Not exactly sure how my post was 'carp'. When you lose your 5th wicket, and you lead by just 50 runs, that's not a good position to be in. Considering our last two innings have been for scores of 199 and 104, things weren't looking good.

Wade and Wright obviously fixed things for us, and brilliant they were. To get to 378 after being 5/111 was a sterling effort. Pity neither got to 100 though.

I'm with you T.U, at 5 down we were GAWN!! The coffin was slowly re opened and excavated from the ground, Go the vics-with half a side we can still win. Fingers crossed.

Not exactly sure how my post was 'carp'.

Think of the situation we were in and HT's emotion towards the situation...

Correct. It was the situation the Vics found themselves in, that I was reacting to t_u, not your post in general.

Good win by the VICS - 54 runs. Wade 91 runs top scored.

All comes down to the last match for home ground honours for the big final against the Bulls.

With Clarke returning home, and thus uncertain to be a part of the Test squad, Marcus North's chances of going to NZ are probably strengthened. But I like Peter Roebuck's squad, which has Steven Smith and Cameron White in place of North:

Watson, Katich, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Smith, White, Haddin, Hauritz, Johnson, Bollinger, Cutting, McKay. With Copeland on standby

I'd be starting with the same XI from the Australian summer, but switching North for White and Siddle for McKay. If Clarke is unavailable North will keep his spot.

m.clarke quitting the NZ tour. it is hard to forsee with regards to the captaincy post-Ponting. If anything, it will be even harder if this Bingle-Fev-Markson-Clarke fiasco continues for sometime. Of course assuming this is the reason, pup left his teammates on the eve of a match- in the middle of a series levelled at 1-1 in a best of 5.

I must be losing touch with reality.... a man selected to play for his country, leaves to go home - not because his nearest and dearest is on death's door, but is just emotionally overwrought. Hmmm. Maybe I'm lacking in sentimentality but when you lie down with dogs, you'll wake up with fleas. I miss the old days when we didn't know who the wives and girlfriends of the players were because they didn't matter

Edited March 9, 201015 yr by grazman

I must be losing touch with reality.... a man selected to play for his country, leaves to go home - not because his nearest and dearest is on death's door, but is just emotionally overwrought. Hmmm. Maybe I'm lacking in sentimentality but when you lie down with dogs, you'll wake up with fleas. I miss the old days when we didn't know who the wives and girlfriends of the players were because they didn't matter

I was thinking the same. If Clarke has ambitions of captaining Australia then he needs to straightened out any bingles off the field. She might look good off the arm but she really comes across as a celebrity dipstick.

1. Has an affair with Fevola - Ugh

2. Loses a prestige car stolen which mysteriously turns up in a nearby sidestreet and no police charges are laid. - Perfectly natural.

3. Has a bare shower scene photo released to the public (back to point 1) sells her story to a cheap woman's rag for $200k and then pleads being emotionally wrung out that her fiancee has to come back to Australia.-Puhleease!!

Michael Clarke should have the guts and dump the baggage and get real about his future.

Agree with grazman, Grimes to Watts and RR.

I know no-one really laughs at the ol' blonde jokes Rhino, but they're all related to your 3 points.

Maybe Katich didn't shake him (Clarke) up enough ?

I agree too. Clarke is employed by Cricket Australia to play cricket. How many other employers would allow you to quit for an indefinite time because your idiot girlfriend can't control her own life?

He shouldn't have left NZ. We have phones and the internet now.

Yet Cricket Australia and the Aussie Cricket Test team are sponsored by three.

Test team announced

Ricky Ponting © (TAS)

Michael Clarke (vc) (NSW)

Doug Bollinger (NSW)

Brad Haddin (NSW)

Nathan Hauritz (NSW)

Ryan Harris (QLD)

Phillip Hughes (NSW)

Mike Hussey (WA)

Mitchell Johnson (WA)

Simon Katich (NSW)

Clint McKay (VIC)

Marcus North (WA)

Steven Smith (NSW)

Shane Watson (NSW)

North is in, new inclusions are Steve Smith and Ryan Harris.

Clarke announced. I wonder if he will be allowed to return. Time will tell if Bingle will let him go.

Disappointing for Cameron White I reckon. Beaten to the squad by Steven Smith, as well as North who holds his place.

Likely starting team:

Watson

Katich

Ponting

Hussey

Clarke

North

Haddin

Johnson

Hauritz

McKay

Bollinger

Same team we played in Perth. I can't see Smith taking North's spot (though it wouldn't be such a bad thing), and there would be doubts about Hughes batting at 6.

I reckon Steve Smith is a gun. I love it when the selectors unearth a player destined for bigger things.

I reckon Steve Smith is a gun. I love it when the selectors unearth a player destined for bigger things.

S.K.Warne sure rates him Highly so he should be given a crack for sure. We need new Blood.

In great news for Victoria, Queensland have been bowled out for 106 in reply to Western Australia's 286, and WA have enforced the follow on. Hopefully Queensland can't come back from this one, and if they don't then we'll host the final regardless of what happens in our match vs Tasmania.

In great news for Victoria, Queensland have been bowled out for 106 in reply to Western Australia's 286, and WA have enforced the follow on. Hopefully Queensland can't come back from this one, and if they don't then we'll host the final regardless of what happens in our match vs Tasmania.

Vics grab 1st innings points and lead by 136 runs at 8/358. Hopefully Wade (my main man) can be a pain in the ar$e for the opposition again. Extending the lead to 200 would be ideal ?! Go Wade.

MCG is looking good at present for the final. However, stranger things have occurred.

Queensland are 29 runs in the black (6-209) on their second dig against WA. They look beat at present. Fingers crossed that WA knocks those 4 wickets off quickly and gets the required chase with ease.

Here we go again. Western Australia needs 106 for victory. And they're 2/1 afer 7 balls. Here come Queensland.

Edit: Now 3/1, with North making a golden duck. Very, very lucky to be going to NZ. WA's top 3 have made 1, golden duck, and golden duck.

Edit 2: Now 5/27. Still need 79 runs for victory. Queensland could well win this.

Hopefully it won't matter, as Victoria leads Tasmania by 160 runs on first innings, and Tassie are currently 2/3. Wade made 50, but our tail didn't kick on like it can. Shouldn't matter, though.

Edit 3: But Tasmania are 5/18. Wright has 9 for the match. Game over.

Edited March 12, 201015 yr by titan_uranus

WA beat Queensland by 3 wickets. Queensland had WA 6/44 ! chasing 105. Phew !

Phew

The VICS beat Tassie to host final.

By an innings and 46 runs. Nice warm up for the Final.

Here we go again. Western Australia needs 106 for victory. And they're 2/1 afer 7 balls. Here come Queensland.

Edit: Now 3/1, with North making a golden duck. Very, very lucky to be going to NZ. WA's top 3 have made 1, golden duck, and golden duck.

Edit 2: Now 5/27. Still need 79 runs for victory. Queensland could well win this.

Hopefully it won't matter, as Victoria leads Tasmania by 160 runs on first innings, and Tassie are currently 2/3. Wade made 50, but our tail didn't kick on like it can. Shouldn't matter, though.

Edit 3: But Tasmania are 5/18. Wright has 9 for the match. Game over.

Tassie were 5-18!!!! Cool, what did they make all up?? The Vics better not Pillow in the Final, there has been too much of that over the last few years.

114. Home final here we come.

114. Home final here we come.

Sweet.....

Tassie were 5-18!!!! Cool, what did they make all up?? The Vics better not Pillow in the Final, there has been too much of that over the last few years.

Actually, we're (VICS) are going for back to back. It's the Ford Ranger (One-dayers) that have been the stumbling block. The Vics have been overall the most dominant of recent times in reaching finals in all forms of cricket.

From Hookesy to Shipperd the Vics have really been the dominant force domestically on a consistent basis. Whereas other teams such as NSW, QLD, Tassie have randomly been hot & cold.

Actually, we're (VICS) are going for back to back. It's the Ford Ranger (One-dayers) that have been the stumbling block. The Vics have been overall the most dominant of recent times in reaching finals in all forms of cricket.

From Hookesy to Shipperd the Vics have really been the dominant force domestically on a consistent basis. Whereas other teams such as NSW, QLD, Tassie have randomly been hot & cold.

Yes i know that but overall we have blown too many finals in all types of the game for my liking.

We are talking about the Big V here!

We are talking about the Big V here!

Really ?

I thought we were commenting on my mum's baked scones ?!

Please excuse me.

The Vics are in with a good show - the percentage of Shield finals won by the home team in recent times must be very high.

I agree too. Clarke is employed by Cricket Australia to play cricket. How many other employers would allow you to quit for an indefinite time because your idiot girlfriend can't control her own life?

He shouldn't have left NZ. We have phones and the internet now.

I think plenty of employers would allow you some time off when in the midst of a relationship breakdown, particularly if you're working overseas at the time.

I think plenty of employers would allow you some time off when in the midst of a relationship breakdown, particularly if you're working overseas at the time.

Whilst he has personally gone through a tough patch, I'm sure he will receive great support from his peers and the public. Although, not so much support onfield from the opposition ( ).

I was amused to hear (flat track bully) Mike Hussey tell all in NZ to lay off sledging Clarke on field. Ie. A no-go zone.

What a joke !

If I was a NZ player, I'd be saying it's open slather on the sledging.