As a long-time reader and some-time commenter from the peanut gallery here on The Roar, I am putting quill to parchment for the first time.
I am inspired by three factors:
• Bucky Rogers’ unbeaten, matchwinning 241* for Middlesex overnight;
• A possible gap in coverage here and elsewhere of Aussies plying their trade in County Cricket, and of those we love to hate whom we may meet in the next Ashes series;
• Insomnia brought on by sciatica from a recently herniated disc. I reserve the right to blame my writing on mixing prescription pain medication with over the counter sleeping remedies, rather than my ignorance.
By way of background, I am a cricket tragic. I am especially fond of Test matches, and since the wane of the West Indies side, The Ashes.
I spent the 1980s opening the batting and bowling offies for a lowly ranked schoolboy team, watching Allan Border drag us from the bottom to the top of the heap and listening to the Twelfth Man.
I have also followed Australians who have been earning some coin in England when we had an off season.
Alan Border and Mark Waugh’s time with Essex, Shane Warne’s bowling for and captaincy of Hampshire and Terry Alderman’s bowling for Gloucestershire and Kent certainly improved their Test performances both in England and against England.
More recently, it has often been remarked that the rediscovery of Chris Rogers at Test level last year was built on the back of solid form in English conditions against the Duke ball.
Currently, either a passion for improving their Test chances for future Ashes series, or a game unsuited to the hit and giggle of the IPL, sees Bucky joined in England by a few familiar faces.
These include: Sam Robson (also at Middlesex, but with his eye on a different coloured national cap), Phil Jacques and Peter Siddle (both at Notts) and Steve Magoffin (Sussex) in Division One.
Division Two sees Michael Klinger (Gloucs), Dougie Bollinger (Kent) and Michael Hogan at Glamorgan. More will follow when the IPL concludes.
Rogers’ chanceless 241 not out from only 290 balls helped Middlesex pull off an unlikely chase of 470 at Lords, the third-highest successful chase in County Championship cricket at the ground.
His 37 boundaries, mostly from cover drives or off drives, will give Yorkshire captain Joe Root nightmares.
Support from a more circumspect Sam Robson (77) turned around a low first innings total of 123. The same Yorkshire bowlers who strangled Middlesex earlier in the game went for four and six an over respectively.
Rogers first innings totals of 1, 15 and 4 this series have been dwarfed by his second innings returns of 41, 63* and 241*.
Hopefully Perth-bound Michael Klinger’s batting will pick up now his Shield contract wrangling is over. A first up 81 has been followed up by four single digit scores.
Phil Jacques has had a slow until his most recent team-high knock of 64 for a low scoring Nottinghamshire against Warwickshire.
With the ball, Doug Bollinger has backed up a great season for NSW with 12 wickets at 19 for a Kent team whose batting hasn’t backed up their opening bowler’s efforts.
Hogan’s 10 at 17 have helped Glamorgan notch a win and a draw.
Peter Siddle was off to a slow start with a wicketless and expensive showing against Middlesex, followed up with 1/49 and 3/38 in a losing side. He has also picked up some useful lower order runs.
Steve Magoffin continues last season’s good form for Sussex with 16 wickets at 15 including a match winning eight-wicket haul against Middlesex in Round 1.
I would also like to quickly mention some of the key performances or failures of English stalwarts or hopefuls for those not glued to the weekly scores.
Three matches in, Gary Balance, Ian Bell and Ed Joyce have each scored two centuries and a fifty, while Sam Robson has scored one of each.
Alastair Cook has rediscovered his touch in a Mitch Johnson and Ryan Harris-free environment, with a 181 and a 127.
Youngster William Tavare has cemented his place in his second season for Gloucestershire, with two centuries at a slightly quicker strike rate than his famous uncle.
With the ball, Steven Finn and Jimmy Anderson are grateful to have their hands back on familiar Duke balls, leading the Division One bowling table.
I would love to hear your feedback on this and future wraps I may write, but please be gentle, it’s my first time!
Specifically, please let me know if I have missed any Aussies I should be following, and I would love to hear your thoughts on which Aussies would most benefit from a stint in county cricket.
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