Batting 'big' Is The Key For Victoria

The Age

Friday October 13, 2006

LYALL JOHNSON

BATTING "big" will be the key to the Bushrangers getting off to a winning start against the Western Warriors in their opening Ford Ranger One-Day Cup clash at the WACA Ground today, according to middle-order specialist David Hussey.

With the Bushrangers not enjoying a great record in Perth, Hussey said the side would consider the lessons about batting with confidence it had learnt in defeating the Warriors in a Twenty20 match at the WACA Ground last season.

"I think it comes down to the batters, it's their responsibility to win the match for us," Hussey said yesterday after the Bushrangers completed practice between rain showers.

"Since we played the Twenty20 match here, we learnt a lot about how to play and how to bat big. I think if our batters do their job and post a big score for our bowlers to defend, we can win the match. Make a big, big total, like 280, 290, 300, if we can get that on the board.

"It is probably more just backing our ability a bit more, backing yourself and playing your shots, really. I thought Cameron (White) batted suberbly last year, Rob Quiney batted superbly and Michael Klinger came out and hit the ball sweetly from ball one"

On the bowling front, Victoria had some good news, with paceman Shane Harwood getting through the session and being available for selection.

Harwood received a side strain last week and before yesterday had bowled at full stretch only in an indoor net session on Wednesday. Although the coaching staff said they always had been confident Harwood would be right to play, they flew out uncontracted Essendon medium quick Clint McKay as a back-up yesterday.

According to Bushrangers chairman of selectors, John MacWhirter, Harwood's availability for the match augurs well for the Pura Cup fixture, which starts on Sunday.

"Unless he can get through the one-dayer, I guess he is not going to be ready for the four-dayer, so we're pleased," MacWhirter said. "He got through (yesterday's) training quite well. He unfortunately couldn't bowl at 100 per cent because the rain had effected the footing for the bowlers, so it was a little bit slippery."

Former Zimbabwean Test and one-day international all-rounder Sean Ervine has been named for the Warriors and is expected to make his debut for the state today.

CUP SQUADS

VICTORIA: Cameron White (c), Brad Hodge (vc), Michael Klinger, David Hussey, Andrew McDonald, Grant Lindsey, Rob Quiney, Adam Crosthwaite, Shane Harwood, Gerard Denton, Michael Lewis, Jon Moss.

WA: Justin Langer (c), Marcus North (vc), Luke Ronchi, Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges, Chris Rogers, Sean Ervine, Peter Worthington, Brett Dorey, Ben Edmondson, Steve Magoffin, Aaron Heal.

© 2006 The Age

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