Although hardly worth a mention, due to the overwhelming publicity machine of the cricket world cup, the Australian Sheffield Shield competition is nearing a completion. This long running four day series between the six Australian states will stage the final between the teams finishing first and second on Saturday. Victoria won the league with Western Australia taking second place.
As a result Victoria had the choice of venue, but because of the cricket world cup, the Melbourne cricket ground is not available and their other ground at St Kilda is being renovated. So they have selected their home venue to be the Blundstone Arena (previously the Bellerive Oval) at Hobart, Tasmania. Western Australia originally threatened legal action over this decision, saying that they should have been able to choose a home venue (the WACA in Perth) if Victoria could not stage the match at home.
Bellerive Oval, Hobart
However despite various problems with accomodation and travel, W.A. have now relented and the match will go ahead in Hobart on Saturday. The men from Perth achieved second place thanks to a draw with New South Wales this week. They passed NSW's total of 407 with ease, thanks to a huge second wicket partnership of 324 between young wicketkeeper batsman, Cameron Bancroft (211) and Michael Klinger (161). Captain Adam Voges then scored 83 and the innings finished on 483-4.
In matches elsewhere this week I am indebted to my Paris correspondent for information about a young Yorkshireman scoring a century for Queensland in Brisbane. Charlie Hemphrey, born in Doncaster but went to school in Kent, had played for Kent, Essex and Derbyshire second elevens before going to Australia. His first innings score of 118 was his maiden century in first class cricket. He did in fact play his only game for Derbyshire II against Yorkshire II at Derby in 2010. Yorkshire's opening batsman were Root and Ballance, but Hemphrey seems to have taken a little longer than his contemporaries to develop. However good luck to him, another small step towards Yorkshire ruling the cricketing world!
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