 2 fit bowlers counts) and would now be behind Hussey, Katich and Pomersbach in the selectors mind. Plus do we really need more Brads in the side.
Peter Siddle is in good form, but he has only played 3 matches and Doug Bollinger had taken 2 ten wicket hauls this year at roughly the same average.
Had Andrew McDonald replicated last years form he would be very close to selection by now, but he hasn’t due to injury and therefore is down the list. Noffke is in superstar form and would be ahead of him at the moment anyway. Plus he does have red hair.
One day wise we were unlucky not to have a player in the side.
David Hussey is unlucky again, but the only batsman, I repeat batsman picked ahead of him is Brad Haddin, who on his last tour with Australia smashed the Indians everywhere. It is hard to drop a guy who performed so well the last time he played. Domestically Hussey has had the better year, but only marginally. Every other batsman deserves his spot ahead of Hussey at this stage.
Brad Hodge, well he had his chance in India, and he batted horribly. The selectors have picked the player in Haddin who made the runs there. He now finds himself on the list behind Hussey and perhaps even Voges, but Pontings love for the man means he could leap frog them if there is a spot available, especially if it is a top order spot.
McDonald hasn’t been in sensational one day form, but you know who has, Noffke and Hopes. And they were selected because of that fact. Case closed.
Dirty Dirk Nannes & Bryce McGain were the two best 2020 bowlers in the big bash, both are over 30 and one is injured.
If Nannes was fit I would have hoped he would have got a call up for the 2020 game ahead of Hilfenhaus, but he isn’t and there fore not in the side.
This isn’t all bad news, because this is the first Victorian team we have had in quite some time that has had multiple players with a shot of making the main team.
I didn’t even mention Cameron White or Aiden Blizzard, one who has played and one who in the future could be a chance.
But let us not be whiney little babies, as this means we have a full strength state team to pick from for the rest of the year.
And by then someone in the Australian middle order will be injured and Hussey will be there.
Tags: aiden blizzard, andrew mcdonald, brad haddin, brad hodge, brad hogg, bryce mcgain, cameron white, david hussey, dirk nannes, doug bollinger, michael clarke, peter siddle, simon katich
Posted by jrod on January 26, 2008 under SA, VIC |
Victoria travelled all the way to Traralgon to allow the red backs to be bowled out for 160.
The redbacks are rubbish.
Let me rephrase, their batsmen are rubbish.
Their bowlers are ok.
I can’t believe they went within 4 wickets of beating us at home.
We’re not rubbish, are we?
Today the game was over when their captain, who was once a batsman, and is now a part time offie only, went out to take the game to 6/76.
If you don’t count the old Victorian and the fat dude, the redbacks best batsman bat at 7, 8 & 9.
Horrible.
The wickets were shared, and Nannes, Harwood, & Denton were hardly missed.
You would have to say the Vics are no chance of making the final, even with the bonus point, that I assume they get.
Even being that they were only chasing 160, and they went for the bonus point losing 6 wickets is a bit of a worry.
Even if it was Tait that did the majority of the damage.
Oh and they lost 3 for 10 at one stage.
Shipperd, did I not ask you to fix this problem, don’t make me come down there.
Posted by jrod on January 24, 2008 under VIC |
The Vics did what I said they would do, they won, whilst giving us all a scare.
Early on they lost 2/4, and then later on they lost 2/0.
Sure I said they would lose 3 quick wickets at a time, but let us not quibble over mere details.
They probably needed the Son of Tony Jewell to anchor the innings as losing 6 wickets was more than enough for me.
Shame Nick didn’t get his ton, he is a very good old school opening batsmen, sort of like the big cheeseburger, only smaller. Junior burger perhaps.
Future Pm David Hussey’s innings was odd. 50odd of 40ood balls seemed a weird contribution to the days play.
Highlights of the match would have to be McDonalds return to form with both bat and ball and Siddle’s continued skinny bowling average.
But Mr Shipperd please fix our mini collapses, I eat a lot of cheese, and therefore probably have a bad heart.
Cameron Whites golden duck is not news worthy.
Posted by jrod on January 23, 2008 under VIC |
Mick Lewis is leaving us.
It’s a sad day as he was pretty much the first of the plucked from no where quicks to play for Victoria, and arguably the best so far.
I’m not going to talk about all the great spells he bowled on flat decks over the years.
I’m not gonna tell you how important he was to Victoria over years, none more so than when he destroyed the New Texans with 6/59 in the second dig of the final in 2003/04.
I’m not even going to mention his one success for Australia in denying the Kiwis 6 to win off the last over.
I’m surprisingly not even going to go on about the fact this guy didn’t get brought up by cricket academy coaches wiping his @ss for him.
Hell I won’t even mention Greensborough.
And I definitely won’t mention that game against the evil empire.
But I am gonna tell you a story about when a team mate of mine faced him in a practice match against Northcote a few years back.
Being the average cricketer I am, I only played in my clubs seconds against Northcote, which was probably lucky when we found out Lewis was playing.
At that stage he wasn’t that well known, but myself and few other guys had heard of him. Some of the players who were originally angry to have missed out on selection in the first team were ok about it after seeing his first over.
Lewis had played for the Vics a few times the year before, but this was the season he first made his mark. And he certainly made his mark that day.
The guy opening up against him was just a battler and was probably a little out of his depth. He was jockey sized and had no real attacking shots to fight back with.
After missing a few balls outside off stump, Mick changed his radar and smacked the guy on the chest.
While the guy was weezing for breath Lewis ran down and said, I’m not gonna try get you out, I’m just gonna keep hitting you.
Later that night in the bar, looking at the 14 bruises on this guys chest, back, arms and thighs, Lewis kept his word.
Mick Lewis, as much joy as you brought me when you ripped the heart out of the New Texans, I will always remember counting the bruises on my team mates body.
Thanks for the career.
Posted by jrod on under VIC |
I didn’t quite keep up with the cricket today.
But I did hear Heath Ledger died, but that didn’t effect the current bushranger side.
I also heard Mick Lewis retired, that also didn’t effect the current bushranger side.
Siddle continued to bowl well (six fa) and continued to be flung to the lions in his position as night watch.
Or in Russian Nochnoy Dozor.
Victoria should comfortably cruise to victory, but that will have at least one period where they lose like 3 wickets in a row just to scare us.
220 runs to go gents.
Posted by jrod on January 21, 2008 under SA, VIC |
Due to bad captaincy, good bowling, a sick wife and general ©rap Victoria found themselves 6 for about a 100.
Luckily Hodge and McDonald found them selves together at that odd position and they both flailed the Redbacks around for a session and a half to get Victoria back to level pegging.
First innings points are nice, but I was more concerned they would end up 100 runs shy and therefore outright points would have been a long way away.
The last few times I had seen McDonald bat I had been a bit worried about his form.
One of those times was in the nets before a 2020 game, but he still looked ugly.
This game he has really proved his allroundedness, with 4 wickets yesterday and 139 today.
It was a great rear guard knock, one that really got us back in the game, but he must have p1ssed at going out and leaving Cricket With Balls Own Bryce McGain to try and scamper for first innings points.
It’s a tough game cricket, some times 139 is still not enough.
The Brad Hodge wife thing is interesting, all day I was trying to work out how he could have been fit enough to bat last night, but too injured to bat this morning. When he did get to the ground he had a bit of a scrappy start before really taking charge with McDonald.
As usual the Vics lost multiple wickets, and as usual they played their best cricket when they were in all sorts of Barney Rubble.
It’s an important two days for the Vics, cause you can’t really afford to lose to the Redbacks.
Posted by jrod on under SA, VIC |
I’m not going to the Victoria game at the Junction oval.
Cause its more than one form of public transport and I’m busy this week.
But I did keep myself abreast of the scores today, which started great until Graham Manou made a ton.
He pretty much put the rubbish South Australian batting line up upon his shoulders and carried it to a decent score.
Manou and Gillespie are the best batsmen in that side, that is so scary for the redbacks.
They ended up at 320 which having been sent in was pretty good, but the Vics wouldn’t be too unhappy.
Then Quiney went out for not much, and Cameron White broke my heart by putting in a night watchman.
If White were a true allrounder he would have said to Hodge, he dipsh1t your job is to bat so get out there and do it.
Poor Nacho Siddle went out to watch for night and saw just the one ball.
So now instead of being a probably 1 for 9, we are a definite 2 for 9 and South Australia think they are a chance of knocking us over.
Damn it.
Oh and congrats to Huss and White for making it to the K-Rudd XI.
Posted by jrod on January 19, 2008 under VIC |
The biggest story in world cricket has been bypassed by all factions of the media.
An Angel by the name of Sarah has found me and alerted me to this new crisis.
Dirty Dirk Nannes has a stress reaction in his foot.
While I have no idea what a stress reaction is, except for the fact it’s apparently not a stress fracture, he may miss up to 3 weeks with this reaction.
What is going on with Victorian fast bowlers, they are undoubtedly the best looking, fiercest and most talented fast bowlers on earth, and yet all of them are made of glass.
I would back Dirty Dirk to walk through hell and not get injured, but somehow 10 overs against Tassie did the trick.
Come to think of it, when I saw him walking around during the vics innings he was limping.
But I thought, what a warrior, limping after battle like all warriors do.
Never did I think maybe he has a stress reaction, perhaps because at that time I had never heard of the phrase stress reaction.
Victoria go into the state game at the Junction oval with Siddle and Harwood both under injury clouds.
So let’s open a market.
I’ve got Siddle at 4.40 to make it through the match without an injury.
Harwood is 17.20 to remain unhurt. For him is probably unders.
For both of them to remain uninjured for the entire match I give odds of 42 to 1.
Gamble responsibly.
Posted by jrod on January 18, 2008 under TAS, VIC |
I had a long report written form the G today.
I sat there all day, watching the Vics in total control, and then, some careless batting and one really good spell and the Vics lose.
The careless batting was from White and Hussey, maybe careless isn’t the word, they let the game drift, the run rate was only 6 and a half an over, but then Hilfenhaus bowled a top spell that completely dried the runs up.
I say dried the runs up, cause it happened as the rain fell, all of a sudden White and Hussey realised they were a long way behind the par score and started attacking the Tigers.
For 2 overs it was great, they both got some big hits away, and even though I knew it couldn’t last, either by wickets or rain delays it was pretty cool.
Then Hilfenhaus got both of them in one over, and the par score was gone and so were the Vics.
Best of the batsmen was Quiney, it was a shame he got out when he did, because before then he seemed to be scoring at a run a ball without a problem.
Best of the bowling was Siddle, was lively, troubled all the Tassie batsmen and out balled Nannes who is in top form.
McGain took 3 for, not bad for a pensioner, but I have seen him bowl a lot better.
There was a lot more to report, but Hilfenhaus has sapped all of the Victorian spirit out of me.
Posted by jrod on January 13, 2008 under VIC |
Just before we start, I need you to say Dirty Dirk Nannes out loud.
Good, we can proceed.
There doesn’t seem too much information on Dirty Dirk Nannes on the internet.
But when has that stopped me from talking about someone.
Dirty Dirk is another fast bowler who has been picked from real life rather than cricket academies and representative sides.
My belief is that he was actually a Bushranger back in the 1870’s and somehow got himself frozen Encino man style before Rodney Hogg and Ken Piesse found him and thawed him out.
Ofcourse that may be just cause of the beard.
Not enough sportsmen wear beards these days, perhaps because Dean Jones will say inappropriate comments about them, Dirks is a very good one, even though he shaves it off all to regularly.
I have seen most of Australia’s best domestic batsmen look in trouble against him this year. When he is on song he is powerful bowler who pushes you into the position he wants you to be in.
Dirks bowling is quick, he is living proof that the speed gun has little to do with actual speed when your standing at the other end. Mind you I have seen him push the gun to 148.
He is intimidating, physically he is a big man, and also cause he looks like an angry wild man who wants to tear you apart.
Sitting at the ground you can hear him grunt, scream, and yell in frustration, and I’m sure I saw a young NSWelsh batsmen make sure he was always on the other side of the pitch to Dirk whilst running between wickets.
His line and length seem to be at your arm pit. Saying he hits the deck hard is like saying Sonny Liston punched hard, its not an apt description, he hits the deck like a sledge hammer operated by an ice addict.
Right at the moment I think he is the best 2020 domestic quick in Australia, and his one day and four day form is not too far behind.
Now that we’ve told you all the good stuff, lets mention the things that make him even more interesting.
He falls over, alot. It seems to be once an over, but it may be more. It’s not even a good fall, its more a weird break dancing move.
His batting is well pure number 11. I’ve only seen him bat a few times, but he may be my favourite number 11 in Australia at the moment. To put it simply, so far with the vics he has shown very little, and I like that in a number 11.
His fielding is probably worse. Cameron white decicded to put him in the circle for one of 2020 games, which was clearly done to lift the spirits of the guys through humour.
My favourite fielding memory of him was at the G when he stormed out after a skied ball, he ran so hard and fast to get to the ball that when he got there he chested it 35 meters away.
That was one of those moments you never forget.
Even though he comes across as a red meat eating fast bowler who would literally try and beat you to death with your own arms, he may just be a pretty cluey business man as well.
You can Visit Dirty Dirks business Global Snow tours (he must be a demons supporter) when you are planning your next white powder experience, I just made that sound like cocaine didn’t I.
Just don’t get between him and a white capped peak, as the wild beast man might come out in him.
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