They say revenge is a dish best served cold - which either means you are so upset you forget to turn on the oven, or you prefer a salad ... or, like Cameron White and David Hussey, you take your time before rubbing an opponents nose in it.
In Melbourne, Victoria have just completed a mammoth thrashing of the "eh" boys, with both teams chock-a-block with relative unknowns (your auntie's second cousin) and only Hussey and White as remnants from the Shield final played five years ago at the Gabba. In that game, Victoria were batted out of existence by Qld's first innings of 6-900, as Jimmy Maher and an unusually fit Shane Watson got doubles and Martin Love and Clinton Perron scored big singles. Victoria folded up their deck chairs early as another youngster, Mitchell Johnson took 10 wickets for the match.
Luckily for Hussey and White, who both featured in the Vic's second dig in Melbourne, James Hopes and Chris Hartley were fellow time travellers from that earlier match in Brisbane. It's so much nicer dishing out second and third courses of revenge in person.
McGain got second innings wickets but he's a leggie from old and unlikely to play too often above this grade. Too loose. Control was Warne's greatest virtue and as he was the first, a second is unlikely to surface for a while yet. As a guide to how long we may have to wait ... let's see ... by the time John Howard is out of cricket ...
Many said Victoria, despite their outstanding season, couldn't win a Final without Hodge and at 6-75 with their big guns having already shot their pop, Many was looking right. Who is Many? Must be a Jewish commentator? The opinions of the Zion Zealot hadn't figured on a tail that was intent on having runs to bowl at and successive partnerships from Matthew Wade, John Hastings, Doug Wright and Darren Pattinson quadrupled the precarious earlier position. It was this recover that turned and eventually won the match.
Faced with a fish they had let off the hook, many of the Northerners got starts but only Broad got runs. From there, Qld's game was like Hillary at the top of Everest ... it was all downhill. White and Hussey feasted and the lesser known Vics all came to the table for at least some of the courses.
The pleasing thing about the Victorian victory is that it was just. They have been the most consistent team all season and deserved another etching on Lord Sheffield's symbol of what was then Victorian colonialism. Apt, would you say.
For Hussey and White, it was just so much sweeter.
Certainly all the more impressive due to Vic actually winning the game and doing so from a disastrous position. They were clearly the best state all season. The depth they have is remarkable and when you consider NSW has equally as much talent in the ranks, something special much be happening in Vic that their talent actually gets the results consistently.
ReplyDeleteWhat do people think of White as a test prospect?
I'm not a fan but he keeps doing everything right when asked. I probably still have a hangover from the days when he was touted as the next big thing in leg spinners. He has more chance of making a truckie turn!
ReplyDeleteAs a batsman he has genuine prospects but I wonder if at 26 he's the best choice. The Smith Sensation would seem to be a better choice, especially with England on the way and the lad with years ahead of him.
White may end up another Hodge but if he does only the circumstances will be similiar as Hodge was a far superior player.
I'm on the fence really. With CA having a history of picking Hussey and North at 30 I don't think he's out of contention. As a batsman too he could still have several years so I don't think age is such an issue. He's modified his game in the longer version for Vic so I'd give him a chance if it came.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Smith; the guy is as talented as Hughes and I think probably has a better temperament. I was watching the run chase in NZ on cricinfo and in some ways Hughes may have hurt his chances more than helped (as strange as that sounds) - Ponting has labelled him the Aussie Sehwag and if CA doesn't really want one of those he may find it hard to hold a spot.
If Smith can keep improving with his leggies then he's such a threat as you can still pick a specialist spinner alongside him and not rely on him taking wickets.
Great signs for the Ashes!