Sheffield Shield Game 7: New South Wales v Tasmania @ Sydney (Tue-Fri)

[Russian]

vs

Sydney Cricket Ground
11am Tuesday November 17-Friday November 20​

Somebody has to get some points as the Michael Clarke comeback show continues without any interference from the Brett Lee show - he will have a similar discussion with the surgeon to the one Stuart Clark had 11 months ago. Clarke's inclusion forces Rohrer out while Bollinger's back from Australian duties in place of the injured Mitchell Starc. Bollinger and Clark are seemingly bowling for the last spot in the 12, while Hughes and Jaques have one last chance to impress in case somebody gets hit on the hand and does actually do some damage. It seems they were going to play 4 quicks with Smith and Katich the spinners, but now Lee's out it'll be a toss up between Josh Hazelwood and Steve O'Keefe. Beau Casson was dropped before his 170 in club cricket on the weekend.

Tassie have lost two games outright and their problems start at the top where their openers have managed just 125 between them in 4 innings. It's not much better at 3 but Doolan's average of 27 is bettered only by George Bailey with 38. Geeves has been the most successful bowler with 9 wickets, but has overstepped 12 times in one innings and 14 in the other completed one. Krejza has 6 and Macdonald, Butterworth and Denton/Drew have 5 between them. That's only 21 wickets because they lost by 9 wickets to SA and an innings to the Bulls. But Travis Birt will change all that according to the selectors, drinks waiter James Faulkner the only casualty. No Ben Hilfenhaus because CA said so, no Ricky Ponting because he doesn't care, even if it is in Sydney.

New South Wales XII:
Phil Jaques
Phil Hughes
*Simon Katich
Michael Clarke
Usman Khawaja
+Brad Haddin
Steve Smith
Steve O'Keefe
Stuart Clark
Burt Cockley
Doug Bollinger
Josh Hazelwood
In:
Clarke
O'Keefe
Bollinger
Hazlewood
Out:
Ben Rohrer
Beau Casson
Mitchell Starc (side)
Grant Lambert

Tasmania XII:
Ed Cowan
Jonathan Wells
Alex Doolan
Travis Birt
*George Bailey
Dan Marsh
Luke Butterworth
Jason Krejza
Brett Geeves
+Brady Jones
Brendan Drew
Tim Macdonald
In:
Birt

Weather:
Possible morning shower day 1 then fine and 25 for the rest of the first two days, then into the low 30s with possible afternoon storms for the last two days.

Session Times
First session: 11am-1pm
Second session: 1:40-3:40pm
Third session: 4-6pm

Points Table:
South Australia - 8 (3)
Queensland - 8 (3)
Victoria - 2 (1)
Western Australia - 2 (2)
New South Wales - 0 (1)
Tasmania - 0 (2)

Coverage:
Cricket Australia's scorecard

Tickets:
Adults - $7
Concession/Children - $1
(Gates open 10:30am)

 

[anti dukes]

It will be interesting to see if Tassie can actually show some fight and go ok. Surely NSW will win this one comfortably.

My pick is Drew for 12th man.

 

[kenrosewall]

A resurgent Tassie will take it right up to the NSWelshman. The inclusion of Birt for Faulkner sures up our batting significantly (hopefully Birt plays his natural game, even if we are 2 down for not much) and I think Geevesy will rip the test aspirants a new one.

Our team should look like this:

Ed Cowan
Jonathan Wells
Alex Doolan
Travis Birt
*George Bailey
Dan Marsh
Luke Butterworth
Jason Krejza
Brett Geeves
+Brady Jones
Tim Macdonald

Brendan Drew (12th man)

Hopefully we bat first and Wells and Cowan can put on a 100 in the first session. A bit of confidence at the top will filter right through the order and Tassie will look a different team (especially when we bat to #10- maybe more quantity over quality however). Also have a feeling Krejza will put his name up there for Test selection after this match.

Any double failures by our Top 3 (and a loss) will probably see Rhett Lockyear get a chance in the SS team.

 

[anti dukes]

Add Dane Anderson to the mix as well. If he makes runs in the second 11 game this week, and the top 3 fail again. He might just get the chance.

 

[kenrosewall]

Why isn't Geevesy playing? No mention during the week of any injury? Does he have a pre-arranged modelling appointment in Milan that he couldn't break?

Our bowling looks very week without Hilf, Geeves, Denton & Griffith.

 

[Bomber Bears]

No Geeves? WHy?

 

[anti dukes]

Injured in the warm up i think

 

[TorresIsGod]

Hughes b. Butterworth for 12 (20).

NSW 1-28 off 11.

Jaques and Katich at the crease now.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Butterworth troubled Hughes throughout his short stay, judging by the commentary. It was only a matter of time

 

[TorresIsGod]

Certainly makes selection for the first test interesting given that Hughes isn't in good form.

 

[Bomber Bears]

Century for Katich I think.

Jaques the forgotten man to press his case for selection, looked in good touch on the weekend before getting out.

Carn you blues!

 

[kenrosewall]

As per the cricket tas website: "The visitors were dealt a major blow on the eve of the match with paceman Brett Geeves ruled out with a side strain"

Not looking good for the Tigers, with both Jaques and Katich occupying the crease. Both men very hard to dismiss once they are set.

 

[aussie1st]

Great to see Jaques back to his best, he lost his way a bit when he came back from injury last year and didn't look his usual self. But this is more like it, and Katich is brilliant as usual.

 

[kenrosewall]

Important breakthrough on tea by Krejza with Katich well set. Good work by Tassie to not let either Katich or Jaques go on with it.

A couple of early wickets in the evening session and we could square the day by having NSW 6 or 7 for at stumps. Still some hand types left for NSW however, so Tassie will need to build pressure by bowling in partnerships.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Certainly makes selection for the first test interesting given that Hughes isn't in good form.

He shouldn't be in the side and today cemented it. A couple of good 20/20 innings doesn't translate to the test arena. He didn't score against WA either last week.

 

[kenrosewall]

Gee we must have given up. Jon Wells having his first bowl in FC cricket. Didn't actually realise he bowled. Makes me wonder if either Butterworth or McDonald are injured as they haven't had a bowl since tea. Maybe waiting for the new ball I guess.

 

[ILY Leonard]

anyone kno if geeva's injury is serious?

 

[Ron]

Good days play. Finish at 3/290 with everyone apart from Hughes getting to at least 50.

 

[CAS79]

anyone kno if geeva's injury is serious?

It would be a fair guess that a niggle would not have kept him out of the game given the bowling problems.

Tassie are seriously not only undermanned in terms of quality but are also a pace bowler short. Should have called one in from home and waited for them to arrive.

 

[aussie1st]

Good 50 by Khawaja, Clarke also looking in good touch. Hope both go on to make 100s.

 

[kenrosewall]

Tim Coyle stated in the Mercury that Geeves' injury was just a minor side strain from Sunday's game. He pulled up alright after the game but the next morning it was a bit tight, so they took him in for a scan. Coyle said he could of played but would rather not risk further injury to our strike bowler and that he would be right to play our next match next week.

I would have thought we might as well have risked him. If we take 0 points from this game, we are pretty much already out of contention. Now NSW have piled on the runs it looks unlikely we will get anything out of this one, so we might as well smash the ball around a bit and practice our yorkers ahead of the Big Bash. Lockyear should come in next game. Can Mascheranas (sp?) play Sheffield Shield for us as part of his contract?

 

[Drummond]

"Khawaja deserved a first class century today but fell 20 runs short"

Shame, kid is an absolute gem, will play for Australia.

 

[Bomber Bears]

Khawaja really started to kick on second half of last season so is good to see him continuing, very good player in the making.

 

[Drummond]

Khawaja really started to kick on second half of last season so is good to see him continuing, very good player in the making.

Yep. Last 5 scores are 112, 41, 172*, 61, 80.

 

[kenrosewall]

NSW have declared at 8/420 after the fall of the last wicket. Bit of a waste of time batting for 20 minutes after lunch if you ask me. Also hate it when teams declare for 8 or 9 down, not allowing the bowlers to get a couple of junk wickets to help out their stats after toiling hard to dismiss the top and middle order. I think wickets 8-10 should only be half a wicket (imagine Brett Lee's stats then!). Sorry....just my personal bugbear.

Hopefully Tas don't fall like a pack of cards and show some resistance. Make a quick-fire 300-odd and then let NSW hopefully set us a chase on the last day. About all we can hope for from here.