True Blues believe in NSW national XI
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Global Cricket Ventures-BCCI
It’s been said that New South Wales players are given a baggy green as well when they are handed a state cap. Will Swanton, writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, takes it further: just pick a NSW-only Test team and be done with it.
Pipe down, Victorians and assorted other non-Blues. NSW have proved themselves as the dominant provincial side in the world, let alone Australia, so the selectors might as well just flood the Test XI with Blues - 10 of them plus captain Ricky Ponting, who lives in Sydney anyway.
And before all those Victorians and assorted other non-Blues start moaning about NSW's struggles in the Sheffield Shield, come for a meeting in the fair dinkum department - the only reason they don't win the Shield every year is the unavailability of their premier players who are representing their country.
Cast ahead to the first Ashes Test against England next year. Australia lost the urn, NSW can win it back. A Blues-Only-Plus-Ricky-Ponting Test team isn't remotely far-fetched.
Bryce McGain, the legspinner, plays his first game for Victoria since returning 0 for 149 on Test debut in South Africa. Chloe Saltau spoke to him for the Age.
Peter English is former Australasia editor of ESPNcricinfo