Andy Bichel has called it a tragedy.
Settle down drama queen.
He is a 32 year old injury prone dude.
If Chris Simpson, James Hopes or Ryan Harris left, that would be a tragedy.
This is just annoying, very annoying, but not a fucking tragedy.
He obviously disagrees.
So do the Australian 2020 selectors and the IPL, as in the last 18 months he has represented both of them.
Tom Moody is keen to get his hands on Noffke, because he believes 3 Queensland bowlers, Mitchell, Edmondson and Magoffin are not enough.
Noffke is also pissed he has only been offered a one year contract, but dude, you fall apart with amazing regularity, New Texas are just protecting themselves fianancially.
To be fair, Noffke has always been a bit of a grumpy cunt.
He is no Brad Hodge, but he is just below that level on the shitty stakes.
If he does go, I can only imagine Chris Simpson will start opening the bowling.
No one could quite understand how he kept getting a game, or the new ball. Is a very talented young kid, but maybe, just maybe, he should perform at the level below before he is given an opportunity.
David Hussey – Kolkata
98 runs @ av 24 sr 166 hs 43
0 wickets econ 8.5
Came late onto a ship that had already sunk, and decided to swing away. Looked in top touch, but kept getting out after amazing starts. Had a way better strike rate than McCullum or Gayle.
Lee Carseldine – Rajasthan
81 runs @ av 20.25 sr 119 hs 39
1 wicket @ 6 econ 6 bb 1/6
Came in first game and just smacked the ball everywhere when no one else could get the ball off the square, sadly that was about all he did in the tournament. Interestingly only bowled one over.
Rob Quiney - Rajasthan
103 runs @ av 14.7 sr 100.98 hs 51
Hit his first ball in the IPL for 6, then went out. Only really got two starts, and showed glimpses of his talent, but good spinners slowed him down or got him out. Hopefully he has learnt some good lessons, and will be able to score more consistently for Victoria.
Shane Harwood – Rajasthan
9 runs (no outs) sr 62 hs 6*
3 wickets @ 24.3 econ 7.30 bb 2/25
Only played 3 games, but did look dangerous. Rajasthan were more worried with making runs so he and Morne spent most of their time on the bench.
Luke Ronchi – Mumbai Indians
0 runs from 1 game
Sachin went into panic mode about half way through the tournament and threw Luke one game. He was run out for a duck.
Simon Katich – Punjab
145 runs @ av 16 sr 123 hs 50
His 50 was sensational, as good as I have seen the krab time the ball, but struggled other than that. 2020 really wasn’t made for him, and had his coach not been Moody, I doubt he would played too often.
George Bailey – Chennai
45 runs @ av 22.5 sr 115 hs 30
In both of his innings he looked in top form, and in both of them he ran himself out. The good news was smilin’ George looked completely at home at this level of cricket.
Andrew McDonald - Delhi
3 runs @ av 3 sr 75 hs 3
0 wickets (3 overs) econ 7.33 bb 0/22
Only played the one game when Delhi were resting players, and got a sensational Yorker from Anil Kumble.
Luke Pomersbach – Punjab
41 runs @ av 10.25 sr 83 hs 26
Looked out of touch, and small. When Luke is at his best he looks like a Hayden type bully, here he looked like a mouse imitating a flea.
Brad Hodge – Kolkata
365 @ av 40 sr 117 hs 73
7 wickets @ 23 econ 8.05 bb 3/29
Started off terribly, but as the team fell apart he became their banker. Eventually showed why he had made so many runs in this format of the game, happy to be 30 off 30, and then explode at the end. Was used as a front line bowler at times, which he isn’t, but he did bowl some very good overs.
Brett Lee – Punjab
28 runs @ av 14 sr 82 hs 14*
5 wickets @ 22 econ 5.55 bb 3/15
Only played a handful of games, but looked more like the late 07/08 bowler, and less like the heart break kid of recent times. Always does his best work with the white ball, so not a huge surprise he was too good for most batsmen at this level. His batting looked rusty but he will just be happy to be out in the middle and thinking about cricket.
Andrew Symonds – Deccan
249 runs @ av 35 sr 150 hs 60*
7 wickets @ 22.85 econ 6.66 bb 2/18
Won the final with 2 wickets in one over, and his medium pace bowling was swinging a lot, and was hard for most people to hit. His batting always looked murderous, but couldn’t quite cash in as he would like. Would be happy with his form though.
Ryan Harris – Deccan
21 runs @ av 21 sr 116 hs 9*
6 wickets @ 38 econ 7.41 bb 3/27
Couldn’t buy a wicket, but no one found him easy to hit. His bounce made him an ideal bowler. Was bagged in the South African press for not being up to it and then played as one of the imports in the final winning side.
David Warner – Delhi
163 runs @ av 28 sr 123 hs 50
Outshone Sehwag and Gambhir at the top of the order, but never really broke free. His fielding was probably his highlight, some of his efforts were amazing.
Dirk Nannes – Delhi
15 wickets @ 24 econ 7.51 bb 3/27
Started off with an average performance or two and the commentators and press questioned why he was in the side. 5 games in and he was being pronounced as rare diamond. Probably didn’t take as many wickets as he would have wanted, but was unplayable when he got it right. Definitely the best performed of this bunch, and even with Gilly’s punishment in the semi, has come away with a lew legion of fans.
But they wouldn’t give him a game.
He went to Tasmania.
But then went home when he knew he was wanted.
And now he is going to NSWales.
He is saying it is for family reasons.
Well woman issues.
But with Marcus North strolling into the number 6 position, and Mitchell Johnson out batting Michael Hussey, Shane might be worried he might not get back into the side.
What better state to move to than NSWales.
Yet again Shane Watson will lose some fans.
Not sure if he has any left.
What must Moises Henriques and Steve Smith be thinking.
I would be pissed, some dude moves in just because of his girlfriend and suddenly my position is shaky.
I’d wanna gouge his eyes out.
That is just me.
The bigger question is who will Shane Watson play for next.
Whinge about the rain.
Talk about the pitch.
Do what ever you want.
VICTORIA ARE THE SHEFFIELD SHIELD CHAMPIONS.
And that feels pretty damn good.
2003/04 was for Hookesey.
This wasn’t for a dead coach, this was to exercise demons, and to finally live up to the potential.
And thank fuck they won.
Sure rain played its part, but Victoria made over 500 and bowled New Texas out for 200.
The rain didn’t do that.
So congratulations to Victoria, the Shield Champions.
Never has there been a more deserving winner.
And i say that with no bias whatsoever.
It’s doubtful that even they can lose from here.
Although if anyone can…
It is just a shame that the game has been ruined by rain.
In the bits that haven’t been rain affected it is hard to know if Victoria has outplayed Queensland, or that Queensland has played like guys who knew there wasn’t enough time to win.
Heaps of dropped catches and a low total considereing the pitch and the start they got all could be due to the melancholy affect of the rain.
Or it could be that they wen’t in with a poor attack, due to injuries as much as anything, and Wade and White just did them in with the bat.
And that Dirty Dirk Nannes, Crazy Clint and the Angry Man Shane Harwood were just too angry, dirty and crazy for them.
It sort of feels shit that this game couldn’t be played properly so that Victoria could exorcise a few demons.
But then again, we are about to win the shield fucking final so who gives a fuck.
Maybe not, but I can’t think of an attack more tacked together than this.
Jimmy Hopes is opening the bowling, which is scary enough.
Andrew Symonds is the lead wicket taker in the match.
Ben Cutting has the best average of the full timers, with 37.
Ben Laughlin may have been chosen for Australia, but averages 65 in three shield games.
And Daniel Doran must be the luckiest man alive. 27 first class matches with an average of 54. He is an English pro leg spinner, I doubt he could get me out, and if he wants to make me on, and he finds himself in London this year, I will happily take him on.
But without the rain, New Texas could have won this game.
It all comes down to Chris Simpson, someone with a batting average of 20 and a bowling average of over 60.
Last year someone with similar stats captained South Australia, Nathan Adcock, and it was a shambles.
Even before this season started, Simpson seemed like the real deal, at least compared to Adcock.
In the media he said all the right things, and on the field he have done all the right things.
And the team has played out of its skin well.
Considering that he followed Law, Border, and Maher, it’s a risky decision.
If it wasn’t for the rain, Simpson might have ended up with 2 titles this year.
Not bad for a bloke who can’t really bat or bowl.
At the moment the skeletons are standing behind them with their pants down.
They were 2 for 236.
Game over.
Fuck off Queensland, the Vics have this.
Then a classic Victorian collapse.
Apparently it was so beautiful that Ken Piesse had a tear in his eye.
By stumps Andrew Symonds had 3 wickets and the Vics were 6 for 281, and New Texas were more than in the game.
I said this last year, and i will recycle it, if you are playing an away shield final all you can ask for is at the close of day one you still have a chance to win.
New Texas do.
Victoria even compounded the mini failure by giving a bat to Dirty Dirk Nannes, and sending him out to bat.
Fucking stupid mother fucking ass clowns.
Dirk can’t bat, sorry Dirk, but he can’t.
And nightwatchmen are a stupid fucking theory anyway.
4 balls he lasted.
It gives New Texas more momentum, and more people, like me, will start talking about the Vics exceptional skill at fucking up in finals.
Fuck.
Sorry, some good things happaned as well.
The Future PM David Hussey is back baby, he made a hundred, it has been a long time since his last one, but he saved it for the right time.
At the other end Chris Rogers just put his shoulder into it again, the man is made of runs this year.
With Marcus North in the national side, Western Australia have really missed a trick there.
6 wickets is a good start for New Texas, but Matthew Wade has made two hundreds on the trot, Cam made one last week, and doesn’t mind batting against Queensland.
Also Damien Wright is still to come, and he has beenpissing off shield teams all season with the bat.
None of this matters right now, as it is pissing down.
Really fucking pouring.
At best they look like losing most of the day.
At worst the hole day.
What is even worse for Queensland is that this might liven up the pitch, and you don’t really want a lively pitch if the oppisition has over 300 on the board and has the most potent attack in shield cricket.
And Dirty Dirk might be pissed at being forced to bat.