GAS and Redbacks gonna be like overturned ice cream vans tonight.
Felt a little ropey this morning, that's for sure
Seriously though, this has to be one of the most impressive wins this team has had, and not just because it was against those Victorian ***** (although that does help admittedly). Most pleasing thing of all is just how much of a team effort it was, almost everyone stood up at some point during the game. Hunt backing up his big ton last game with a well made 62 in the first dig was encouraging signs for his form getting back to where it was a few seasons back (globe in the second innings aside), where as J00f was the other way around, failed first up but his second innings runs were vital to keeping the momentum up. Similar can be said of Scott in the first innings, he also bowled handily throughout even if arguably a little underused in the first innings. Manenti had an excellent all round game, the lower order hitting was very enjoyable as usual but his bowling especially looked as good as it has in a while, took a couple of really sharp grabs at slip as well. Thornton finally making his FC dayboo absolutely looked the part, that second innings spell where he dismissed Chandrasinghe and Rogers seemed particularly rapid. Conway kept things under control, good wickets in the first innings especially and was economical throughout. But Pope was arguably the biggest positive, both for his wickets and for how he went about things more broadly. Far less reliant on the wrong'un than he has been in the past, while there was still the odd loose one his legbreak was about as consistent as I have ever seen it, got a few to really go a mile out of the rough, but just as impressive was the ball to get Harper, nothing really about the pitch on that one, just a textbook legspin dismissal
It wasn't absolutely perfect, plenty of unconverted starts across both innings is something that can be improved upon, but for the fact that the team were without some of their best and most reliable performers in McSweeney (who may not be playing that much more Shield cricket this season if he gets the Test opportunity, didn't foresee that at the start of the summer but if he does get the callup I would genuinely be thrilled for him) McAndrew and Buckingham (who himself may be out of commission for a while with a side issue) is something that I wouldn't have predicted but absolutely love seeing
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