Coach's Corner: Hungry to achieve
Wed, 17 February 2010
We remain hungry to achieve as we head into our northern tour with two big games against the Queenslanders, the first on Saturday followed by the four-dayer from next Monday. I was thrilled and very proud of the team after the New South Wales win, our fourth from four in Melbourne so far this summer. It gives us a handy break at the head of the Shield table and if we can continue to play disciplined, competitive cricket, we know we can chip away and score more points to help us into another final. We'd also love to be hosting the Ford Ranger Cup, but that's only possible if we can defeat the Queenslanders who are always a handful, home and away. We have been challenged all year with injuries and the like but the boys are very proud and very passionate about playing for each other. Our theme against NSW was for the older guys to really support the younger ones and it happened at every turn. It was a happy group on Monday night as we sang our victory song before heading off into town for the AB Medal count. We'd come off a fighting two point game against the Tasmanians and had to make more enforced changes but everyone stood up when it counted. Chris Rogers showed just how much it means to him to be playing for Victoria. To score 80 not out from 100 or so balls literally getting up off his sick bed helped us to an important lead on the first innings, which we were able to capitalise on later in the game through Huss, Lloyd Mash, Finchy and Big Ronnie McDonald. The evergreen Damien Wright played a brilliant game again. Darren Pattinson also has a huge heart and showed us just how much he wanted the opportunity coming off the injury bench and helping to skittle the NSW boys on the Saturday morning. And as he has done for some seasons now Macca (Andrew McDonald) was again great for us, using his brains, skill and experience. His game stands like a beacon and I just hope the Australian selectors, looking for in-form players for the tour of New Zealand take notice of Ronnie as he is in even better form than last year when he made his Test debut against the South Africans. Mention, too, of some of the younger ones like Aaron Finch who has been one of many to give us enormous energy and movement in the field. Not everything we did came off against NSW, but it wasn't through any lack of effort. Every time you play NSW there is going to be high pressure and niggle and words spoken. To come through so well says a lot about how the boys are responding to their cricket. We expect Queensland to be coming at us just as hard. We're hoping to have Rob Quiney available again soon. Dirk Nannes has been nursed along. With such a big month of cricket ahead, we need him at his fittest. Matty Wade should be right after a back scare which saw Finchy keep for a time at the weekend. We know that the challenges will continue for us especially with Dave Hussey, Dirk Nannes and Cameron White a big part of Australia's Twenty20 team. We'd love to see three or four of our boys also make the NZ touring party. They have worked hard and deserve the recognition.
Greg Shipperd, Head Coach of the DEC Bushrangers
