Ford Ranger Cup Victoria vs New South Wales – The interesting case of the magical Phil Jaques
by Juris Graney
History and statistics go hand in hand like chocolate chips and cookies, like beer and barbecues, like annoying people in queues who argue the most inane points and hold up the line when you are double-parked and in a hurry.
They can get a tad confusing at times and how much knowledge can be gained from delving into the history books compared to looking at current form is a matter of opinion.
Cricket Odds:
Victoria –140
New South Wales +110
Tuesday, February 9, 9.45pm
Take for instance the interesting case of New South Wales Blues opening batsman Phil Jaques.
The 30-year-old has a handy habit of carrying his bat through a 50-over innings, which in itself, logically leads to rather large individual scores.
Just last weekend he scored the second highest limited overs individual score, a cracking unbeaten 171 against Queensland that elevated him to cult like status in NSW giving him three of the top 10 highest individual scores in Australian domestic cricket, the most of any batsmen.
Not bad you say. Well if we take a wander down memory lane we can see one of two courses of action this weekend and for the Victoria Bushrangers, well they will be holding on to a slim hope that history repeats itself when they come up against the Blues in this Ford Ranger Cup match.
The first time he entered the list was way back in November 13, 2005 when he again took to the Queensland bowlers dispatching them to all parts of the Sydney Cricket Ground in a masterful 152 not out in 141 balls.
His next inclusion in the Top 10 list was the very next match when he bludgeoned 158 not out against South Australia in exactly 141 balls.
Now this is where Victoria comes in.
In his very next innings, Jaques, in the richest vein of form of his then fledgling career, strode to the wicket confidently and promptly last just a handful of deliveries scoring two runs.
It would be foolish to believe that Victoria hasn’t been scouring the video-tapes looking for a crack in the Jaques armoury.
Any opener that has enough tenacity to see out the full 50 overs is a hardened machine and one that needs to be dispatched and not even for the obvious run-scoring reasons.
If a batsman can occupy the crease or hold up an end then that team is going to be dangerous.
The Bushrangers lost to the Blues earlier this season in a most humbling matter, a four wicket loss after posting just 188 runs and there is a lot of pressure on this match for both teams, after all they are tied on the same amount of points floating dangerously outside finals contention.
A big win, a bonus point win here may get either one in reach of the final, a loss will almost surely end the season for one team.
All eyes will be on Jaques and if he gets going, those Victorian eyes will be wide open like saucers as balls go flying towards the Melbourne Cricket Ground boundaries.
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