Story Englands attempts to become the best (ICC2006 Ashes Edition)

[Sureshot]

So here's my story (no pictures I'm afraid).

I decided to take on an Ashes challenge down under with England to do what we couldn't in real life. My squad:

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
Shah
Key
Bell
KP
Flintoff
Collingwood
Read
Prior
Plunkett
Hoggard
Harmison
Anderson
Mahmood
Panesar
Rashid

The NSW game was a success with Strauss (158), Cook (155) and KP (112*) all scoring hundreds in our one and only innings in this 3 day game. The bowlers didn't do too much, Plunkett took 3-61 in the 1st innings and Hoggard got 3 in the second innings, a draw the final result. Onto Brisbane for the first test....

Team:

Trescothick
Strauss
Cook
KP
Bell
Flintoff
Prior
Plunkett
Harmison
Panesar
Hoggard

We lost the toss and Australia decided to bat first, with about 50 runs on the board Hayden had to retire hurt after getting hurt from a Hoggard bouncer, this ruled him out for 6 weeks (ribs iirc). After that Ponting and Hussey annhilated us and we eventually bowled them out for 503 (Hoggard 3, Flintoff got 2 wickets,Harmison, Plunkett, KP (he got Ponting) and Panesar all got one wicket each)). We got to 350 before being bowled out, losing our last 6 wickets for just 30 runs. Bell (105) and KP (107) with the best contributions. Freddie made 53 and Cook got 39. Warne taking a 5 for.

In the 3rd innings of the match (Aus' 2nd) we started off poorly with Australia at around 90-0 (Hayden not playing so effectively 1 down) then we started to bowl well in no small help with 4 wickets from Panesar. Hoggard 2 wickets, Plunkett, Harmison and Flintoff all got 1 a piece.

Chasing 423 with 5 sessions to go we decided to set our stall out to bat the 5 sessions.Trescothick (86). KP (69). Plunkett (55*) and Flintoff (43) got us to within 65 runs of the target. With Plunkett helping alot when we were at 260-6, all in vein though with Warne getting a 10 wicket haul.

Onto Adelaide....the same team starts, Plunkett kept his place with his 55* just pipped ahead of Mahmood despite bowling figures of 2-170.

We won the toss on a dead track and decided to bat (we had no choice).
Trescothick got us going with 134 with some partnerships with Strauss (50 run partnership) Bell 42 run partnership and Cook 67 run partnership. Then when KP came to the crease they just batted and batted until Marcus' dismissal. Freddie came in and put on a 260 record run partnership with KP (201) and Freddie (154). Freddie finally went retired hurt and is out for 8 weeks with a broken arm!

We finished on 553.

I've only bowled 3 overs at Australia, no reward as of yet.

Watson replaced Hayden for Australia.

Enjoy, I should be able to do pictures with the rest of the story, I just forgot!

 

[evertonfan]

Where's Gary Keedy and Loye?

Lol, nice to see a story from you SS; Should be a piece of urine to beat these bunch of no-hopers.

 

[puddleduck]

Ouch Freddie out injured for the rest of the tour, that's a right pain in the behind. What you going to do, go in with an extra batsman from now on and just hope Monty and some part timers from Kp and Bell can do the job?

 

[Jaztheman]

lol very good start sureshot!

 

[handsome]

Try and add more life and Energy to you story Btw best of luck , youll surely improve

 

[Ponting22]

excellent story keep it up

 

[Sureshot]

Ouch Freddie out injured for the rest of the tour, that's a right pain in the behind. What you going to do, go in with an extra batsman from now on and just hope Monty and some part timers from Kp and Bell can do the job?

That's what I'm thinking. I could play Colly who will also bowl some overs. I'll look at my options and see how my seamers go in the rest of the second test. They've got plenty of runs to play with. I might play 2 spinners!

Thanks for the early feedback

And Handsome I'll try to do that

 

[evertonfan]

Use Bell as an all-rounder. He is an absolute quality bowler.

 

[Sureshot]

I did give him 4 overs when we were getting spanked. I did find this funny.

Nigels thinking "I'll bring on KP to stop the rot"

4th ball, around the wicket Ponting plays all around it and gets bowled! Ponting was on 156 at the time.

 

[puddleduck]

Yeah Collys probably a good option, although only if he's better in 2006 than he was in the 2005 edition

If it's turning two spinners is a good idea, otherwise just hope to god you win a lot of tosses

 

[Jaztheman]

use to spinners, trust me and where is munday and loye

 

[Sureshot]

I did think about Munday. Rashid pipped him on batting though.

But Loye?

Shah and Key are better.

 

[puddleduck]

As are Joyce and Newman

 

[Jaztheman]

as Joe mcdonald isnt here ( Leicster_fox) i will say WHERE IS STUART BROAD just for him?

 

[surendar]

Welcome to the story forum mate.. i have seen u only in Chat forums so far So Gud Luck with this story