Story Brendon vs Callum vs Jono - A Worcestershire Battle

[CG123]

I was afraid that would happen to me.
Mooen Ali and Shakib were really your only two players who turned up.
Like you said a lot comes down to how Vikram Solanki plays, if he makes a good score up top it really sets a platform, in saying that he made a duck for me in my first innings.

 

[hedger_14]

Like he played crap for me and look how the team went. And I have a feeling, I might go the worst out of us, at least for the first season.

 

[CG123]

Lol at Shaun Udal not playing, he's there captain in real life.
A great batting effort in the first innings for you.
Interesting to see all of us play Moeen Ali at three, considering he wasn't even in my default line-up.
Solanki looks to be a bit of a Dlishan, he can bat, bowl and keep.

CG123 added 1 Minutes and 42 Seconds later...

Like he played crap for me and look how the team went. And I have a feeling, I might go the worst out of us, at least for the first season.

It's only been one game.
You have a good chance to get back in form next game against the university anyway.
I'm going to play my second game soon, as I got hockey tomorrow so won't be able to play it then.

 

[hedger_14]

I bowled Solanki for 3 over's in the first innings. I actually just played Ali at #3 cause the guy I wasn't going to play was batting at #3 and I didn't want Shakib batting at #3 so I just went with Moeen Ali. It worked pretty well for me but too bad, nothing else did.

 

[Chewie]

In real life, Ali bats at three/four I think. I thought it was weird Udal wasn't playing, he could have been injured I suppose.

 

[CG123]

Despite Shakib being our highest rated batsmen, I'm probably going to keep him at five/six.
I'll be trying out some of the other AR's next game, as I want to find one who can bat at seven, and bowl alright.

The line-up I'm probably be looking to play in the future is:

BAT - Mitchell
BAT - Solanki
BAT - Ali
BAT - Smith
AR - Shakib
BAT - Other batsmen
AR???
Keeper - Cox
BWL - Other bowler
BWL - Mason
BWL - Richardson

 

[Chewie]

Kervezee should be good, seeing as he plays for the Netherlands and is pretty good for them

 

[just_cricket]

Good writing and presentation from all of you!
But Chewie's writing is unbeatable - an absolute joy to read.
Good luck with the rest of the season!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Chewie hats off for the writing

 

[Imager36]

I think you'd better stick with Arif as the other bowler for a while, CG, he's always been decent on ICC games.

 

[Dutchmen]

BAT - Mitchell
BAT - Solanki
BAT - Ali
BAT - Smith
AR - Shakib
BAT - Other batsmen
AR???
Keeper - Cox
BWL - Other bowler
BWL - Mason
BWL - Richardson

Yep. as Chewie said, pick Kervezee as batsmen and go with four pacemen Gareth Andrew and Jack Shantry

 

[Chewie]

Worcestershire vs Leeds UCCE
University Match
15th April 2010


Playing XI?s

Worcestershire:
1. Neil Pinner
2. Vikram Solanki ? *
3. Alex Kervezee
4. Ben Smith
5. Shaaiq Choudhry
6. Nicholas Cleese
7. David Wheeldon
8. Joe Leach
9. Imran Arif
10. Gareth Andrew
11. Matthew Mason

Leeds UCCE:
1. Jonathan Mitchell
2. Gerald Kingsley
3. Jon Blundell
4. Alan Moon
5. William Whitehead
6. Jim Levy
7. Thomas Siddall
8. John Jefferson
9. Fred Supple
10. Anthony Stack ?
11. Ken Hunter
​

I made a number of changes from the playing XI from the last game in order to try out different players. The performers from the last game, Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shakib Al Hasan and Alan Richardson have all been rested and replaced by Neil Pinner, Shaiiq Choudhry, David Wheeldon and Gareth Andrew respectively. In order to try more players, Joe Leach has replaced Ben Cox. University matches are normally very easy to win, and are usually used more as practice matches to get players into form or try out new players.

I won the toss and decided to bat. Pinner played very defensively early before getting out to Levy. In contrast, Solanki batted rather aggressively and was unlucky to miss out on his half century. Having failed in the previous match both Kervezee and Smith were trying to stake out a claim for a position in the team, with Kervezee eventually getting out for 46. At the other end, Smith had seen two batsmen fall just short of their half century and was determined to carry on. While he managed to pass the nervous forties with no trouble, he was eventually out for 96. At the end of the first day we were 333/5, with Choudhry unbeaten on 75, with Wheeldon providing support from the other end. Both fell early the next day to Levy, who had 4 wickets at this point. A couple of balls later he removed Arif to have his first 5 for, and then it was Andrew walking back to the dressing room as he too fell LBW to Levy. It looked like Leach might not be able to showcase his batting skills, but he stuck around with the number 11 Mason to reach his half century before getting out, also to Levy as Mason was unbeaten at the other end on 43.

In their innings, the batsmen had no clue against Arif and Mason as they were reduced to 5/3 before Whitehead began to hit out a bit, smacking one six over cover. Arif took care of him too however with Leeds struggling at 34/4. Arif and Mason were getting tired however, so Andrew and Leach were brought on. Their bowling was much more tame, which Moon and Levy took advantage of until Andrew managed to catch Levy?s edge. The leg spinner Wheeldon was brought on and made an immediate impact with Moon out caught behind. At this point Mason was brought back into the attack, and he and Wheeldon dispatched the rest of the tail easily, Mason taking a five-for as Leeds were all out for 179.

The follow on was enforced with one over left in the day?s play, an over that was delicately played by the Leeds batsmen. As they had the previous day, Arif and Mason took quick wickets with Leeds facing the similar predicament of being three wickets down in a short space of time. Leeds played extremely defensively, with the bowlers going for less than 2 an over. Their defence was much more resolute this time around however with Blundell and Siddall providing ample resistance. At tea Leeds were 156/6, still 123 runs behind. After the break Mason took some more quick wickets, but a good partnership for the 9th wicket between Stack and Supple looked to save the match for Leeds. In the third last over Arif dismissed Stack, but Hunter?s defence couldn?t be broken, with the match ending a tie, Leeds having scored 253/9 in the second innings.

It was a good all-round performance from Worcestershire. A number of batsman put their hands up in our innings and this makes choosing the XI very difficult for the next match. With the ball, Arif confirmed his position as the third choice seamer behind Mason and Richardson, while Wheeldon?s spin was impressive at times.

I don?t really know how else to write but in a journalistic manner so my updates will probably be different to Callum and Brendon?s in this manner.

 

[CG123]

A pretty good effort by you guys there.
I'll post my match in an hour or so.

I've got ****en two injuries, and one of them is a three or four weeker to Ben Smith.

 

[Chewie]

Wow that is a huge blow. Sucks for you You've been pushing them too hard in training

 

[CG123]

I rested him for the Uni match, and then after the match it says he's been injured... Like wtf?