Story Dream To Wear The Baggy Green ? A C2007 Career Story

[Wildwil]

Great story mate keep it up.

 

[Left_Hander]

Hey Short Leg,

Before I joined Planet Cricket I used to browse the forums and your ICC Best of the Rest Championship was one of the best stories going around as it paid show much attention to detail. It is a shame it closed down, but this one looks like it will have mored detail as you have posted player profiles and radio interviews.

Here's hoping this is a success,
Left Hander

 

[Short Leg]

Thanks for the support everyone and hopefully i will do some talking with bat and ball as well when the season starts. Cheers

 

[Short Leg]

Sand Dunes And A Mug On The Box​

Thursday Training
October 5th 2006
5:30pm
10 Days Until The Season Starts

Thursday training again and today offers the last taste of something different before it?s into the nets every week until the season is through and I am off to England. I can?t help but wonder what the season will hold for me.

Sand dune running is a nasty past time that includes a burning sensation in the legs after just a few minute. As your feet sink into the sand and you push uphill the professional athlete starts to wonder if it?s all worth it. Then I think of how good that maiden ton will be and push on through the pain barrier. After 30 minutes the pain ends and it?s into a warm down.

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Sand dunes are the ultimate fitness provider​

Later that day back home I turned on the TV and there was our skipper Cameron White with his mug on the box launching our campaign for the season. I was inspired by the words of our skipper and want nothing but to taste success with the boys come March.

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The boy?s have been hard at work and there is a genuine belief in the playing group about our chances this season. We have a good mix of cricketers which range from international greats like Hodge and Warne to the experience of Arnberger and the rookies like young batting all rounder Slatter.

Getting a mention on national TV by the skipper of the team means the expectations are high and the ball is well and truly in my court but can I succeed at this level of competition with such class pace attacks? Hopefully Brett Lee is on international duty when we play New South Wales.

 

[Short Leg]

Coaches Word's​

Tuesday Training
October 10 2006
5:30pm
5 Days Until The Start Of The Season

After a lazy weekend I find myself back at training with the Vic?s on Tuesday. With game day just 5 days away now I am wondering whom if anyone on the selection panel I have impressed. I was 15 minutes into my net session when I realised just how overrated our skipper is. For a leg spinner he really doesn?t spin the thing at all and I am beginning to think he?s only skipper for his looks.

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Cameron White is all talk and no show in my opinion​

As every batsman will know it?s a great motivator to have blokes give words of encouragement during your net session ?Solid Slats? and ?Shot Slats your seeing it well today? added to my belief that I could score runs at this level. That motivation was short lived as Mick Lewis ran in and knocked my off stump out of the ground. It was even more emotionally damaging when I realised we were using metal stumps!

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Mick Lewis brought me back down to earth​

After training had finished I was having a chat with some of the household names at the Bushrangers Jason ?cheese? Arnberger who scored his first ton at 10 years old and Jon Moss who has played for Victoria since before I could walk. As we strolled into the pavilion at the Junction oval I overheard an interview that coach Greg Shipperd was doing with local reporters concerning a particular 16 year old batting all rounder.

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Jesse has impressed so far in his short time at the club. He is a competitive and mean spirited young lad that looks to have a bright future in domestic cricket. Hopefully it wont be long before he is on the field showcasing his skills for all of us.

Yep, The life of Slats is good im copping praise around every corner and I really cant wait to set foot on field for my Pura cup and ING cup debut.

Today was also the day that the Australian team went to battle in their 3 test series with New Zealand. The trans Tasman rivalry is a great contest and one that this batting all rounder wants to be part of one day. Warney of course was on the plane to Hobart but Brad Hodge who is the player that we all look up to at the Vic?s and it is a great disappointment to see him miss out on a place he deserves. The good to come out of it however is that he will play for us in the season opener against the Warriors who will be effected by having a lot of players on international duty. Blokes like my hero Justin Langer, Martyn and Gilchrist wont be facing up against our boys. Luckily. Does that mean there wont be a place for Slats? The Australia 16 man squad for the test series looks like this.

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[Short Leg]

Selection Headaches ​

Thursday Training and Selection
12th October 2006
5:30pm
3 Days Until Start Of Season

Today is the big day it?s training as usual followed by the all awaited selection before game day on Sunday. The session starts with 7 100m sprints and then into the nets. I awaited the call of ?Slats put the pads on mate? and finally got the go ahead from Shippy. A solid net session had me in good spirits as I cruised over to my kit bag to depad when I see Ship and Whitey coming over to me.

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Slats selection is going to be very tough. We are still debating about which way we are going to go but we just want you to know that Cameron and myself as well as the selection panel have faith in you and we will have you in as soon as we get the chance. You?ll have to wait until we announce the team to see if you?re playing.

I spent the rest of the training session wondering what I could have done better to have cemented my spot on debut but in the end I just had to wait until they announced my name in the 11.

It was getting late when Greg Shipperd asked for everyone?s attention so he could read out the side.

?The side for the Pura cup game against Western Australia is as follows
Arnberger
Klinger
Jewell
Hodge
Moss
Hussey
White
Crosthwaite
Harwood
Wise
Lewis
And the 12th man is Slatter?

So it looks like I?ll be carrying the drinks for the first match. I have to admit I expected more then the duties of the 12thy but still have high hopes that I will get my chance in the not to distant future but for now I guess I better get ready to cop it from the boys come game day on the 15th.

 

[Short Leg]

Around The Grounds​

With the first game of the season just around the corner for the Bushrangers it?s time to see how the first game of the Australian domestic season turned out as well as the first test between Australia and New Zealand.

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With NSW playing away and batting first racking up a massive total not to mention a Thornley hundred the home team was nowhere to be seen in the run chase and fell short by 38 runs. A good start to the season for the domestic favourites.

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With the attention on Hobart for the first test the Australians set out for a series whitewash which they thought was very realistic. Australia had a 125 run lead after the first innings with Martyn making a hundred. New Zealand was never in it after that and Australia cruised to a 10 wicket win. Stuart Clark took 7 for man of the match honors.

 

[HopaWhitey]

Terrific presentation mate. Good to see a career story again after the success of Briggsy's great one. Hope you get a chance in first team soon.

 

[MWaugh]

didnt take you long to start bagging your captain. no wonder your not in the first XI

 

[Bala]

Excellent presentation! Keep the good work up!

 

[Left_Hander]

This is turning out to be a 5 out of 5 story. I really like how you have included a pre-season and the international Australian Summer. Once again top stuff, Short Leg, or Slats, whichever you prefer.

Cheers,
Leftie

 

[zainawan89]

Great Presentation

 

[Brett_Lee]

Great work mate!

 

[Short Leg]

didnt take you long to start bagging your captain. no wonder your not in the first XI

Fair go mate im just stating the fact's.

This is turning out to be a 5 out of 5 story. I really like how you have included a pre-season and the international Australian Summer. Once again top stuff, Short Leg, or Slats, whichever you prefer.

Cheers,
Leftie

Thanks mate, You can call me Slats mate that's fine. Thanks for the replys boys cheers.

 

[Short Leg]

Game Day​

Pura Cup - Game 1
Victoria Bushrangers Vs Western Australia Warriors
Sunday 15th October 2006

Arriving at the ground with my kit for no apparent reason along with the drinks that I was destined to carry for the match was a hallow feeling as I wasn?t debuting for my state but still getting a taste of what it?s like to play state cricket. That was until Whitey came running up to me and said

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?Slats Nick Jewell has slipped over in the shower this morning and they?re taking him to hospital for stitches. So it looks like your playing.?

At first I thought it was a joke but quickly realised that I was about to play for Victoria the state in which I had grown up in. I know I should be sympathetic for Jewello who just split his head open but for he moment I couldn?t be happier that it happened plus I found a little bit of humour in it.

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On my pitch inspection in which there wasn?t much to inspect, as the MCG was as flat as I?d seen it in a long time. Hopefully Whitey win?s the toss and opts to wield the willow although fielding wouldn?t be the worst from my point of view as I could come to terms with the game before having to face the West Australians with the bat. The conditions for the match are blue skies or so I have been told by the groundsman down here who seem to be in the know.

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Day 1 ? Fine, Sunny 23
Day 2 ? Fine, Sunny 24
Day 3 ? Fine, Sunny 21
Day 4 ? Fine, Sunny 24

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The coin toss didn?t go our way and we all knew it judging by Whiteys reaction. The WACA?s didn?t see the harm in having a bat.

West Australia Line-Up

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West Australia step?s onto the MCG with a lot of it?s stars on international duty but they might as well get used to it as they will miss most of the season. A strong batting line-up with Rogers, North and Goodwin the guns of the team. Tall paceman Dorey will create problems as well as Inness who is playing against his old team here. Beau Casson is a good looking young spinner as well.

Victoria Line-Up

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With the 16 year old Slatter on debut here amongst big name batsman like Arnberger, Moss and once Australian batsman Brad Hodge. The bowling attack will look for breakthroughs with Lewis and Harwood taking the new ball. Cameron White?s leg spin may not play apart in this game as the pitch is rock hard.