sign in sign up
<<
Home , Brad Hodge, Mohammad Hafeez, Rob Quiney

52 SPORT FRIDAY MARCH 14 2014 Nhulunbuy caught up with in2CRICKET

Mo-Joh CRICKET will be the focus of ence some of the fundamentals officer Tenille Rickard is excit- will provide the opportunity the Gove town of Nhulunbuy of cricket in a friendly and fun ed about the Nhulunbuy event. for children in Nhulunbuy to on Sunday with an eight-week community environment. “It is fantastic and inspiring learn new skills and to play the MILO in2CRICKET course NT Cricket will also co-or- to see enthusiastic and dedi- game of cricket in their local starting at Nhulunbuy Primary dinate two full days of cricket cated volunteers willing to pro- community,” she said. School from 2pm. clinics and provide coaching vide recreational services to The eight-week program could be For boys and girls aged 8-13 education to local volunteers children living in regional costs $75 and includes a back- years, MILO in2CRICKET who will the sessions. areas of the Northern Terri- pack, cricket bat and ball, hat, provides the chance to experi- NT Cricket development tory. The in2CRICKET centre drink bottle and T-shirt. lost if toe Big-hitting Hodge the woe fails T20 star By ROB FORSAITH

BRAD Hodge joked after gaining his recall to the Aus- to heal up tralian side that it took Jesus three days to rise after death, while it had taken By BEN DORRIES and action for a month. The last the 39-year-old some six years. RIZWAN ALI time he sustained a foot injury In his third T20 interna- it sidelined him for seven tional since, Hodge crashed THE World Twenty20 could months – and he considered it two sixes in the final over to lift lose one of its biggest draw- a blessing because it gave him a to a miraculous five- cards with look outside the cricket bubble win over South Africa and his menacing moustache he had lived in since his teen- in Durban. likely to be sidelined with a se- age years. With play delayed by rain verely infected big toe. The current injury is not for two and a half hours the Ashes hero Johnson was nearly as bad but Johnson will game was reduced to seven due to leave Perth on Sunday be desperate to recover in overs a side. to link with his teammates quick time. Hodge showed exactly why ahead of Australia’s first game Even if he misses Australia’s he was recalled for the T20 of the World T20 in Bangla- World T20 mission, there is a World Cup, belting consecu- desh, against in pot of gold waiting for Johnson tive sixes as Australia chased on March 23. next month in the Indian down their target of 81 runs Johnson, 32, had been sent Premier League where he is a with two balls remaining. home from South Africa and $1 million player for the Kings The tourists brought up the ordered to rest up ahead of the Punjab XI. winning runs when Wayne World T20. But five months of Meanwhile, Pakistan’s cap- Parnell sent down a wide after bowling carnage may have fi- tain Mohammad Hafeez is Hodge’s lusty hits, finishing nally taken its toll on cricket’s hoping will be fit 5-82 after they scampered man of the moment. in time for the World Twen- through for a run. His injury flared from foot ty20 after the hard-hitting all- “I had to get the ball over blisters and especially his right rounder delayed his departure the fence a couple of times to big toe which is Johnson’s to . win the game,” Hodge said of front-landing foot in his explo- Afridi played in the Asia his thoughts as he started the sive stride. Cup final on Saturday with final over with Australia 15 The infection has also painkillers after he hurt his runs short of victory. spread into his right foot, hamstring with some powerful Hodge, at No. 6, was which suffered a pounding hitting during two nailbiting the ice-cool finisher after through five consecutive Tests victories against India and David Warner put his side on at home over summer as the Bangladesh last week. track for victory with a dashing left-armer smashed through “As a I need a fit knock of 40 from 16 balls. in a historic Ashes Afridi, and that’s why we have “That’s my role. I’m just whitewash. given him time to rehab,” Ha- here to complement those “Mitch has been home in feez said. guys up the top, use my experi- Perth recovering from the Test Afridi is expected to miss ence and it all worked out in series against South Africa but the warm-up match against my favour today,” man of the has developed an infection as a this weekend, match Hodge said. result of a cut he had on his but his fitness could be tested The fact Hodge (21 ) right big toe after the 3rd Test,” in the second warm-up game and (four not Cricket Australia chief medical against South Africa next out) – both quite capable of officer Justin Paolini said. Wednesday. clearing the rope – were the “He is receiving treatment Afridi is the most capped men in the middle at the death but his departure to Bangla- player gives a fair indication of how desh for the ICC World T20 with 70 matches, bagging 73 strong Australia’s batting may be delayed until we are with his legspin bowl- order is. happy that the infection has ing and scoring 1044 runs at an “The hits just keep on com- been resolved and his toe fully impressive strike rate of 143.01. ing,” Hodge said, less than two recovered.” Hafeez said fitness was one weeks before the start of the Johnson is on a heavy of the key issues with the team T20 World Cup. course of antibiotics and is because it has been playing “There’s a lot of power hit- understood to have been ad- international cricket non-stop Veteran Australian batsman Brad Hodge hits out against South Africa with an unorthodox one- ters ... it looks a pretty decent vised that he could be out of for five months. handed pull shot during yesterday’s T20 International at Kingsmead in Durban side.” Tas win for the books Marsh ton WA lifeline Bulls’ dashed Hopes TASMANIA’S Evan Gulbis ing home their advantage to A GRITTY from where no other batsman has WITH a berth in the Sheffield 273-run first-innings lead at etched his name into Austra- roll the Redbacks for just 123 Western Australia batsman reached 50. Shield final on the line, 8-483 midway through the sec- lian cricket record books yes- and win the match by their big- Shaun Marsh has given NSW a He was caught behind off Queensland skipper James ond session. terday with a brilliant innings gest-ever margin – an innings tense final day run chase in the bowling of Josh Hazle- Hopes has bemoaned his side’s Despite the strength of the of 229 as the Tigers annihilated and 316 runs – in the process. their Sheffield Shield clash in wood (3-53) to wrap up WA’s poor catching after Victoria Victorian fight back, Hopes South Australia in the Shef- Coming into the match it Canberra, with the winner to second innings of 316, setting surged to 0-109 at stumps yes- said he had no reservations field Shield match in Hobart. was the Redbacks who hoped host next week’s final. NSW a victory target of 213 on terday on day three of their about the timing of his declar- But his personal record to secure the points required to After three straight ducks, a tricky Manuka Oval wicket. clash at the MCG. ation. “No, it makes me upset wasn’t the only one to fall on a guarantee their place in a first Marsh played one of the gutsi- The game still hangs in the Rob Quiney (57) and Dean about how we catch,” Hopes stunning third day’s play, the Shield final for 18 years. But est innings of his career against balance, albeit with NSW Russ (47) were unbeaten at the said after the Bulls grassed five Tigers first notching their they’ll return to Adelaide after NSW at Canberra’s Manuka ahead at 2-103 and 110 runs close of play with the Bush- chances by his own count. highest Shield score by posting a string of disappointing re- Oval yesterday to finish with away from victory at stumps rangers trailing by 164 runs “We dropped a few today a first-innings 651 before driv- sults to close the season. 113 off 246 balls in a match on day three. after the Bulls declared with a and that has cost us.”

NTNE01Z01MA - V1