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How will your team will go this summer? John Polack looks at your states chances this summer. New South Wales Blues Having proved the most successful team in the history of Australian domestic competition, there is no doubt that the results of the recent past have represented quite a shock to all associated with the New South Wales state team. Indeed, if the Blues' players and supporters had assumed that the practice of winning titles had become a habit, then they have been forced into quite a reappraisal in the (near to) seven years that have now transpired since their last such success. [More] Queensland Bulls The reigning four-day champions and the reigning one-day runners up have a hard act to follow if they are to go anywhere near equalling the stellar standards of last season. But then again, Queensland has been the pacesetter in interstate cricket, to all intents and purposes, for the best part of the last decade. Accordingly, the production of another brilliant season seems nigh on a formality. [More] Southern Redbacks Predictions about South Australia's potential fate are probably fraught with more danger than those for any other team in the lead-up to the 2000-01 season. Since 1996-97, not all that much has been achieved in the way of results. But, having earnestly rebuilt their squad over recent seasons, there exists a sense of freshness and hunger about the Redbacks' approach which bodes well. [More] Tasmanian Tigers For Tasmania, season 2000-01 is going to be all about seizing opportunities. Seizing the opportunity to rebuild, seizing the opportunity to blood and encourage younger players, and seizing opportunities to finish off games in better style than it has tended to do in recent times. [More] Victorian Bushrangers Atonement is often a powerful motivating influence in sport. When carried by a team that also happens to be extremely talented, then it can give rise to an almost irresistible force. And it is for those reasons essentially that Victoria looks magnificently placed to make a major assault on this year's Pura Cup. [More] Western Warriors Extraordinary depth in batting talent will be of huge benefit to the Warriors as they chase a third first-class title in four seasons. But for all of the brilliance that they possess in the likes of Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Ryan Campbell, Murray Goodwin and Tom Moody, they will have to confront two significant (and interrelated) obstacles if that prize is to be claimed. The first is a suspicion that they are going to find it difficult to capture twenty opposition wickets on a consistent basis. The second is the reality that the wicket square at their home ground in Perth is not quite the haven for pacemen that it once was. Indeed, as staggering as the claim might sound, it even appears to have become more suited to batsmen than bowlers in recent times. [More]
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