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SATURDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2001 Hot weather and hot cricket has been the order of the day in Adelaide over the past three weeks. With seventeen days of more than 35 degrees Celsius during a single month, January 2001 became the hottest month ever recorded! Ironically, the only rain we received was during the one-day international between West Indies and Zimbabwe on 25 January, where the month's average rainfall fell in the space of two hours! Enough about the weather and back to the cricket; 4 January saw the start of the Pura Cup match against the Blues with our beloved skipper, Darren Lehmann, winning the toss on a very hot day - 43 degrees - and electing to bat on a typical first day wicket at home. At the end of day one, the Redbacks were 6/352 with Lehmann not out on 131 after David Fitzgerald with a gutsy 107 and Greg Blewett a classy 80 had earlier set the tone for the innings. These three gentlemen thrilled the small crowd with a mixture of patience and audacious stokeplay. To their credit the NSW bowlers never gave up on an energy-sapping afternoon and took four late wickets for fifteen runs. Day two was Peter McIntyre's day. "Fourth Day" Mac produced vintage batting to be 29 not out (off twenty-four balls) at innings close, including four boundaries, and followed that up with 5/102 to help bowl out NSW for 265 and therefore gain for us a 163 run lead. Being a second day wicket with not much assistance just exemplified the quality of Macca's efforts and he had a useful ally in Mark Harrity who took three wickets from fifteen quick overs. 'Hags', as he is known, is back to his best which means only good things for our attack heading into the final weeks of the year. Our batting on day three set out to ram home the advantage and did so with Fitzy and Blewy both getting to fifty and cameos from Lehmann and Manou enabling us to declare some four hundred runs in front and getting an hour at them before stumps. Unfortunately we could only get one wicket before 6 pm, and we therefore needed nine wickets for outright points on the last day. Steady wickets fell throughout the first session leaving NSW six down at lunch. A rearguard fightback led by Shawn Bradstreet helped the Blues take the game into the final session but the Reds were victorious just after tea to win by 168 runs. Once again, Macca took two wickets and Brett Swain also bowled well for his two to end a great team effort all round. This game was an example to all of us that total application to the task at hand for four days will bring the desired result, a win and six badly needed points. From this game it was on to a day-night MMC match, also against NSW on 14 Janury in Adelaide. This game was also affected by hot weather and yes, we won the toss again and batted, as you do!! However, things did not go to plan and soon we were 6/189 and looking down the barrel. In steps former Queenslander, Mick Miller who, in the space of fifty-eight balls, amasses 82 runs and, with the help of Manou, closes the innings at 7/293. Mick's knock included eight fours and two big sixes.Following an excellent bowling and fielding effort we were able to dismiss the Blues for 269 and take top position on the MMC table going into our game in Tasmania the next week. Best performed bowlers were Harrity and stand-in skipper, Blewy. Next it was our turn to take cricket to the regional areas of Australia and play the resurgent Tigers in Devonport in a MMC match. The town was abuzz in anticipation of a close tussle and the game didn't disappoint. With a slow outfield and an unknown wicket, Blewy won the toss and decided to bowl first. This decision looked the right one throughout the Tassie innings with Swain, Harrity and particularly Macca being very miserly and consistent. This enabled us to restrict the Tigers to 9/194 after fifty overs. Macca took 2/28 off his ten in the best of a good team performance. What followed was a disappointing reply to a more than gettable total. Prior to the match, David Saker and Brett Geeves had to pull out through injury for the Tigers so, with 195 to win, we gave ourselves a very good chance of an easy success. However, it was not meant to be. With inspired bowling from Marquet, Young and Marsh plus excellent fielding to back it up, the Reds were bowled out for a mere 161, just avoiding conceding a bonus point. Our only shining lights were Blewy with 32 off forty balls and Shane Deitz with 44. We knew we had to win two out of our last three games so this was the loss we could afford, but another loss is out of the question. On a personal note, it was an honour to be selected for Australia 'A' once again along with Greg Blewett in the two one-day games against West Indies and Zimbabwe. My career highlight was the ovation I received when I walked out to bat and the chanting of "Blocker, Blocker" from the hill when I was bowling at the first game at "home" in Adelaide. This game for me, even though it was a disappointing loss for the side, made me realise what an impression I had made to the South Australian public over the years and, for that, I will always be grateful and humbled by the experience. In closing, it would be remiss of me if I didn't mention a couple of special performances from some Redbacks over the past month. Congratulations go to the following guys: Jason Gillespie for his outstanding comeback Test series, including nine wickets at the MCG; Darren Lehmann's selection in the Carlton Series Australian side; Squad member Luke Williams' outstanding form for the CBCA in the ACB Cup, leading the aggregates with 585 runs at sixty-five; Paul Rofe's great form with the ball in the same competition, also for the CBCA, taking thirty wickets at seventeen, including his first ever ten wicket match against Victoria - and he just turned twenty in January. Well done to you all from the rest of the Redbacks.Congratulations also to Greg and Jodie Blewett on the birth of their first child, a girl named Taylor during January. Speak to you soon Blocker
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