Sport - Cricket

Hodge expects Victoria to do well

Chennai: Brad Hodge is looking forward to the forthcoming Champions Twenty20 League. He expects his team, Victoria, to fare well in the star-studded competition.

“We have a strong side. David Hussey, Cameron White and myself are good strikers of the ball and we have capable bowlers like Peter Siddle. We combine well as a unit and have shown plenty of character and fight in the domestic Twenty20 competition in Australia,” said Hodge.

The inaugural edition of the championship — to be held from December 3 to 10 — will be telecast live on Star Cricket.

The 33-year-old Hodge’s career throws up interesting questions.

He averages a whopping 55.88 in six Tests but does not find a place in the Australian team.

While a comeback to the Australian team figures in his plans, his immediate goal is to excel in the Champions League.

“The format has its demands. You have less time to settle down. You have to score almost straightaway and it is not easy.

“Some take two or three balls to assess the pitch, the bowling and the conditions. Others could take nearly ten deliveries. The pressure can build,” said Hodge.

The Aussie, however, was of the view that conventional stroke-play rather than slogging helped more in cricket’s shortest format.

“You can inflict a lot of damage with clean, cricketing shots. If you look at the Twenty20 matches so far, the sloggers have rarely done well.”

Who would be the favourite for the title?

“Well, Chennai Super Kings has a strong team. Rajasthan Royals is good too.

“The two Indians teams will be familiar with the conditions. The other sides will have to adapt quickly.

“But the Victorian team would back itself to do the job,” he said.

Hodge admitted that Australia was going though a difficult, transitional phase but expected Ricky Ponting and his men to bounce back.

“There is still a lot of quality in the side,” he said.

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