Archive for the ‘November’ Category:
Sidders, the Victorian Hero. Get him up here…
Australian selectors will today feel vindicated. If I could have been bothered last night, I would have publicly castigated them for leaving Doug Bollinger out of the team. Not that I mind Siddle. In fact, I was a big fan even before today. After today, of course, I’m in love with him. The rationale for leaving Bollinger out (he’s had too much injury trouble) seemed flawed – Sidders has been lucky to get any playing time in the last 12 months. At any rate, results count. The selectors were right and I was wrong.
Today, Peter Siddle had the most excellent figures of 6-54 including a hat trick. He could have had seven wickets, except that the selectors went with the modern day Iron Gloves. Siddle’s hat trick was what I call a “real hat trick” – it was all in the one over. Two golden ducks. Not only that, all the deliveries were pearlers, including a bowled and an lbw to finish it off. But there was more – Siddle had to endure a review of the lbw before he could finally celebrate. But wait, there’s more – today was Siddle’s 26th birthday.
Siddle became the next in a long line of Victorians to claim a hat trick. Of all the Australians to have achieved it (and there are not really many), almost all are Victorians: Warne, Hughes, Fleming, Kline and Trumble. Matthews was a South Australian but played all of his Shield cricket for Victoria. Only Glen McGrath has no stake in Mexico. Even “Spoff”, who was born in Balmain and played for the Blues, finished his career in Victoria.
Anyway, hat trick excitement aside, I’m told it was an interesting days play. Not that I would know. I spent the day in a training course. I’m grateful to my company and all for sending me but it does make it hard to focus on the important things. Anyhow, it’s the same a again tomorrow so please feel to send me a text if something interesting happens.
[Postscript: To give some insight into the world at the top of cricket's heap, I will share something from an interview I heard with Siddle following his mighty deeds [ABC Radio, 26/11, a.m.] His hat trick ball was perfect, right? A searing, swinging yorker to the lefty, pitching right on leg and straightening. Maybe a bit risky, almost sliding down leg but darn near unplayable. It seemed the perfect delivery but Sidders candidly admitted that he was “aiming to hit the top of off”. It makes you think.]
Bowlers are Just Punching Bags
It’s runs, runs, runs around the world as the world’s best batsmen make hay.
In Galle, Chris Gayle has rattled off a triple century. He’s just departed on triple Nelson, sometimes referred to as a “Gooch”. In doing so, he has broken the West Indian record for the number of sixes in a Test innings (was 7 – he hit 9) and in scoring his second Test triple, Gayle has joined Bradman, Lara and Sehwag as the only batsmen to achieve that. He has also exposed Sri Lanka to life after Murali and Vaas.
Across the water, in India, New Zealand secured their second draw of the series with a fine 225 from Brendan McCullum. In this match there were two other centuries, including 111 not out from Harbhajan Singh. That’s correct – the off spinner. His first Test century was a long time in coming but he had only to wait a few days for the second. New Zealand’s 20 year old, Kane Williamson followed his century on debut in the 1st Test with a fighting 69 in the second dig to help McCullum secure the draw.
Over in UAE (Pakistan’s home ground), Kallis and Amla thrashed the Pakistanis. However, the Pakistan team under scrutiny is newly competitive – what a surprise. There is a way to go in this match but they are just three wickets down with 33 overs remaining. And welcome back to Younis Khan. Forever is such a short time in Pakistani cricket. He has brought up his century with a six and is fighting hard with Misbah-ul-Haq.
And while we are on the subject of sad old bowlers, look no further than Australia. What a sorry lot. I don’t know what Lillee was on when he claimed Australia had the better attack. I don’t think that Australia will roll over easily but I feel it will be a very closely fought series and only because of Australia’s home ground advantage.