Dilemma Hookesy couldn't solve

[Donny]

As I said to JLC last week, Warney will find it easier to get a spot in the Australian Test team than with The Bushrangers.
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Dilemma Hookesy couldn't solve

Jon Anderson - Fox


TWO days before his death, David Hookes was asked who Shane Warne would replace in the Victorian Pura Cup side.

His reaction was most un-Hookes like as he struggled to find the obvious answer.

In fact, Hookes, for the first time in his life, couldn't give a definite answer.

"It will depend on who is in form at the time, plus who and where we're playing," he said.

The poser will become a reality tonight when Victoria's cricket selectors sit down to find room for their champion leg-spinner to play Tasmania at the MCG on February 16-19.

No doubt they will debate it long and hard, just as Hookes did on January 16.

The former Victorian coach readily admitted Warne, as great as Hookes considered him, would not necessarily have the same impact for his state as his country.

"Australians play 'Warnie' a lot better than the Poms and South Africans," Hookes said.

And the inclusion of Warne, while strengthening the Vics on one hand, could weaken them on another.

The Victorian Bushrangers' side that has been so dominant this season has built its success on old-fashioned teamwork.

There has been the brilliance of Matthew Elliott, Brad Hodge, Jon Moss and David Hussey with the bat, yet the wicket-taking has been a case of everyone chipping in.

Very much included in that bracket is red-headed, all-rounder Andrew McDonald, a player Hookes earmarked early on as a long-term state member.

McDonald began the year batting at six and bowling fourth, fifth or sixth-change, but has dropped to seven in the batting order, with Cameron White promoted.

White, with 399 runs at 49.87, is destined to become known as a batsman who can bowl leg-spin (16 wickets at 39.00), while McDonald has taken 25 wickets at 24.75 with his deceptive medium-pacers.

The problem for McDonald has been his batting (122 at 15.25), but the selectors believe he will eventually fire.

By keeping him at seven, it also means captain Darren Berry bats at eight, a position he is more suited to these days.

If McDonald goes, then a decision has to be made on who bats seven, with Warne having the best argument, given his batting displays at Test level in 2001 and 2002.

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd acknowledges the difficulty of the decision.

"We could play three quicks (Mick Lewis, Allan Wise and Mathew Inness) one medium pacer (Moss) and two leggies (Warne and White)," Shipperd said yesterday.

"Or we could change the balance with two quicks, two medium pacers and two leggies."

The selection poser may go away should the Australian selectors choose Warne for the Sri Lankan tour, meaning he would miss the Pura Cup final at the MCG on March 12-16.

But the return of Ian Harvey from the one-day series would present another selection poser.

As chairman of selectors Mick O'Sullivan said yesterday, better to have such problems than not have them.

[commonwombat]

Very easy, drop the over-promoted grade cricketer ie Moss.

Oh but then, he'll probably squeal to the Anti-Discrimination Board about anti-Semitism, just like he did in Sydney.