First-Class Matches Australia 2005/06 and 2006/07 and South Africa 2006/07

Lehmann, aided by his unbeaten triple-hundred, topped the 2005/06 season’s batting averages (among batsmen with over 500 runs) with 1168 runs at 89.84. Despite this, he was not called upon by the Australian selectors and thus played all his matches for South Australia. Matthew Hayden (1217 at 57.95) and Brad Hodge (1019 at 48.52) also exceeded a thousand first-class runs. The irrepressible Shane Warne took the most wickets, claiming 52 at 24.90, but the first-class averages were headed by Jason Gillespie with 40 wickets at 21.27. Jamie Cox and Greg Blewett were notable among the cricketers whose first-class careers came to an end in 2005/06. Cox, in a career that began in 1987/88, had shown himself one of the finest cricketers to emerge from Tasmania, and will also be remembered with great affection by followers of Somerset. But a career total of over 18,000 runs at an average of 42, including 51 centuries, did not impress the Australian selectors, and he never represented his country at full international level. Blewett, whose first-class debut was in 1991/92, represented Australia in a 46-Test career notable for a memorable 214 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1996/97 but also for his continual struggles against spin. Pura Cup 2005/06: Final table P W L LWF DWF DLF Pts Quot 6 0 2 2 0 1 Queensland 10 5 2 0 2 1 34 1.195 2 Victoria 10 4 3 1 2 0 30 1.047 3 South Australia 10 4 3 0 1 2 26 1.022 4 Tasmania 10 4 3 1 0 2 26 0.924 5 Western Australia 10 3 4 2 1 0 24 0.868 6 New South Wales 10 3 4 0 1 2 20 0.990 FINAL: Queensland beat Victoria by an innings and 354 runs 8 Australia in 2005/06 and 2006