BRAD HODGE RETIRES

[bulldogs]

I see Brad Hodge has announced his retirement from 1st class cricket.

[wycbloods]

Very surprising to see he will focus on the shorter form of the game after christmas.

I wonder how much effect it will have on the Vics title defence in the shield this season?

One of the best shield cricketers to have graced us the last decade.

[rod_rooster]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

[Footy Smart]

Thank Christ for that.... SA may have a shot of defeating the Vics now!

Quality player and im sure the bowlers out there will be jumping for joy

[wycbloods]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

I wouldn't think so RR. He has said he is doing it to devote more time to his young family, which is fair enough. He did slip the line in though that he was only ever a back up for Ricky Ponting and that wasn't good enough for him.

[rod_rooster]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

I wouldn't think so RR. He has said he is doing it to devote more time to his young family, which is fair enough. He did slip the line in though that he was only ever a back up for Ricky Ponting and that wasn't good enough for him.

Devote more time to his family whilst still travelling to India for the IPL What a crock. Realistically he won't get that much extra time to devote to his family by not playing first class cricket. He'll still be playing the one dayers and 20/20 crap.

[Hondo]

Devote more time to his family whilst still travelling to India for the IPL What a crock. Realistically he won't get that much extra time to devote to his family by not playing first class cricket. He'll still be playing the one dayers and 20/20 crap.

The IPL is what, 5-6 weeks? People talk like it's this huge commitment when I don't think it really is.

The state 20-20 big bash is 2 weeks?

That leaves the one dayers for Vic

I make it about 40 weeks off per year earning 10 times what most of us do with only 6 weeks off

I don't blame him if the selectors are clearly not going to pick him for Australia

[Lightning McQueen]

I thought he was just retiring from International cricket

[The Cadet]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

He cant do nothing right can he RR. This is a gutsy move by Hodge, realising the selectors were not going to pick him for Australia again. Instead of keeping a younger player out of the Vic first class side he will step aside and give a young player like Finch,Quinney,Mash,Hill or Blizzard a chance to forge a career for the Vics and hopefully the Test team down the track. I would still have him in my test team but as Stuart Clark has found out they are no longer picking these older players. I expect Clark to retire at seasons end and keep his game time to the IPL as well.

[CoverKing]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

He cant do nothing right can he RR. This is a gutsy move by Hodge, realising the selectors were not going to pick him for Australia again. Instead of keeping a younger player out of the Vic first class side he will step aside and give a young player like Finch,Quinney,Mash,Hill or Blizzard a chance to forge a career for the Vics and hopefully the Test team down the track. I would still have him in my test team but as Stuart Clark has found out they are no longer picking these older players. I expect Clark to retire at seasons end and keep his game time to the IPL as well.

If he cant do anything right according to RR it is evident he cant do anything WRONG with u Cadet.

Seriously the blokes a knob and im happy to see him retire. He woulda played more test cricket if it purely based on talent and runs, but its also based on how they fit into a team, and team harmony.

[Dogwatcher]

What exactly has Hodge done wrong?

[The Cadet]

What exactly has Hodge done wrong?

1 - Was dissapointed to be dropped 4 innings after making a double hundread and expressed his dissapointment when the media got in contact with him.
2 - Dosn't have Blonde hair.
3 - Would rather spend his time in the nets than lying on beach getting his tan perfect.
4 - Likes a cold VB at end of days play rather than Pups favourite Midiori.
5 - Dosn't confine himself to his hotel room playing with his X - Box.
6 - Answers quetions from the media truthfully about his future prospects of playing for Australia.
7 - Destroyed SA's attack everytime he played them.

[rod_rooster]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

He cant do nothing right can he RR. This is a gutsy move by Hodge, realising the selectors were not going to pick him for Australia again. Instead of keeping a younger player out of the Vic first class side he will step aside and give a young player like Finch,Quinney,Mash,Hill or Blizzard a chance to forge a career for the Vics and hopefully the Test team down the track. I would still have him in my test team but as Stuart Clark has found out they are no longer picking these older players. I expect Clark to retire at seasons end and keep his game time to the IPL as well.

Interesting how you see it but for mine once again this decision is all about Hodge and nothing to do with his team or team mates. Pretty much sums up his whole career. All about Brad Hodge and that is why he hasn't played more at the highest level. I don't know the guy but he comes across in the media time and time again as an absolute knob of the highest order.

[rod_rooster]

Devote more time to his family whilst still travelling to India for the IPL What a crock. Realistically he won't get that much extra time to devote to his family by not playing first class cricket. He'll still be playing the one dayers and 20/20 crap.

The IPL is what, 5-6 weeks? People talk like it's this huge commitment when I don't think it really is.

The state 20-20 big bash is 2 weeks?

That leaves the one dayers for Vic

I make it about 40 weeks off per year earning 10 times what most of us do with only 6 weeks off

I don't blame him if the selectors are clearly not going to pick him for Australia

So exactly how much more time away from his family would playing first class cricket cost him? Maybe intead of 40 weeks off he'd only have 36. Good on him for making lots of money whilst he can but why come out in the media with the bullsh*t about needing more time with his family? What's wrong with just saying "i've had enough and i want to cash in whilst i still can"?

[Gozu]

He sure is a strange unit. Is this just another grab for attention?

I wouldn't think so RR. He has said he is doing it to devote more time to his young family, which is fair enough. He did slip the line in though that he was only ever a back up for Ricky Ponting and that wasn't good enough for him.

Devote more time to his family whilst still travelling to India for the IPL What a crock. Realistically he won't get that much extra time to devote to his family by not playing first class cricket. He'll still be playing the one dayers and 20/20 crap.

Spot on, he contradicted himself by saying he would keep going if he knew he would play another 30 Tests or so, what about the family time then? The guy is a complete and utter wanker who has always batted for himself and put himself above the team. Too many times in ODI/ODD/IPL towards the end of an innings he'd leave the big hitting to whoever was at the other end and would just keep nudging it around with the ultimate goal of being not out afterwards, the man only ever played for his average. Once again yet another dummy spit on the way out. His goal of hanging around in an attempt to try and make next year's World T20 squad shows how deluded he actually is.

[Rik E Boy]

Piss off ya blouse. Hope you don't picked for our lawn bowls side either.

regards,

REB

[mal]

After watching cricket for about 40 years Ive come to this conclusion
Brad Hodge is prob the unluckiest cricketer in that time
He would have been a 40-50 ave Test cricketer for a decade
Unfortunately he could not break into a very strong AU batting line up in his younger days
Goes out with a test ave of close to 55 and a double ton vrs South Africa

You prob have to go back 71 years ago to another unlucky cricketer
Englands fast bowler Ken Farnes
Lords 1938 v Australia
OREILLY B FARNES
next ball
MCORMICK C BARNETT B FARNES
next ball the hat trick ball
FLEETWOOD SMITH egdes a ball to slips and COMPTON drops the catch !
3 years later whilst serving his country in WW2 his luck completely run out
He unfortunately died in an aircraft crash

Back to Hodge
I would appreciate if the Hodge critics take it easy on him
He is related on the wifes side

[rod_rooster]

After watching cricket for about 40 years Ive come to this conclusion
Brad Hodge is prob the unluckiest cricketer in that time

David Hookes, Darren Lehmann, Jamie Siddons, Stuart Law etc. etc. all say hello.

[mal]

After watching cricket for about 40 years Ive come to this conclusion
Brad Hodge is prob the unluckiest cricketer in that time

David Hookes, Darren Lehmann, Jamie Siddons, Stuart Law etc. etc. all say hello.

You forgot Aussie Blackwood who took 7 wickets on debut and never played for his country

[Dogwatcher]

After watching cricket for about 40 years Ive come to this conclusion
Brad Hodge is prob the unluckiest cricketer in that time

David Hookes, Darren Lehmann, Jamie Siddons, Stuart Law etc. etc. all say hello.

Interesting how you mention them....especially Hookes and Law...and then castigate Hodge for having some of the same foibles which saw their careers abbreviated.