So tonight, because
@MattW is avoiding me like a jilted ex-girlfriend I switched on a casual T20 match against the AI. Gamecocks vs. BigAnt and was an absolute ripper, easily the best match I've had yet in the game. Gamecocks won the toss and we batted first, putting on about 70/1 after the first 8 overs and seemingly everything going along with no hiccup, then
@HBK619 came on to bowl and absolutely tore through the batsman. I had two batsman caught edging the ball to point and slip respectively, the rest were caught and one incredibly fast delivery that I just didn't pick at all and was plumb LBW. Gamecocks ended up limping their way to 148 off 19 overs, with my left-handed Sri Lankan Biggs top scoring 48 n/o (who's also my spinner, more on that in a second) ...and Mikey took a MOTM five-for.
@BigAntStudios came out to bat and smacked me around the park, I thought I was done for when they were 83 without loss after 5 overs and then all of a sudden I got
@Ross out on 49 with a corker of a delivery from my medium pace bowler. Short of a length, swinging in sharply, hitting the deck and then straightening to barely clip the edge of off stump. It was so light, only the single bail fell off (hadn't ever seen that before) and then I got this wonderful commentary about getting the batsman out on 49 and something about 'this could be a turning point'
...and it sure was!
Brought on my top scoring Sri Lankan Biggs and he ripped through the next 3 batsman, almost getting a Hat-trick. 2 bowled, one caught (I think it was Mikey again) slogging to cover... I changed my field slightly and brought a really straight in-close mid-on just to fake some pressure and the next batsman ended up hitting a catch straight to him! One run-out later and BigAnt were 120/7 with 4 overs to go and some tight bowling I thought I was in with a chance...
But it wasn't to be...
I choked in the next over with my spinner who got carted for 14 runs (with the field still up) and dropped a fairly easy C&B opportunity. Still took it to the last over, BigAnt needed 3 to win and the AI threw some odd quirks, leaving the first two deliveries that were wide of off-stump, odd... but I guess it ended up working because I dropped one short and got pulled for 6 to end the game.
When it works, kids... it works really well. The simulation of the AI swinging the momentum in it's favor twice in the game, once in bowling and then again in batting was perfect, unadulterated cricket at it's best and one of those matches I wish I could go back and spectate all the way through, because it ebbed and flowed like a really good live TV match and the sense of pressure of that last over, feeling like I was still in it was just like playing on a Saturday morning.
Best part about it all was I was back playing "Pro" because I was getting killed on Veteran in Career mode so to go back a difficulty and still have a sensational long-form match was really enjoyable.