Story Mental Blank - What was meant to go here?

[Left_Hander]

Season 9 Preview​

"Another season, another success story, I hope. This is my fourth season in charge of the club and I want this one to be the best yet! While I was away on my holiday the 1st anniversary of the club came up. This is a very special event for the club. Last season we came 2nd in OD and 3rd in FC, I think we can better those results. Let's hope for another great season!

Meet The Squad


Ted "Bear" Basson
OD Batting Average: 1042 runs @ 31.58
FC Batting Average: 1297 runs @ 92.646

One of the opening batsmen of the side. Has notched up over 1000 runs in both forms of the game, which is a great acheivement. The first ever OD 100 scorer and is a joy to watch in full flight.


Dale "Bradley" Bradshaw
OD Batting Average: 553 runs @ 27.65
OD Bowling Average: 60 wickets @ 24.17
FC Batting Average: 298 runs @ 42.67
OD Batting Average: 43 wickets @ 21.28

Is the sides prime fast bowling allrounder. Has taken a truckloads of wickets in both forms of the game. His batting leaves a little to be desired. Has a wealth of experience and cricket knowledge.


Safeer "Saffie" Caledera
OD Batting Average: 113 runs @ 37.67
OD Keeping Record: 14 catches
FC Batting Average: 11 runs @ 5.50
FC Keeping Record: 13 catches & 2 stumpings

Was purchased as a back up to Nelson Dunn. Hasn't really performed with the bat when given the chance. When given the chance he needs some runs this season.


Dickie "Coxy" Dixon
OD Bowling Average: 47 wickets @ 30.96
FC Bowling Average: 37 wickets @ 21.89

Is the centre of all jokes because of his name. A good bowler but probably doesn't get the accolades or the rewards he deserves.


Robert "Doddsy" Dodds
OD Batting Average: 728 runs @ 40.44
FC Batting Average: 500 runs @ 41.67

Has really come of age over the last season. Can open the batting or at 4 or 5. I rate him as the sides 3rd best batsmen. A destructive player, can blow teams away in a hour.


Nelson "Dunny" Dunn
OD Batting Average: 959 runs @ 43.59
OD Keeping Record: 53 catches & 1 stumping
FC Batting Record: 117 runs @ 14.63
FC Keeping Record: 27 catches & 2 stumpings

A real joy to watch. The left-handed batsmen isn't only great with the bat but is also brilliant with the gloves. I rate him as the sides new best batsmen. Takes lots of catches behind the stumps.


Roland "Rollie2" Faulkner
OD Bowling Average: 35 wickets @ 43.89
FC Bowling Average: 33 wickets @ 17.33

One of the "Roland Boys". Faulkner is considered the second one. A competent fast-medium bowler who hits the deck hard but doesn't get tons of wickets. Pluggs away at the batsmen.


Michael "Mike" Fenoughty
OD Batting Average: 224 runs @ 20.36
OD Bowling Average: 20 wickets @ 34.50
FC Batting Average: 236 runs @ 59
FC Bowling Average: 9 wickets @ 24.33

A back-up fast bowling allrounder to Bradshaw. Doesn't get heaps of game time. Is out of form but I think he can turn that around if he gets the opportunity early on in the season.


Jim "Fountain" Fontaine
No games played

The club's second youth pull of the season. A really promsining right-handed batsmen. Is getting trained at the moment. I expect big things from him.


Roland "Rollie1" Hadland
OD Bowling Average: 36 wickets @ 19.33
FC Bowling Average: 8 wickets @ 8

The back-bone of the fast bowling line-up. Can destroy a whole team quickly. Will play a lot more games this season because chances are he isn't getting trained any more.


Jim "James" Henry
OD Batting Average: 398 runs @ 44.22
FC Batting Average: 394 runs @ 56.29

A handy batsmen in the side. Comes in at around 6 and finsishes off an innings quickly. Has a good record and I want to see him better that this season.


Martyn "Lamps" Lampard
OD Batting Average: 1940 runs @ 77.60
FC Batting Average: 1485 runs @ 106.07

Mr Reliable. Always the man to turn to in a crisis. The number three and captain of the side. A bit like Ricky Ponting. One of my favourites to watch when he is at the crease.


Dale "News" Mckinlay
OD Bowling Average: 11 wickets @ 30.45
FC Bowling Average: 21 wickets @ 29.48

Nicknamed News after a Channel 9 News Reader with the same surname. A steady medium pacer and bowls really tight spells. Has a good economy in both forms of the game.


Tony "Loud" Mcleod
OD Bowling Average: 23 wickets @ 53.48
FC Bowling Average: 27 wickets @ 26.89

Another medium pacer in the side. Very loud in the change rooms before and after the game. Leads the team song, "By The Way" serious passion. A bit out of sorts but I am sure he will bounce back.


Steven "Scoober Steve" or "Monty" Pearse
OD Batting Average: 153 runs @ 51
OD Bowling Average: 21 wickets @ 24.14
FC Batting Average: 192 wickets @ 32
FC Bowling Average: 17 wickets @ 18.24

The spin bowling allrounder in the squad. Steven is nicknamed after toy character "Scoober Steve" from the funny movie Big Daddy. Also know as "Monty" because he certainly can bowl, can bat a bit but couldn't stop a ball to save his life, watching take a high ball a training is always fun, know around the team as the Monty who can bat. The leg-spinner gets lots of turn and bounce and is attacking with the bat.


Dave "Richo" Richardson
OD Batting Average: 864 runs @ 57.60
FC Batting Average: 1726 runs @ 123.29

Opens the batting with Basson. One of my favourites. A real nice guy on and off the field. Lives and breathes cricket, a bit in the mould of Mr Cricket (Hussey) or Pro (Jaques). Quotes his stats reguarly. A good top order batsmen.


Bill "Saycey" Sayce
OD Batting Average: 482 runs @ 53.56
FC Batting Average: 539 runs @ 53.90

Sayce burst onto the scene after I purchased him in the OD format but as the season went on his form did dip a little. Usually comes in at four in FC games but does shuffle around a bit. Is a very un-orthodox batsmen, loves the reverse sweep.


Karl "Shacks" Shackell
OD Bowling Average: 48 wickets @ 29.56
FC Bowling Average: 27 wickets @ 18.48

An original squad member. Strangles the best, doesn't give them one little bit. Has a very good economy in both forms of the game. A real classy spin bowler.


Malcolm "Maccas" Stanton
No games played

A first week youth pull. This man is a chance to make the Australian Under 19's squad. Not nicknamed "Maccas" because of his first name, Malcolm but because he often goes out at night to get some McDonalds. I expect big things from this Fast-Medium bowler.


Justin "Stoltzy" Stoltz
OD Batting Average: 670 runs @ 35.26
FC Batting Average: 257 runs @ 128.50

A bit of a squad filler but a handy one at that! Nice to see him in the side when the "big names" aren't playing. Career highlight would have to be his 127 in an FC match.​

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If you read all of that you deserve a medal, unfortunately, I am not going to give you one . This took me ages to do so I hope you appreciate it. It is nice to be back

 

[Griffo]

I will follow this off a cliff although your team name is becoming annoying dont use it as much its in every sentence

 

[Left_Hander]

Thanks for that Griffo. I will try not to use my team name as much as I did in the first post in the future.

Hopefully I can do the Cup game review today and get it up on here.

 

[surendar]

Welcome to battrick stories Nice to see you starting this.. And good luck for this as well as for the cup games.

By the way, Nice and neat presentation:cool:

 

[ZoraxDoom]

You couldn't resist could you...

 

[Left_Hander]

Mental Blank Through To Second Round Of Cup​

Mental Blank have gone through to the second round of the cup for the first time in their three season history.

The pitch was slow and the skies were sunny and the away side elected to bowl. Faulkner and Mckinlay opened the bowling and the latter picked up 3/19off 6 overs on debut. Spin Twins Shackell and Pearse ended up with 2/33 and 4/12 respectively. Carlton United Breweries ended up being bowled out for 151.

Mental Blank had no trouble chasing down the target. Basson was the only wicket to fall for 75. Richardson finished up on 63* and Lampard had little to do scoring 10* off 17 balls.

​

Man of the Match Ted Basson playing a pull shot in his innings of 75 ​

"We really gave a good performance today. I am realised pleased for the boys. We bowled extremely well and Pearse showed us the potential in which I signed him last season. I was really happy that we only lost one wicket in the end. It was a great performance". This was the manager's reaction after the game. He was very happy. Mental Blank now play Nowra Ninjas in the next round of the Cup.

Training Update​

Monday is the day you look foward to seeing if any of your players "popped" or increased a level. Unfortunately we didn't receive any pops this week. We hope to be a bit luckier next week. I only had Battrick Rating increases.

 

[Highlander999]

Nice pres mate. I never normally follow Battrick stories, but I will try with this one

 

[Left_Hander]

Thanks Tom. I will try and put up the FC review by tommorow.

Just to let everyone know I am not doing game previews anymore. Takes to much time

 

[Left_Hander]

FC Debut isn't Good​

Mental Blank were in the same boat as everyone else last Tuesday. Everyone on the Battrick community was playing their first ever FC games. We played our first game at our home ground - The Music Room and our flat pitch was prepared for us. Without a doubt when Lamparad won the toss we were easily going to pick batting first.

Richardson (87 off 200 balls) and Sayce (57 off 69 balls) were the only ones posting any sort of contribution to the side. Tony's Hero's mixed their bowling around really well and used a total of 7 bowlers in the first innings. Basham being the star picking up 3/34 off 10.3 overs. Mental Blank were bowled out for a dissapointing 238.

We had them on the ropes for 6/190 but some good lower order batting by Friedrich (104* off 137 deliveries faced) pushed TH's total up to 340 runs. Pick of the bowlers for the home side were Dixon (3/104 off 26 overs) and Shackell (2/24 off 11 overs)

Shackell celebrating one of his wickets​

Mental Blank were full of optimism that we could knock off the deficit and make Tony's Heroes chase a fair total but that wasn't to be the case. In our second innnings we were bundled out for 125 only helped by a whopping 23 extras. Barnard (4/27 off 11 overs) this time doing the damage.

With only 24 required to win Tony's Hero's wanted to knock them off quickly and they did just that. They finishied the game in 8.2 overs. A dissapointing loss for Mental Blank.

Here is the Reporter's Summary:

Reporter's Summary Mental Blank Tony's Hero's
Top Order: mediocre feeble
Middle Order: feeble feeble
Lower Order: worthless abysmal
Seam Bowling: feeble feeble
Spin Bowling: mediocre feeble
Fielding: woeful woeful

And the crowd attendance:

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Total

Standing 2124 2267 1527 5918
Sitting 1510 1830 1382 4722
Covered Seats 391 569 391 1351
Members Area 211 143 118 472
Total 4236 4809 3418 12463

"We were really dissapointing over the course of the three days. No one really played exceptionally well. We played good in patches but then we let them off the hook by loosing a wicket or giving away easy runs. You can't do that in any form of cricket. Though full credit to Tony's Hero's. You played well and deserved the win."

Left_Hander's reaction after the game.

Mental Blank Start OD League With A Bang!​

Our first official 50 over game of the season was against Oneoffthewrist. A tough oppenent that I had never beaten in the last 4 meetings we have had. So we travelled to Oneoffthewrist CG were a cracked pitch was prepared for us. With my team not being the best batting side we needed to restrict them for a low score that we could chase down. When we had found out that Captain Lampard had won the toss we had no hesitation in bowling first.

We started great and had them at 2/18 but they made a recovery. There was some great bowling by everyone but the standouts of the innings would have to be, Dixon (3/66 of his ten overs), Bradshaw (A very econimical 2/38 off his ten overs) and spinner Shackell picking up 1/21 off his ten overs. Rheams and Ryan had joint top scored for 53. Oneoffthewrist ended up getting 7/238.

Henry was first to go for 8, though his other opening partner made a vaulable contribution of 38. Basson didn't last long going for 14. With a change of batting position with Lampard dropping down to 5, he didn't succeed and only made 8 runs. Sayce played some beautiful cricket shots and made 97*, Dunn made 22 but his dismissal could of been a good thing as a Pearse who had a very attacking mindset went on and got 38* off 26 balls and smashing two fours to confirm our first win and depriving poor Sayce of a well deserved and what would of been, his first hundred.

Pearse hits another boundary as his crucial knock of 38* gives Mental Blank their first OD win this season.​

Here is the reporter's summary. A pretty good result if you ask me:

Reporter's Summary
Oneoffthewrist Mental Blank
Top Order: mediocre feeble
Middle Order: feeble mediocre
Lower Order: worthless worthless
Seam Bowling: mediocre feeble
Spin Bowling: mediocre mediocre
Fielding: abysmal woeful

MOTM: Sayce

Sayce was later annonuced Man of The Match. An award he truly deserved. Or is it really Bill Sayce... ​

 

[surendar]

lol, its exactly opposite to me.. A good debut in FC and bad start in OD Anyways tough luck in FC leftie.. but its a good compensating win later though! nice..

 

[Highlander999]

No idea, what is happening so well done or Bad Luck .

I really need to learn Battrick so I can understand this

 

[Left_Hander]

No idea, what is happening so well done or Bad Luck .

I really need to learn Battrick so I can understand this

Well I just reported on two games. The first one was a first class game (which goes for three days) in which I lost in. These games go from Tuesday-Thrusday. The next game I played was a OD game which I won.

Need any more help just ask!

Mental Blank Bomb Out of Cup​

It was a mainly sunny day though there were some clouds about. The pitch was flat and we were playing at our home ground - The Music Room. Our oppenent were the Nowra Ninjas. A very strong side on paper and we knew we had a tough task ahead of us. So not suprisngly Nowra won the toss and elected to bat first.

Mental Blank had decided to rest some players knowing that winning the game was going to be very unlikely. They even played on Take It Easy. Pearse was the only one to take any wickets and he made a very good contribution of 2/39 off his ten overs. The only other wicket came from a run out. Uddin topped scored for the away side with 93. Nowra ended up with a good total of 3/333.

The home side where never in the hunt and they were bowled out for an abysmal 90 runs. Pearse the player with the best contribution of 26*, Dodds made 24 and Stoltz made 22. Keogh was the star bowler for the Ninjas taking impressive figures of 3/14 off 6.2 overs. Man of the Match was Uddin.

"We were never really in the game. Full credit to Nowra. They played some great cricket. We need to improve if we want to be tough opposition in the future against stronger sides".

My reaction after the game.

Reporter's Summary
Mental Blank Nowra Ninjas
Top Order: woeful respectable
Middle Order: woeful woeful
Lower Order: worthless worthless
Seam Bowling: feeble competent
Spin Bowling: mediocre mediocre
Fielding: woeful feeble

Here is the Reporter's Summary. It shows that Nowra were easily the better side.

The Nowra Ninjas ended up winning by 243 runs and knocking Mental Blank out of the cup. The only positive note was the fact that Mental Blank got past the first round.

Training Update​

Monday is the day you look foward to seeing if any of your players "popped" or increased a level. Mental Blank had a great training week this week. Here are our "pops":

Robert Dodds - 19 yo, BT Rating=4,100
RH Batsman, RH Spin Bowler, abysmal batting form, strong bowling form, sublime
A destructive player with competent leadership skills and worthless experience.
Stamina: feeble Wicket Keeping: worthless
Batting: respectable Concentration: mediocre
Bowling: worthless Consistency: worthless
Fielding: mediocre

My reaction: A great pop for not only Robert but the whole team. Will bring a bit more depth in our line up and should give this boy the skills to keep moving foward.

Trained on: 1 batting, 1 fielding

​

Here is Dodds receiving his batting net. Dunn (The wicket-keeper) is behind the stumps giving advice and practising his keeping​

Roland Hadland - 19 yo, BT Rating=18,155
RH Batsman, RFM Bowler, strong batting form, superb bowling form, invigorated
An attacking player with strong leadership skills and abysmal experience.
Stamina: proficient Wicket Keeping: worthless
Batting: abysmal Concentration: woeful
Bowling: quality Consistency: mediocre
Fielding: feeble

My reaction: Perfect! A very quality pop for Hadland here. He just needs his consistency to get higher and he will destroy batting line-ups everywhere.

Trained On: 2 bowl, 1 stamina (I had him on a field but took it away for PFL reasons).

 

[Highlander999]

Ouch. Painful defeat there. Nice work though

 

[surendar]

Hadland has grown very well.. Nice trump card there leftie.. And ya, tough luck in cup game.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

If Roland Hadland, what happened to it?