Victoria will on Sunday be crowned Sheffield Shield champion again, and it’s only a case of whether it comes after a win or draw against Queensland in the final at the MCG.

Watching how upset Horwill got at the last minute loss to the Waratahs brought back to me how hard fought the NSW v Queensland matches used to be.

A big pay day is still on offer for Queensland’s cricketers after they downed Western Australia by 37 runs at the Gabba on Saturday night to ensure they will host next week’s Twenty20 domestic preliminary final.

The West Indies are poised to call in a replacement for captain Chris Gayle after enjoying their first positive day on their problematic Australian tour.

I was originally going to write an article on my favourite State of Origin highlights and low-lights this week, but a sentence in David Wiseman’s article last Friday captured my attention. David wrote in his piece that, “47 players have played one game for NSW, compared to the 21 for Queensland.”

This may be controversial for someone south of the Tweed to say this but for State of Origin to survive and indeed prosper in the future, NSW need to lose 3-0 in this year’s series.

On Sunday night, Victoria threw away a golden opportunity to be domestic one-day champions when they lost to Queensland at the MCG.

With another season of Super 14 kicking off last weekend, I thought I would take a trip (another?) down memory lane.

Eyebrows raised over the signing of Brazilian trialist Henrique Andrade Silva for Queensland’s A-League finals campaign have not fazed unrepentant Roar coach Frank Farina.

The Queensland Reds were made to pay dearly for their mistakes as the Bulls scored a 33-20 opening round Super 14 victory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

A David Pocock hat-trick and a 19-0 lead wasn’t enough for the Western Force as a Digby Ioane-inspired Queensland stormed to a 22-19 Super 14 trial win at Ballymore.

Queensland’s unheralded youngsters have convinced Robbie Deans of their potential with the super-coach delivering a huge wrap by likening the Reds to the Crusaders outfit which went on to build a Super rugby dynasty.

It was so hot at Bruce Stadium for the trial match between the ACT Brumbies and the Hurricanes that you’d be mistaken for thinking that we were watching the Super Sauna championships rather than a Super 14 trial.

Surely it’s time for some good news for the A-League. Jason Culina’s imminent arrival has been soured somewhat by a number of the country’s best domestic-based players departing in their droves for the riches of continental Asia. In these times of peril, perhaps it is fitting that we have turned to God.

I spent most of last week in Hobart. No, it wasn’t second prize in the pub raffle; it was to attend my brother’s 80th birthday party, which isn’t a bad reason to make a trip anywhere.

Central Coast are confident they can be an A-League finals force without their former star midfielder Mile Jedinak, despite having lost every game since he left the club.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek liked what he saw from the A-League stars who opened Australia’s Asian Cup campaign against Indonesia last week. It’s just that he didn’t like them enough.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek will give oft-injured star Harry Kewell one last chance to prove his fitness before naming his final squad for next week’s World Cup qualifier against Japan.

Andrew Symonds’ needs as a rehab patient have finally overtaken his commercial value as an international cricketer.

While United’s striker issues this season have been telling, it is hardly a new occurrence at Hindmarsh Stadium.