I could have added a bucket load to my 18 had I kept batting last week, but unfortunately a days play has to end and on Saturday I knew as soon as I woke up that I wasn't feeling sharp.
Sure enough I was bowling by an in swinger after a couple of overs, that I really shouldn't have had too much trouble with.
Again our batting lineup faltered and we fell 14 runs short of a target we should have easily achieved.
But it isn't the last we are going to hear about this game. Manly played a bowler not on their team sheet and he took 2/6 off 6. There is this agreement with Manly that if players get called up for higher grades, they are allowed to chop and change their teams. But we have no evidence of a player being involved in a higher grade game, telling us that Manly are abusing their freedoms.
Now, we don't deserve the points from Saturday and we still may not have won had this player not played, but Manly can not get away with things like this, they just come across as having the attitude of "we are Manly we can do what we want". And it is totally unfair on every other team in the comp.
Also my bowling enthusiasm has been re inspired after watching Glenn McGrath go around on Sunday night. TC will be back this week, I guarantee wickets.
Average: 11.8 (Up 1.5)
Stay tuned to TC Cricket, the TC Ink Backyard Cricket Series has begun. Footage and results up soon. TC, Brick, Davo, Jake battle it out to obtain backyard cricket royalty.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
My Most Incredible Win Ever in Competition Cricket
On Saturday we pulled off something special, we managed to snatched a game that was all but lost and it was easily the most incredible victory that I have ever been involved in in a game of cricket, if not anything.
Batting first after another lost toss, North Steyne scored at 4 an over for the most part of their innings, while we consistently took wickets. Unfortunately towards the end of their innings we probably should have finished them off for around 20 runs than what they got. However they finished at 8/144.
Dee was fantastic opening the bowling, he bowled his 7 overs straight for only 15 runs and undeservedly no wickets.
I replaced Mick after he bowled 4, and my first over was a handy maiden. While I didn't bowl badly, the North Steyne batsman found it easy to play off the front foot and I probably should have tried bowling just short of a length. Their left hander who top scored for them had a lot of luck, hitting numerous lofted cover drives only just over the heads of fieldsmen. I bowled out their captain who was looking dangerous and finish with 1/33 off 6.
Freddy was brilliant again, he cleaned up and kept it really tight. 4/16 off 7, remarkable figures for a one dayer.
Ozzie, dropping down from 1st grade looked really sharp with the ball but didn't pick up a wicket. Mick picked up the other 3.
Our innings followed the same course of every other game this year. We experimented opening with Mick in an attempt to get a quick start. Cammo went early, hitting his own stumps of all things and was shortly followed by Mick. Freddy went quickly and it was up to Pete and Ben to try and recover things. They could only manage a 32 run partnership before Pete was caught for 29 and 10 runs later Ben was bowled for 11. Steve and Dee didn't hang around for long.
I joined Ozzie with the score at 7/65 (24 overs gone) and victory seeming pretty impossible. I felt great with the bat, I hit some great drives and made no mistakes. We ran between the wicket really well and had a pretty solid partnership. Unfortunately it came to and end when I hit a drive straight back at the bowler who took a good catch, dismissed for 18 with the score at 92. Brown came and went for 5 and at 9/102 (we needed 43 off 18 balls) morale was low and we were all just waiting for the last wicket and defeat.
The next two balls Ozzie belted a 6 and a 4 and we grabbed 15 off the over. Darren did a great job of rotating the strike. Oz smashed a huge 6 off the next over and combined with a heap of twos thanks to some superb running between the wickets, all of a sudden there was a chance of victory with 15 needed off the last over. The first ball disapeared for 6. The second ball sailed over the rope and all of a sudden the ball was in our court. A doll ball followed and it was 3 from 3 needed. Ozzie drove for a single and then two drop and run singles followed, with victory being achieved on the final ball.
We couldn't believe it on the sideline, we were all ecstatic that our first win had come in that sort of fashion. Ozzie batted amazingly, finishing with 57* and the good news is, it looks like he'll be playing for us again next week.
And I got it all on video. CPCC TV footage is already up on YouTube, and it will be added to the site shortly.
An improvement was made on most of my goals, so I will list the good ones.
Goals Update
Lead Comp: 6th (Up 1)
Batting Average: 10.3 (Up 2.8)
Batting first after another lost toss, North Steyne scored at 4 an over for the most part of their innings, while we consistently took wickets. Unfortunately towards the end of their innings we probably should have finished them off for around 20 runs than what they got. However they finished at 8/144.
Dee was fantastic opening the bowling, he bowled his 7 overs straight for only 15 runs and undeservedly no wickets.
I replaced Mick after he bowled 4, and my first over was a handy maiden. While I didn't bowl badly, the North Steyne batsman found it easy to play off the front foot and I probably should have tried bowling just short of a length. Their left hander who top scored for them had a lot of luck, hitting numerous lofted cover drives only just over the heads of fieldsmen. I bowled out their captain who was looking dangerous and finish with 1/33 off 6.
Freddy was brilliant again, he cleaned up and kept it really tight. 4/16 off 7, remarkable figures for a one dayer.
Ozzie, dropping down from 1st grade looked really sharp with the ball but didn't pick up a wicket. Mick picked up the other 3.
Our innings followed the same course of every other game this year. We experimented opening with Mick in an attempt to get a quick start. Cammo went early, hitting his own stumps of all things and was shortly followed by Mick. Freddy went quickly and it was up to Pete and Ben to try and recover things. They could only manage a 32 run partnership before Pete was caught for 29 and 10 runs later Ben was bowled for 11. Steve and Dee didn't hang around for long.
I joined Ozzie with the score at 7/65 (24 overs gone) and victory seeming pretty impossible. I felt great with the bat, I hit some great drives and made no mistakes. We ran between the wicket really well and had a pretty solid partnership. Unfortunately it came to and end when I hit a drive straight back at the bowler who took a good catch, dismissed for 18 with the score at 92. Brown came and went for 5 and at 9/102 (we needed 43 off 18 balls) morale was low and we were all just waiting for the last wicket and defeat.
The next two balls Ozzie belted a 6 and a 4 and we grabbed 15 off the over. Darren did a great job of rotating the strike. Oz smashed a huge 6 off the next over and combined with a heap of twos thanks to some superb running between the wickets, all of a sudden there was a chance of victory with 15 needed off the last over. The first ball disapeared for 6. The second ball sailed over the rope and all of a sudden the ball was in our court. A doll ball followed and it was 3 from 3 needed. Ozzie drove for a single and then two drop and run singles followed, with victory being achieved on the final ball.
We couldn't believe it on the sideline, we were all ecstatic that our first win had come in that sort of fashion. Ozzie batted amazingly, finishing with 57* and the good news is, it looks like he'll be playing for us again next week.
And I got it all on video. CPCC TV footage is already up on YouTube, and it will be added to the site shortly.
An improvement was made on most of my goals, so I will list the good ones.
Goals Update
Lead Comp: 6th (Up 1)
Batting Average: 10.3 (Up 2.8)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A Few Runs Hit
It was defensive and scratchy but I needed time at the crease and that's what I got.
I got lucky early on, my first run came off a poorly timed, spooned chip to square leg, just to the right of a fielder. I popped another drive up a little later on but it didn't carry and also survived a couple of LBW shouts. Other than that I was doing quite well, grabbing a few singles here and there to slowly trudge my score along. My main aim was to protect my wicket, the game was gone when I came in at number 9.
I smacked a uppish cover drive through a gap for my solitary four, quite unusual for me considering I was out there for 23 overs. I struggled with spin again, playing and missing at a few leg spinners. Probably just need to stop committing on the front foot so early, need to get back.
I was furious with my dismissal on 17, a slow swinger who was bowling outies changed one up with an in swinger. I picked it early and tried to turn it around the corner and somehow it took my leg stump. Clearly not taking guard in the right spot. To make matters worse, it was the guy who didn't give my LBWs.
But it was a good innings, 60 partnership with Dee who batted superbly for his 60. We'll be pushing for him to open in the one dayer next week at the Plateau.
My average has skyrocketed to 7 and a half, halfway to my goal.
I have started a numbering system with my collection of playing shirts. The first one to be numbered was my shirt from Saturday, "17", for the score that I got. Its time to get superstitious as I find out which shirts I bat/bowl best in!
I got lucky early on, my first run came off a poorly timed, spooned chip to square leg, just to the right of a fielder. I popped another drive up a little later on but it didn't carry and also survived a couple of LBW shouts. Other than that I was doing quite well, grabbing a few singles here and there to slowly trudge my score along. My main aim was to protect my wicket, the game was gone when I came in at number 9.
I smacked a uppish cover drive through a gap for my solitary four, quite unusual for me considering I was out there for 23 overs. I struggled with spin again, playing and missing at a few leg spinners. Probably just need to stop committing on the front foot so early, need to get back.
I was furious with my dismissal on 17, a slow swinger who was bowling outies changed one up with an in swinger. I picked it early and tried to turn it around the corner and somehow it took my leg stump. Clearly not taking guard in the right spot. To make matters worse, it was the guy who didn't give my LBWs.
But it was a good innings, 60 partnership with Dee who batted superbly for his 60. We'll be pushing for him to open in the one dayer next week at the Plateau.
My average has skyrocketed to 7 and a half, halfway to my goal.
I have started a numbering system with my collection of playing shirts. The first one to be numbered was my shirt from Saturday, "17", for the score that I got. Its time to get superstitious as I find out which shirts I bat/bowl best in!
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