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.
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With Greg Mail top scoring in both innings with 101 and 49 in the game we won’t be mentioning, he’ll have to retain his position. So the selectors are left with a straight choice for the second opener – prolific run scorer and recently fit Phil Jaques, or Twenty 20 dominatrix machine and the most likely man to get out to a baseball slog David Warner.
Sorry Dave, but as much as I’d love to see you tonking Noffke back over his head for 6, this is a must win outright game for the Blues and hardly the time to be blooding new openers… but if the story is true then they could have at least picked him in their second XI squad! At least Warner’s useful in the field and will make a top notch 12th man, he’s got International experience after all.
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Travis Birt, Unlucky
Birt, TR 86(66), 94(80), 67(56), 25(15)
Smith, DLR 29*(13), 28*(26)
Manou, GA 48* (39)
Warner 31(20), 97(54), 165*(112)
MG Dighton 59(58), 87(76)
Klinger 133*(128)
Ferguson, C 52(35), 32(26), 101(83)
Hopes J 76(61), 42(40)
Bailey, GJ 32(28)
Divin, MA 38(31)
Ronchi, L 80(64)
AK, Heal 43(34)
Quiney 42(40), 16(15), 92(85), 73(63)
Crosthwaite, AJ 52(49), 29(17)
Thornely, DJ 108(90)
Doropoulos, TP 92(75)
Henriques, MC 41(37)
Borgas, CJ 39(35)
I’ve quite possibly missed some, if anyone can point me towards a tool that pulls out domestic data rather than having to manually read the scorecards, that would be most appreciated.
Looking purely at the numbers, the standout domestic performers are:
Travis Birt from Tasmania
Travis is the form pinch hitter in the domestic T50 competition with his 7 innings yielding 363 runs at 60.5 and at a strike rate of 122! His returns this year are:
- 1/11/08 56*(37) vs SA
- 12/11/08 25(15) vs Vic
- 29/11/08 34(38) vs NSW (the game where Warner scored 165*(112)
- 07/12/08 67(56) vs NSW
- 10/12/08 94(80) vs SA
- 14/12/08 1(5) vs QLD
- 07/02/08 86(66) vs VIC (this low scoring game Tas made 197 and VIC made 189)
David Warner from NSW
Dave has already been given a shot in the national setup with promising signs but too many failures. From his 8 starts there have been 3 good innings, yielding 89(43) on debut, 69(60) in his 4th match, and 22(29) in his 6th match when he was very unlucky to be run-out.
Combine these scores with Dave’s domestic highlights of 31(20), 97(54), 165*(112) and it’s easy to agree he has the destructive power hitting would really dominate the batting powerplay without the additional pressure of opening. I’d like to see Dave given a go down the order, where he’ll have a chance to perform without the added pressure of opening.
Callum Ferguson from South Australia
His stand out performances include 52(35), 32(26) and 101(83). It’s good to see him given a shot in the Aussie side, though I would have picked Birt first purely on the numbers. Callum played well last night before a Bucknor howler cut short his opportunity. Who did the BCCI ask to wipe him from their fixtures, and can we please be added to this list?
James Hopes from Queensland
In the two games that Hopes played for Queensland he’s opened in both, scoring 76(61) and 42(40). I’d like to see him given an extended run at the top of our order, his tight straight bowling will keep him in the squad regardless. Ideally we’d have a run of 2 or maybe even 3 ODI’s without changing our openers, wouldn’t that be nice.
Adam Voges from Western Australia
Conversely, Adam Voges has made the squad without topping a run a ball all year. Now he’s the one our selectors have picked to apply ‘pressure’ to Hussey and White, yet even if he were to continue his domestic results at the higher lever I don’t believe this would be enough. His 295 runs at 49.2 certainly doesn’t constitute bad numbers, but his strike rate of just 70.2 is not get our 300+ mojo back.
- 8/10/08 13(35) vs NSW
- 24/10/08 56(78) vs Tas
- 16/11/08 104(119) vs SA
- 26/11/08 39(72) vs VIC
- 20/12/08 78(108) vs VIC
- 23/12/08 5(8) vs NSW
If we were after a reliable batsman then Simon Katich would have to be the first picked, selecting Voges in this form to me makes little sense.
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Man Cry
Here’s who they’ll be missing tomorrow night
- Brad Hodge – avg 42, sr 136. Top Twenty20 run-scorer in Australia. Top Twenty20 run-scorer in the world. Injured in Elimination Final.
- David Hussey – avg 32, sr 140. Second top Twenty20 run scorer in Australia. Restrictive bowler. Playing for Oz.
- Cameron White – avg 35, sr 154. Destructive batsman and part time bowler.
Boo fúcking hoo. I realise it’s a new experience for Victoria to lose players to the national setup, but this is something that happens to us all the time. Here’s the first choice players on our books that we’ll be missing tomorrow night:
I can’t work out why these articles only mention the absent Victorians. On the balance I’d say NSW are in fact more weakened through injury/abscence than Victoria, but obviously both teams are missing a lot of quality. Regardless, it’s hard to agree with the sob story coming from south of the border.
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Man Cry
The Victorians are píssed off, as having their top players unavailable due to national service is a new problem for them. Now they’ll have to go without the services of Cameron White and David Hussey, who have a ODI on Friday and need their beauty sleep. There is no factual basis to reports that Cameron White Cried, again, at hearing the news, though it does sound likely.
Ryan Harris has been dropped from the national squad so will be available for Queensland, however they’ve replaced him with Mitchell Johnson so that’s probably worse for the New Texas Bulls, who’ll also be missing James Hopes.
CA have also denied requests for the players to be available of for the final, so NSW will be missing David Warner, Michael Clarke, Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin and Nathan Hauritz.
This could well end up a good experience, as Michael Hussey is keen to explain IPL loyalties come before the state that bought you up, so depending on which IPL teams make the club championship any Australian side could be without their stars when the big bucks are on offer.
Victoria squad: Brad Hodge (capt), Aiden Blizzard, Rob Quiney, Aaron Finch, Andrew McDonald, Matthew Wade, Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Damien Wright, Shane Harwood, Jon Holland, Bryce McGain, Dirk Nannes.
Queensland squad: Chris Simpson (capt), Wade Townsend, Ryan Broad, Lee Carseldine, Nathan Reardon, Glen Batticciotto, Craig Philipson, Chris Hartley (wk), Ryan Harris, Nathan Rimmington, Ben Cutting, Alister McDermott, Ben Laughlin.
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Shot Dave
Congratulations to NSW opening batsman David Warner for making his way into the national T20 team at the expense of Matthew Hayden. It’s so refreshing to see another member of this way under-represented state earn promotion and hopefully he’ll get to play in Sunday’s match against the saffas.
Not to say Dave hasn’t earnt this selection, his form in the shorter versions of he game is undeniable.
In late November he broke the NSW One Day record in 34.1 overs by hitting 165* (112) That innings included 19 fours and 9 sixes against the (then) table topping Tasmanian attack. One can only speculate how many he would have scored had we batted first!
This week he took apart a South Australian attack that included a devastating Shaun Tait and Pakistani import Sohail Tanvir with 65(35). He did have some luck, playing on to be bowled by Tait off a no-ball then smashing the free hit over mid-on for one of his 7 fours. Of the 4 sixes Dave hit the highlight was a Tait delivery which he dispatched onto the roof of the Adelaide Oval!
He started the match with that stupid double sided T20 specialist bat, then changed it after a few overs for a real lump of willow.
He’s also a handy slow bowling option, capable of ripping leggies and tight offies depending on his mood. So congrats on the selection Dave, and it’s good to see we are still breeding the big names.
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