Posted by jrod on May 25, 2009 under NSW, QLD, VIC | 
These were the significant players. Tomorrow will be the insignificant players.
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.
Posted by Moses on February 26, 2009 under NSW, QLD |
Day 1 was the story of Usman Khawaja. Prior to this outing, his highest first class score was 85, however on Day 1 he piled on a near chanceless 109* while all and sundry fell around him.
This morning while batting with number 11 Burt Cockley he was eventually caught down the legside chasing a wide one, the 4th NSWales batsman dismissed in this manner!
Usman’s 112 out of a team score of 269 provides a workable total on a Gabba wicket that’s been as tight as a nuns nasty all year.
The real issue for NSWales could well be lack of bowling penetration. We’ve gone into this match missing some real bowling stars, namely
- Nathan Bracken – injured
- Stuart Clark – injured
- Brett Lee – injured
- Doug Bollinger – 12th man in South Africa
- Marc Cameron – injured
- Aaron Bird – chucker
Turns out that Moises Henriques is opening the bowling with Burt Cockley at the other end, however Cockley has just broken the opening stand having Broad caught behind by Docklands Light Rail in the 4th over.
JRod’s mob look to be holding up their end of the deal by dominating the Tasmanians, here’s to a few more wickets and keeping the dream alive.
Here’s the Ball by Ball and Scorecard from Cricket Australia.
Time to rain on Love’s farewell dance…
Posted by Moses on February 2, 2009 under NSW, QLD, VIC, WA |
It’s not too late for the mighty NSW Blues to defend their Sheffield Shield, and considering we’ve won 1, lost 3 and drawn 2 matches it’ll have to be one hell of a late rally for us to contest the finals.
We’re currently sitting in 5th place out of the 6 teams. At this stage, I’d book the MCG out as Victoria are a certainty to top the table. They’re sitting pretty on 30 points and have a big gap to the next placed Queensland with 3 matches to go. To improve our chances I’ll be hoping for as many Victorian wins to keep them ahead of the field.
There’s 4 matches remaining:
- Fri 30 – Mon 2 Feb vs Tasmania in Newcastle
- Sun 15 – Wed 18 Feb vs Victoria in Melbourne
- Thu 26 – Sun 1 Mar vs Queensland in Brisbane
- Thu 5 – Sun 8 Mar vs WA in Sydney
and of the matches on this weekend, QLD lost to Western Australia but picked up first innings points, Victoria should beat South Australia, and NSW should beat TAS outright for 6 points, which will leave the table 7/10ths of the way through the comp looking like:
- Victoria 36
- Queensland 22
- New South Wales 18
- Western Australia 18
- Tasmania 18
- South Australia 8
The real challenge for NSW, as always, will be when our Test stars depart for the South Africa tour. There is a 3 day game against South Africa A on February 20th, and I’m guessing that safety first Cricket Australia wont let those selected play the shield match against Victoria that finishes on the 18th.
Phillip Hughes is now looking a certainty for his Baggy Green, along with Simon Katich, Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin. Hopefully we can hold onto Phil Jaques, Dave Warner (to get his First Class debut), Nathan Hauritz and Nathan Bracken at least until the One Day squad is sent over for the 27th March. We’ll also be carefully monitoring Stuart Clark’s elbow and Brett Lee’s ankle – their return could well be the deciding factor in this years shield.
Our young blokes will have to step up against the nearer full strength Victorian, Queensland and Western Australian outfits, and if they do we’ll be looking good for another finals appearance. And then, just maybe we can lift the trophy for the 46th time of the 106 times it’s being contested.
Tags: baggy green, brad haddin, breeding the big names, brett lee, dave warner, michael clarke, nathan bracken, nathan hauritz, phil jaques, phillip hughes, queensland, Sheffield Shield, simon katich, stuart clark
Posted by Moses on January 19, 2009 under NSW, TAS, VIC, WA |
Ranga and Proud
The domestic “Big Bash” Twenty 20 tournament has gone far from the script, with a depleted but still mighty New South Wales outfit topping the regular season and booking their trip to the promised land of rupees and curry.
Western Australia are awfully píssed off and seeking compensation after the original club championship was postponed due to men with guns. It’s a lot of cash they’re missing out on, and I feel a nice gesture would be for NSW Cricket to buy them a meaningful gift to ease the pain, perhaps a bronze statue of Simon Katich to stick up in the WACA headquarters..
You can bet the team we send to compete in India includes some names that have until this point played no part in the tournament such as Michael Clarke, Phil Jaques, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Brad Haddin. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as any NSW cricketer will know it’s the privilege and also the curse of representing the state that breeds the big names.
I’ve put together a short synopsis of the 5 matches that have earnt us entry into the World Club Championship, and awarded 3-2-1–1 ratings as I feel they’re warranted.
Game 1 vs Queensland in Brisbane
Scorecard
A good bowling effort led by Doug Bollinger’s 3/22 and well assisted by Moises Henriques 2/26 restricted Queensland early on, however Beau Casson 0/37 and Mark Cameron 0/34 got spanked allowing the Bulls to amass to 161. Thanks to opening batsman Phillip Hughes scoring 80(20) the total was chased down with 2 balls to spare.
Moses’ Player 3-2-1–1 Ratings
3 Doug Bollinger
2 Phillip Hughes
1 Moises Henriques
-1 Beau Casson
Game 2 vs Western Australia in Homebush, Sydney
Scorecard
Tight bowling by Aaron Heal and Marcus North restricted NSW to 6/148 off 20 overs. 18 year old newcomer Stephen Smith was my pick of the batsmen with 34*(21), Dave Warner 28(22) scored freely early on, while Phillip Hughes 35(34) and Dominic Thornley 23(24) got starts but failed to up the tempo sufficiently against WA’s slower bowlers Marcus North 1/27(4) and Aaron Heal 0/22(4).
Nathan Bracken 2/24 was the pick of the bowlers, Dominic Thornley, Stephen Smith and Moises Henriques generally restricted WA to the required rate of 6-7 rpo, while Beau Casson was again spanked leaking 0/26 off his two overs which gave WA the win and led to his being dropped for the remainder of the comp.
Moses’ Player 3-2-1–1 Ratings
3 Stephen Smith
2 Nathan Bracken
1 Dave Warner
-1 Beau Casson
Game 3 vs South Australia in Adelaide
Scorecard
A solid batting performance by South Australia saw all of their batsmen scoring at 6.5 to 8.7 rpo, however they lacked one batsman to deliver the killer punch in their accumulation of 160 runs.
Mark Cameron was tidy with 1/22, Thornley 1/27(3) applied the brakes nicely and Aaron Bird 3/35 contributed vital top order wickets while leaking runs. Nathan Bracken 3/38 gets the bogey rating despite 3 late wickets saving his figures from absolute embarrassment.
Dave Warner 35(35) got the Blues response off to an absolute flyer, nicely assisted by pedestrian Phillip Hughes 30(29) and Dominic Thornley 28(18)
Moses’ Player 3-2-1–1 Ratings
3 Dave Warner
2 Dominic Thornley
1 Mark Cameron
-1 Nathan Bracken
Game 4 vs Tasmania in Homebush, Sydney
Scorecard
A destructive top 3 saw the Tassie Tigers belt 194 thanks to Lockyear 51(29), Dighton 43(29) and Birt 44(17). Dominic Thornley 0/22 was pick of the NSW bowlers with his 4 overs going for less than Stephen Smith’s 1 over 0/23. Doug Bollinger while moderately expensive took the essential wickets of Dighton and Birt, thus keeping the Tigers total below 200.
The destructive form of Dave Warner had him off to play South Africa, allowing the return of Simon Katich 18(12) and despite a solid opening stand with Moises Henriques 42(25) the fireworks were absent down the order and 166 was all we could muster.
Moses’ Player 3-2-1–1 Ratings
3 Dominic Thornley
2 Moises Henriques
1 Doug Bollinger
-1 Stephen Smith
Game 5 vs Victoria at Homebush, Sydney
Scorecard
The penultimate match, NSW entered this 4th on the table with nothing to lose. A brutal bowling spell by dirty Dirk Nannes 4/11(4) hit the Blues hard early on, with Henriques 1(3), Smith 4(6) and Rohrer 7(8) his early victims. O’Keefe 6(6) fell to a run out and only opener Simon Katich 35(26) was able to resist the dark side of Dirk Nannes. Dominic Thornley 36*(36) came out in the 4th over with the score at 4/39 and steadied the ship, batting with the tail and taking the Blues to a depressingly low 128.
Douggy Bollinger 0/12 applied the pressure with some superb tight swing bowling, and Mark Cameron 1/17 kept the other almost as tight. Falling behind the run rate the Victorians shat themselves, giving up 5 run-outs, one each to Cameron, O’Keefe, Rohrer, Bollinger and Smith. I’ll give Simon Katich some credit for these as captain he would have been setting the fields. Victorian captain and serial whinger Brad Hodge summed it up nicely with “It’s a script on how to stuff up a cricket game”. Bravo.
A wonderful team effort from the Blues who now book their tickets to India, there is no villain from this match.
Moses’ Player 3-2-1–1 Ratings
3 Simon Katich
2 Doug Bollinger
1 Dominic Thornley
-1 None
Leaderboard
At the end of the regular season, the Moses’ MVP stands as follows:
6 Dominic Thornley
6 Doug Bollinger
4 Dave Warner
3 Moises Henriques
3 Simon Katich
2 Phillip Hughes
2 Stephen Smith
1 Mark Cameron
1 Nathan Bracken
-2 Beau Casson
Tags: 3-2-1--1, aaron bird, aaron heal, beau casson, brad haddin, brad hodge, brett lee, dave warner, dirk nannes, dominic thornley, doug bollinger, marcus north, mark cameron, michael clarke, moises henriques, moses mvp, nathan bracken, phil jaques, phillip hughes, simon katich, stephen smith, stuart clark, T20
Posted by jrod on October 14, 2008 under SA, VIC |
I had a feeling this would be Nick Jewell’s year.
Twice I had talked him u in my previews.
I wish I could say it was based on something other than just his 99 in the shield final, and a hunch, but regardless, his chickens is coming home to roost.
He has started the season with a whack and wallop against South Australia.
Now you may say, well, it was only South Australia, and all they have is old man Rofe, the non depressed Tait and a bunch of other nobodies, but I think this is a further step in Nick taking over the top of the order.
160 odd is good, but he also outscored Rogers and Hodge at times, there were times last year he couldn’t have outscored Klinger.
Having Sot in form is really the jewell in the crown, not really, just thought that would be corny.
This has to be his time, he is playing with a top order that has 2 test players, both with over 10,000 runs, and a number 4 as good as anyone out there.
It’s now or forget it for Jewell.
And this is the way to start a year.
South Australia is the prefect practice game, last yea he was great in the final, but was ordinary all year, but he also had no partner.
Chris Rogers is a partner, and then some.
Jewell has no excuses, he has stood up to Brett Lee, he has started sith a big hundred, this has to be his 1000 run year.
And if it is, then Victoria has one hell of a top order.
Rogers and Jewell performing the duties of steady starts, and then Hussey and Hodge coming in with the dynamite and liquor to destroy the place.
I like the look of this season.
Although Chris Rogers can stop with the 60 odds already, 2 is enough now, we get it you can bat, now make a tonne already.
Also Damien Wright didn’t get a game, I like that too.
Good start boys, now finish it off.
Posted by jrod on March 19, 2008 under NSW, VIC |
Is it over?
Can I return to normal programming?
My boys have been humbled.
There is a passage from V for Vendetta that sums up how I felt before the game.
Dominic: What do you think will happen?
Finch: What usually happens when people without guns stand up to people *with* guns.
Victoria has a very good team, but not a great team, NSWales has an armoury.
The pain of the situation is the false hope that you build up.
If NSWales were 2 for 400 on the first day, I could have said, well ok, they are too good, the deck is too flat, we aren’t up to it.
But on the first day Peter Sizzle and Dirty Dirk threw Nswales around a little.
Siddle was damn near unplayable, and Dirty Dirk got out some very handy batsmen with some very good bowling.
Even the batting looked good whilst the big three were around, but once they went, Victoria went into collapse mode, and that as they say, was severely fu©ked up the ass.
Nice bryce got thrown around the crease like a blow up doll.
Dirty Dirk was fast but not particularly virile.
Future Pm David Hussey was assassinated and then performed seppuku.
The Big Bear and the X man got some small grooves happening in the second dig, but were down right ugly in the first.
And SOT Jewell was awoken from his slumber, but still couldn’t quite get up the hill.
Course there were good things.
Peter Sizzle took 9 wickets with a shoulder that Jesus couldn’t fix. (His shoulder reco is next week).
Brett Lee did not make a hundred, Stuey MacGill got slapped around.
We made them win the game.
They only made 280 in the first dig.
Three finals in one year.
From this side we only lose 1 player for next year.
Bryce McGain gained good experience, always good for a young chap like him.
But please.
Next year, oh for fu©ks sake, let it be next year we win, please aliens let us be good and win the shield next year, or let us be sh1t and for it not to matter by January.
Thanks boys, been a pleasure following you as always.
Never boring.
Posted by Moses on March 18, 2008 under NSW, VIC |
Dave Hussey is all that stands between the Bluetongues and holding the Sheffield Shield aloft for the 45th time. As far as obstacles go, he’s a fairly monumental one. On the cusp of Australian selection, he takes his brothers reliability and makes it look interesting.
One scenario that plays out is Mr Junior making 300 while his team falls all around him. I’d like to see that, as I reckon he really should be in the Australian side. Not because he’s Victorian – he was born in Perth and in 2005 asked to be transferred back to play for his native Western Australia but was knocked back by Victorian Cricket even though they had dropped him – but because he brings a reliability that is missing from our middle order, and is more than handy with the ball. Perhaps we can drop Punter for him.
I almost felt sorry for the Victorians this morning – seems that Uncle-J is taking it pretty hard, and while still optimistic of chasing down the 533 on a 5th day SCG wicket against Lee, Clark, Macgilla, Bracken, Casson and Clarke, is starting to repress his inner monologue.
Then I remembered that he’s Victorian, and the sympathy quickly passed. Bring it home blues.
Posted by Moses on March 17, 2008 under NSW, VIC |
and there you have it, seems Katto was waiting for Lee to get his maiden 1st class hundred.. poor Binga had other ideas though and will be looking forward to that text message you just know that Warney has sent..
So, the sporting declaration comes leaving the Mexicans 108 overs to bring up the target of 629. 5.8 an over should be easy as.
Course they could try and hold out for a draw, but then we win anyway so presumably they’ll go for it.
What a great sport Katto is. Were it up to me I would have batted all day and maybe given them two sessions to get 850.
Posted by jrod on under NSW, VIC |
Now I know that the Vics are foxing.
Surely no one would allow Beau Casson to make runs unless they were playing with the minds of the opposition.
I said if he made a hundred this game it would take 5 days, he has certainly proved my point for me.
Congrats to Peter Sizzle on getting 8 wickets in this match so far.
That is a hell of an effort, if only someone else could take wickets as well the Vics might actually finish this innings.
The good news is Brett Lee might make his maiden (I’m assuming) first class hundred.
I am still pretty confident Victoria can score up until 900 runs, but any more than that and we might struggle a bit.
Posted by Moses on under NSW, VIC |
Some would say that a lead of 428 is enough and we should have a bowl. I’m not one of them. Bring on the 550+ lead then we can grind them into the ground. After all, we might have to actually dismiss future PM Dave Hussey this time.
Still, with the Aussie attack on our side less the short of a length outside off Johnson to waste the shine, you’d fancy us to wrap them up pretty quickly. Lee’s probably getting a bit of attention from side-siddle as we speak, nothing like firing him up to really do some damage when he does get the ball in his hand. Perhaps the Binger Beamer will make a re-appearance – and no that’s not the one that Lara gets when there’s a cold draft.
Apparently “the pitch is too slow” as cricinfo informs me. not really sure what that means but supposedly Macgilla and speciallist batsman Beau Casson can have a bit of fun out there.
Lets push on for the next session and a half and really make a lead of this. At the very least I want to win by 300, really put it beyond doubt.
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