The New South Wales Blues celebrate winning the Pura Cup Final against the Victorian Bushrangers at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Wedesday, March 19, 2008. AAP Image/Paul Miller
I am neither a big Twenty20 supporter, nor do I condemn it. In fact, I enjoy watching it, as long as it entertains the crowds and does not take over Test cricket. I am opposed to IPL because cricketers play only for money.
Airtel Champions League T20 (ACLT20) is different because there are domestic representative teams from Australia (NSW Blues and Victorian Bushrangers), England (Sussex and Somerset), South Africa, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
Some of the teams – especially from India – are enriched with high profile imports.
So how will NSW fare in ACLT20?
I had the good fortune of meeting most of the ACLT20 NSW Blues squad to India at a reception hosted by the Indian Consul General in Sydney last week.
The first thing I did at the reception was to distribute my Roar story, “A Blues Side From The Past Decade Would Blitz Them All,” from July 1, 2009 (updated to include Shane Watson), to the attendees.
All present, including David Gilbert, the Chief Executive of NSW, Chairman Dr Harry Harinath; the Indian Consul General Amit Dasgupta; chief selector and former Test wicket-keeper Brian Taber; captain Simon Katich; and his men, were highly impressed with The Roar’s NSW squad of the last decade.
“You have selected an unbeatable team, Kersi”, remarked David Gilbert, as he read the composite NSW team from 1998 to 2009 in batting order:
Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Clarke, Michael Bevan, Brad Haddin (wicket-keeper), Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Stuart MacGill and Glenn McGrath. 12th man: Simon Katich. Reserves: Geoff Lawson, Phil Hughes, Phil Jaques, Phil Emery, Nathan Bracken, Nathan Hauritz and now Shane Watson.
I teased Katich that he could make it only as the 12th man. He smiled and agreed with Gilbert that The Roar’s 1998-2009 side was unbeatable.
The modest Katich was pleased when I mentioned that his 1506 runs at an average of 94.12 in Pura Cup 2007-08 was second only to Don Bradman’s 1586 runs at 113.28 in the Australian first-class season of 1929-30.
It was nice to mingle with other members of the ACLT20 squad present that day.
I referred to their fast-medium bowler Aaron Bird as “Flu”, and he shushed me not to mention it, coughing in good humour.
I did not get much out of David Warner and Phil Hughes, but tall Dominic Thornley and Ben Rohrer opened out.
Thornely’s highest score in first-class cricket is 261 not out, for NSW against Western Australia on the SCG in 2005. In that innings, he hit 11 sixes, beating David Hookes’ record.
Incredibly, he added 219 runs with Stuart MacGill for the 10th wicket – Stuart’s contribution being only 27. Because of this gallant partnership, NSW turned trouble into triumph.
No wonder Dominic is nicknamed “The Dominator”!
Ben Rohrer was the hero for NSW Blues against Victorian Bushrangers in the Twenty20 final in Sydney this 24th January. The Blues were struggling at 4 for 92 before Rohrer roared in with a cyclonic 44 off 20 balls, including four sixes.
The Blues won off the last ball, a bye.
Stocky wicket-keeper Daniel Smith looks forward to cement his place in the NSW team after doing well in India this week.
NSW Blues play the Diamond Eagles, South Africa today [9th] and Sussex Sharks on Sunday, both matches in Delhi.
The top two teams from four Groups will contest the semi-finals on 21 and 22 October, with the final in Hyderabad the next day.
Go Blues!
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