What a fantastic finale of the Ryobi Cup at North Sydney Oval on Sunday! The result was in doubt until the final over.
But three sixes off three balls by lower order batsmen Chris Lynn and Ben Cutting enabled Queensland to lift the Ryobi Cup.
The final started with a controversy in the first 20 minutes, when NSW’s in-form batsman David Warner was given out, caught off a no-ball.
There was a TV umpire, so why did the on-field umpire not refer to him?
This brought skipper Steven Smith on the pitch and he hit a dynamic 61 off 61 balls, inclusive of five huge sixes and three fours.
Then NSW had valuable contributions from Peter Nevill, Nic Maddinson and Ben Rohrer took NSW to 6 for 317. Oddly, all six wickets were taken by bowlers whose surnames started with H – James Hopes, Ryan Harris and Nathan Hauritz.
A challenging chase but Queensland had the openers to blunt the NSW’s pace attack of Doug ‘the rug’ Bollinger and Josh Hazelwood.
Usman Khawaja and Chris Hartley added a quick-fire 165 runs for the first wicket in 30.3 overs. And it was game on.
Khawaja played a stylish innings of 104 off 100 balls, studded with 13 fours and two sixes, and was adjudged man of the match. The match took an exciting turn when five wickets fell for 92 runs.
Now Queensland needed 61 runs to win off 28 balls, a near impossible run-rate of 14. But Lynn and Cutting reached the target with five balls remaining. The last three shots were sixes.
In all, 25 sixes were skied in this entertaining match full of twists and turns. It had a grandstand finish with razzle and dazzle.
I went home wondering why batsmen like Khawaja and Smith were playing domestic matches at home when an international series is going on in India.
The series in India is still open, Australia leading 2-1 with two matches to go. Too late to send them to India now, but for the Ashes Usman Khawaja is a must. He has the technique, grace and concentration.
To me he is a left-handed version of Mark Waugh. Perhaps he lacks self-confidence being in and out of the Test team. Usman should be nurtured by the selectors.
wholesale bags
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Khawaja’s Ryobi Cup ton shows he should play in Ashes | The Roar
Ken Hambling
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Khawaja played Lyon well, he is more aggressive when playing spin using his feet alot like Smith does and that's good signs for him. He didn't get out in slips but on the long off boundary trying to hit a six.
Bearfax
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Getting out going for a 6 when you're 100+ is hardly suggestive of a problem against spin surely. Lyon bowled well and Khawaja treated him with respect deserved. But he was in control and the suggestion against that he was having trouble with spin was spurious
Praveen
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+3
Praveen
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Hehe well said bearfax, get khawaja into the Brisbsne test
AlanKC
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I have to say he was very impressive in the final and looked head and shoulders above the competition (I know, I know it was only a 50 over game) for his test spot. Time for the selectors/coach to sit him down and let him know he's in the side for the full series and to let the results take care of themselves I suspect.
Manoj
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You could tell on his debut there was something special about him, all we need to do is give him a solid shot at the top, i hope that happens this summer
Manoj
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I didn't know he was a pilot as well, similar to guys like Kumble(Engineer) and Dravid he is multi talented on and off the field
Red Kev
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Hartley has captaincy chops as well davros, he scored a hundred to win the shield final two years ago while sick and is the best pure gloveman in the country. The selectors want a batsman-keeper though so Hartley won't get a look in. Ludeman I haven't seen enough of to judge unfortunately so I can't answer that question.
davros
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at least he will have something to fall back on if he crashes and burns again....sorry I couldn't resist it
davros
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I reckon Joe Mennie will get him out
davros
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Ok u guys are Hartley fans i get that ....I think Paine is a great keeper as well ....and with paine you get another option as captain ...also a classy batsman who is cool and can produce under pressure in all situations....Berry recently commented that Ludeman has the best hands in the country ..he would say that ..but also he would be a good judge...what does Hartley bring that ludeman wouldn't?....I watched ludeman recently take an unbelievable catch up to the stumps .as good as anything you will see...I agree we have to stop giving the gloves to incompetents who waste hard won wicktes off guys like lyon...time for haddin to go and definitely no wade again
Red Kev
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I remember that Sydney match. That first magnificent pull shot had Kerry O'Keefe on the radio remarking "Remember when we had that Rod Ponting fella at no.3?"
Red Kev
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I'd call getting out a hiccup. 11 singles without trouble and then out trying to loft him. Lyon bowled well but Khawaja getting out to spinners will worry selectors even if he already has a ton beside his name.
Red Kev
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Hartley is an Ian Healy type keeper. He'll give you a fighting average of 25 with the odd 50 or 100 when you really need it but he's superb with the gloves on. The push for his inclusion is based on not missing wickets. Lyon has been dudded at least a dozen wickets by sub-standard keeping in the last 18 months. Even the pacemen are seeing Wade and Haddin grass chances (or even worse not even move when the ball is flying towards the cordon). It is easier for the batting lineup to post competitive totals when you don't miss chances in the field.
Kersi Meher-Homji
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A high flyer, Usman Khawaja has a degree in aviation and I believe he can fly a plane. My question to Roarers: How many Australian first-class cricketers have a University / TAFE degree / diploma?
Bearfax
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You're not Micky Arthur are you. It s just this sort of treatment of him Sideline that caused the problem in the first place, that being Khawaja producing the goods but being sat on the side lines when his figures justified promotion. I know you probably mean well Sideline but I think what Khawaja needs now is reward for effort and confidence shown that he is ready. He is definitely not another Cowan. Much better than him.
Sideline Comm.
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I'm not saying he isn't a quality player, that he doesn't deserve a test spot eventually, or even that he wasn't treated unfairly. He was. Cowan is the best example of that. I'm just saying that his confidence has been lowered by all that and it will improve by a lot of runs over a couple of seasons in domestic cricket. Until he's done that he shouldn't worry abut test cricket.
Vince
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Haha mate study batting technique, watch some footage of Ponting for a start, then decide if any batsmen have ever made a career out of it.
Kersi Meher-Homji
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Gav, Usman played Lyon very well. No hiccups. How are you enjoying the one-day series in India? Enjoyed your write-up on "mad" Yograj, the father of Yuvraj in a local paper.