Story Club Life - The Diary of a County Cricketer [C2007]

[evertonfan]

Early Doors
​

April 1st 2007: At long last my boyhood dreams have come true; I've been given a professional contract at the tender age of 18. Ever since I was a little boy lurking about in the streets of Liverpool i've dreamed of playing football for Everton, up until I realised that I was actually pretty decent at this cricket lark. This unrecognised talent came to the fore during a game of cricket with my mate after a training session for my local Sunday league side whereby I played this odd game for the first time. "Corr Dave! This balls a bit heavy innit?" I exclaimed in a state of sheer surprise as I thought it would be tennis-ball weight as I picked it up. I was then advised on how to bowl the flippin' thing; "But what's the point of doing all this run up and windmill nonsense when I can just stand on this line and throw it?". I was then told that this was known as 'chucking' and that it was outlawed in the game. Fair enough I thought, i'll bowl it normally. The speed gun clocked 75.2mph and my mate was in a state of sheer disbelief at the express pace I had just gathered. "Is that good then?" I queried innocently only to be asked to do it again by my mates coach just in case it was a fluke. Sure enough, I walked back a few paces, sprinted in, did the windmill thing and this time it was 76 mph. "Right that's it son, your signing for us!" said my mate's coach who was still utterly shellshocked by what i'd just done...

In years to come i'd progress into a talented all-rounder who was taking wickets for fun and chipping in with the odd 50 or 100 every now and again in the club circuit and it was clear to everyone that I was destined for great things. Soon enough, I was signed onto the Lancashire youth programme and still, I was taking wickets for one and still mashng up the opposition bowling with my bat.

Now all the years of hard wor....well come to think of it, it hasn't really been that hard. Nevertheless, all the years of work have paid off and I finally get to live my secondary boyhood dream; To be a guest on Soccer AM. Oh crap, I mean be a professional cricketer. I'd still swap it all for a guest slot on Soccer AM next to the lovely Helen Chamberlain though...​

 

[Simbazz]

Nice start Matt we all know that chipping in with a 100 in real life would make you claim that you actually are and allrounder

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Club Life - The Diary of a County Cricketer [C2007]

You missed the bolded part
And you are about as much an allrounder as I am!!

 

[evertonfan]

Also before I start i'd like to clear something up;

This isn't actually what i'm like in real life, i'm just exaggerating.

You missed the bolded part

Your eyes are failing you.

 

[Simbazz]

What the chipping in with 50's n 100's or the 74MPH every ball?

 

[GrayNicolls]

Nice start. Very strange for you to be bowling in mid 70s on your first go.

 

[Deleted member 13648]

I'd still swap it all for a guest slot on Soccer AM next to the lovely Helen Chamberlain though...​

As would I Matthew, as would I...

 

[evertonfan]

Making an Impression​

April 2nd 2007 - I get up at 6:30am so I have enough time to get ready for my 9am press conference with Lancashire and the local papers. Apparantly i'm the hottest prospect ever in County cricket and i'm destined to play for England. I can't be that good surely? Anyway, I put on some suave clobber stragight from my Ian Poulter fashioned wardrobe and eat some Cheerios for breakfast. I then brushed my teeth and got into the more serious aspect of the morning; Styling my hair. It started badly, I dropped my tin of Brylcream styling clay on the floor and my dog began to lick the contents. "Oh crap!" I yelled as I realised that I would have to use another hair styling product. Sure enough, i'd used every other clay, wax, spray moose or gel and the only thing I was left with was my mum's hairspray. Sod it, i'ts either this or go au naturale and I really didn't want to go to Old Trafford in my 'bed head'. An hour of combing, plucking, garotting and hitting the wall in anger ensured that I eventually had a suitable hairstyle for the day. Next stop, Old Trafford. I ordered a cab to take me there and as usual, the driver asks me a completley uninteresting question which I feel abliged to answer. Don't you just hate the small talk your forced to make with these unkown strangers? Anyway, I arrived at the Old Trafford gates with 10 minutes to spare and the fare for the cab was an astonishing ?15.23. That's bank holiday service for you.

9:05am - I am greeted by Mike Watkinson the team coach and Mark Chilton the skipper as I am immediatley shoved into my new Lancashire strip and ushered out into the sacred Old Trafford pitch. A few handshakes all-round and a quick photograph here and there made me feel an amazing sense of pride in myself. From then on all I had to do was sign my pro contract and I could go home knowing that I would be playing for Lancashire over the next year.

When I got home I recieved a fax from Old Trafford showing my details;
​

Surname: Roberts
Forename(s): Matthew Craig
DOB: 30/12/90
Player Style: Bowling All-Rounder
Batting Style: Right Handed Lower Order
Bowling Style: Right Arm Fast
Coaches Notes: Confident lad, likes his hair, aggressive with the bat, scares the hell out of me when he bowls. We've grabbed on to a winner with this kid.​

 

[evertonfan]

Kitting Up​

April 3rd 2007 - Today I had to journey to Goodison Park and sign my new bat deal. I was hnoured to meet up with Everton skipper and former Lancashire youth all-rounder Phil Neville who used to play his cricket alongside big Freddie. I exchanged a few words with him about my career and he said he'd seen me play and looked forward to seeing me represent the red rose of Lancashire. It was at this point when I rather shyly asked him for his autograph but the response I got was something I never imagined would happen. "Never mind an autograph lad, you can have a season ticket and a signed shirt from all the lads!". Unbelievable, I usually fork out ?250 for a season ticket but here I recieved one for free along with some precious Everton memorabilia. Once i'd signed my contract to use the Everton bat for all of my games I was pretty much ready to leave the ground and go home but not before getting a congratulations from none other than Tim Cahill before I left.​

One for the scrapbook; Me looking shy at the launch of my new bat.

This is the bat I shall be using for the entire season. I have no problems using it as it's made from specially selected English willow but most importantly, it has that beautiful Everton badge on it.​

 

[GrayNicolls]

Haha. Nice bat. Already in an England shirt?

 

[surendar]

Already in an England shirt?

Yes, so much self confidence... is it not evo? Gud Luck with this mate!

Btw, its a nice bat!

 

[plympilgrim]

wow nice start evo, i like the bat (close to your heart)

 

[gamerkid22]

nice bat there . also nice story . nice work mate.

 

[evertonfan]

I'd just like to explain that this story resolves soley around me so when i'm bowling i'll be autoplaying everybody else's overs and when batting i'll autoplay when i'm not batting.

 

[Simbazz]

I like the bat Im pretty sure it has nothing on my Kookaburra Genisis