Story A Tiger's Tale

[MaD]

Well thas alright, doing pretty well so far, too bad Paine didn't make it
Ponting got a little unlucky, great write up

 

[Prithvi]

from when Punter start playing Domestic cricket:laugh

 

[Covvy]

Read the first post.

 

[Prithvi]

I know. CA said that even CA contracted players will play domestic cricket...blah blah.....
But Actually, its looking ridiculous to see punter in Greens:laugh

 

[Covvy]

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Ford Ranger Cup- First Innings

Tasmania was now looking edgy as the Bulls increased the pressure by tightening the field up. It worked well for Queensland as Travis Birt soon spooned a poor shot back to the bowler, Ben Laughlin, to be out caught and bowled for a well played 39(53). The new man in was Lockyear and he looked to put the pressure back on the Bulls, smacking two fours in as many balls to make Chris Simpson re-think his field placements.

But a piece of brilliance soon relieved Queensland?s worries when Lockyear smacked a cover drive off Simpson, which seemingly was destined to go to the boundary, but the short cover fieldsmen dived far to his left and pulled off a catch which would go down with the best ever. With Lockyear now gone for 9, Tasmania was in some trouble at 5/182.

It was getting bleak for the Tasmanian side as next over their captain, George Bailey, was on his way back to the pavilion after nicking one off Laughlin for 8. Tasmania now needed the tailenders to wag quite some lot. And Brett Geeves and James Faulkner did just that, surviving a vital 5 overs and getting the runs over the 200 mark.

But their resistance soon fell as Geeves inside edged one off Cutting and was unluckily bowled for a valuable 18(17). The Tigers were now in danger of completely crumbling over as both Faulkner, and the new batsmen Doherty, were sent to take a long walk back thanks to a magnificent Captain?s over by Chris Simpson to leave the Tigers nine down for only 217 runs.

But Brendan Drew had other ideas of getting out as he went BANG in Cutting?s next over! A four, then a six started the over followed by two, two, dot and finally a single to take 15 off the over. Next over the umpire signalled the start of the batting powerplay as Drew was teeing off. More big hits followed, but eventually he fell for a gallant 22(13), top edging one off Hopes. Tasmania ending up with a defendable score of 242.

Tasmania 242 all out off 42.3 overs
R.Ponting 70(74)
T.Birt 39(53)
B.Drew 22(13)
C.Simpson 9-0-47-3
B.Laughlin 7-0-26-2
J.Hopes 8.3-0-49-2

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MK: Now I, Michael Kasprowicz, have the Queensland Bulls skipper, Chris Simpson, down here on the ropes with me. Thanks for joining us Chris, now you must be please with the way your bowlers fought back into the game?

CS: Thanks Kaspa, yeah I?m really impressed how us bowlers brought the game back into our favour. The fast men like Laughlin and Cutting were vital in our success and both bowled brilliantly, but it was all me in my opinion that changed the game. Those Tassie boys were completely bamboozled with my awesome bowling. I am as good as Warne, if not better.

MK: *Cough*Arrogant bastard*Cough* I completely agree with you, watch out Warnie! Anyway, what?s the plan of attack to chase down these runs?

CS: Basically try to get a solid start and see how it goes from there. If I was Tassie though, I?d look to not get any wickets so they don?t have to bowl to me. If I bat, we can?t lose.

MK: Okay?..anyhow, you?re well up there in selections for the national team so far this season. Any chance of making it?

CS: Well I?m definitely a shoe-in now, it?s all just a matter of whether I?m captain or not.

MK: So, why didn?t you guys bowl Ryan Harris, arguably one of the best fast men in the country?

CS: I was going to, but then I started to bowl brilliantly so there just wasn?t any room for him.

 

[MaD]

Haha ,Chris Simpson's a little up him self
242, a chaseable target but defendable, good luck

 

[just_cricket]

LOL!!!
This Chris Simpson seems like quite a modest guy - typical Aussie!
Great write up, kiu!

 

[Gaurav_7]

That is why I love this! The interviews are brilliant. I'm next on the interview list, Covvy?

 

[Aditya]

Great writing,i really love your presentation.

Good bowling there by Simpson. Ponting played a good knock for Tasmania hopefully this total will be enough for winning the match.

 

[blake]

Captain Obvious would be having a field day with Mad's replies...

Anyway, Covvy... gonna continue?

 

[Covvy]

Yeah i'm continuing with this for sure. I've finished the next update as far as playing it goes, just need to type it all up, possibly on the weekend.

 

[Covvy]

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Ford Ranger Cup- Second Innings

In the sunset of a warm evening, the Bulls opening pair, James Hopes and Nathan Reardon, strolled out to the crease followed closely by the Tasmanian fielders. Reardon and Hopes got off to a trouble-free start slowly but cautiously getting runs on the board. The opening bowling pair of Hilfenhaus and Geeves was surprisingly not causing any havoc to the batsmen and Tasmania had to re-think their strategy after 7 overs.

The partnership was soon becoming a worry with Faulkner coming into the attack to try and get the breakthrough. First over proved no luck for the young left-arm allrounder, but his second over produced the vital breakthrough, trapping James hopes LBW for 12(26), to stop their partnership just six short of 50.

The Tigers were now looking for another wicket, but despite immense pressure, new man Lee Carseldine did not budge and got himself in. Another worrying partnership was looking on the cards and Tasmania needed wickets fast before the match slipped away from them. In the 17th over, the Tigers thought they got the wicket they needed as Carseldine spooned a simple catch towards cover. But the man at cover spilled the beans and dropped him on 34, a very costly mistake.

But lucky for Tasmania, next over they got the other batsmen of Reardon out thanks to a nice flighted delivery by Xavier Doherty which Reardon misread and ended up getting a thick edge which was gobbled up by Ponting at Point for a solid knock of 40(51). But still that partnership was worth fifty runs which Tasmania couldn?t afford to have another one with the required run rate just over 4 an over.

Tasmania really were on fire when next over Lee Carseldine poked at one off Drew and was soon sent on his way, caught for 38(34) with the Bulls now 3/108. The Bulls were in some trouble so the two batsmen at the crease, Phillipson and Simpson, tried to reverse the pressure by going all out attack. It only worked for a few more overs though as Phillipson edged a brilliant bowl by Brendan Drew to be gone for 17(12).

The two relatively new batsmen now decided to go and just try to survive the next couple of overs. Despite Tasmanian?s huge attack and pressure, Simpson and Batticciotti did not crack as they survived the rough patch and now started to keep the runs flowing again. But just as they thought they got through it all, in the 28th Hilfenhaus bowled a slower ball which fooled Batticciotti into playing a wayward shot and therefore losing his wicket for 14(15) by been caught. Tasmania is now looking for more wickets, but the Bulls are still the favourites.

Queensland 5/153 off 30 overs require 90 runs to win
N.Reardon 40(51)
L.Carseldine 38(34)
C.Simpson 22*(36)
B.Drew 6-1-22-2
J.Faulkner 5-0-16-1
B.Hilfenhaus 7-1-40-1

 

[Covvy]

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Ford Ranger Cup- Second Innings

The Bulls were looking to steady the ship, hoping for a match-winning partnership. But at the moment it wasn?t happening as in the 31st over, the Bulls skipper played a horrible shot trying to smack Faulkner out of the ground over point, but the ball cut back towards him and he was comprehensively bowled for 32(43). The Tigers were now looking for another wicket to really turn the game their favour.

But Hartley and Ryan Harris had other ideas as both batsmen got set as the runs started to flow. But disaster struck again for the Bulls soon enough in the 36th over when a clever slower ball by Brett Geeves tricked Hartley as he skied one to Ponting at point to be out for 14(26). Geeves went ecstatic and you knew there and then that Tasmania now had the game under control.

Queensland needed a miraculous comeback to get the extra 50 runs required with only three wickets remaining. Ryan Harris was still ticking the runs over, playing the innings of his life. Tasmania was now looking for a new strategy as the runs required got down to 30 with 10 overs left. They needed wickets, and fast. George Bailey, with some assistance by Ponting, decided it was best to bring back on Hilfenhaus.

It payed dividends straight away as Hilfenhaus beat Rimmington with pure pace as the stumps went cart wheeling behind, he was gone for a mere 5 and Tasmania were deep into the tail. The Tigers really put on the pressure as Queensland got on the back foot.

It was all over when next Hilfenhaus over he firstly bowled out Cutting for 2 and capped off a brilliant display by dismantling the stumps of Laughlin for 4, giving Tasmania another win by 22 runs.

Queensland 220 all out lost by 22 runs
N.Reardon 40(51)
L.Carseldine 38(34)
R.Harris 32*(41)
B.Hilfenhaus 9-1-46-4
B.Drew 10-2-31-2
J.Faulkner 8-0-34-2

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BJ: Now I, Brendon Julian, have a very special guest down here today with me on the boundary line. Man of the Match, Ben Hilfenhaus joins me and what a great individual performance it was today by yourself snagging four wickets.

BH: Meh, it was okay I guess. I would have preferred to get one or four more wickets but it?ll do me suppose. I thought the boys played really well and truly deserved the win in tough conditions.

BJ: You guys are now on fire in both forms of the game, what?s the key to success?

BH: I?d put it down to how much we get along with each other and the brilliant pre-season we had. I can now definitely say that I?m much better than Geevesy and Punter at Golf. The team bonding sessions that our coach put on for us were great. One was quite unusual though as he chucked us all in a small room and turned the lights out. It was pitch black and everybody had no idea what was going on. Anyway we were in there for three hours and there were plenty of cries of ?Get you hands off there!?

BJ: LOL!!!!!1!!11 That seems like fun. Anyway, there was a bit of a confrontation in the game where Chris Simpson said something to you and you replied back to him, what was said?

BH: Well I was fielding and top edged one off James Faulkner and shouted out to me, ?I feel like different pie?s now, can you come on Hilfy?? I replied with ?Just go have a look at a video of your bowling ya god in disguise?. He got out next ball and I actually saw him later on watching himself bowl, eating a pie as well!

BJ: Well, it was definitely an entertaining game today folks, we look forward to more matches soon in the Australian domestic season. I?d like to say thank you to Ben Hilfenhaus for joining us today and goodbye for now.

 

[MaD]

The coachs strategies may be wierd but heck they work pretty well
The bowlers just ripped em but it wasn't a huge win
Great update, keep em comin