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

[evertonfan]

Okay my internet has been off for a couple of days so that's why I haven't updated since. Expect one later tonight.

 

[evertonfan]

Gearing Up​

April 5th 2007 - I was scheduled to have my first outdoor net of the season today but the good old Lancashire weather stood in my way. The pitch was wetter than any pitch i'd previously seen but despite my best efforts, I was made to train indoor instead.

Another run of the mill sunny day in Manchester.

I start off by batting against Kyle Hogg. From the matches i've seen him play in on Sky, he seems a very tall 'hit the deck' bowler and he caused me a lot of problems when I first faced him. Now Kyle Hogg may not be Glenn McGrath but he didn't half give me a difficult time of things. I started off very scratchy and kept edging the ball or missing it completley but after a few deliveries of of getting hit in the thigh and in my jewells, I managed to find some form. I perfected my front foot defensive and used it to good effect and I didn't let Kyle's steepling bounce effect me anymore. Ever growing in confidence, I decided to open up and play the more extravagent shots which left me feeling happy with my days work at the end of it. After that I moved onto my stronger suit, bowling.

Boycott would be proud: A textbook forward defensive.

Vaughan has his cover drive, Ponting has his pull, and I have my cut shot.

When it was my turn to have the cherry in my hand, I started rather waywardly. Stuart Law at the other end just told me to calm myself down and that's what I did. I soon got into a decent rythym and began troubling one of the best batsmen in the County game. With some McGrath-like metromony and Bond-like pace I started to get a few edges off Stuart Law and as my confidence grew I started to slip in a few bouncers and yorkers. Then all of a sudden it was time to pack up and leave after a 'hard' days work. But before I left Stuart Law uttered a few words that give my confidence a huge boost, "I'm glad your on my team this season".

Cop a load of that; Stuart Law takes one on the body courtesy of me.

Right in the blockhole; I hope to bowl a few batsmen out with this delivery during the season.​

 

[Leicester Fox]

thats adry dusty wicket compared to what i play on. With Bonds pace why aren't you in the England team

 

[plympilgrim]

great read evo, great pres, great everything really

 

[evertonfan]

Meeting McCullum​

April 6th 2007 - I woke up this morning to the news that Lancashire had completed the siging of their second overseas player, Brendon McCullum. I have great admiration for Brendon because I love the aggressive nature of his batting and his apparant flawlessness with the gloves. Even though today was meant to be my day off I decided to go to Old Trafford to meet Brendon and try to make a good early impression with one of my favourite cricketers. Sure as hell, I was on the next bus to Old Trafford because I really didn't fancy paying an enourmous fare for a cab again.

I arrived at the ground just in time to see two black cars pulling in and sure enough, Brendon climbed out of one of them. I went up to him and introduced myself and said that I was delighted to play alongside someone of his calibre and the response I got from him was truely heart-warming. "Well your part of why I came here mate. Matty isn't it? I've heard a lot about you and I want to see how you develop."

Did he really say that to me? Did one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen in world cricket really say that I was one of the main reasons for him joining Lancashire? I had an overwhelming sense of joy run through my system and the bus-ride home after that was quicker than any bus-ride had ever been. With less than two weeks until the start of the season the excitement was really brewing up and I just couldn't wait to take my firt wicket and score my first run.
​

Brendon McCullum; An excellent keeper and a flamboyant strokemaker.​

 

[Deleted member 13648]

Let's hope you actually get some edges through to Brendon then

 

[evertonfan]

He'll get plenty when i'm bowling.

 

[plympilgrim]

nice update evo, neat and simple pres

 

[Simbazz]

Lancashire made a cracking signing there, Matt you sure he can handle your pace ??

As for your trademark "cutshot," lets hope it brings you as many runs as the hook/pull has for Ponting.

 

[evertonfan]

The Debut​

April 19th 2007 - It's upon me. My first ever game of Lancashire and it what better scene than a soaking wet Old Trafford? I turned up to the ground eagerly awaiting the team sheet and I was confident enough to expect my name on it. It was.

What a sight; Who'd have thought Roberts would be playing alongside Flintoff?

Seeing my name alongside such wonderful cricketers like Cork, Murali and Flintoff sent a shiver down my spine. Was I really good enough to compete with these? Chilton went out into the middle alongside Middlesex captain Ed Smith and the umpire for the coin toss. Personally, I wanted to bowl as soon as I could because this pitch was typically bad for the start of the season. It was wet and soggy and looked awful to bat on so I really wanted to make the most of it. Smith successfully called heads but to everyone's surprise he chose to bat rather than bowl. Corky turned to me and said, "I'm gonna bowl them out so quickly that you won't even get a bowl lad". A typical confidence brimming statement from Dom and I was eager to prove the great man wrong.

Typically northern; Horrible weather makes for wonderful bowling conidtions at Old Trafford.​

 

[GrayNicolls]

Should be a good haul for young Matthew.

 

[evertonfan]

The Perfect Start​

April 19th 2007 - What a start! Corky and Jimmy get us off to an absolute flier to have them 3 before i've even bowled. And then the moment comes, 10 overs in, Corky's nackered and Chilts throws me the ball. It was time to shine. I did my usual routine before starting; Stretched my abdominals so as to prevent any strains.

No matter how nervous I was, I still had to do my routine stretches!

I run up to bowl my first ball. Will it go to second slip a la Harmison, or will it crash into the willow? Maybe it will be a no-ball and get hit for four?

It was a dot ball. Not the best ball i've ever bowled, a bit short and a bit wide but Strauss was in charitable mood and let it go, offering a wink and a smile afterwards. The rest of the over continued in similar fashion with a single taken off the last ball which in all honesty, would have been four if not for the fantastic fielding of Jimmy.

It was not until the 3rd ball in my second over that I got my first ever wicket for Lancashire and what better scalp than that of Strauss? I had bowled a ball just back of a length and it was bang in the corridoor and Strauss edged it to McCullum who lapped up an easy catch. GET IN THERE YOU BEAUTY!​

An edge, a catch, and a walking batsman.

Talk of the town; The dismissal of Strauss cued a mobbing from my teammates.

My next ball was a brute of a bouncer which was misread by the batsman and he copped a nasty one in the ribs. The next ball should have been my second wicket but the umpire felt otherwise...

Ouch and out?

It all got even better in the next over. After a few play and misses, David Nash thought he could attack me but unfortunatley for him, a 91mph straight ball went right through his defenses and I had two wickets.

What a beauty; Brendon bearhugs me as I put Middlesex further in trouble.

Shortly after that I was taken out of the attack to make way for Murali. No doubt Chilts underbowled me but it was the right move, he needed to make sure I didn't get complacent and I had no problems with the decison.

Murali took a wicket in his first over but no further breakthroughs were made as we reached lunch. Still, 6 down for not very many isn't a bad session is it? Especially when you've contributed to it by getting out one of the best openers in the world on debut.

What a position to be in; Lancs are well on top.

Not bad eh?​

 

[evertonfan]

Oh and don't worry, I will be reducing the sizes of the screenshots in the next update. Never realised that they were so big! :o

 

[Left_Hander]

Nice, very nice. 3 all rounders in one team - unusal. Nicely bowled there as well

 

[Simbazz]

Certainly unusual having 3 all-rounders, but i suppose you couldnt leave Fred out, leaving you out is the story over and Glenn Chapple is undropable by any true Lancs fan!!

Nice presentation, id say your pics are just the right size to be honest Matt!