Welcome to my blog about cricket, the universe and everything (apologies to Douglas Adams). Many things about cricket seem to be bothering me lately but the one that has made me feel sad is the reitrement this season of Martin Love, Andy Bichel and Matthew Hayden. In one fell swoop there are no longer any players left from the team that won Queensland's first Sheffield Shield. I feel a little like an old fogey saying this but it feels like yesterday, even though it was 15 years ago. After so many failed attempts and near misses the feeling of relief at wining was equal to the joy. Oh the agony of all those nera misses - I remember being in South America and still hearing about our loss in the '92/93 final (no mean feat in pre-internet days) So, even though the logical part of my brain knows that teams are constantly rebuilt and that there will be more Sheffield Shields in the future, it saddens me to think that I'll never again see Andy Bichel bowling with Secombe, Love and Law behind the wicket.