Check out StateCricket.com for updates from this must win outright Shield match at the Gabba.

Happy Phillip Hughes Day!

It’ll cover all the big issues such as why New South Wales has won the Sheffield Shield 45 times of the 106 occasions that it’s been contested.

Currently the content is very Victorian and New South Wales biased so we’re looking for more authors from Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland. Ideally we’ll have all states represented equally regardless of how small they are by population. Just like the Senate.

So head on over to http://www.statecricket.com/ for all your Aussie domestic blogging needs.

I feel sorry for the bloke. He’s in the form of his life and with “role models” like Muttiah Muralitharan and Johan Botha (who action Healey described as “flicking flight” last week) succeeding on the international stage who can blame a young bloke for wanting to bowl just like them? Now he’s got to dress up like Gollum and bowl slow in the nets which will of confirm that he only chucks by 14.2 degrees which is enough of a chuck that no-one seems to care anymore.

Here’s some footage and discussion from Inside Cricket, at the end I’ve slowed it down heaps so you can really see the arm straightening.

I don’t like it, but what really grates me is there being any tolerance allowed. If you bend your arm then play baseball. Here’s a great summary by Tony T at After Grog Blog on this very issue (thanks for the flicking flight reference too)

The fact that Under 15 Degree Chucking has been legalised is a sick joke. Quite obviously the bowling coaches around the orb – Troy Cooley included if you judge by Sideshow Roy’s rancid offies – have been experimenting with the 15 degree limit so that bowlers, and offies in particular, can get that little extra purchase. So what if they sometimes go to 20 degrees, 25 degrees and greater… it’s a bluff worth making and a risk worth taking. No umpire will call them, and only the odd match official will refer the bowler for so-called remedial attention. Then if, on the rare occasions the bowler is cited, they need only stroll off to the bowling doctors, go through the motions under 15 degrees in the lab, and receive the rubber stamp that will allow them “bowl” again.

And do you think there’s a chance in Hades Hot Bread Kitchens Botha will be cited, after he played a significant role in the Vark’s win over Straya? Not on your life. Come on, Mr Official, do your job properly and prove me wrong.

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.

However, biomechanical analysis has shown Bird was within the tolerance level of an elbow extension of 15 degrees or less for every delivery. So we can thank the ICC for passing laws that legitimise the action shown in the animated gif below

Anyway, the bloke is from and plays for New South Wales, so I obviously like him. Just wish he’d keep his elbow straight.

Bullshit. Tonight 17000 champions rocked that ground. Sure, there were some gaps, there are like 90000 seats, but bugger me if there wasn’t atmosphere on tap. Did I mention full strength beer, and even a variety of choices. The staple was Toohey’s New, $6 in a plastic cup, but they also had Becks, Heineken and Squires for $7.50. Funny thing, didnt’ see a single person too pissed, no fight, and no-one ejected that I saw for drunkeness.

Another great thing was the police/securaty presence. About 1/100th of what they have at the SCG for an ODI/Test, and shock horror, everybody lived. Thing only went for 3 hours so no real time for venomous beer snakes, they could have your eye out you know. They didn’t even try to ban the wave, crowd got bored with that pretty quick thouhg, there was quality cricket to be seen.

Quiney played his arse off for hte Vics and set us one hell of a target, I would have loved to see him bring up his century, he sure as hell deserved one for that knock. Funny times at the end when Tubby completely farked up, saying words something like “well done to Quiney who we’d like to give man o fthe match to…. ” Quiney walks up … “but we instead are giving it to Rorher.”. Top effort Tubs. DIckhad.,

Brett Rohrer got man of hte match, I probably would make him share it with a Bird. Came in at the same time as Thornley and were both 0(0). At the time we eneeded 72 off about 30 somethign, and were deep up sh1t creek with no paddle in sight.

There was speculation that McDonald bowling to Thornley would see the Ranga-on-ranga effect, kind of like putting the north poles of two magnets together. Didn’t eventuate, but who said Twenty 20 cricket obesy the laws of physics?

Top knock by Brett Rohrer, champion effort. Kudos to Thornley as well, his pivotal role gave us the wickets in hand at hte end, and his 4 made it so. Bit of ablemish getting out 3rd last ball though, but I’ll rmeember his cheeky 4′s off Dirty Dirk – funny as.

The tension at the end of the game was the most I’ve experienced at a limited overs match. Last over and we needed 9 with Harwood bowling. Two off the first then a wide that was 15mm shy of leg stump, and we’re needing 6(4). Dominic Thornley chips one off his legs fine for 4 and it’s 2(3). The Harwood clean bowls him, Fark Me! 2(2) and Daniel Smith, the keeper we kept with McCullum in the side is to face. Straight to mid-on, misfield, quick single. One to go. Rohrer on strike for the last ball of the match. Scores Level. Missed it, to the keeper. They run, keeper misses, bowles relays on to the stumps. Did he have his bat down? Blues think they’ve won it. Ground Announcer thinks they’ve won. 3rd umpire takes an eternity while the ground announcer is waxing lyrical about our win. He’s safe! GO NUTS! FARK YEAH GO THE BLUES!!!! NEW SOUTH WALES, NEW SOUTH WALES!!!

Blues win by 5 wickets. And McCullum did fark all so the Vics have less excuse. Did I mention we got fulls trength beer?

I honestly can’t see myself pumped to watch another ODI live, and I’m saying this in the middle of an intriguing series between us and the saffas.

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:

Nathan Hauritz – avg 15, eco 6.3. Restrictive bowler. Playing for Oz.

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.

]]> http://beerandsport.net/victoria-cry-me-a-river/feed/ 4 http://beerandsport.net/prince-brendan-signs-for-the-premier-state/ http://beerandsport.net/prince-brendan-signs-for-the-premier-state/#comments Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:24:58 +0000 Moses http://beerandsport.net/?p=925 Continue reading →]]>

NSW Opener

Superb news for the Blues as we hope to break the dirty Vics run of 3 domestic T20 finals in a row, especially with our first choice ‘keeper Brad Haddin tied up against the Saffas. One can’t blame Prince Brendan for hedging his bets – if the KKR don’t make the pay day then he’s definitely in with the Blues, fair play to him.

New South Wales have secured a major coup with Brendon McCullum, the big-hitting New Zealand wicketkeeper, drafted in to the state’s squad for the Australian domestic Twenty20 final in Sydney on Saturday. McCullum owns the most famous century in the format for his 158 off 73 balls in the opening match of the inaugural Indian Premier League and by playing for the Blues he will immediately qualify for the lucrative Champions League Twenty20 in October.

However, in the same article are these comments from NSW CEO Dave Gilbert which I find most disturbing

“With the potential losses the New South Wales squad may suffer depending on which two IPL teams qualify for the Champions League, it is vital that we strengthen our squad ahead of that tournament,”

What the FúCK! If the qualifying IPL “franchises” contain any New South Wales players, they get to pick OUR players to play for them AGAINST US! I can’t fúcking believe this. Stupid bloódy Indian franchises with their 9 months of history and poxy names, throw cash around to loan our players for the IPL, fair enough they can use the money, but to then have first pick of OUR players AGAINST US is a fúcking outrage.

I think of players such as Dave Warner, Moises Henriques and Stephen Smith who’ve come through the junior development programs we have in place, and there’s obviously a fair investment over a period of time in these players. Now some bollywood wánker gets first bite cause they pony up with a barrow full of rupees?

Surely, at the very least they’ll need to get the player released by their home state, at the discretion of the home state, and with a very large wad of cash exchanging hands. The very notion that these Indian blow-ins own our fúcking players makes my blood boil.

I don’t know all the facts, yet, but that never stopped me before.

]]> http://beerandsport.net/prince-brendan-signs-for-the-premier-state/feed/ 27 http://beerandsport.net/nsw-blues-world-club-champions/ http://beerandsport.net/nsw-blues-world-club-champions/#comments Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:58:06 +0000 Moses http://beerandsport.net/?p=869 Continue reading →]]>

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

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