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.

So onto more distracting issues, like John Rogers. John is a simple man, and like many of his generation has strong values of honesty, integrity, and dignity. John believes in one club for life. This was made somewhat easier for John as he wasn’t very good and only played 4 first class matches, but true to his ethics they were all for his beloved New South Wales.

It pains John to recall the tale of his son Chris , who holds the rare blemish as the only Australian ever to hit a double century against Australia. It was Chris Rogers demorilising of Lee, Gillespie, Kasprowicz and Macgill that started the 2005 rot that led into a ODI loss to Bangladesh and concluded with the poms in an open topped bus.

The anguish that poor John suffers when regailing the career of his foreyed ranga slut of a son Chris is unbearable. Here is a one club for life man who’s son has so far graced the rosters of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Western Australia, Victoria, and Australia.

In April Chris walked out on his contract with Western Australia, a curious move considering he’d just cracked the national setup, and one must ask as to the motivation for this move. The official line from camp Rogers was his frustration at being ommited from WA’s One Day squad. He had offers from Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, and to understand where Chris Rogers’ priorities lay, the benefits of playing each state have to be examined.

Queensland would have been a disaster for Rogers. His gingah hair and fair complexion would have been no match for the harsh Gabba sun.

South Australia on paper offered the best package. It was rumoured he’d get the captaincy, they are completely and utterly shithouse in the batting department so he’d be worshipped by all 7 SACA members, plus the Adelaide Zoo offers free entry to Rangas, themselves an endagered species according to Zoos SA’s director of conservation programs Kevin Evans.

Finally there was Victoria, and this could prove to be the final nail in his loyal fathers coffin, a man who’s life has been spent fostering a hatred of those damn mexicans with mobiles.

The plusses would be playing in the countries second best state side, not having to face Dirk Nannes, and inclusion in the shortened format of the game. But when it came time to talk turkey, none of these things mattered.

Chris is 31 years old, mostly blind, and wholly red haired. Peroxide and laser eye surgery are not cheap so he’d gone to the Mexicans, and here is why: Victoria are playing in the world T20 club championship. This is in India. The IPL is in India. $$$$$$$$$$$

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.

Ross emails “Why would NSW declare ?? Bat for the rest of the match and let Casson and Lee get maiden first class centuries and keep the Vic’s in the field for as long as possible. Isn’t that the whole idea of finishing on top of the table, have the final at home, need nothing but a draw !! “

which poses an interesting point. If this games a draw then we win. So the Vics HAVE to bat for a win regardless of how long we give them to bat.

That said, there’s been a marked improvement in the scoring rates since lunch, we’re going along at over 6rpo so I think the pre-declaration slog is in motion. Another 20-30 minutes should see that lead over 600 which I dare say will be a number too high for the Vics in 4.5 sessions. Still, if it guarantees bring home the trophy, lets bat till stumps.

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.

Our leads approaching 400 now, which you’d back the Vics to get in 4 sessions. There’s 6.5 sessions left, so why are we throwing our wickets away? The Bluetongues had been trotting along at a very respectable 3.6 an over, I’d have been happy to do that to stumps then come out blazing tomorrow morning.

I’m all for attacking cricket, and when it comes to the pre-declaration slog I’m it’s biggest fan.. however I’m not going to be comfortable with less than a 600 run lead, lest we forget.

Anyone have any clues as to why we accumulated through the 70-79th overs, then as soon as that new rock came out Clarke saw red and started belting every ball for 4.

First step was to run out Kattich on 92, poor bloke hasn’t had enough centuries to celebrate this year, what with that 1506 runs he’s scored.

Then he tries what sounds like a Courtney Walsh special – “Clark looking to attack, backs away and looks to cut it through the off side, gets the edge to Crosthwaite behind the wicket” to bring about his own undoing, and exposing two new batsmen to the new ball.

Haddin figures anything pup can do I can do better, playing on for 4 off 3 balls. Now it’s up to specialist batsman Beau Casson and Dominic Thornley to try and reserrect our half-gig total. Then we can slog.

The Tap of Massies are off to a flyer at 0/150 with DiVenuto leading the way with 96(118) in his second last match in Australia. Tragically Ballbag Bollinger is unavailable due to a foot injury and his penetration is being deerly missed. Curiously we choose to bowl on a flat track, sure Katto has a plan….

Meanwhile the Mexican’s with mobiles have struck early against the Westies with dangerman Langer falling lbw to Wise. Chris Rogers is off to a solid start however, and once he makes 20 he could be the very NSWelshman we need to stick around to hurt em.

The situation was looking dire the first session yesterday with the mexicans taking two quick wickets and having us at 2/2. Fortunately Kattich came to the rescue along with 43′s from Mail and Haddin.

With a few overs to go he declared at 9/253, a worringly low first innings total that immediately paid off with one wicket before stumps.

Today’s seen regular wickets with the mexican’s now at 3/118 after Hodge recently departed. Unfortunately Hussey mark 2 is still in so we’ll need to clean up his wicket before cracking out the Moet.