Sporting scripts were made to be not followed, and Victoria upheld that line as they triumphed over the stacked New South Wales team at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the re-launch of the Sheffield Shield.
And while the Australian selectors would have been more than happy to see Nathan Lyon taking bags of wickets throughout the game, even his performance wasn’t enough to drag the competition favourites over the line against a plucky Victorian team with plenty of players who might be on the selection radar themselves next summer.
When you cast an eye over the Victorian side, there is plenty of talent, but not a heap of international exposure, potentially in the red-ball game.
Sure, James Pattinson, Jon Holland, Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb are all in the side, as is Nic Maddinson, but they should have been out-matched by the Blues, and on paper, they certainly were.
(Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
But the Bushrangers bought into the idea that cricket isn’t played on paper, putting together a miraculous performance, despite the heroics of Lyon, who took match figures of 10-78 off 44.1 overs in what was an excellent display of bowling from start to finish.
The big-name pace attack failed to back him up though. Victoria shared the wickets around in the first innings, with young quick Mitchell Perry and Jon Holland both picking up three, while James Pattinson also ripped in with a couple himself.
It was then Nic Maddinson who once again put his name into the spotlight as he top-scored for the Bushrangers in their first dig, successfully thwarting Lyon on a turning pitch by scoring 77 of the Victorians’ 200. To put that into perspective, Matt Short was the next highest scorer with 30.
That puts Maddinson’s innings in excellent light, and given the runs he has been able to dish up at different points over the last 24 months in red-ball cricket, he may not be a million miles away from selection at the start of next summer.
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
In saying that, Marcus Harris will be concerned by his form, scoring only 24 and 14 in the match while rival Joe Burns made plenty in Hobart (but more on that shortly).
Scott Boland then led the attack for the Bushrangers in the second dig, while James Pattinson picked up another two. He may not have been economical, but he was unlucky in many ways and suffered the brunt of a Sean Abbott onslaught in the lower order.
Without that, Pattinson’s figures would have looked far healthier, and given the struggles of Mitchell Starc this summer, he – along with players like Chadd Sayers and Mark Steketee – will be monitored closely in the closing of this Shield season, and the beginning of the next one before the international summer gets rolling.
Maddinson then led the way again as Victoria closed out a successful run chase, making another 44. It’s not just the volume of runs for Maddinson, but the way he scored them that says he is in great form and has excellent control of his own game.
It’d be easy to get overawed against a virtually all-international attack, but he refused to do so, and with Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood unable to bowl Australia to victory against the Indians this summer, more questions will be asked of them given they couldn’t do so at state level in the return.
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Playing at Bankstown next week won’t be all that friendly to them either. Runs normally flow at the suburban ground, with small boundaries and often a pitch that doesn’t do a great deal for the bowlers.
One man who will be looking to capitalise on that is Steve Smith, who struggled big time at the SCG, scoring only seven and 13. His form all summer was somewhat of a worry, and while he peeled off a century in the white-ball game earlier in the week, he will be looking to recapture his weight of runs next time out.
But it was the Victorian players flying under the radar who had it all their own way at the SCG.
Speaking of players flying under the radar, Mark Steketee had an excellent second innings against Tasmania, picking up three wickets, while Joe Burns whacked 171 out of 275 in Queensland’s first dig, while he sits not out overnight in the fourth-innings run chase on a somewhat difficult wicket.
Runs will be everything in this second half of the Shield season for Burns after an incredibly rough summer in the national colours, and runs in a run chase would be even more important.
With an Ashes series on the horizon and who knows what other catch-up cricket (remember, there are series against Bangladesh and South Africa to be slotted in somewhere), Burns would have been thinking his Test career was over, but he will be looking to make an insurmountable case through a weight of runs.
All eyes will be on Hobart today as Queensland pursue a big target to take crucial Sheffield Shield points at the resumption of the season.
But for now, the competition has been thrown on its head by Victoria getting one over Lyon and the Blues, with the two teams preparing for another match now at Bankstown next match. In a shortened season where every game will be vital, that one could all but ruin the Blues with another loss.
They will be relying on the stars to hit back, as Victoria go at them again with a side full of potential.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Actually my true focus now is getting them to actually play more youth and solidify the team with growth . I think we are seeing the back end of warner and paine during the ashes and really they need to find places for carry ingles mcdermott or Madinson which will take some debate no doubt , some rotations with swepson neser and pattinson etc . Theres a few talented kids around and I think they should ride the coattails of smith labs cummins and hazelwood whilst they are in their prime to build more depth in the side now . I’m absolutely delighted with what we are seeing with green and pucovski but hopefully they can produce again In ashes to solidify their places and I think they can. On home soil. I honestly now think carey and one or two of madinson inglis or mcdermott could have quite an impact for us despite the risks with their youth and lack of depth with their stats. It may be they hold off on carey until after ashes but I think we should move now on any concerns and debate . They certainly have to slot someone in for wade but they have all the shield matches up to afghan tour to make some calls. What a chance that match would be to actually give carey , madinson and or inglis a chance . Warner still struggling with groin but they won’t drop him until he falters abroad probably which is inevitable I’d think as he hits 36 next year . Looking at the last few results against india and some cracks against nz and england I think we need to make moves . It’s hard because of limited red ball playing time but the time is also ageing warner paine and we don’t have many opportunities to give a few more younger ones some solidification time before going to india and sub continent next year
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Ian Healy was always good at mimicking bowlers runups and mannerisms, he'll need a well trained protege for the Smudge & Marnus routines!
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Good catch on cam green he's a great talent and I'm keen on getting more of our young talent in asap . Pucovski and green were the great additions this summer out of a dire result
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Well Warner’s form against nz wasn’t so good on a home pitch before a dead rubber bolstered his average against a spent kiwi bowling line up with injuries . Around mid to low 30s av before the dead rubber . He thumped pakistan on home soil but so did everyone else on flat tracks when aus was largely batting first. He was dreadful in England before that and can’t play the pitches there so give or take after the next ashes on home soil where they will refuse to drop him ,whether he makes runs or not, we better find a new opener as he drops off, approaching 36 by end of year . My solution unless an opener really shines in shield is to open with pucovski and labuschsnge who opens most of the time anyway . Its not ideal but we can move talent in to the middle order like mcdermott or Madinson alongisde green , possibly inglis and have paine as keeper bat . We need to ignite our youthful talent before setting sail on Subcontinent tours with ageing batsman who have poor away averages
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Matt lol it’s true because I’m still trying to get over how they gave man of the match to paine after he messed up a drs on kohli they cost us 100 runs as a rough estimate despite his lucky knock with the bat and how one of the greet bowling efforts in aus history from cummins and hazelwood didn’t procure a man of Match . Such is pc marketing love for timmy they don’t give it cummins !
Rellum
Roar Guru
Take two today
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Please send a copy to JL
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I had said that before the events of the last game in the article that declared NSW as the team to beat now that the Saffer tour was called off. It is such an unbalanced team. I wonder who the next big thing with the bat is. I suppose little Ollie...but is there anyone else scoring runs in grade cricket. Cam Green, by the way, scored a lazy 201no in grade cricket on Saturday.
matth
Roar Guru
They are making the mistake of picking 5 bowlers because of their insane bowling depth. So the attitude seems to be that Hazlewood, Starc, Lyon, Copeland and Abbott all HAVE to play, and given a couple of them bat ok, they believe they can cover the batting. It's flawed thinking unless one of them is a genuine all rounder.
matth
Roar Guru
What’s got into you Pierro, you didn’t mention Tim Paine once in that post :silly:
Paul
Roar Guru
someone's going to make a fortune on the cricketers speaking circuit, doing send ups of Smith's batting technique
Rellum
Roar Guru
Yes but they are not as good as everyone makes them out to be, you of all posters should be saying that. They need all hands on deck on going for it to win.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
Don't disagree that Adelaide gave a false impression as to where the two teams were at (India were well on top before that 3rd morning). However, it's not really true that India were on top for all of the first innings. India were on top at Adelaide and the MCG, but Australia had leads at the SCG and Gabba and indeed were heavily favoured to win both going into the fifth day.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Yep reality was australia only had two bowlers that decimated india second innings but outside of that india were on top all first innings . We needed rotation changes at mcg scg and gabba but of course " we can't mess with a winning team" garbage from the selectors and langer came back to haunt us again
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yeah and the non Internationals in the NSW side have learned new dance moves from Smith for when they're on the circuit!
Paul
Roar Guru
It certainly lends a lot more credibility to individual results when you have the Test guys playing. If the Vics had beaten NSW without so many Test players, the outcome would have been written off, but people have really sat up and looked at some of the efforts in this game given the quality of players in both sides.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
I think wherever they play they'll be one more game into a 4 day mindset. Circumstances allowing the Test players time on Shield grounds is a bonus for the comp!
Paul
Roar Guru
NOW I get get and you're right of course. The Vics were up for this game and it showed in the way they attacked the NSW bats in their first innings. The Blues and especially Steve Smith, seemed almost disinterested in comparison, though knowing Smith's appetite for batting I'm sure that was not the case. It's a shame NSW aren't playing at the SCG again this week, just to see whether their issues were mostly mental as you say ( and I agree) or just how much the pitch played a part.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Hard to maintain 4 day batting form from November when you’re playing 20/20 or 2 day Grade cricket because Shield is on the backburner. As you know Paul, sport is 90% mental. Good bowling and a bowler having a purple patch can often be countered by batsmen in the same form. Hard to maintain that rhythm when you play 2 four week stints. The track may very well have played a part, but as fast bowlers and spinners equally enjoyed the conditions, I’d be interested if that same game came after 10 weeks of Shield focus how the batsmen would’ve approached it.
Bludger
Guest
Looks like India wasn't the only team to make 'Australia' look ordinary. Victoria, would have beaten 'Australia' in the recent test series too.