2006nationalstop10

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Top 10 most used lines

10. The chicken noises that graced the dorms at 1am in the morning!
9. What a Queenslander!
8. What a Player!
7. What a shot!
6. What a bowl!
5. Little Wood, Little Wood!
4. Woody! (later turned Noody!)
3. (Directed at Goat Boy/NSW) BAA BAA, BAA BAA!!
2. That's a fine!

..and at number one...

(In a cheap Mexican accent)
Hey Viddy, want to go get some pizza?

Queensland's team song for the tournament
John Butler's Zebra... well just the opening riff anyway. No one else knew the words!

Top 10 Moments +2

12. Dorm Life
One of the greatest thing about the tour was the time spent together in the dorms. Many times we would crowd into someone's room and just chat about anything but cricket. Ironically we were dorming at a secondary school, cause the way we were acting totally suited the IQ and maturity requirements.

Everyone was always on the watch out for their room getting trashed, or having their furniture relocated to another part of the building. A few of the guys managed to move Liam's mattress and cover his bed frame rather cleverly with his blanket and pillow. So when the time for sleep came for Liam, and with the boys giggling behind the corners in anticipation they werent dissapointed with Liam jumped into bed, hitting his head on the metal frame, and burst out into several loud one syllable words.

Waking up on the last morning at 5am, and finding Neo flat on his back, in Derka's room not knowing if he was choking to death or just simply laughing in a drunken stupor definately left me dissapointed I didnt have a video camera on me for the benefit of Youtube.

11. The flight back home.
The Flight Steward was a crack up with his safety procedure commentary, provoking the team to constantly shout out 'What a shot/bowl/Queenslander! And having Peter Garratt across the aisle from me is something Ill always treasure.

10. Liam's Adelaide Stakes Horse Race,
Liam had the guys create a horse to bet on for the race on the final night. Pulling 20 names out of the hat, he then created an awesome call, all of it add-lib. Liam had eveyone in stiches and gasping for air. Great to see that Goat Boy didnt finish the race.

9. Game 5; South Australia Gold Vs NSW
After having Goat Boy cheer on South Australia Red in our defeat, the boys were pretty fired up in exacting some revenge. NSW needed 17 runs, Gold (and QLD) needed one wicket to win. So we did our part and lined the balcony of the pavilion and urged the boys home! NSW cut one to backward point, and OUT! Which resulted in massive cheers from South Australia, as well as from 15 Maroon clad boys 120 metres away! After much celebration, the team erupted into verses of BAA! BAA! BAA! When SA Gold walked up to the Balcony, they were greated with applause as if they had just won the Ashes! And as they walked under, the boys showed their generousity by sharing with them some of their beer, which they freely sprayed over them.

8. The Great Race.
It consisted of the slowest players to grace a ground during nationals. Hearing the team cheer on Woody all the way down the stretch, with his little Woody legs propelling him as fast as a speeding snail was gold! After snapping the finish line, seeing Derka Derka and Chook hoist Woody on their shoulders and have the team jumping around shouting "Little Wood, Little Wood!', it wasnt hard slotting this into the top 10.

7. The Fines Committee
No, having my wallet emptied of all my shrapnel wasnt the fun part, but having the team gathered around our Pool/Physio table every morning roaring with laughter made QLD the tightest team there, and according to Alice, the friendliest...hmm I wonder if that has anything to do with some certain players. I think Josh Brandon was the main culprit with fining everyone and ironically the person who put the most money in!

6. Game 3; Derka Derka's 54 in a tight run chase against Western Districts.
It was an innings full of pure timing and stroke play right out of Michael Bevan's book. Mind you there were some strokes that Bevan would have a hard time playing. Working in 10 run increments while constantly calculating the required run rate, Derka brought us back into the game after being 5-97 chasing 219.. I was lucky enough to be at the other end as we put on 52 in 66 balls. When he was caught behind of a no-ball, I thought it was his day and he would bring QLD home, unfortunatley he was given run out when we needed him most going down by 20 runs. His paddle shot from outside off down to fine leg for 4 was pure class.

5. Game 4; Chico's 100 against Competition winners, Southern Districts (Victoria)
Neo had to summon all his Matrix powers for this game as we were definately facing the best attack of the comp. Coming in early at the pivotal number 3 position, and with the ball swinging more than a drunken boxer, Chicko blunted the aggressive attack with some great defence, temperment and discipline. Looking to stay around as long as possible, he looked for the gaps and stowed away any high risk shots. 30 overs into his innings, he then went beserk! I was lucky enough to have the best seat in the house as we put on the highest partnership of the tournament with 143 runs. Interestingly, Chico always asks the umpire how many balls are left on the 4th ball of the over. Chico then pulled out all the shots from his piercing cut shots, to his trademark cover drives, all the way to his sweeps and in the process racked up one of the best, hardest and most deserved 100's I have seen in a long, long time. Considering he was sick from his rampage on the city the night before, it made it even more special!

4. Varun's Nationals Performance
No doubt the youngest player at the Nationals, Viddy played with the experience and skill of players twice his age. In his very first game, Fitty came in at 7-63 and put on a National Championships record partnership of 54 for the the 8th wicket. Later on he went on to capture 3-26 earning him, deservingly, the Man of the Match Award. Throughout the Championships Varun was always one of the hardest batsmen to dismiss in the line up with some tight defence, and when he got the loose ball, he easily put them away to the boundary. Whenever he had the ball, Varun always got the much needed break through. And who can ever forget his send off against Southern Districts. This kid is only 16, can you imagine what it will be like for him at the next Nationals in Melbourne?

3. Game 4; Stinky's bowling performance against South Australia Red
This was my rest day, and even though I was 70 metres from the action, I could tell that this was something special. Stinky opened our attack and bowled non stop till lunch, then bowled his heart out till the end on a hot day. In all Stinky bowled 18 overs and claimed 5 scalps along the way, but could have had more, but the batsmen werent good enough to get near him as he ripped through them like Indian Curry. It was heartbreakening that the winning runs were hit of Stinky, the person who had put so much in. Seeing him painfully take off his spikes, his feet bloodied and blistered was a performance worthy of an Australian Baggy Green.

2. Game 3; QLD Vs NSW
The much anticipated match for the great rivals of the comp ended up in one of greatest come backs of all. NSW chasing 130 were cruising at 1-83 till Woodie came on and decided to win the game all by himself. Woodie enticed a caught and bowled, and in his next over, Errol took a blinder at slips, NSW were 3-87, the rot had begun. One thing I will always remember was our wicket celebrations. It was pure ectasy, with Woodie going beserk in the middle of it all. Everyone always came in to celebrate with everyone else. With Josh on the sideline, draped in the QLD flag, cheering us all, how could you not be fired up!. NSW lost 7 wickets for 23 runs, however they just managed to drag themselves across the line. Darn you Goat Boy! Dont worry, QLD had the final say and the adage, 'He who laughs last, laughs loudest' is so true. Woodie won the man of the match taking 4-34 of 13.

1. Day 4; QLD vs Southern Districts
The highlight of the Tournament happened off the field.This game was pure heart. Riding on Chico's great 100, we had them 8-148 chasing 188, unfortunately we didnt claim the final 2 wickets. Stinky once again bowled with ticker taking 3-46 and Fitty bowled excellent claiming 4-43. At the end we were mentally and physically shot. We had put every ounce of strength, determination we possesed into this game.

In the locker room, it was just silence. Josh got up, walked to the middle of the floor, and told us that he had never been so proud of a team... then he paused.. and burst out into tears. He then sat back down, head in hands crying. Sitting on the sideline would have been heartbreakening for him, seeing what the guys had put into the game that day. We just sat there in silence, quite a few of us in tears. I have never been prouder being in a cricket team.

Shot of the Championships- "What a shot!"
Derka Derka's lofted drive for 6 over Deep Mid Off, from a left arm spinner. It was his first ball after drinks and we made it a goal to get our eye in. Obviously his eye was.
Chico's massive 6 over Cow Corner against the howling wind also gets a mention.

Ball of the Championships- "What a bowl!"
Rhys 'Lightnings' first ball ever at the Nationals was a pearler! Swung in to the right hander, ptiched, and straightened to take the top of leg stump. A ball you would hate to face straight up. I wasnt keeping in the last game but Im sure Stinky wouldve bowled some corkers. Liam's offie to bowl Hayes through the gate was a gem as well.

Catch of the Championships- "What a player!"
This would be the hardest to choose from. Liam and Ekka's mix up reulting in Liam taking a full length dive on the adjacent used pitch was pure athleticism. Against NSW, Ekka took a great reflext catch at slip, Chico took a great forward diving catch at mid wicket, Chook took a great sliding catch at deep gully but the catch of the Championships would go down to Robbie 'Buckets' and The Chosen one-Neo. Both very similiar catches, both were placed at short cover to have the ball BLASTED in their general direction. These guys would had to seen the ball in slow motion to take these catches cause I was 5 metres away from the batsmen and I didnt even seen the ball!