T20 WC ROUND UP

Spring has arrived and for Davo and the rest of us at The Shed, that means pre-season training. While Davo's slogging his way through backyard circuit work and cursing interminably about the lawn not being mowed, I've been chinwagging with my mates, er, I mean, contacting the Thunder's excellent eavesdropping sources.

Slowly but surely Australian cricket is recovering from it's post-World Cup hangover and this week in preparation for the coming Twenty/20 World Championships we’re delighted to bring you a wrap of all the recent news concerning this somewhat premature tournament that begins on September 11.

Twenty/20 is still in its infancy Downunder - Australia has only played five matches - and the perpetually smirking Australian skipper Ricky Ponting constantly and patronisingly refers to the format as ‘hit and giggle’.

However, cricket starved paceman Brett Lee has an entirely different view, “Twenty/20 cricket has got a lot of merit. Parents can take the children down after school," he enthused. "On a hot day, it won't start until afternoon and there is lot of entertaining cricket as well - people hitting sixes, stumps flying everywhere."

Few in the squad share Brett’s ardency. Taking a breather while training with the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League squad earlier this week Andrew Symonds was bemoaning the fact that he, ”might have to take it seriously”. Considering that Andrew already has a T20 century under his belt and a career strike rate of 200+ one can only wonder what he will achieve when forced to apply himself.

In their infinite wisdom and natural indolence, the Australian selectors decided that the all-conquering and undefeated 2007 World Cup squad deserved first crack at the inaugural T20 tournament. There are however, a couple of forced changes to the bowling attack.

Brett Lee returns replacing the irreplaceable and incomparable Glenn McGrath and in what The Thunder considers a fantastic development, Shaun ‘Snowtown’ Tait failed to recover quickly enough from elbow surgery and has been substituted by the 2007 Bradman Medallist and cult Tasmanian hero, Ben Hilfenhaus.

It is lamentable that we will miss the shadenfreude of Lee and Tait bowling in tandem with a new ball at makeshift openers like Matt Prior, but there is no doubt that Tait would have been wayward and that is a luxury in such a short format.

23 year old Hilfenhaus, the brightest bowling prospect in a generation, has spent the entire winter working with reverse-swing guru and fellow Tasmanian, Troy Cooley. Hilfy's ability to move the ball away from right-handers, in the air and off the pitch, make him an ideal counterpoint for the pace of Brett Lee and the metronomic Stuart Clark. Add the left-arm angles and expert changes of pace that Nathan Bracken delivers, with the precocious ability of Mitchell Johnson, and Ponting looks to have more seam-bowling variety at his disposal than at any time during his successful reign.

The T20 Championships will be new coach Tim Nielsen’s first foray into international cricket and this alone is enough to make sure that Australia arrive in South Africa with all guns blazing. Tim noted this week that, “Pride is at stake” and reminded all that ”Australia take every match seriously”. That the team will wear their surnames on their backs instead of their nicknames and that Gilly won't be commentating is, I suppose, evidence of Australia's more earnest approach.

With a fit and motivated bowling attack and the strongest batting list in world cricket, Australia are overwhelming favourites to add the T20 Trophy to their already overflowing cabinet. It promises to be an interesting tournament and all of us at The Shed are anticipating a green and gold parade on the national team's return.

In other news, there is a rumour flying around The Shed, no doubt started by local chain-smoking gossip and irascible resident tea-lady Peg Milkingthorne. The unconfirmed whisper from The Dungeon is that a Googly Fantasy League will be created for this exciting tournament that begins in just under three weeks.

Davo, Peg and I certainly hope this is the case, for it sure will be fun matching wits with the other correspondents and especially our loyal readers. Pipping the Tooting Trumpet on the line again - as was the case at the last World Cup - would make it extra special.

We await further developments.