Victoria v India

[Donny]

India have won the toss and will bat.

[HAL]

Huh. . . . Intriguing

[Donny]

After 43 overs, India have recovered from 3/45 to be 3/134 due to a good 89 run partnership from Ramesh (43 n.o.) and Tendulkar (57 n.o.)

Inness has 2/26 from 11 overs.

[Fradam]

I'm sick of Tendulkar already, somebody get him out

[Donny]

Ramesh and Tendulkar put on 128.

Ramesh made 87 and Tendulkar, 80. 9/266 at stumps with Patel on 52 n.o.

White has 4/59 and Inness, 4/64

[piedys]

Why would India bother playing Victoria of all states? It's not like any of our players are entitled to ever play for Australia......

dyso

[Donny]

But Hodge does keep reminding the selectors of his ability.

He's 153 n.o. at stumps and The Vics are 5/348.

Earlier, India declared on their overnight score of 9/266.

Elliott made 48. Hodge and Moss (42) put on 107 for the 3rd. wicket.

Hodge and Harvey (54 n.o.) have added 114 for the 5th. wicket.

Nehrer has 2/56 and Harbhajan, 2/117.

[Donny]

Hodge hundred leads Victorian reply

Wisden Cricinfo staff


The Indians got an early taste of what might be in store for their bowlers over the next couple of months, as Victoria cruised to 348 for 5 at close of play on the second day of the warm-up match at Melbourne, a first-innings lead of 82. Brad Hodge led the way, hammering an unbeaten 153, while Matthew Elliott, Jonathon Moss and Ian Harvey all chipped in with useful contributions. Earlier, the Indians had declared at their overnight total of 266 for 9.

The Indian bowlers did a decent job at the start of the day, keeping the scoring rate down to around two an over, but lost their way after lunch as Hodge cut loose. He, and most of the Victorian batsmen, were especially severe on Harbhajan Singh, for whom it was a nightmare start to the tour. Touted as one of the main wicket-taking options for India on this tour, Harbhajan was anything but threatening as he repeatedly pitched it short and was spanked square of the wicket on the off side. And when he attempted to flight the ball, most of the batsmen were prepared to use their feet and play attacking strokes.

After Ashish Nehra gave the Indians an early wicket, having Jason Arnberger caught by Rahul Dravid at slip for 8 (21 for 1), Elliott and Hodge stitched together a fine 64-run stand. Harbhajan broke that partnership when Elliott edged a catch to Sadagoppan Ramesh at silly point, but then came the most productive period for Victoria, as Hodge and Moss pummelled an increasingly lacklustre Indian attack.

The pair had added 107 off just 22 overs when the Indians got the breakthough in bizarre fashion. Harbhajan, back into the firing line after a brief respite, flighted one which was driven back to the bowler by Moss, who, for some reason, continued to advance down the pitch. Harbhajan flung the ball back at the stumps leaving Moss stranded (192 for 3). Moss made 42.

David Hussey (21) continued the assault on Harbhajan, though, advancing down the pitch to hit a couple of fours and a six over long-on. Nehra, the best of the three seamers, forced Hussey to edge a catch to slip, and when Andrew McDonald was trapped in front by Harbhajan, Victoria had suddenly lost two wickets in five balls (232 for 5).

All hopes of an Indian fightback were quickly scotched as Hodge and Harvey then put together the second century partnership of the innings. Hodge slowed down considerably after reaching his hundred, which came off just 138 balls. Harvey started slowly, then picked up momentum with some booming hits, including the obligatory six off Harbhajan.

After some woefully inaccurate stuff, Harbhajan seemed to find better rhythm in the final session, but by now Hodge and Harvey had turned their attention to the Indian seamers. Balaji, especially, lost both his line and length and was carved away for boundaries square of the wicket on both sides. With a healthy lead already in the bag, Victoria have an opportunity to pile on some more quick runs and then ask some questions of the Indian batting on the final day.

[Donny]

Bradley Hodge.

Three centuries from 4 first class games and two from 3 ING Cup games.

Impressed yet, wombat ?

[commonwombat]

He's obviously in good form but frankly my opinion, formed over a number of years, remains the same. Certainly a good bat but has never been a real candidate for the big move up.

Is this current form going to count for anything with the selectors. Frankly, diddly squat. There are at least 3 players we can name who are definitely in the queue for the Lehmann and shortly Waugh vacancies.

Be honest, Donny, he's in the same age bracket as Katich and Love who are conclusively ahead of him in selection terms. Also the prime young option, Clarke, will undoubtedly rate ahead of him. The selectors made it plain that they weren't issuing any "cheap" caps by playing B sides against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe so sayonara to Bradley's best chance.

Bye now!

[Donny]

Boony wasn't just there for the free beer, wombat.
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Hodge in cracking form
November 26, 2003

IN-form batsman Brad Hodge scored his fifth century for Victoria this season on day two of India's tour-opening cricket match.

Hodge was 153 at stumps and Ian Harvey had made 54 as Victoria reached 5-348 in reply to India's first innings of nine (decl)-266.

This was Hodge's top score so far this season after two Pura Cup tons and two ING Cup tons over the past two months.

Australian selector David Boon watched today's play and Victorian coach David Hookes jokingly gave some basic details for his benefit at an official lunch.

"That's H-O-D-G-E, Bradley - if you want to replace Steve Waugh - just to let him know how to spell Hodgey's name when he (Boon) rings up the other Australian selectors," Hookes said.

[commonwombat]

No, Donny, he was probably there for the free feed as well.

As for Hookesy, the correct if blunt terms for his prime activity is called talking out of one's backside. Ask any other state coach and they'll be trumpeting their man as being the greatest thing since canned beer.

[Donny]

Streak inspires Zimbabwe to 21-run win

The Wisden Bulletin by John Ward

In an exciting finish, Zimbabwe put up another fine disciplined performance to beat West Indies by 21 runs, and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. It was absorbing, rather than champagne, cricket, with discipline instead of flair the order of the day - but another dedicated bowling performance by Andy Blignaut and Heath Streak was, in the end, the telling factor.

Zimbabwe might have done a little better than their eventual 229, as they still had five wickets in hand, but they chose to play safe first rather than back themselves to reach 250. In the field, though, their discipline triumphed over West Indies' initial flair, which then turned to nerves.

Wavell Hinds made most of the early running in the run-chase, hitting a glorious six over long-on in Streak's second over, but after he had made 13, he edged an offcutter from Blignaut to the keeper (24 for 1). Tatenda Taibu was again in the action in the next over when Ramnaresh Sarwan, facing his first ball, fished outside off and also found the edge, this time off Streak (25 for 2).

Chris Gayle and Brian Lara then took charge, mixing sound defence with some dazzling attacking strokes. Zimbabwe's second-string bowlers scarcely threatened, so Streak decided, as so often, that if anything dramatic was going to happen he was going to have to do it himself.

Bringing himself on for a second spell, he produced a superb yorker to Lara (34) to match his one from the Bulawayo Test. It pierced that high backlift and hit middle and leg (95 for 3). This proved to be a major turning point, as West Indies were just beginning to pull ahead, thanks to Gayle, who was playing the anchor role.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul contributed 19 before top-edging a sweep off Ray Price, who was doing a fine containing job, and West Indies were losing their way (120 for 4). But then the balance swung back, as Marlon Samuels raced to 25 off only 19 balls.

And then it all changed again, as Streak, with only two overs left himself, decided to bowl out Blignaut in an effort to force another breakthrough. It was an inspired move. Samuels ill-advisedly lofted a pull to the midwicket boundary, and was caught by Sean Ervine (164 for 5), then next ball Ricardo Powell was yorked by Blignaut. In the space of two balls, 164 for 4 had become a much shakier 164 for 6, and the balance had well and truly swung towards Zimbabwe. And this time it didn't swing back.

Zimbabwe never relaxed their grip, and each of the bowlers did his job. Six runs later Gayle finally fell for 61, slashing at Blignaut outside the off stump to give Taibu another of his four catches (170 for 7). There was still the chance of a lightning innings from Ridley Jacobs or Vasbert Drakes, but the bowlers kept their nerve and, strangely, the batsmen seemed to lack the nerve to attack, preferring instead to look mainly for ones and twos.

It was a forlorn policy, and the crowd of nearly 3000 were jubilant when the last wicket fell at 208 when Corey Collymore was lbw to Ervine, leaving Jacobs stranded on 25.

It represented another improvement from Zimbabwe, who have recovered well from their heavy defeat in the first match, and who again were thankful to their captain for bailing them out of trouble with the bat. Streak hit a careful 65 not out and, along with Mark Vermeulen, rescued Zimbabwe from a treacherous 85 for 4 to a respectable 229 for 5.

After they were put in, the openers Vusi Sibanda and Trevor Gripper made a solid start, but after they had put on 22, the top order folded. However, Streak, ever the man for a crisis, batted solidly, although he waited a little too long before deciding it was time for the final assault, preferring to dab and push.

It took him 76 balls to reach his fifty, his tenth in one-dayers but surprisingly his first in Zimbabwe. He supported Vermeulen well, who continued his good form with a breezy 66 from 70 balls. Streak and Taibu then added a vital 90 in 13.3 overs, and even though the total looked a little short, it proved more than adequate in the end.

[Donny]

Hodge and Harvey are enjoying some more batting practice.

Their pasrtnership is now 161.

Hodge is 181 n.o. and Harvey, 71.

[ScottyMac]

Hodgey double ton!!!!! At lunch Hodge 216 Cameron White 7

Hope the selectors are taking note.

Hows it spelt hooksy H-O-D-G-E