Match,Tour & Competition Experiences

[whiteninness]

Is anyone playing alongside the Ashes with a tour? I'm considering doing one, particularly with the new patches that I haven't tried yet.

 

[warpfactor]

Is anyone playing alongside the Ashes with a tour? I'm considering doing one, particularly with the new patches that I haven't tried yet.

I've actually just started that myself. Just got the game on PC so using it to play the full tour, trying out the mods. I play on Pro difficulty.

First up Kent (Me) vs Australia (AI) 4-Day Warm-up match:

Australia won the toss and chose to bowl. Sam Northeast and Rob Key racked up a 50 partnership against the Pace Bowlers before Key fell for 22, bowled by Lyon's first ball. Daniel Bell-Drummond joined Northeast in the middle and provided support as Northeast continued to counter-attack the pace bowlers and has just reached his half century with Kent 95-1. Will continue to update as I play through this tour though it will likely take me most of the summer!

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Thought I'd replay the recently concluded India tour of Zimbabwe, 3 ODI's and 2 T20's.

Batting for both sides

First time playing in quite a while, managed an unbeaten century and posted a decent score.

Zimbabwe innings to follow when I get round to it.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

A fairly straightforward run chase although I did lose quite a few wickets in the middle overs.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Just started the 2nd ODI. Similar score by India from the 1st ODI. I seem to lose most of my wickets to spin.

 

[whiteninness]

Just played my first full match in ages: a 20/20 between Aus and India all time bests.

Really fun. They knocked up 2/160 odd and I was all out for about 140. Had some late order hitting from Miller, Lillee and McGrath but ultimately not enough.

Two obvious improvements:

1) AI running between the wickets is a lot more realistic and aggressive. I actually have to think about running them out now, whereas before it was pointless
2) More edges, including thick ones

 

[TerryAlderman]

6 March 1982 & International Cricket returns to South Africa for the first time since 1970 with the first "ODI" - South Africa against the touring England Rebel side. Though the match has no official status, the SACB have deemed it a full international.

Quizzed on the morality of playing in apartheid South Africa, England Batsman Geoff Boycott was unrepentant "Apartheid? Apartheid??? Don't be daft - we're not apart at all: all our maids are black."

When the action finally got underway, South Africa won the toss and put England in to bat.

England's openers Gooch and Boycott had been the only batsmen to show form in the warm up, so a lot seemed to be riding on them getting off to a good start. It was a disaster then, when Stephen Jefferies trapped Gooch lbw off just the second ball of the innings.

Larkins and Amiss had missed out both times in the warm up, and their poor form continued as they were out for 8 and 1 respectively, both bowled - Larkins by Van der Bijl, Amiss by Jefferies. England were in desperate trouble at 23/3 off 6 overs.

Boycott was looking untroubled at the other end, and though boundaries were few and far between he was picking up enough ones and twos to be scoring at almost a run a ball. He finally found support from Willey, and England began to rebuild.

They reached 60 when Kourie span one past Boycott's edge and took out his off stump. With him seemed to go England's last hope of a competitive score, especially when Knott, promoted above Humpage to number 6, followed quickly after lbw to become Jefferies' third victim.

England were only just outside the first 15 overs of fielding restrictions and already 69/5 as they were looking outclassed.

Willey and Humpage didn't panic, remaining solid and taking every scoring opportunity they could - Willey hitting 22 off one over from Kourie.

That onslaught helped Willey reach a wonderful 50 off just 40 balls.

and the 50 partnership came up off just 28 deliveries.

Willey and Humpage continued on, and were both looking settled. However, the returning Van der Bijl trapped Willey lbw for 63 and then had Humpage caught behind by Jennings for 34.

The tail tried to hit out and push the score on, but England were eventually all out for just 168 in 32.4 overs, with just 4 players hitting double figures.

England's only hope for salvaging an unlikely victory was to repeat the South African dose and take early wickets. Openers Cook and Richards put paid to any hope of that with a solid opening stand of 49 before Richards, becoming increasingly fluent after a slow start, was caught in the deep by Underwood off the bowling of Old for 25.

This was the only wicket in the first 15 overs, as Gooch rotated his seamers - South Africa reaching the end of the fielding restrictions at 65/1.

England turned to spin at both ends, with Underwood and Willey operating in tandem. Underwood got one through Kirsten's gate to clean bowl him for 11.

This brought South African legend Graeme Pollock to the wicket at 74/2. After so long without international competition, the crowd was eager to see him bat. This enthusiasm didn't extend to the umpire, however, who gave a shocking decision to judge him lbw to Willey for 9 when the ball was surely missing leg stump.

With such a low required run rate, Cook was taking no risks and made sure he got to his 50. Shortly after, a big turner from Willey went past his inside edge through the gate to bowl him for 52 from 91 deliveries.

With Rice and Procter both relatively new to the wicket, England maybe sniffed a chance, but the two dashing all-rounders took advantage of the low target to play themselves in, taking no risks at all. Gooch bowled out his spinners, Underwood finishing with 1-26 and Willey 2-43.

As the target neared, Rice increased his scoring rate, and the return of the seamers and additional pace on the ball saw him strike several boundaries.

Rice was unbeaten on 43 and Procter on 28 when the target was reached off 43.5 overs.

A comprehensive 6 wicket win to South Africa, who take a 1-0 lead in the three match series. Peter Willey got man of the match for his 63 and 2-43, a good performance in a losing cause.

England move on to a their final warm up, a 3-day affair against Western Province.

Great report. Some great names in that England team. Willey scoring runs was a bit of a surprise though!

 

[whiteninness]

Heartbreaking loss re-creating the super 6s game between Aus and SAF in the 1999 World Cup, which Australia won with a couple of balls to spare (in real life).

Sorry for the poor quality images taken with my phone:

Classic Martyn cover drive

And Martyn brings up his 50. He went on to make 73 before being bowled going for a leg glance

NOOOOO an amazing throw from the outfield by Gibbs causes Bevan to just be out of his ground. South Africa can sense hope here

Ultimately it came down to needing 25 to win with McGrath and Warne in. We managed to get it down to 8 to win and Lance tweaking Klusener took an amazing caught and bowled. Game over man, game over.


Shattering loss, but the most fun I've ever had in a cricket game. When there were a couple of unsuccessful SAF LBW shouts near the end I was on the edge of my seat.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Zimbabwe win the 2nd ODI fairly comfortably. Decent partnership between Craig Ervine and Sean Williams.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

3rd and final ODI, terrible batting display from Zimbabwe.

India should be able to get these runs without any trouble.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

India win comfortably by 6 wickets.

But ultimately Zimbabwe already had the series in the bag going into this last match.

Next up is the 2 match T20 series

 

[Chaudhary]

I started India's tour of Srilanka and lost first test by an innings and 192 runs
India first innings 92 all out
Srilanka First Innings 471 all out
India Second Innings 187 all-out
will post score card latter as i played this game on my home pc.

 

[cricket_online]

I started India's tour of Srilanka and lost first test by an innings and 192 runs
India first innings 92 all out
Srilanka First Innings 471 all out
India Second Innings 187 all-out
will post score card latter as i played this game on my home pc.

Pretty realistic I must say.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Next up is the 2 match T20 series

^Zimbabwe win the opening T20 match fairly comfortably.

 

[Gamer Pradosh]

^Zimbabwe win the opening T20 match fairly comfortably.

Wow!! That seems like a smooth victory mate...Awesome [though seems like a revenge series ]...

How did you approach?? Wait for bad balls, leg side approach?? But thats really good...Posting 1st innings IMO is easy but chase like that, can be complicated...