Hodge to break Victoria games record

Brad Hodge will become Victoria's most-capped first-class player on Saturday when he takes the field in a Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania at the MCG and surpasses Darren Berry's record of 138 appearances for the state. Already this season Hodge has overtaken Dean Jones as the leading run scorer for Victoria.

However, Hodge's celebrations have been tempered by the knowledge he has only managed the achievements because his international career has never quite taken off. Hodge was 30 when he first played for Australia in 2005-06 and he has been used for six Tests and 25 one-day internationals.

"I would have liked to have played more games for Australia, but it hasn't turned out that way," Hodge told the Herald Sun this week. "Deano played over 50 Tests and more than 130 games for his state. If I'd have achieved those numbers I would've been happy, but I'm 46 Tests short."

Hodge still holds a Cricket Australia contract and played the most recent of his Tests in the Caribbean this year but he knows that, turning 34 next month, time is against him to add significantly to his international tally. He has become a semi-regular "next-in-line" player and is often the man Australia call into squads late when injury strikes another batsman.

But he remains proud of his achievements with Victoria and he nominated as a career highlight the 2003-04 Pura Cup triumph, which was an emotional time for the players as their coach David Hookes had died two months earlier. Hodge also enjoyed the experience of bursting on to the state scene as a teenager and playing alongside some icons of Victorian cricket.

"When I started there were some great names I played with," he said. "[Shane] Warne, [Paul] Reiffel, [Merv] Hughes, Jones, [Tony] Dodemaide. To be able to come in at 18 and play with those guys, who were legends at the time, is a highlight."

Hodge hopes he can add another first-class title to his list of achievements, with Victoria sitting third on the Sheffield Shield table after three games. On Saturday they begin their first home match of the campaign and they will be without Cameron White, who was not named in the squad for next week's first Test in Brisbane but will be rested after his busy tour of India.

"We feel he's had a significant workload. He's weary and a bit worn out," Victoria's coach Greg Shipperd said. "Already this season he's gone to Darwin, captained Australia A in India, played a Test series in India. There's a huge amount of cricket ahead and we felt Cameron had to have a little time to gather and reload."

Shane Harwood has been included in Victoria's 12-man squad as a replacement for Darren Pattinson, who has a groin injury. The first day's play will begin at the unusually late time of 1pm to allow players involved in Friday night's All-Stars Twenty20 game in Brisbane to return to Melbourne in time.

Victoria squad Chris Rogers, Nick Jewell, Brad Hodge, David Hussey (capt), Rob Quiney, Andrew McDonald, Matthew Wade (wk), Damien Wright, Clint McKay, Shane Harwood, Jon Holland, Dirk Nannes.

Tasmania squad Rhett Lockyear, Michael Dighton, Travis Birt, George Bailey, Daniel Marsh (capt), Dane Anderson, Tim Paine (wk), Luke Butterworth, Gerard Denton, Brett Geeves, Ben Hilfenhaus, Tim Macdonald.