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Craig HillSelectors exhale as MCG crowd sighs for Hodge’s 99 not out
February 4th 2007 23:49
After only two double figure scores in his previous seven one day outings in the green and gold it wasn’t only Brad Hodge who was relieved at having cracked it for an innings of substance last night at the MCG. Retained in the squad after a serious injury to Andrew Symonds, Hodge repaid the faith of the selectors who until now have endured a poor run of one day scores from this exciting prospect.
In the past Hodge has done himself no favours at all by openly questioning the selectors' decisions in omitting him from the one day and test sides, just ask Stuart MacGill how many Christmas cards he gets from the selectors. One might even be so bold as to suggest that Hodge was only first choice replacement for Ponting and then Symonds because of the collective guilt in axing him from the test side last summer, remembering that Voges was included in the test squad ahead of Hodge after Martyn's retirement earlier in the summer.
Hodge however, laid those demons to rest last night with a superb innings under pressure. The Kiwis were in control for much of the match and it was only the patient and ultimately effective and exciting partnership between Hodge and Ponting that took the game away from NZ. Hodge's first 18 runs came as singles from a total of 36 balls, the remainder of his innings providing a terrific display of measured batting where the total of 291 was the highest score overhauled in ODI's at the MCG.
With the announcement of the World Cup squad on 13 February and a large injury cloud hanging over key player Andrew Symonds the selectors will be pleased to have Hodge as form player in the squad. Between Friday’s injury to Symonds and Hodge making his mark yesterday untested but exciting prospects such as Voges, Thornley and Cosgrove will have entered the selectors’ thoughts. They need not worry, at 32 years of age and with a long apprenticeship to his name in state cricket Hodge will make an ideal tourist for the Carribean in March.
In the past Hodge has done himself no favours at all by openly questioning the selectors' decisions in omitting him from the one day and test sides, just ask Stuart MacGill how many Christmas cards he gets from the selectors. One might even be so bold as to suggest that Hodge was only first choice replacement for Ponting and then Symonds because of the collective guilt in axing him from the test side last summer, remembering that Voges was included in the test squad ahead of Hodge after Martyn's retirement earlier in the summer.
Hodge however, laid those demons to rest last night with a superb innings under pressure. The Kiwis were in control for much of the match and it was only the patient and ultimately effective and exciting partnership between Hodge and Ponting that took the game away from NZ. Hodge's first 18 runs came as singles from a total of 36 balls, the remainder of his innings providing a terrific display of measured batting where the total of 291 was the highest score overhauled in ODI's at the MCG.
With the announcement of the World Cup squad on 13 February and a large injury cloud hanging over key player Andrew Symonds the selectors will be pleased to have Hodge as form player in the squad. Between Friday’s injury to Symonds and Hodge making his mark yesterday untested but exciting prospects such as Voges, Thornley and Cosgrove will have entered the selectors’ thoughts. They need not worry, at 32 years of age and with a long apprenticeship to his name in state cricket Hodge will make an ideal tourist for the Carribean in March.
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