How are you going in Ashes Cricket 2009?

[CaptainOZ]

Yeah very much. the difference between version 1 and this patch is unbelievable. It was clear that the game had potential but now it is really shining through and the great thing this is just the first open beta so hopefully the next patch will be even better.

I am having such realistic games and it is thoroughly immersive. It is great to read other peoples reports and I will see if I can post a detailed report about my champions Trophy match between England and the Kiwis. I am playing my own version of the tournament and saving the results in an exel spreadsheet scenario which makes things a little more enjoyable.

A bit nerdy but good fun!

That sounds good. Unfortunately I don't know how the Group system works in the World Cup. Think I'll Google it and learn how. Excel spreadsheet, here we come!

This page is useful for working out points systems and net run rate: http://www.sheetudeep.com/cpointsworks.html

 

[Dutch]

For some reason fraps didn't load properly so I don't have any screenies at the moment but hope to have some later.

It was a cloudy and windy afternoon as the two teams took the field at Cape Town. New Zealand knowing that they had to win the game to stay in the competition, England more relaxed in the knowledge that their previous victories over both Sri Lanka and South Africa had set them up to lead the group. the toss would be crucial on a pitch that looked like giving the seamers that extra edge.

England won the toss and decided to let the Black Caps bat first with Strauss declaring that he "wanted to put them under pressure straight away because they have go out there to put on a defend able target".

England in this competition don't seem to have been hampered by the absence of Flintoff and possibly even more crucially, Pieterson. Morgan and Shah have taken quickly to their new role and have looked solid in the middle order. Luke Wright had unfortunate start to his tournament in a disastrous run out situation against the Springboks but his match against the Sri Lankans would have given him more confidence.

Another revelation has been Onions, who has been the most economical of the bowlers. Strauss will be worried by the fact that Anderson has bowled far too many no-balls and Broad, although regularly picking up wickets, is leaking runs at crucial moments.

The Kiwis have had a mixed tournament and the news that Niel Broom would be coming in for the injured Oram will have added extra pressure on the Kiwis. Vetorri, the enigmatic captain, said he "expected more from the batters and the openers really needed to show some character".

He will not have been pleased by the start his openers of Ryder an McCallum gave him today either!

The Kiwi's started of cautiously. Too cautiously. Both Anderson and Broad got the ball to swing both ways and on this pitch and with the cloud cover the openers had to take their time to find their rhythm.

McCallum got bogged down and the frustration started to show through. He went for expansive cover drive off an Anderson out swinger only to be caught in the covers.

Guptill came in and showed more intent with a couple of beautiful cover drives to start his account.

Disaster struck in the seventh over with the Kiwi's under real pressure, with the run rate just above 3 an over. Ryder, wanting to push things along hit a solid drive towards the vacant mid-on area. He called for the run, not realizing that the ball had hit his partner at the other end. Broad was quick as a flash and picked the ball up and smashed the wickets at the bowlers end to leave Ryder red-faced and distraught on his way to the dressing room where he would undoubtedly meet the unfriendly glare of his captain.

Taylor came in and after an anxious start, including a dropped catch in the covers by the usually so dependable Collingwood, started to find his rhythm.

Broad was hit for a thumping six and a thunderous four of consecutive balls and his rhythm and accuracy were suffering. Onions steadied things with some accurate and restrictive bowling.

The Black Caps will have been shaken by the start but after 15 overs they will be happy with the score of 84 for 2.

England will need to fight back in the next 10 overs to ensure that the momentum from their first few games can be taken into the next stage.



Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Forgot to save the game after 25 overs: Kiwis were currently 216 for 6 off 39.3....game freezes!


Match result: Match Abadoned due to Unexpected freezing Conditions! Match to be re-run!

 

[Dutch]

Mmmmm. It is not my day. I have had this game freeze on me a number of times now: how are other peoples freezing moments going????

 

[barmyarmy]

Update for you all. England's fielding has been poor. Prior has dropped Hughes twice and he was also caught at slip off a no ball.
Both openers got to their 100 before Katich edged to slip. Ponting played and missed a sweep shot and was stumped and Clarke inside edged as he tried to drive.
We're in the afternoon session of day 3, runrates are quite high for this innings and you'd expect the match to be completed by day 4.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Forgot to save the game after 25 overs: Kiwis were currently 216 for 6 off 39.3....game freezes!


Match result: Match Abadoned due to Unexpected freezing Conditions! Match to be re-run!

Thanks to the AI runout bug, I have got into the habit of saving every few overs. AI runout bug = a blessing in disguise (but I am glad to see the back of it, now it's done its 'job'...

Having said that, the game has only crashed/frozen on me once.

MasterBlaster76 added 0 Minutes and 45 Seconds later...

I cant really speak about the improvements as much as most people as ive not had the chance to play it yet of course, but im pretty sure its a success as there has been no major bad feedback and what theyve sorted was everything basically what needed to be sorted and what i wanted sorted.

And that champions trophy thing sounds very enjoyable and yes keep us updated on that. As long as its fun who cares if it seems nerdy lol

Damn straight: as long as we can have proper tournaments, who cares?

 

[Giggs11]

Any updates on how your second test finished or the progress please

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Haven't played on yet, but when I have, the updates will be posted.

 

[Giggs11]

Haven't played on yet, but when I have, the updates will be posted.

K no worries

Anyone still finding the batting to easy, most people dont seem to be as a change with the confidence bars. I think it has been sorted but not sure about this??

 

[MasterBlaster76]

K no worries

Anyone still finding the batting to easy, most people dont seem to be as a change with the confidence bars. I think it has been sorted but not sure about this??

Again, like with the AI, when you get to 'fearless', batting does become a little too easy. You still have to watch it though - you'll get yourself out sooner rather than later if you try to attack everything. So yes, it is a bit easy, but not longterm, not if you want to build a big innings.

 

[Giggs11]

Again, like with the AI, when you get to 'fearless', batting does become a little too easy. You still have to watch it though - you'll get yourself out sooner rather than later if you try to attack everything. So yes, it is a bit easy, but not longterm, not if you want to build a big innings.

When at fearless batting should be much harder and you should have to get good defensive shots and pick up a few singles for confidence to begin to rise, but still being able to smack everything well its just stupid. Will this issue be sorted for the patch, i woud guess so?

 

[MasterBlaster76]

When at fearless batting should be much harder and you should have to get good defensive shots and pick up a few singles for confidence to begin to rise, but still being able to smack everything well its just stupid. Will this issue be sorted for the patch, i woud guess so?

If so, the batting will be as close to perfect as we could wish! I want to see 'fearless' batsmen making more mistakes (play/miss, edges and so on). The only real mistakes they make now is involve trying to clear a boundary man and getting caught.

 

[Giggs11]

I think as long as the batting is challenging and you really have to play yourself in to play certain shots i will enjoy this very much and although it may not be this way a 100% yet this is only the beta and im sure they are taking these little comments into account and well it can only get better from the beta i guess.

 

[T-Hawk]

Well I've been having a fail worthy game so far :laugh , I bowled The Aussies out for 160 (most of which were run outs )

Anyway Cook and Strauss put on 10 before Strauss was caught out for 5 after playing a poorly timed pull shot.

Bopara came in but he didn't last very long and was caught out for 4.

Then a epic collapse came as 3(!) run outs came in quick succession as Pietersen (7), Collingwood (6), and Cook (8) all went out.

Prior and Flintoff then put on 20 before Prior was caught out as England were about 60-6, this left Flintoff, and the first Tail-ender Broad batting with England trailing by 100 runs

Flintoff, who was out for a duck in the previous game, stepped up and hit a rather quick Century off 121 balls, Broad offered support and hit 14 of 38 balls, Flintoff's Century meant England took the lead and at 38 Overs were 176/6

Now lets see if England can get a decent lead by the end of the day (It's still day 1! :laugh ) with Flintoff still at the crease

I'll post more on this match when I play it later

 

[Giggs11]

Any more updates and scorecards on matches peeps?? plz

 

[barmyarmy]

Here's one for you. End of day 3 - England need another 288 runs to win the match.
I batted poorly against the spinners again - Swann took 2 wickets but was only given 3 overs all innings! Hughes got his double ton before edging to slip. Most my wicket were caught first or second slip.
Bowling and not a sniff of a chance so far. 333 seems like a pretty small target when the computer makes batting look so easy but then again they're England so a collapse is always on the cards.