Let’s have a State of Origin clash in cricket
Columnist By Kersi Meher-Homji, 28 May 2010 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Cricket, NSW, Queensland, state of origin cricket
Wednesday’s State of Origin rugby league match, which drew over 66,000 spectators at ANZ Stadium in Homebush, gave me an idea: why not have an annual State of Origin cricket match between NSW and Queensland?
Then I backpedaled. These two teams play each other twice in a season attracting a “grand” attendance of less than 2,500 in those eight days.
So I used my imagination and selected the best of NSW and Queensland teams of the last 12 years.
It was challenging but exciting all the same. But first some ground rules in selection.
State of Origin meant that we cannot include Simon Katich and Stuart MacGill in the NSW team as both are originally from Western Australia.
Also, Nathan Hauritz and Shane Watson, although currently NSW cricketers, will play for Queensland in this match as they were born there. Same with Mitchell Johnson, although currently playing for Western Australia, was born in Queensland.
The good news for NSW is that they can include match-winner Adam Gilchrist in their line-up.
Although Andrew Symonds was born in England, he is a fair-dinkum Queenslander who has not played for any other state in Australia. So I have made an exception for him.
The criteria for selection is that the cricketer should have played at least one international (Test or ODI) in the 1998-2010 period.
So, here is my NSW team of 1998-2010 in batting order: Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke, Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Bevan, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Steven Smith, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Glenn McGrath.
12th man: Phillip Hughes. Reserves: Brad Haddin, Phil Jaques, Nathan Bracken and Doug Bollinger.
McGrath and Lee will open the attack with S. Clark as first change. Smith, ‘Chinaman’ Bevan and M. Clarke will be the spinners. Steve Waugh will turn his arm over to break a stand.
Now to the Queensland team of 1998-2010 in batting order: Matthew Hayden (captain), Shane Watson, Jimmy Maher, Andrew Symonds, James Hopes, Ian Healy (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Michael Kasprowicz, Andy Bichel and Ryan Harris.
12th man: Martin Love.
Johnson and Kaprowicz will open the attack; Bichel, Harris, Hopes and Watson will bowl medium-pace, Hauritz will be the leg-spinner and Symonds the quickish offie.
On paper NSW appears a more powerful team with superior bench strength but when it comes to State of Origins, the Bulls rise to the occasion using their will power and horns. Call it a horn of dilemma for the baby Blues!
Most of the 22 players are under 40 and almost half of them are current players. Many are big names: Hayden, Gilchrist, the Waughs, Taylor, Johnson, Slater, Healy, Clarke, Clark, McGrath, Lee, Watson, Symonds, Bevan…
So with the power of publicity and promotion, this match could become a reality and a crowd- puller.
It won’t pull in 60,000 but much more than 300 spectators a day a Sheffield Shield match normally attracts!
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- Explore:
- Cricket, NSW, Queensland, state of origin cricket
May 28th 2010 @ 7:15pm
Kersi Meher-Homji said | May 28th 2010 @ 7:15pm | Report comment
Sheek,
You have raised important issues. But one has to start somewhere. As a season-opener, this may just work out in cricket. Of course it may take years to get the idea off the ground.
Even if it does not work, the SOO (State of Origin) idea in cricket is sooooo exciting to cricket tragics like me.
May 29th 2010 @ 10:10am
Vinay Verma said | May 29th 2010 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Kersi, Sheek has touched upon a key point. The intensity factor. This comes down to the context and contest of cricket and sport in general. Good sport will automatically generate good viewership. But if it is just made for TV than the fans will see through the froth and bubble. A cricket SOO played with intensity and ,say, coupled with a cause for charity makes it meaningful.
May 29th 2010 @ 10:49am
Kersi Meher-Homji said | May 29th 2010 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Vinay and Sheek,
First, an ignorant question from a RL-challenged person: is it SOO or COO, State of Origin or Country of Origin? SOO is more logical but generally it is referred to as COO.
And if the cricket SOO (or COO) is played for a charity it will pull in more spectators. Also that match should NOT be shown live on TV in the city it is played. No live TV coverage in Sydney if it is played in Sydney and no live TV coverage in Brisbane if played in Brisbane.
The match should be promoted as the Clash of the Decade or Waughs against Hopes or such zany titles.
May 29th 2010 @ 2:49pm
sheek said | May 29th 2010 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Kersi,
There is actually both – State of Origin & Country Origin.
State of Origin is obviously between NSW & Queensland, based on where you began your senior playing career after leaving school.
Similarly, Country Origin is between Sydney metropolitan raised players & NSW Country regional raised players. Again, it depends on who was the first senior club you played your rugby league with.
June 1st 2010 @ 3:09pm
Adrian said | June 1st 2010 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
Hey Kersi, good article. Pie in the sky dreaming of course. Food for the imagination though. The mind boggles! I would change just 2 things. I think Greg ‘Mo’ Matthews just squeezes into the time span of your criteria, so I’d have him in there before young Smith at this stage. I’d also have Mark Taylor as skipper over Steve Waugh. That’s not a criticism against Tugga, as I rate him very highly (unlike the embarrassing, envious moron, Ian Chappell). I just think Tubby was a genius.
Well done.