Posted by Moses on January 22, 2009 under QLD, VIC | 
Here’s one for AB DeVilliers, just to let him know we show our own batsmen the same compassion that he received after what JC describes as
[Tait's] third ball thwacked into AB de Villier’s midriff. Doubled over in pain, de Villiers’ bat crashed into the stumps. As he crumpled to the ground in agony, the Australians clustered next to his quivering body, high fiving and celebrating. I think I may have seen Cameron White kick de Villiers in the ribs a few times while noone was looking. It was a moment that would’ve brought a tear to Jeff Thomson’s eye.
For me the highlight was the Victorian keeper Adam Croswaithe running up to the stumps for the sole purpose of clapping the bowler right in front of the batsmen. The bowler returns to his runup without so much as checking the fallen batsmen for a pulse. Actually, the slo-mo Chewbacca sounds are pretty cool too.
At least Hartley had the forethought to keel over away from his stumps. Good boy.
Posted by Moses on January 8, 2009 under NSW, VIC |
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.
Posted by Moses on October 24, 2008 under NSW, SA |
Man Hair
Bloody Hell, we lost to the Redbacks! Surely even NSW F should be able to whip the whipping boys, but Shaun Tait with 5/27 says No. Mind you, Shaun Tait also says he should go to India due to his impressive record against them (21 overs, 1 maiden, 0/92 in Perth) and his proven ability to reverse swing the white ball implying he’ll find the magic with the SG Ball that the incumbent Baggy Green bowlers and their coach one Troy Cooley have thus far failed to. Life must be just peachy in Shaun’s Head.
Now I’m not going to make excuses for the loss, by all accounts Tait was devastating with the ball, and it’s not like losing our top 27 players to an India tour and another to a debilitating man-hair injury has adversely effected us.
As long as NSW continue to breed the big names we should pull through this season, and if we can find a way to make the finals then get our big guns back we’ll probably win the Shield, again.
Posted by jrod on October 1, 2008 under SA |
SA, the South Australian bare backs
Players that wont be available for large chunks of the season
Um, maybe Shaun Tait.
South Australia will have a full strength side, which for them still isn’t much.
Last year there best player was Ryan Harris, who is in Queensland now.
Gillespie, Blewett, Elliott, and Lehmann are all gone.
So is Nathan Adcock, but thats a good thing.
Hard to see them getting to much better, they went on a huge recruiting drive and all the ended up with was two fringe players from Victoria and a bunch of players barely in the squad in NSWales.
Leadership
Well after the leadership debacle that was Nathan Adcock South Australia have picked the logical option.
Graham Manou isn’t going to be dropped, and last year was probably the best batsman, and second best player behind Harris.
Good leader, but probably not the best captain going around.
Bowling
A full year of Shaun Tait will be handy. Only a handful of state cricketers have ever taken over 70 wickets in a year and he is one.
Guys like Rofe, Wise and Clearly are all just state players, and none of which are match winning bowlers.
The two Cullens, Bailey and Daniel, are still around. Wouldn’t be great if one of them took wickets this year.
Batting
The two imports, Younis Khan and Michel Klinger, will probably be the best two batsman in this side.
They might have issues though, one being a muslim, and one being a jew. Throw in Christian at 5, an aboriginal, and you have the minority middle order.
Mark Cosgrove is the only other batsman who is legit. So he becomes mega important, especially when Khan goes home.
Their top order is so fragile, that they might have to take drastic measures and play Michael Vaughan after Younis Khan pisses off.
As if buying Klinger wasn’t embarrassing enough.
Long in the tooth
If this isn’t Paul Rofe’s last year, South Australia will be shit for at least two more years.
Ready to shed the nappies
No real young players who inspire me with confidence, but I am a big fan of Daniel Christian, a batting all rounder who bowls into the 140’s.
Nostradamus
Shield
5th.
One day
5th.
2020
4th.
The rub
They were rubbish last year, but they will have to improve, wont they?
The Hayden Christensen XI
Tags: alan wise, dan christian, daniel christian, graham manou, mark cosgrove, michael klinger, nathan adcock, paul rofe, ryan harris, shaun tait, Sheffield Shield, shield preview
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 December 4, 2007 under VIC |
Apparently there are whispers around the traps that Cricket With Balls Own Bryce McGain could be a dark horse to play for Australia.
And no I didn’t start them myself, because although I think it’s a good idea, I didn’t want to be the one to jinx him. So now that it’s already circulating, I can comment without guilt.
Over at Are you a left arm chinaman they asked a rather long winded yet eloquent question about Our Bryce. So I will try and answer it as best I can.
We all know Bryce McGain is older than Jesus, but Jesus was a wicketkeeper, and they generally have to retire at a younger age. Problems with their hands and such.
Leg spinners, with the exception of Warne and now MacGill, age exceptionally well, and no one has aged better than Our Bryce.
So lets look at his chances of playing:
The positives
Is he bowling well enough to play for Australia, fu©k yeah.
Very rarely these days do Australian spinners dominate domestically. Funky was the last who springs to mind. Bryce is continually taking wickets, and getting out good batsmen, what more can the selectors ask for?
He is on track for a 40 wicket season, thems good numbers and he is bowling with the leading wicket taker in the competition at the other end.
He is the only man to derail Simon Katich this year, who as we know, is a good player of leg spin (for a crab).
Where is the first test again, oh that’s right, his home ground, boom.
He has experience on his side, not so much first class experience, but life experience that only elderly gentleman can have.
He knows his craft inside and out, and he isn’t some part timer who happens to get wickets.
There isn’t much footage of him, so who ever India’s coach ends up as, he won’t have much to go on.
He generally seems like a nice guy (how else could he become Cricket with balls Own), and since in my life I have had negative experiences with the two other alternatives, I would say he is the nicest option.
Right at the moment he is hardly bowling a bad ball, his length and flight were flawless against the New South Welshman.
Stuart MacGill is falling apart.
He can bowl all day, which against the Indians could come in handy.
The Negatives
Stuart MacGill has 200 test wickets, Brad Hogg has been playing international cricket for a long time now.
Playing your first test against India when you’re a leg spinner is like sending a goalie out to face Brazil on his first International. Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar & Dhoni, oh my.
He has played only ten first class games, half of them this year.
Brad Hogg has taken less wickets this year than McGain, but he does have the superior average and strike rate.
He is from Victoria, so he has the wrong shade of blue cap on his head.
Shaun tait is back baby, and he so wants to knock off some Indian scalps.
Ponting likes class players, and what Ponting wants Ponting often gets. Ponting wants MacGill, if MacGill isn’t fit, then it shall be interesting to see what Ponting wants.
He is the same age as the two alternatives, so it may be fresh blood, but it aint young blood. Even if he is well preserved.
I like him, so like Craig Howard and Ian Harvey before him, that weight could be the one to sink him.
The Verdict
There are very few surprises when it comes to selection these days in Australia. Other than Shane Watson. In general the Australian selectors play it safe, Bryce is not the safe option. Kerry O’Keefe is talking him up, so now all he needs is Terry Jenner, Ian Chappell and a Rupert Murdoch paper on his side and he is really no chance.
I want to believe they are thinking of him as a realistic option, but I just can’t see him getting picked. I think if MacGill is fit, Ponting will demand him, and if not, they’ll take the man they know over the man they don’t.
But aint it nice to be mentioned.
Update, MacGill is out for the first 2 tests. It’s down to Tait (pontings bag man in the wc), Hogg (the semi logical choice) or McGain (Cricket with balls Own). The choice is obvious.
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