The international cricket summer has come to a sparkling close with Australia smacking the Black Caps soundly in the prestigious Fried Chicken Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Pointedly Ricky Ponting was not at the helm as Haddin, arguably Australia’s best cricket brain (currently playing), maneuvered the troops around the greensward and ultimately came up with the vital margin.
He jumped in joy as the final Nathan bracken delivery was hit for six thereby sealing the victory for the fielding side. Rarely… no.. NEVER have I seen such ebullience from a captain when his quality bowler has been dispatched the maximum distance.
Lucky it wasn’t a no ball or the celebration may have been of a completely different type, namely dressed in black.
I know that the modern player has learnt to express himself in a new age, touchy feely kind of way that us restrained baby boomers could never do. We may have been sensitive and caring inside but congratulations on the field were restricted to shoulder pats and “well done sirs” rather than bum taps and scalp massages. (That these affectionate affections occasionally expand into scalp taps and bum massages and may lead to questioning of sexuality is of no matter in the bigger picture.) Never mind, it means they are excited at the successes of their team and their team mates.
Brad Haddin may have felt that his celebration at the slim margin in such a life changing fixture was warranted. Perhaps he saw the sliver of light through the door crack that illuminated the Baggy Green captaincy.
He can boast a ‘one for one’ record now and present the selectors with another option if things go badly awry in Africa. Haddin has been quite successful leading the Blues until Simon Katich was promised the job as a part of his transfer from the west.
The fact that he had skippered Michael Clarke as he came through the ranks in Moore Park is not lost on Haddin. Clarke of course has no captaincy experience at senior level even though he has been presented with the vice captaincy and the heir to the kingdom.
The realm may have looked enticing just a short 6 months ago before India won at home and the South Africans had the audacity to win on Terra Australis.
The ODI series was lost and rain saved Australia from a first ever home series ever loss to New Zealand in Brisbane last Friday.
The country’s premier sporting team was going to pot until this amazing 20/20 victory that must surely restore confidence and self belief to a nation and to its first XI.
Although it wasn’t really the first XI, more like the 3rd XI given that only three of them are boarding the plane to Johannesburg for the Tests series.
Moses Henriques faced two balls and didn’t bowl. Had Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch not instructed the temporary captain to give the Portuguese all rounder a fair suck of the savaloy ?
After all, Hilditch said that Moses was the way of the future and this was a wonderful opportunity to gain experience… he did field adequately.
I’m not sure how much experience he gained through this application of his skill set in this fixture.
Cameron white didn’t bowl AGAIN!! Cameron needs the experience and none of his three national captains have enough faith in his wrist things to give him responsibility under pressure (i.e. he doesn’t improve) but retains his place in the limited overs teams.
Let’s give old Brycey McGain a go and find out just what he has to offer. Yer I know he has yet to represent the country, but better do it sooner rather than later, hopefully before he turns 40 and challenges Clarrie Grimmett as the oldest debutante.
The absence of Krezja OR Hauritz in the shorter form remains a mystery.
So what did we achieve in the masterful demise of the ‘K’ ONE ‘W’ One’s? (who had 5 international debutantes themselves).
Not a hell of a lot.
I guess a win is a win is a win and it sure beats losing, but I’m not sure if Brad Haddin’s jubilation as that last ball ricocheted into the Members bar signaled a turn in team fortune or the last yelp of relief as the summer of discontent was finally over.
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