Having generally underplayed its merits for many years, the Australian
cricket media took an exceptional interest in the country's domestic
first-class competition in 1999-2000. Not in the quality of play,
though, but rather a controversial name-change that ensured the
long-term survival of the country's nursery for future international
stars.
In that sense, there was nothing to quite match the fuss this summer.
But the 2000-01 season did not prove substantially less eventful - at
least not as far as developments on the field of play were concerned.
For the first time in recent memory, as many as six batsmen (Simon
Katich, Jamie Cox, Greg Blewett, Jimmy Maher, Brad Hodge and Jason
Arnberger) availed themselves of the opportunity provided by the Pura
Cup to cross the 1,000 first-class run barrier for the season. It had
been seven years since as many players had scored so heavily.
But that was not to completely discount the impact of the bowlers,
either. Joe Dawes, in particular, enjoyed a memorable season, repaying
the faith that Queensland selectors had continued to invest in him after
many years on the fringe of the state team. In a season in which bat
tended to dominate ball as a rule, the impact of Dawes and fellow Bulls'
pacemen, Adam Dale and Andy Bichel, was crucial. They were the three
leading wicket-takers of the Pura Cup season and it was accordingly no
accident that their team led the table for most of the summer as well.
The Pura Cup pacesetters for much of the last seven years, the
Queenslanders seized their fourth domestic first-class crown when they
staved off a determined challenge from Victoria in late March in the
competition's concluding match. Hampered by the loss of Matthew Hayden,
Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz to international commitments and injury
for long periods, the Bulls didn't look quite as sharp at times this
season as in previous years. But they have a wonderful winning know-how
and relied it on again to produce the right results at exactly the right
times.
Victoria also maintained its impressive recent record, not only by
finishing as runner-up for the second successive year but also by
pushing the Queenslanders close to the brink of defeat in a Final that
consistently engaged the emotions. While it provided little comfort to
them, the Victorians left the Gabba in the knowledge that one hotly
disputed decision - involving a possible slips catch - might, in the
end, have proved the difference between defeat and their first
first-class crown in ten years. It was that close.
Top Run Scorers |
Player |
Runs |
Avge |
Team |
GS Blewett |
1162 |
68.35 |
SOA |
SM Katich |
1145 |
71.56 |
WA |
J Cox |
1070 |
66.87 |
TAS |
BJ Hodge |
973 |
54.05 |
VIC |
JP Maher |
946 |
59.12 |
QLD |
|
|
Top Wicket Takers |
Player |
Wkts |
Avge |
Team |
JH Dawes |
49 |
20.46 |
QLD |
AC Dale |
46 |
23.39 |
QLD |
AJ Bichel |
40 |
21.80 |
QLD |
J Angel |
37 |
23.43 |
WA |
MWH Inness |
33 |
27.57 |
VIC |
|
|