Sheffield Shield Round 7: Victoria v South Australia @ Melbourne (Fri-Mon)

[Russian]

vs

Melbourne Cricket Ground
11am Friday January 30-Monday February 2​

The battle for the Shield resumes with a triple header this weekend. The Redbacks visit the G to face a somewhat depleted but top of the table regardless of results this weekend Victorian side. They have taken home points from each of their last 3 visits to Melbourne for four day games, but Victoria have won 2 of them outright. Despite everybody else naming their sides by Tuesday, Victoria are leaving it until Thursday but will again without their captain, vice captain and deputy vice captain - also known as the middle order, although with Quiney at seven for the last game that's not as bad as it would be for most teams. They're also without Peter Siddle has not healed to the level they'd hoped for him to get a Shield game before the trip to South Africa. But the return of Bryce McGain and Shane Harwood means that's not a big deal either, the latter will still struggle to make the XI. Lloyd Mash was rolled out for the Wednesday press conference so he'll be playing in Hodge's spot after making 224 and 64 in the 2nd XI game in Canberra earlier this month. Aaron Finch and Aiden Blizzard have been next in line for a middle order spot for some time, however after he made 114 and 73 in that 2nd XI game there's some talk of number 2 four day keeper Adam Crosthwaite playing as a specialist batsman. Taking Matthew Wade's spot also isn't out of the question although the selectors seem to think this year that the former Tasmanian is the better gloveman.

SA are on the bottom of the four day table but while top spot is out of reach, with injuries to Australian players hurting SA less than anybody else, the 12 point gap to second placed Queensland is not unassailable, although the selectors are trying their best to get another spoon. The Redbacks Pakistani experiment is over for the year, with Younus Khan captaining Pakistan for the rest of the Australian domestic season, well he's playing for them, whether he lasts that long as skipper is doubtful. NSW import Tom Cooper takes his place at the top of the order alongside Daniel Harris. They've also dumped former Victorian quick Allan Wise for Peter George who should never have been dropped in the first place, but his bunny qualities mean fellow friends of the duck Wise and Paul Rofe don't get picked (or are they injured ) ahead of the 'all round' abilities of Matthew Weeks and Daniel Christian. Those two will compete with spinners Aaron O'Brien and Dan Cullen for three spots.

Victoria XIII:
Nick Jewell
Chris Rogers
Lloyd Mash
Rob Quiney
*Andrew McDonald
Adam Crosthwaite
+Matthew Wade
Damien Wright
Clint McKay
Shane Harwood
Bryce McGain
Dirk Nannes
In:
Lloyd Mash
Adam Crosthwaite
Shane Harwood
Bryce McGain
Out:
Brad Hodge (hamstring)
David Hussey (Australia)
Cameron White (Australia)

South Australia XII:
Daniel Harris
Tom Cooper
Michael Klinger
Cameron Borgas
Callum Ferguson
*+Graham Manou
Aaron O'Brien
Daniel Christian
Mark Cleary
Matthew Weeks
Dan Cullen
Peter George
In:
Tom Cooper
Matthew Weeks
Peter George
Out:
Younus Khan (Pakistan)
Allan Wise

Recent History:
October 14, 2008 @ Adelaide
Match drawn, Victoria first innings points
Victoria 6/473
Jewell 164 (256) MOTM
Hodge 104 (200)
Rofe 3/80 (27)
South Australia 7/357
Klinger 150* (350)
Plant 48 (185)
Harwood 2/78 (28)
Victoria 151
Harwood 31 (52)
Cullen 3/60 (20)
O'Brien 2/7 (3.4)
South Australia 7/176
D.Harris 62 (141)
O'Brien 49 (75)
McDonald 3/15 (9)
January 21, 2008 @ Melbourne
Victoria won by 4 wickets
South Australia 320
Manou 105* (160)
McDonald 4/69 (21.5)
McGain 2/60 (12)
Victoria 301
McDonald 139 (183)
Hodge 64 (120)
Cleary 3/61 (19)
South Australia 244
Christian 55 (135)
R.Harris 37* (46)
Siddle 6/57 (20.3)
Victoria 6/264
Jewell 91* (244)
Cleary 3/56 (20.1)
R.Harris 3/65 (19)
October 14, 2007 @ Adelaide
Victoria won by 270 runs
Victoria 438
D.Hussey 104 (178) MOTM
Wade 83 (139)
R.Harris 3/81 (35)
South Australia 249
Gillespie 49 (104)
Denton 3/42 (14)
Nannes 3/60 (22)
Victoria 4(dec)/158
D.Hussey 74* (95)
White 38 (85)
R.Harris 2/21 (9)
South Australia 77
Gillespie 18 (63)
Siddle 5/27 (10)
Nannes 2/11 (11)

Weather:
Hot and sunny. 43, 35, 31, 34

Points Table:
28 Victoria
20 Queensland
18 Tasmania
12 Western Australia
10 New South Wales
8 South Australia
(All played 6 games)

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

Coverage:

- score updates during the ODIs on Friday and Sunday and some ball by ball on Grandstand on Saturday and before the ODI on Sunday
Cricket Australia's scorecard and commentary or analysis (more likely to work than the first link but will crash your browser if you leave it up long enough)

Tickets:
Adults - $5
Children/Concession - $2
Family - $10
(Free with validated Metcard, Gate 3 only open 10:30)

 

[Exhale You]

So glad that the real domestic stuff is back.

It'll be interesting to see how our boys handle to switch back to the 4-day game.
Hopefully it doesn't affect our momentum.

It'll also be interesting to see how we go without our entire middle order.

 

[Russian]

Victorian 12 confirmed. Wrong time to lose form for Finch and Blizzard

 

[Chris25]

I just pray Weeks doesn't get picked ahead of Cullen.

 

[DoubleO7]

Victoria should win comfortably IMO

Bryce McGain is the big plus for Victoria and should do an adequate job removing the South Australia Middle order.

 

[Exhale You]

The one good thing about us losing Hodge, Hussey and White is that Crossy finally gets a chance to play a Shield game.

The toss will be really important given the heat expected tomorrow.

 

[MRobbo]

No free admission on a Metcard tomorrow as Public Transport in Victoria is Free.

 

[Jolldo87]

Wasn't White dropped from the Australian squad?

 

[year of the roo]

Wasn't White dropped from the Australian squad?

Will probably get picked as 12th man. No point in him hanging around in that capacity in a dead-rubber. We desperately need him as that is a pathetically weak batting line-up. We'll need Rogers, Jewell and Quiney to make big scores.

 

[Exhale You]

Wasn't White dropped from the Australian squad?

Why release him to captain his state in a vital Shield game when Australia can have him sitting in the stands reading a newspaper?

Cricket Australia never cease to amaze me.

 

[aussie1st]

Finally SA have Copper and George in their side. It's been way too long.

 

[Budda 230]

The structure of Victoria's batting line up is a bit concerning. Playing 4 usual openers and 2 keepers is a bit risky. I thought it would have been a good opportunity to give young Hill a go in the middle order. Openers batting middle order are always that little bit more toey having to wait. Although I guess Quiney has been performing well middle order before Xmas.

If Crosthwaite is good enough to play as a specialist batsman and bat ahead of Wade, surely he is good enough to take his spot as keeper too. The level of their keeping really doesn't differ all that much. I'm a big fan of Wade, but Crossy does have the runs on the board.

 

[fryingpan]

SA to win

 

[hotdish]

Andrew McDonald noted that "the best leg spinner in the world" is back for the Vics? Anyone know what drugs he's on?

 

[Dez!]

Andrew McDonald noted that "the best leg spinner in the world" is back for the Vics? Anyone know what drugs he's on?

Surely he meant in Australia, just a slip of the tongue or Warne is back playing for the Vics.

 

[JUBJUB]

I just pray Weeks doesn't get picked ahead of Cullen.

God went 50/50 with you.Weeks is in,as is Grumblebum Cullen.O'Brien is 12th man

Wasn't White dropped from the Australian squad?

White was left out of tonights team but there's still a game on sunday against the Kiwis,so he couldn't be released

Vics batting 0/10

 

[fryingpan]

Vics batting 0/10

I feel a shit day for SA coming on.

 

[krisholio14]

No free admission on a Metcard tomorrow as Public Transport in Victoria is Free.

People still have weeklys and monthlys, or has this been confirmed by the sponsors or Cricket Vic?

Looking forward to getting down there tomorrow to take in the days play

 

[flash2]

Why wouldn't Harwood be picked?

 

[krisholio14]

Why wouldn't Harwood be picked?

He's injury prone, and I'd say the extreme weather conditions have led the selectors to take a cautious approach with him. We don't need him to be breaking down in this heat.

 

[flash2]

He's injury prone, and I'd say the extreme weather conditions have led the selectors to take a cautious approach with him. We don't need him to be breaking down in this heat.

Fair enough. Our batting line-up is ridiculous. Crosthwaite isn't good enough to bat number 5 in a Shield team IMO, especially when he's in the team purely for his batting. We have four openers and two alright batting wicketkeepers in the team. And Mash hasn't played Shield cricket for a long while.

 

[Exhale You]

So glad we won the toss.
Regardless of what happens today, being in the field today is going to take a lot out of the South Australians.

The structure of Victoria's batting line up is a bit concerning. Playing 4 usual openers and 2 keepers is a bit risky.

I see your point with Lloyd Mash, but Bob Quiney's best form is in his current middle order position (and Jewell/Rogers have opened all year) so it's gilding the lily a little to list him as an opener.

If Crosthwaite is good enough to play as a specialist batsman and bat ahead of Wade, surely he is good enough to take his spot as keeper too. .

I think that's overly simplistic, mate.

Wade has been keeping extremely well and seems to have found a perfect rhythm with our bowlers so they obviously don't want to change a winning formula, which means that Wade retains the gloves.

Then they looked to the batting and obviously believe that Crossy is more deserving as a pure batsman than the next in line, so he plays.

The idea of playing two keepers isn't ideal, but if they're happy with the keeping of the incumbent and the second keeper is in better batting form than other batsman in the state, why not pick him as a specialist batsman?

Why wouldn't Harwood be picked?

All year we've tended to rotate our bowlers and given the conditions it's probably a good idea to give Shane a break.

Provided Clint McKay bowls somewhere near his recent form our bowling attack still looks very good.

Our batting line-up is ridiculous.

What should it have been?

Crosthwaite isn't good enough to bat number 5 in a Shield team IMO, especially when he's in the team purely for his batting.

Adam has been making plenty of runs at district level and has been in great touch in the shorter forms of the game for the Vics.

He thoroughly deserves his chance and if the selectors believe that he's the most in-form batsman available, he should be picked, regardless of whether he's normally a keeper.

We have four openers and two alright batting wicketkeepers in the team.

Four openers?

We certainly have three, but Bob Quiney has been in the middle order all year and has been in the best form of his career.
I can't see how anyone could have a problem with him being in the middle order.

And Mash hasn't played Shield cricket for a long while.

It's only been about 11 months, but even still, if a bloke deserves a chance, then you pick him whether he's not played Shield cricket in a week or 3 years.

 

[krisholio14]

Crossy has been seeing them pretty well in the pyjama games, I don't mind seeing him get a crack to see what he can do as a pure bat.

 

[FRUMPY]

Mash normally bats at 3 for Fitzroy so it wont make much of a difference if he bats at 4. Plus he made good scores for 2nd Vic lineup so is in form.

Surely there are better batsmen in district cricket than Crosthwaite. If he is good enough to be picked as a batsmen alone, surely he must get a game ahead of wade when the 'stars' come back.

Agree with an earlier post, could have been a good cance to play Hill and let him get a taste for it.

 

[flash2]

In response to Exhale You's post, I agree Crossy has made good runs in ODD's and T20's recently, but I can't remember him making decent scores in Shield cricket yet. But yeah, he's entitled to his chance.

I think Mash needs to be opening if he plays though.