By Jason Cave
February 24th 2009 @ 1:55am
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Why Victoria chokes in cricket finals
On Sunday night, Victoria threw away a golden opportunity to be domestic one-day champions when they lost to Queensland at the MCG.
Set 188 for victory, Victoria were bundled out for 175, just when the Vics looked to be heading for a significant win.
Several players – among them Brad Hodge and David Hussey – looked fairly disinterested while Adam Crosthwaite threw his wicket away in the softest manner possible.
Victoria has now lost the Twenty20 final and the Ford Ranger Cup final, and on this current form, you could assume they could lose the Sheffield Shield final as well.
Some players in the Victorian side go OK in the home and away season, but come finals time in all three comps – Sheffield Shield, Ford Ranger Cup and KFC Twenty20 Big Bash – they go missing.
If the Vics do lose the Shield final at the Junction Oval, then be prepared to see some significant changes in the Victorian line-up for 2009-10.
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Michael C said | February 24th 2009 @ 10:02am | Report comment
My pet gripe on this issue is that they don’t seem to play the MCG well in these games. Chasing soft totals, where pushing 1s and 2s would get them there in a canter, they get out playing expansive shots that are completely uncalled for.
If they can NOT play the MCG suitably as a ‘home’ venue, then let’s get down to the Junction oval where we – the public – can laze on a grassy embankment and enjoy cricket in the ‘park’ rather than the deserted stadium.
(well, ROLL on the Shield final!!).
Jason Cave said | February 24th 2009 @ 11:35am | Report comment
Some of the players in the Victorian team such as Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Shane Harwood are in the twilight of the careers and can’t play forever. Which makes me wonder: has the Victorian selectors been checking out the new breed of talent on display in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition or are they more than happy to stick with the ‘tried and true’ formula? Hodge seems most to blame for this loss. When the Vics needed quick runs, Hodge however was very slow to get off the mark. It was as if he was batting in a Shield game, when in one-day cricket quick runs are the order of the day.
Tim Ellis said | February 26th 2009 @ 11:34am | Report comment
Poor Article.
First off you ask a question as the title and don’t even bother to answer it.
Then you say that if the Vics lose the Shield final then there will be big changes. Why? They have made the 8 out of the last 9 domestic finals from the last 3 summers. They are the best domestic team in the country. They will be trying new kids in the last two games of the shield season proper. See how they go and then try to compose a credible article.
Michael C said | February 26th 2009 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
I reckon the Vics recent losses have been due to the following :
bad luck – injuries to BOTH Harwood and McKay allowed QLD to effectively score the margin plus in their last 2 overs.
complacency – the team that suddenly regains Hodge (from injury, Hussey and White) – - perhaps assumed that a sub 200 total would be an easy get.
sub 200 target – often it’s those smaller targets that breed indecision and poor chasing.
chopping & changing – bad for winning competitions, but, this season we’ve seen the Vics forced to draw upon their depth due to losing players to national duties. That’s great. And to still make every final despite this – is a pretty good effort. In previous years when only S.K.Warne was on national duties, well, then it was a bit different.