Story Lancashire's Push for English Domination

[DPRA]

Sky Sports News: Hello, and welcome to Old Trafford Cricket ground, for this news conference as Lancashire County Cricket club name there successor to Mike Watkinson. Lets head over to Sam Smith, Lancashire chairman.

SS: Hi everybody, and welcome to Old Trafford, it is with great pleasure that we are here today to announce our new First Team coach. Lee Sweetman has signed a 3 season contract with us, after Mike left us after 5 seasons without a trophy. Lee Was a big Lancashire fan as a teenager, he also had a season ticket here, after leaving college, he went onto manage Droylsden CC to 4 trophys in 2 seasons, we then watched him on numerous occasions and we decided he was the right man to take over. All Questions directed to Lee now please.

Reporter: Hi Lee, Tom Keenan, from All Out Cricket, How do you feel to be Lancashire manager?

Lee: Well, it really is a huge honour, as Sam has already said, I supported Lancashire as a teenager, and always took a huge interest in them. I am looking forward to meeting the team and Hopefully manage them to the boards Expectations.

Reporter: What are your goals for this season Lee?

Lee: Well, I would 100% love to end the 123 year County Championship drought by winning that, Also I am aiming for the Twenty20 competition.

Reporter: Rumours are already flying round that Lancashire are on the verge of Signing Durham's Paul Collingwood, Is that true?

Lee: I am not going to say anything about Transfers at this moment in time.​

 

[PhilD123]

Mike Watkinson*, good start to the story! Enjoy Cricket Coach too!

 

[Highlander999]

A very good start. Nice to see you doing a cricket story. I'll be watching :cool:

 

[Jaztheman]

Nice start, Lee. Good luck. :happy

 

[DPRA]

Lancashire have begun there first game under the management of Lee Sweetman.

Lancashire hadn't announced any signings before the game, however, when the team walked out for the start of the game, we noticed the first new signing.
Yorkshire opening batsman Jacques Rudolph. He Strolled out confidently with the South African Francois Du Plessis.

Lee sweetman said the tactic of not announcing the singings would be a positive, as other teams didnt know who they would be facing, however, the ECB have now stepped in
and announced that Lee MUST announce EVERY signing after this first game.

A lot of England players have been out of contract and rumours are already around saying Ravi Bopara, Paul Collingwood and Monty Panesar are among the signed players.

The first 10 overs went well for Lancashire, at the end of them they were going well on 30-0, Jaques on 15 and Du Plessis on 13, This is then when things started to go downhill for Lancashire.

Elham was brought into the attack by Notts and he struck with his first ball. Du Plessis looked confident as he strolled in, However, Elham hit Du Plessis with a sharp bouncer, Du Plessis didn't pick it,
And gloved it to Ferley. Du Plessis gone for 17 off 33 balls.

Francois Du Plessis - Caught Ferley. Bowled Elham 17 (33)

In strolled Paul Collingwood, so all the rumuors were confirmed, Lancashire had signed Paul Collingwood, and he struck with the first ball, Elham with another short ball, this time Collingwood got onto the back foot
beautifully, and dispatched it for a boundary, However, Collingwood didn't last long. He made another 12 runs before he fell to Heath Streak, Streak ran in with and with a beautiful yorker he forced Collingwood into a
cover drive, however, with the pace on the pitch, he drove it striaght into Hussey who took a simple catch.

Paul Collingwood - Caught Hussey Bowled Streak 16 (25)

In Strolled the Lancashire captain Stuart Law. Law had a fantastic end to the season last year, and in the last 4 LVCC Games he smashed an amazing 2,027 runs. He was looking for a big innings today.
Law played a few beautiful shots, including a brilliant Off Drive over Hussey's head, and to the boundry for a 4. He also dispatched Stuart Broad for a brilliant reverse sweep, Broad attempted the yorker, however, it
didn't work, and Stuart Law picked it easily.

Law however, couldnt capitalise on them 2 shots and he fell soon after. Broad then got his revenge as he bowled a fullish delivery, Law tried to play a defencive shot, however, it was very poor one, it was edged,
and caught very well by Bassano, going to his left hand side.

Stuart Law - Caught Bassano Bowled Broad 11 (33)

The next batsman in was another player who was linked with Lancashire, it was Ravi Bopara. Bopara was stunning at Essex, and very strangly, Essex didn't decide to renew his contract and he began avaliable,
So lancashire snapped him up, with competiton from Durham, Yorkshire, Somerset and Northants.

Bopara imediatly got into his stride, with a cheeky chip over Broads head for an exquiste 4. That was the only main chance he got as lunch came soon after.

Lunch Scorecard:

Day 1: Lancashire v Nottinghamshire

Lancashire 150-3 (40 Overs)

Rudolph..... Not Out 94 (138)
Du Plessis..C Ferley. B Elham 17 (33)
Collingwood..C Hussey B Streak 16 (25)
Law...........C Bassano B Broad 11 (33)
Bopara....Not Out 10 (14) 

Total............150-3 (40 Overs) 2 Extras.

Notts Bowling figures:

Sidebottom.....10-0-43-0
Elham..........10-0-37-1
Broad..........10-1-34-1
Elham..........10-1-36-1

Next Update Some time tomorrow.

 

[thesweepmaster]

Wow! I can't remember the last Cricket Coach story on the stories pages, so good luck to you! Anyway not a bad start I suppose to your innings but really with a batting side of Du Plessis, Collingwood and Law I did expect more runs to come from them.

Great work mate, keep it up!

 

[DPRA]

Ok, I don't really have a lot of time on my hands in the next couple of weeks (Jobs, work etc) so I am going to simulate the game, and put the scorecards into a Microsoft Excel page, printscreen and put on here, I will also attach the scoreboard in HTML format.

Thanks for understanding! :cool:

Here we go:

So I have a lead, not much, but a lead is a lead, lets hope I can kick on and set them a huge score!

DPRA added 52 Minutes and 42 Seconds later...

Wow, what a win that was, Freddie and Bopara really did save me there, then some brilliant bowling from Kirtley and Collingwood to help set up the win.

Next up, The OD Tornament!

 

[DPRA]

A great win there in the FPT To get me up and running in it!

 

[Pakistani Army]

Great presentation mate. Nice to see a story from you.

 

[DPRA]

Great presentation mate. Nice to see a story from you.

Cheers for the comment mate, The next few games will be up today because Im going away this weekend, no computer access

 

[DPRA]

Kent V Lancashire - LVCCC​

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Warwickshire v Lancashire - FPT North ​

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Lancashire V Somerset​

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Lancashire V Wostershire - FPT North
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Lancashire v Yorkshire - LVCC ​

 

[DPRA]

I am going away tomorrow for the weekend (Though I will still be in work! ) But, Don't worry, there will be games posted when I come back! :cool: