By day, Roger Oldridge is Ladbrokes Head of Media. By night, he roves the boundary for Network Ten’s Big Bash coverage.
Here, he takes you ‘Beyond the Boundary’ with an insiders perspective of how the teams are faring and his thoughts on which direction your hard earned might want to head.
THE WINNERS
PERTH SCORCHERS– The two time reigning champs are making a move toward a Hawthorn like Three-Peat with three successive and emphatic victories. A demolition job on Brisbane on Boxing Day got them on the board in BBL05 and they’ve backed it up from there in spectacular style, against the Melbourne Renegades and the team they conquered in last year’s competition, the Sydney Sixers.
Chasing a more than competitive 170 odd against the Renegades, Klinger and Marsh steered them home with the comp’s first ever 10 wicket win and they did it almost as comfortably against the injury ravaged Sixers. The Scorchers are hot. Very, very hot.
THE LOSERS
SYDNEY SIXERS – Back to back losses and injuries to even more key players has made it tough for last season’s runners-up and when the Australian selectors pick them apart, wins look as if they will be very hard to come by. Henriques was a huge loss but throw in the experience of Haddin and they have lost not only their two biggest weapons, but the two coolest heads and best leaders.
THE MOVERS
HOBART HURRICANES – Yet again, it’s the Hurricanes. Successive victories against the Heat put them back on track but it was a new year’s day victory against the Mike Hussey led Thunder which showed they can be a force. It was a win of great substance and fight. A tough week looms but if they can account for the two Melbourne side’s this week then a semi final berth could be secure in a matter of days.
THE HITS
THE MCG CROWD – A crowd in excess of 80,000 for a domestic cricket game is utterly incredible. Before the Big Bash was born such a thing would have been laughable. Even now, this was beyond the expectations of not only the Star’s hierarchy, Cricket Australia but also the MCG. Hence the massive delays for fans getting in.
TRAVIS HEAD – It was one of the more incredible innings i have seen and i had the pleasure of watching it live from the sideline. It took Head 19 balls to strike his first boundary when he was going at around a run a ball. From there he launched one of the all time great assaults. The New Year’s Eve fireworks came directly from Head’s bat. Needing 53 from the final three overs, not only did the Strikers get home, they did it with three balls to spare and the 23-year-old registered his hundred with a third successive six.
CHRIS LYNN – Yet another half century and finally a match winning innings. Not that it’s been Lynn’s fault one of his other knocks hasn’t propelled the Brisbane Heat to victory. Finally got a little support from a handful of teammates but two big questions remain.
1/ How far behind the pack would Brisbane be without it’s skipper?
2/ Why the hell isn’t Lynn in the Australian one day squad?
CLASSIC CATCHES – Andrew Russell’s acrobatic effort against the Hurricanes appeared to be the catch of the summer but as Mark Howard pointed out in commentary, it ended up not even being the catch of the night as Tim Paine did his best Superman impersonation and launched himself to his right to take one of the great wicket-keepers catches. A one handed effort which brought Blundstone Arena to life.
LUKE WRIGHT – He notched a memorable ton in BBL01 but hasn’t reached triple figures since. Until Saturday night that is. Spurred on by a match up against the big rival and 80 thousand screaming fans, the Englishman cracked another memorable and unbeaten ton to propel the Stars to victory and keep them in touch with the top four.
THE OLD BOYS – Twenty 20 might be seen as a game for the young but, as Brad Hogg has showed over the years, a wise head is invaluable in the shortest form of the game. Chris Lynn aside, the three most consistent players with the bat so far have been three of the elder statesmen, Mike Hussey, George Bailey and Michael Klinger. A match between the best 20 somethings and Dad’s Army would be a helluva spectacle.
THE MISSES
CHRIS GAYLE – He might be the most famous T20 gun for hire but Chris Gayle has barely fired a shot so far. Hopefully for the Renegades sake a big innings isn’t far away but time is quickly running out and so is Gayle’s ability to draw a crowd. He needs to earn that hefty pay packet.
BRAD HADDIN’S GROIN – Nothing against the old keeper’s nether region but what a shame for cricket fans, Haddin’s injured groin is. Having just resurrected his side’s innings, Haddin was unable to take the field and is set to miss some matches. While it was a big blow for the Sixers, it was a big win for Channel 10 as the former test vice-captain is incredibly entertaining on the microphone and always keen to have his say.
THE CRYSTAL (CRICKET) BALL
GAYLE FORCE V HURRICANES – Okay, so I’ve just potted the bloke for not earning his money but if you believe he has to fire eventually, backing him to be top scorer against the Hurricanes looks a good bet. Short boundaries at Blundstone and only a so-so Hobart attack could see a Gayle force wind blow the Hurricanes away. Although I’d still back the Hurricanes to win the match.
