Australia beat WI. NZ beat Pakistan.

Australia have beaten West Indies by an innings and 65 runs despite a brilliant debut century by Barath. My pick for MOM is Hilfenhaus, Cricinfo says there will be no qualms if Barath gets it, I disagree. Hilfenhaus took 5 wickets in the match and 2 good outfield catches in the 2nd innings. Hauritz also bowled well and was on hat trick at one stage, as was Watson.

In other news NZ has bowled well at the end to deny Pakistan. Pakistan were 6/195 at one stage chasing 251 but lost their last 4 wickets for 23 to lose by 32 runs. Shane Bond was his usual self taking 8 wickets.

More to come.

Chris Gayle V Marcus North

A very animated Chris Gayle is currently giving plenty of lip to Marcus North. He has been very agressive to him since North walked out to crease and nobody knows why. The umpire has finally intervened and told Gayle to zip it. The only thing this could go back to is perhaps something that has happened in County cricket between the 2 but what? If you have any idea why Gayle doesn't like North let us know.

McGrath winds back the clock as the Australian XI score 173.

UPDATE: The Australian XI have beaten the ACA XI. Scorecard here


Glenn McGrath has taken 3/18 off 4 overs to leave the Australian XI in a precarious position before a late blast by Cameron White and George Bailey lifted them to 5/173 off their 20 overs. White scored 44* off 24 balls with 2 massive sixes while Bailey scored 30* off 16, also hitting 2 sixes, with the biggest 6 of the innings straight down the ground disappearing into the 2nd tier of the grandstand.

Earlier McGrath took 3 wickets and was on a hat-trick on one stage to leave the Australian XI reeling at 5/105 off 13 overs before White and Bailey added 68 off the last 6 overs with 22 of them coming off the final bowled by  Nathan Rimmington.

North inured as Victora beat WA.

Marcus North has been injured on a night where not Western Australia were outclassed by Victoria. North's injury isn't too serious and he thinks he should be right for WA's FC match on Tuesday. If he isn't right this may see the Test selectors get easier with Hughes coming back in at opener and Watson moving down to 6.

Victoria scored 5/304 with Brad Hodge smashing another century. WA were bowled out for 213 as Hastings took 4/38.

More at Cricinfo

It will be a big year for...TAS/WA edition.

Our final installment of this series.

Tasmania
Tim Paine - In the ODI squad in Haddin's absence until he was inured himself. Is averaging 31.9 after 15 ODIs for Australia. May want to lift his FC average above the 30.9 it currently sits on to guarantee he is Australia's 2nd choice keeper in all forms of the game and first choice once Haddin retires.

Xavier Doherty - Running out chances to make the Australian team. Has a pretty poor FC average of 56.73 with only 61 wickets in 29 matches. His one-day average is better at 30.8 and if he can bring that down a bit may be able to get a game in ODI team if Hauritz if not available for whatever reason, although it seems the selectors have Jon Holland in mind if this ever occurs.

Ben Hilfenhaus - Has played well for Australia without setting the world on fire. Has struggled a bit so far in ODIs but has a pretty good average in Tests for someone with limited international experience. High on the selectors pecking order, a good season may see him move up to become an automatic selection.

Jonathon Wells - Has played well in the few games he has appeared in without being brilliant. Scored 85 and just missed out on a maiden first class century later on. Has only played 8 FC games and only average 23.4 at the moment but has been playing well in the grade scene.

Western Australia


Marcus North - Has played 7 tests now and has scored 3 centuries. Seems to have the no 6 spot cemented but may come under pressure with the selectors keen to bring back Hughes and keep Watson in the team. If this happens Watson will probably play and force North out.

Ben Edmonson - 174 wickets in 50 FC games. With Australia's fast bowlers falling like flies he may get himself a surprise call up.

Mitchell Marsh - The younger brother of Shaun Marsh. I've heard good things about this kid and the rumour is he is better than Shaun. Has only scored 17 runs in 2 FC games but will get more opportunities and if he can grab them with both hands he may find himself joining his brother in the Australian T20 or ODI side.

Luke Pomersbach - Made his T20I debut after originally being at the ground as a spectator when Brad Hodge injured himself putting his pants on. Only 25 and with an average of 43.4 after 22 games he still has plenty of time to get himself into the  Test team.

Other editions
NSW
QLD/SA
VIC

Australiak win 6th ODI and series.

Australia has racked up a comfortable win in the 6th ODI against India to seal the series.

Indian captain MS Dhoni must have been ruing the decision to bat after winning the toss with Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger teaming up to reduce India to 5/27 before the 10 over mark. Dhoni and Jadeja dug in and combined for a slow 48 run partnership before Jadeja and Kumar added valuable runs towards the end to take the toal to all out for 170. Kumar's highest ODI score (54* from 51 balls) included 7 fours and 4 sixes. All of Australia's bowlers bowled well but it was Bollinger and Johnson who did the most damage. Johnson took 3/39 from 9 overs including 2 in the first while Bollinger took 5/35 from 10. Watson was once again in the wickets taking 2/27.

Australia's reply got off to a fast start with Watson scoring a run a ball 49 before a couple slowed the scoring rate. The winning runs were hit in the 42nd over. Voges and Hussey were the not out batsmen with Hussey scoring from 35 from 62 and Voges 23 from 21. 9 bowlers were used by Dhoni. Harbhajan took 2/23 from while Raina and Patel took 1 each. Tendulkar bowled what proved to be the last over with his 5 balls going for 11 runs.

India v Australia 6th ODI.- Updates

This post will be updated periodically. (All time are AEDT)
8:50pm - It's all over. Australia win by 6 wickets. Hussey finishes on 35* and Voges on 23*
7:30pm - WICKET! Harby has 2. Ponting caught at slip from an inside edge. Australia 3/90
7:25pm - WICKET! Harbahjan gets Watson. Watson gone for 49 from 49. Australia 2/85 off 19 overs.
7:15pm - Australia 1/87 off 16 overs. Watson 35 from 37. Ponting 19 from 45. Run rate: 4.02. Required run rate: 2.99
6:35pm - WICKET! - Marsh gone for 6 from 14. Watson 13 from 13, Ponting 4 from 3. Australia 1/28 off 5 overs.
5:35pm - WICKET! Watson again. This time it's Patel who has been bowled. Kumar remains 54*. India all out for 170.
5:33pm - WICKET! Nehra bowled by Watson playing across the line. India 9/170. Kumar 54* from 51 balls.
5:15pm - WICKET! Bollinger gets his 5th. Jadeja goes for the big shot but doesn't time it. Easy catch to White. Wicket first ball to Bollinger again.
5:15pm - 6 overs left. India now 7/149. Kumar on 40 from 40, Jadeja 57 from 102
4:15pm - WICKETS! 2 wickets in the over for Bollinger. Dhoni and Harbahjan. India 7/80
3:50pm - 25 overs gone. India 5/62 Run Rate: 2.46
3:25pm - 18 overs gone. India 5/49. Dhoni on  10 from 34. Jadeja 12 from 30.
2:46pm - WICKET! Johnson gets another. Pithced up, played early and straight to Hauritz. India 5/27 off 9 overs.
2:40pm - WICKET! Freak dismissal. Ball bounces up off Yuvraj and in trying to hit it away he deflects it on to the stumps. India 4/24 off 8 overs.
2:30pm - WICKET! Bollinger gets Tendulkar. India now 3/23
2:20pm - India 2/18 off 4 overs. Tendulkar 5 from 12. Yuvraj 6 from 6.
2:10pm - WICKET! 2 wickets for Johnson in the first over. Both Gambhir and Sehwag were bowled. India reeling at 2/7
1:40pm - India has won the toss and elected to bat.

Victoria acheieve highest ever successful chase at the MCG.

Breaking News.
Victoria has just successfully chased down 300, the highest ever scored chased down at the MCG by a domestic team to beat Tasmania by 4 wickets.. Aaron Finch and Brett Hastings both recorded their highest one-day scores to with a 77 run partnership of just 49 balls to guide the Bushrangers home with 4 balls to spare. The pair came together at 6/224 with the home side still requiring 76 off 53 balls. Finch's run a ball 87* was the highest score for Victoria while Quiney, Rogers and Geeves all scored 40s. The pick of the bowlers for Tasmania were Brendan Drew with 2/55 off his 10 overs and Xavier Doherty with 1/45 off 9. In a move that will make Cricket Australia, Tasmanie took 2 spinners into the game.

Earlier, Tasmania racked up 7/300 thanks largely to Rhett Lockyear's maiden FRC century in just his 8th match. His 111 off just 98 balls took his career average from 7.2 to 24.5. Burt and Bailey both scored 60s and Tasmania would have been sniffing victory at the break before the brilliant chase by the Bushrangers. For Victoria, Harwood picked up 3 wickets but went for 68 runs while Pattison picked up 2 but also went for over 6 an over.

The 2006/2007 Official Cricket Ball Collection

Do you remember this? Did you collect the whole set? I remember walking to the shop every day and buying the paper for the coupon and paying the $1 or $2 per ball. I tried to look on Google today to see if people still had them or were selling them on ebay but I couldn't find a thing.

It will be a big year for...VIC edition

Part 3 of our look at the domestic players.

Rob Quiney - An average of 37.7 in one-day games may see him get a call up with all the injuries currently plaguing the Australian team. Nice clean hitter of the ball but an average of just 15.2 in T20 matches and 28.5 in first class games may keep him out. Has ability, especially in the shorter forms and another productive year in the FR cup might see him earn an Australian jersey.

David Hussey - In and out of the ODI and T20I sides and in my opinion the best domestic player yet to play a test match for Australia. Almost 32 but may get a start in the Test team in Clarke isn't fit in time or if his brother Michael continues his run of bad form in Test matches. A first class average of 55 with 35 centuries would see him walk into any other test team in the world yet is apparently not even on the selectors radar for the Test team.

Cameron White - Back in the ODI side and is impressing. Will need to bowl himself more if he wants to break back into the test squad. With a few spinners around with wraps on them and Hauritz playing quite well this may be easier said than done. Unlucky not to be named captain of the Australian T20 side.

Jon Holland - Only 22 and is currently with the Australian ODI squad in India. Hasn't played a game but there has been a lot of talk about his ability. A good season or 2 for Victoria and he may find himself in the Australian team soon rather than later.

Andrew Mcdonald - Back with the ODI squad but seems to be about 3rd or 4th in the all-rounder pecking. Another season like last year and he may move up a peg or 2.

Clint McKay - Bowled brilliantly on debut for Australia against India and is a great bowler. Might not be in the team full-time yet but he will get there. Has taken 67 wickets in just 18 first class games at a brilliant average of 24.1. The sort of bowler who can keep it tight and also take wickets, he is exactly what Australia needs at the moment.

Matthew Wade - Brilliant stats already for such a young player. If he continues to play as he has been he will be in the Australian team one day and with the keepers falling like flies that day may be just around the corner.

Brad Hodge and Chris Rogers - Both (but especially Hodge) have no idea what they have to do to get into the side. Hodge is 34 now so it seems his chance is gone, Rogers is 31 and his time is also running out. Hodge, Rogers and Hussey are 3 of the unluckiest domestic players, who knows what they have to do to make it.

It will be a big year for... QLD/SA edition.

The second edition of a look at players in domestic scene looking for to have a big year.


Queensland
James Hopes - Has proved himself in the one day arena having played 67 matches with 1000 runs at an average of 23.8 and 54 wickets at an average of 33.2 but needs to return from injury quickly and keep performing well to keep Henriques out of the ODI team. 


Ben Laughlin - Has played 5 ODIs and taken 4 wickets. Only 10 wickets at an average of 60 in first class cricket but 30 in 17 one-day at an average of 19. Seems to have fallen down the pecking order for Australia but may be able to force his way back in with strong performances. At 27 he still has a few years left in him but will need better first class performances to be able to keep his places in the Queensland team.


Cameron Boyce - Only 20 years old and yet to play a senior game but has had big wraps placed on him. Ashley Mallet had this to say "He is the best spinner in Australia not in first-class cricket,"


South Australia
Cullen Bailey - His first class stats aren't that impressive but he is young enough to improve them. Has been playing well lately and may find himself in the Australian if Hauritz gets injured or falls into a form slump.

Tom Cooper - Only 22 but seems to have a bright future. Has struggled in the few first class games he has played with only 75 runs in 5 innings but has scored 315 Ford Ranger Cup runs in 8 games at an averages of 45. Consistent performances in all forms of the game will put him in the selectors mind for a possible Australian berth sometime in the future.

Mark Cosgrove - Everybody knows about his talent but needs to pull his finger out if he's serious about forcing his way back into the Australian side.

Callum Ferguson - Was in the Australian ODI side and playing brilliantly until an injury saw him sidelined. Should be able to force Adam Voges or Cameron white out of the team upon return but will to pick up where he left off to cement his place. Ricky Ponting called him a future test player but will need to improve his first class stats to make it.

Australia beat India by 3 runs in the 5th ODI

Australia has beaten India by 3 runs in the 5th ODI to go up 3-2. Despite a magnificent 175 from the master Sachin Tendulkar India fell agonisingly short of what would have been the highest successful run chase on Indian soil. Set up by a century to Marsh and 90 to Watson Australia posted a massive 4/350. Marsh's maiden ODI century eventually ended for a run a ball 112 while Watson was out for 93 off 89 balls. A rapid 57* from 33 balls by Cameron White which included 5 sixes helped  Australia post the 7th highest score in India and the highest on this ground. Australia's 13 sixes were the most scored by a team against India in India. Harbahjahn Singh was the pick of the bowlers, while only taking 1 wickets his 10 overs only went for 44 runs while Kumar, Jadeja, Nehra and Patel all went for more than 7.5 an over.

In reply India got off to a quick start and a brilliant 175 from 141 balls by Tendulkar and a run a ball 59 from Suresh Raina took India close before the panic set in and a flurry of run outs saw India fall short. . Clint McKay bowled brilliantly on debut picking up 3/59 off his 10 overs while Watson chipped in with 3 wickets as well. Bollinger, Hauritz, Hilfenhaus and Hussey were all expensive.

Scorecard


Quotes 
Ponting " It was one of the amazing games and certainly one of the best innings ever from Sachin. You just have to keep hanging in there, you just have tell your bowlers to keep bowling to the plan. just one bad shot and we could come in but Sachin didn't play many bad shots today! Its really unbelievable how we have played, considering al the injuries. Marsh played realy well.:"


Dhoni "They got off to a good start and we never got into a postion to contain them. It was up to us to chase it. We got a good start and we came in the end due to Tendulkar and Raina. We lost it in our mental calculation, not because of our talent. It was one of the good ODI tracks we have seen in India, you have to be smart. Hopefully we will be up for the next two games."

Cricinfo "Congrats Australia, a team battered with injuries has hung on for a memorable win.. Sixty one years ago, at the end of a tour of England by Don Bradman's famous pack, John Arlott put it thus: "Australianism," wrote Arlott, "means single-minded determination to win - to win within the laws but, if necessary, to the last limit within them. It means where the 'impossible' is within the realm of what the human body can do, there are Australians who believe that they can do it - and who have succeeded often enough to make us wonder if anything is impossible to them. It means they have never lost a match - particularly a Test match - until the last run is scored or their last wicket down."

Man Of the Match
My MOM - Clint McKay and Sachin Tendulkar
Official MOM - Sachin Tendulkar


The last word - A brilliant game of cricket and one the best innings of all time by Tendulkar. As I said in my congratulations on 17,000 runs port we are lucky to be able to watch such a brilliant batsmen, especially when he plays like he did tonight.

Congratulations Sachin!

Congratulations to Sachin Tendulkar on scoring 17,000 ODI runs. He is one the best batsmen of all time. His 17,000 runs have come in 435 matches at an average of 44.3 with 44 centuries and 91 half centuries. Couple this with almost 13,000 test runs at an average of 54.5 with 42 centuries and we have a true legend of the game. All of us who have seen him play are lucky to have witnessed such a brilliant batsman at work. Well done Sachin and here's to many more runs.

Highest first innings scores and highest run chases in India.

UPDATE. Australia's 4/350 places them 7th on the list. Their 13 sixes is the highest against India in India by any team.

Australia are on track for a good score against India in the 5th ODI. Let's take a look at the 10 highest first innings scores in India and the highest successful run chases. There has only been 2 ODIs before this one at this ground and the highest score was 7/290 by Australia in 2007.

Top 10 first innings score in ODIs in India
India 5/387 v England, Rajkot 2007
India 2/376 v New Zealand, Hyberabad, 1999
India 9/356 v Pakistan, Visakhapatnam, 2005
India 7/354 v Australia, Nagpur, 2009
India 5/353 v New Zealand, Hyberabad, 2004
Aus 4/350 v India, Hyberabad 2009
India 6/350 v Sri Lanka, Nagpur, 2004
NZ 9/349 v India, Rajkot, 1999
NZ 9/348 v India, Nagpur, 1995
Aus 2/347 v India, Balgalore, 2003
India 3/341 v WI, Vadodora. 2007

Highest successful run chases in India.
India 5/325 (47.4) v  WI, Ahmedabad, 2002
Pak 6/326 (49.5) v India, Mohail, 2007
Pak 7/319(48) v India,  Ahmedabad, 2005
India 4/303 (46.1) v Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005
India 7/302(49.4) v South Africa, Nagpur, 2000

No other score above 300 has been chased down.

It will be a big year for... NSW edition.

The Australian domestic season is underway and the home tests start soon. Let's take a look at those players who have an opportunity to push for a place or cement their place in each form of the game. I will be covering 1 or 2 states each day.

David Warner - Had a great Champions Trophy for NSW and averages 28.71 at a strike rate of 140 after 36 games with only 1 not out score. Has played 8 T20 internationals and averages 34.12 for Australia. Has been included in the NSW one-day squad but not the first class squad. Can expect to play more T20 games for Australia and can push for a recall to the ODI squad with some good performances.

Doug Bollinger - Currently playing his 6th ODI and has 8 wickets at a brilliant average of 20.62. Can cement a place with more good performances in India. Has played 1 test and may get a few more this season with good bowling and the current injury crisis facing Australia.

Moises Henriques - Brilliant in the champions trophy and solid in the 2 games he played for Australia. My favourite domestic player. He has a great deal of talent and is slowing getting his batting average up and bowling average down. May have to wait for an injury to Watson to get a test place and is currently behind Hopes in the pecking order for ODIs. Only 22, Moises has a massive future ahead of him in all forms of the game and a great domestic season should see him permanently in the Australian side soon rather than later.

Phillip Hughes - Dudded by the selectors during the Ashes and was dropped with an average of 52. Averages 61 after 50 first class innings'. People seem to think the English bowlers unlocked some great secret by bowling short to him, this is a myth. Bowlers have been doing it to him his whole career. Phillip was unlucky during the Ashes and extremely unlucky to be dropped.

Josh Hazlewood - Only 18 and has only played 1 first class game (against the touring NZ side last year) where he took 4 wickets. Youngest member of Australia's under-19 world cup squad in 2008. Has a lot of potential and if given a chance this year may be able to show what he has.

Brett Lee - Nearly 33 and starting to run out of chances to force his way back in to the test team. Too many injuries lately but has been bowling brilliantly when fit.

Burt Cockley - Has taken 29 first class wickets in just 8 games with 27 of those coming in just 7 games. Being called up by Australia as cover in the current series in India will give this young fast bowler a whole world of confidence and another season like last year might see him being called up to play, not just as cover.

Usman Khawaja - Only 22 but already averages 40 in first class cricket. Has scored 2 centuries and 2 50s in just 17 innings with a high score of 172*. They say most bastmen don't hit their peak until around age 30, if that is so Usman should have a test spot before his career is over.

Back from hiatus

That is all