Vics eye triple-crown

Veteran batsman Brad Hodge is hopeful that Victoria's pre-season focus on Twenty20 cricket will not have a negative impact on the state's campaign to defend its Sheffield Shield title.

The Bushrangers have been living, eating and breathing Twenty20 in the lead-up to the Champions League starting in New Delhi from next Thursday in which the world's 12 leading domestic teams will be competing for $6.8 million in prizemoney.

While a strong performance in India has the potential to kick-start the Bushrangers' season, Hodge appreciates the importance of maintaining standards throughout the summer.

"Our preparations have certainly been circled around the Twenty20 and that's the start of the year," said Hodge.

"I guess that once we're finished this phase of the start of the season then we'll move towards the Sheffield Shield."

"It is a bit of a different start for us and I guess we've got to adapt to that."

"Some could say that it's not ideal if you're not in the Twenty20 side, but most of the guys are training well and playing hard and I think once we arrive back from India we'll certainly have our minds switched on to defending our Sheffield Shield."

Asked about the prospect that the Vics could challenge for the Triple Crown - the Shield, domestic one-day and Twenty20 titles - in 2009-10, Hodge's Bushrangers team-mate Andrew McDonald said: "It's one of our goals every year".

"This year we've got four competitions on offer, four chances to win titles."

"We've made the finals in all three two years in a row now so to keep us at that level is going to take some adjustments and take some really good preparation and work."

"That's still alive for us; we've got the group to be able to win three titles this year."

While domestic affairs take priority, both McDonald and Hodge are nevertheless looking forward to the task at hand in India and the prospect of advancing deep into the tournament.

Victoria's Champions League campaign gets underway against Group D rivals the Delhi Daredevils at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi next Friday.

"They've got a super-strong side," said McDonald of Delhi with whom he played in the IPL.

"I'd say they're probably one of the early favourites for the competition, so we're going to have our work cut out."

"It's going to be pretty hot in the kitchen over there and we're not expecting too much in terms of the tournament."

"The wickets, everyone knows what to expect, but it's just acclimatising to that new pressure - 80,000 people (at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium), that's going to be an experience in itself."

Hodge said he intends to make the most of every opportunity in India, starting on Friday when he's set to come to blows with Bushrangers team-mate Dirk Nannes who's contractually tied to Delhi through the IPL.

"Chances are I'll be probably taking the first ball against him," said Hodge of the rangy left-armer who's made such a big impression on the Twenty20 stage internationally.

"It's obviously something we can't get around."

Said McDonald of the Nannes-Hodge encounter: "It's a great opportunity to pit ourselves against the best, and Dirk's one of the best."

"Hopefully Hodgey can get the better of him in the first five overs and we can get off to a flying start and beat Delhi and go one win up in the competition."

Hodge said the Bushrangers had done their homework on the third team in their group, the Wayamba Elevens from Sri Lanka, and would be careful not to underestimate them.

"You've got probably two chances early to get it right and you can be out first ball or you can go well and I'm hoping that I can get one good score out of the two (group matches)," he said.

"If I can get two then it should help the team, but I'm sure if I miss out then someone else will get someone else will get some runs anyway."

"The plan is just to go out there and play with some freedom."

Asked whether the huge financial incentive had any bearing for the Bushrangers, McDonald said: "In this competition you could pay zero dollars and I think we'd still go".

"I don't think the money's got anything to do with it … it's an opportunity to represent Victoria on an international stage and I think if you said to the players you're going for free I think they'd be happy to."

"We don't sit there and count our bank account balance when we're in the nets, do we?"