who is peter siddle?

Well we would know the answer to that question if he could stay fit for more than 2 days at a time.

I can tell you what he looks like, he looks like a damn good bowler who knocks up getting wickets.

Oh and he also looks a little like a Mexican wrestler.

According to the official site he is a 24 year old young fast bowler, who this year is averaging like 10 runs per wicket, after a game and a half.

Thems good figures.

Lets not get too excited over him though, he is a Victorian fast bowler, so we can only expect him to play 3 first class games a year.

As for Tasmania’s capitulation, you can only assume it was a good toss to win, but having seen some highlights the ball was still hooping around when Quiney and Jewell put it beyond doubt.

So perhaps the Tasmanians didn’t put in the hard yards.

The only problem I can see for Victoria in this match as it stands is that Our Bryce McGain may not get a 4th day wicket to toil on.

His only hope may rest in the nail clippers of Brad Hogg.

Bryce McGain - International Man of Mystery

Apparently there are whispers around the traps that Cricket With Balls Own Bryce McGain could be a dark horse to play for Australia.

And no I didn’t start them myself, because although I think it’s a good idea, I didn’t want to be the one to jinx him. So now that it’s already circulating, I can comment without guilt.

Over at Are you a left arm chinaman they asked a rather long winded yet eloquent question about Our Bryce. So I will try and answer it as best I can.

We all know Bryce McGain is older than Jesus, but Jesus was a wicketkeeper, and they generally have to retire at a younger age. Problems with their hands and such.

Leg spinners, with the exception of Warne and now MacGill, age exceptionally well, and no one has aged better than Our Bryce.

So lets look at his chances of playing:

The positives

Is he bowling well enough to play for Australia, fu©k yeah.

Very rarely these days do Australian spinners dominate domestically. Funky was the last who springs to mind. Bryce is continually taking wickets, and getting out good batsmen, what more can the selectors ask for?

He is on track for a 40 wicket season, thems good numbers and he is bowling with the leading wicket taker in the competition at the other end.

He is the only man to derail Simon Katich this year, who as we know, is a good player of leg spin (for a crab).

Where is the first test again, oh that’s right, his home ground, boom.

He has experience on his side, not so much first class experience, but life experience that only elderly gentleman can have.

He knows his craft inside and out, and he isn’t some part timer who happens to get wickets.

There isn’t much footage of him, so who ever India’s coach ends up as, he won’t have much to go on.

He generally seems like a nice guy (how else could he become Cricket with balls Own), and since in my life I have had negative experiences with the two other alternatives, I would say he is the nicest option.

Right at the moment he is hardly bowling a bad ball, his length and flight were flawless against the New South Welshman.

Stuart MacGill is falling apart.

He can bowl all day, which against the Indians could come in handy.

The Negatives

Stuart MacGill has 200 test wickets, Brad Hogg has been playing international cricket for a long time now.

Playing your first test against India when you’re a leg spinner is like sending a goalie out to face Brazil on his first International. Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar & Dhoni, oh my.

He has played only ten first class games, half of them this year.

Brad Hogg has taken less wickets this year than McGain, but he does have the superior average and strike rate.

He is from Victoria, so he has the wrong shade of blue cap on his head.

Shaun tait is back baby, and he so wants to knock off some Indian scalps.

Ponting likes class players, and what Ponting wants Ponting often gets. Ponting wants MacGill, if MacGill isn’t fit, then it shall be interesting to see what Ponting wants.

He is the same age as the two alternatives, so it may be fresh blood, but it aint young blood. Even if he is well preserved.

I like him, so like Craig Howard and Ian Harvey before him, that weight could be the one to sink him.

The Verdict

There are very few surprises when it comes to selection these days in Australia. Other than Shane Watson. In general the Australian selectors play it safe, Bryce is not the safe option. Kerry O’Keefe is talking him up, so now all he needs is Terry Jenner, Ian Chappell and a Rupert Murdoch paper on his side and he is really no chance.

I want to believe they are thinking of him as a realistic option, but I just can’t see him getting picked. I think if MacGill is fit, Ponting will demand him, and if not, they’ll take the man they know over the man they don’t.

But aint it nice to be mentioned.

Update, MacGill is out for the first 2 tests. It's down to Tait (pontings bag man in the wc), Hogg (the semi logical choice) or McGain (Cricket with balls Own). The choice is obvious.

things i forgot

More notes from the bushranger v warriors the other night that somehow I forgot to blog earlier.

Brad Hodge pulled a sharp bit of work in the field and then spent the next 30 seconds watching himself on the big screen, he looked quite impressed with his work.

You know it’s a quiet game when you have a your mp3 player in one ear and you can still clearly hear Michael Hussey tell David Hussey that he was dreaming after a big swipe off Sean Ervine.

Its such a shame to see Sean Ervine playing for the Warriors. I still remember him giving his all in the perth test where hayden temporarily borrowed Lara’s record.

This is victorias new mascot.

This is an actual photograph of Brad Hogg catching Adam Crosthwaite. Remember when Adam was going to be the next aussie keeper.


Oh and these photos are from my phone so obviously they aint great.

the finch report

Since I know a dude in Colac and a Colac player made his debut for the Vics today here is my attempt at Rupert Murdoch style news brief about it.

Colac native, Aaron Finch made his debut for the Victorian bushrangers last night in the heavy defeat inflicted by the Western Warriors. Finch got his first chance in the big time when Cameron White steered a shocking short ball to backward point leaving the Vics at 4 for 130.

Finch was a ball of nerves on his way to the wicket and David Hussey (future Pm David Hussey) tried to calm him down as best he could. Finch looked nervous between balls, but was still solid when each ball arrived. After six balls he got off the mark by squeezing Brad Hogg to backward point for one.

His nerves still a problem in the next over he started to set off for what could only be described as a suicidal over throw and was only saved by David Hussey’s experience. The following over Finch was struck on the pads by Brad Hogg, the umpire gave it not out after considering it. Next ball Finch was gone completely beaten in flight and ended up almost losing his footing as Gilchrist completed the dismissal.

He made 2.

For the 20 year old opening batsmen from Geelong this was surely just a stepping stone in his career. He will learn a lot from this experience.