Ex-slogger Hopes For A Big Home Advantage
The Age
Monday January 16, 2006
NSW batsman Matthew Phelps is back at his "home ground" and keen to make an impact in the top-of-the-table Pura Cup match between the Blues and the Bushrangers at Oakes Oval in Lismore today.
It is the first time a first-class four-day game has been played at the ground in more than 25 years. The Blues head the cup table on 20 points - four ahead of Victoria - although the Bushrangers have their tails up after inflicting a two-wicket defeat on them in yesterday's ING Cup encounter in Coffs Harbour. The 33-year-old Phelps, who played club cricket in Lismore as a teenager, said he was pleased to be back at a ground which held so many fond memories for him. "I won a premiership with Souths in my last season here," said Phelps, who warmed up for this match with 44 runs in the ING match. "I certainly always wanted to play at the SCG and the MCG and all the famous grounds, but to come back here and play is something special, and hopefully I'll top it off with a nice hundred. I was a country slogger before I left but a bit of hard work and look where I am now." Phelps has scored 272 runs at 54.40 from his four cup games this season.? Queensland brushed aside the West Australian batting line-up with ease yesterday, dismissing the home side for only 190 in its first innings at tea on day one of the Pura Cup clash at the WACA. The Warriors are stuck on the bottom of the cup table with one win from five matches and now face an uphill battle to avoid another loss. Adam Voges (42) and David Bandy (40) provided some resistance to the impressive Queensland attack, but it wasn't nearly enough.Test discard Michael Kasprowicz finished with 4-58 for the Bulls, well supported by Andy Bichel (2-45), Mitchell Johnson (1-16) and debutant Daniel Doran (3-71). ? Tasmania scored more runs but didn't win, after being told to score more runs than it had to. Confused? Blame the interpretation of the Duckworth-Lewis system. The mind-bending system sparked a bizarre tie between South Australia and Tasmania in a one-day game in Adelaide yesterday. Batting first, SA made 5-160 from 35 overs in a rain-reduced match. Tasmania exceeded that tally by 11 runs from the same number of overs - but the match was tied and the points split after a bungle by match officials. Tasmania was initially told it needed 201 runs to win, but the target was downgraded to 172 five overs into its innings in the day-night fixture at Adelaide Oval. NSW squad: Brad Haddin (c), Aaron Bird, Doug Bollinger, Moises Henriques, Phil Jaques, Grant Lambert, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Nicholson, Aaron O'Brien, Matthew Phelps, Corey Richards, Craig Simmons, Dominic Thornely. Victorian squad: Cameron White(c), Jason Arnberger, Liam Buchanan, Adam Crosthwaite, Gerard Denton, Shane Harwood, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Nick Jewell, Michael Klinger, Michael Lewis, Grant Lindsay, Andrew McDonald, Jonathan Moss, Allan Wise.
© 2006 The Age
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