Story My Career Diary - Chapter 46
- Thread starter hedger_14
- Start date
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
yeah, i better change it so it doesn't black out.
And I used Excel for the scorecard, pretty simple and 5 minutes of work to do.
And I used Excel for the scorecard, pretty simple and 5 minutes of work to do.
Prithvi
10 years at Planetcricket
Hedgy, here is a suggestion for the text on image.
If you have photoshop, use outer glow, with any contrasting color, to make the text visible better. Thats the best option available
!
BTW, I'll read the story after you get selected for the Aussies XI as I haven't read any update from then
.
If you have photoshop, use outer glow, with any contrasting color, to make the text visible better. Thats the best option available
!BTW, I'll read the story after you get selected for the Aussies XI as I haven't read any update from then
.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
No, I don't have photoshop. That's why I'm doing my scorecard in Excel.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Chapter 36 (Part B) ~ Good Start for Us
There was still 35 minutes left in the first session and we went out into the field. George sent me to stand at second slip, starting with 3 slips in place, Bailey and Voges also in the slips as well as Dan in the gully. We also had a cover, mid on, mid off, square leg and fine leg in place as Geeves ran in to open the bowling. The first ball was a bit straight and was worked off the hips by Watling down to fine leg for 1. The rest of the over was pretty good though, just outside the off stump but Redmond was leaving it alone before Brett decided to throw in the bouncer on the final ball and it reared up and hit him on the helmet, a moral victory for the bowler. Josh Hazlewood would bowl from the other end. He started off reasonably well, conceding 1 run before Redmond hit the first boundary of the innings off Brett, the ball not that short but Redmond went back at cut through point for 4. Redmond tried to cut the next ball as well but it was a bit too full to do so as the ball went under the bat and through to Paine behind the stumps. Geeves wasn?t bowling that great though and conceded another boundary, trying to bowl a bouncer but it ended up just sitting up for Redmond who pulled it behind square for 4. Both Geeves and Hazlewood had bowled 5 overs without taking that breakthrough wicket and there was one over until lunch. George threw me the ball. ?Have one over before lunch. Just put it on the spot and hopefully you can draw the batsman into a mistake.? I bowled pretty well, bowling a no ball as I conceded 1 off the over as they went into lunch at 19/0, with Redmond and Watling going along nicely.
We came back out after the lunch break with Hazlewood to continue as I stood in the slip, as George still looked to play aggressively. He didn?t bowl too badly in his first over and I wasn?t given the ball from the other end as Ben Laughlin was brought on to replace me. Laughlin got some nice away swingers going but Redmond wasn?t interested in them, leaving it alone as a maiden was bowled. The bowlers failed to take that breakthrough early in the session although Laughlin was starting to draw Redmond into some shots, with a missed slog followed up by a drive through the covers for 2 and a boundary over mid on. Ben decided to drop it in short and Redmond went at it but got a top edge and luckily for New Zealand, went straight over the keeper?s head for six. Hazlewood was removed from the attack after bowling 7 over?s for 13 runs with Dan Christian who was really improving as a bowler brought in to replace him. George told me to go into around to the gully as they continued with 2 slips and now a deep point in place.
First ball was pulled away for six though and the square leg was sent to the boundary. Christian put the next ball on a good length and Redmond went back again and tried to cut it away even with the deep point in place and it was well short of the boundary as Marsh took a good catch out there to remove Redmond for 37. Christian had the breakthrough and hopefully he could take another as Guptill made his way to the crease. The point and square leg were brought up back to cut off the single as Guptill probably wouldn?t be going aerial early in his innings. Guptill got off the mark to bring the 50 up for New Zealand while Laughlin was allowed to continue from the other end, now that the danger man was gone and Ben could now bowl his outswingers to the new batsman and Watling who was yet to get going. Laughlin couldn?t take a wicket though and after 4 over?s for 20 runs, was taken off for Geeves. He only bowled 2 over?s though before Bailey decided to bring Holland into the attack. I was fielding at short leg for his bowling. His first over wasn?t that bad, a few singles being scored but it was Christian who struck again, trapping Guptill in front for 13. New Zealand 2 down now and could Christian go on to take a few more wickets before tea?
Ryder started off strongly, by cutting Christian for 4 as he looked to make an attacking start and Holland?s next over brought a few straight drives off Watling?s bat down the ground for a few 2?s as New Zealand were 82/2 with about 45 minutes left in the session. I was wondering when I would get a bowl. Christian was going along strongly though and Holland had only bowled 2 over?s so it would probably be a while before I bowled.. Holland was hammered for 2 boundaries in his fourth over by Ryder and George told me to warm up. Christian bowled a good over but was cut away for 4 off the last ball over as the point fielder chased it. ?Now?? I asked the skipper. ?Yep?, he said as he tossed me the ball. ?You set your field?, he told me so I started doing so. I kept George and Adam at slips with Dan in the gully. I sent Shaun out to the deep point boundary while also having a cover, mid off, mid on, square leg and fine leg, leaving out the mid wicket. I conceded a single first ball off Ryder but I bowled a lot better to Watling, beating the bat 2 times in 5 balls as I only conceded 1 run in the over. I got the big wicket though a few over?s later, getting Watling to drive outside the off stump and it just went straight to cover in the air where Shaun took the catch and Watling looked really disappointing but he had to go for 31.
I bowled another good over while Christian was finally taken off for part timer, Adam Voges who was given the chance to bowl the last over of the session. 7 bowlers already used and we still had Henriques who was yet to bowl. He didn?t bowl too badly, only 2 runs off it, including a no ball so that was it for the session, the match still well in the balance, New Zealand already 3 down but Ryder was looking good and a century could be on the cards for him. Christian had bowled 11 over?s in the session, taking 2/37 as New Zealand were 116/3 at tea with Ryder unbeaten on 27.I had good looking figures of 1/5 from 5 over?s so hopefully I would continue to bowl well in the final session. It would be a tough final session but if we took 3 wickets, we would be slightly on top.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Chapter 36 (Part C) ~ Elliott Fights Back
So we were out on the field again for the final session. I started with the ball in my hand, so I was pretty confident of bowling well. I hadn?t given away any easy runs so hopefully I could continue that and bowl just outside the off stump. I continued with 3 slips and a gully with no point in place. My first ball was slightly short just outside the off stump and Broom just shouldered arms to it and Paine took it at chest height. My third ball was a little straight giving Broom the chance to work it to the leg side for a single bringing Ryder on strike. I got unlucky though as I bowled a good ball, slightly outside the off stump at about stump height nit Ryder rocked back and played it wide of point for 4 so George asked me if I wanted a gully rather than a third slip and I nodded so now hopefully he wouldn?t play that shot wide of the fielders behind the stumps. I finished strongly though with 2 dot balls as Hazlewood came on from the other end. Hazlewood started well with 2 full balls which Broom couldn?t work away and then he dropped in a short ball, the bouncer too good for Broom as he didn?t keep his eyes on the ball, as it came off the toe of the bat and went upwards towards square leg and a stunning catch from Geeves diving forward to his left had Broom on his way for only 3, only adding one to his tea score and the early wicket had come.
I continued from the other end and dropped in a bouncer with my second ball hoping I would get the same result as Josh did but the ball fell short of Geeves at square leg who nearly misfielded it but he stopped it with his leg. Again it wasn?t a bad over, only conceding one run. I nearly had Ryder out in my next over though as he mistimed a cut shot but it went between the gully and point through the air but neither could get to the ball as it ran away to the boundary. It was an extremely expensive over though as I conceded another 2 boundaries. At the end of the over, George came up to me. ?Have one more over. Just make sure you get your line right.? I nodded and headed into the slips again ready to field thinking about my previous over. Hazlewood took the big wicket of Jesse Ryder though as he pulled a pretty full ball but only got a fine bottom edge and Paine took a simple catch and Ryder was out for 40, New Zealand now 143/5 and in serious trouble. McCullum was now at the crease and it could be a while before we took another wicket. Hazlewood decided he wanted a leg gully so I was moved in there, and now we had 2 slips, a gully, leg gully, square leg, fine leg, mid on, mid off and cover. McCullum?s first ball was predictably short and was in the air for a bit but landed well short of Geeves at square leg. A few balls and Hazlewood decided he wanted me at short leg so I moved in there asking for a helmet. My next over was a lot better so George decided to stick with me.
The short ball was really troubling McCullum but not so for Elliott. We would of wanted another wicket soon but we had already had a great start to the session so I don?t think it would have been too bad if these 2 put on a good partnership as we already had a strong lead. After a 6 over spell, I was taken out of the attack, with Ben Laughlin getting the ball in hand. He was trying to get Elliott to drive away from his body by bowling full and wide of off stump and was doing that but Elliott was up to the challenge driving it through the covers for 4 first ball so the mid on was moved over into the covers, hoping that he would still try the drive and he did, although it always went to the fielder rather than catch the end. After 1 and a half overs of bowling full, he dropped one in a bit short, and Elliott punished him cutting him away wide of gully for 4. Hazlewood was taken off after that over, with Jon Holland coming back into the attack. We left McCullum a free area through square leg hoping that he?d try and play against the spin in hope for an edge. The arm ball nearly got him late in the over, when he got the inside edge but it fell just in short of me at short leg and rolled away to square leg for a single, although I was pretty annoyed I didn?t stop it. Ben Laughlin only lasted 2 overs, after having gone for 14 runs in them and George decided to go with spin from both ends with Voges back into the attack. Both bowled a few overs and had started well so George probably would stick to them for a while. They just needed to force the batsman into a mistake.
Adam Voges only bowled 4 over?s in his spell though before Dan was brought into the attack about 7 minutes before stumps. He would probably only have the one over tonight. He got hit for a boundary early on as Elliott moved onto 46 but he wasn?t on strike for the final over of the day. George decided to make a bowling change with Brett getting the ball for the final over. It had been a session which we had got on top of early but Elliott and McCullum battled through after that and we hadn?t managed to break the key partnership yet but hopefully we could take one wicket in the final over of the day. He didn?t start well conceding a boundary before a single was scored to get Elliott back on strike. Brett then opted for the yorker but Elliott played it superbly wide of mid on and it raced away to the boundary and Elliott had his half century, a nice innings from him. Another boundary was scored next ball but at least Brett finished with a dot ball to finish an expensive over to end the day, as New Zealand had got to 200 in that over, finishing 207/5, with Elliott 54* and McCullum 18*. We needed to take a few early wickets on Day 3 though to have a chance at winning this.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Chapter 37 (Part A) ~ Holland Helps Bowl N.Z Out
I didn?t have the best sleep last night but I was still ready to go for another exciting day of cricket. We were at the ground ready to go out for the morning session. We were all crowded around as George spoke, ?Ok guys. We are doing well. An early wicket this morning and we?ll be right on top. The pitch is still pretty good so just bowl the same way as you have been previously in this test match and the fielding will have to be great and we might even be able to steal a run out. But do the basics and it should be fine. Let?s go and bowl these New Zealander?s out.? We made our way out to the field. I expected that Hazlewood would take the ball to start the day and I was right as he took it to bowl the first over as I was at second slip. As it was early in the day, we were playing with a pretty attacking field but Hazlewood needed to be on the money.
Hazlewood started well with 5 dot balls, including a bouncer which hit McCullum in the head but went for a boundary off the last ball when he played a short ball through third man for 4 and they were the first runs of the day. George decided to start with spin from the other end with Jon Holland. Elliott didn?t give him any time to settle down though playing over mid wicket for 4 and now the square leg was brought up to stop the single while a man was moved out to the mid wicket boundary. Hazlewood couldn?t get his lengths right in his next over and George told him to have a spell while asking Ben to warm up. Jon bowled a better over next up but an inside edge off the last ball by McCullum ruined his maiden. He was getting some nice inswing but McCullum only took a couple of balls to pick it up as he slogged him back over his head for 4. Laughlin also couldn?t get his lines right as a low full toss outside the offstump was put away to the boundary before a bouncer was hooked away for 6 by McCullum to end an expensive over. George had something to think about and decided to give Laughlin a rest as well. Holland continued from the other end meanwhile.
Jon Holland started well getting Elliott to play a false sweep shot, missing it but he was hit outside the line so the LBW appeal was turned down. He got the next ball a bit straighter and shorter and Elliott again opted to sweep but didn?t get all of it. ?Catch it!? I heard from Jon as I realised the ball was coming near me at square leg. It was going straight to me. I walked forward a few steps and took one of the easiest catches I ever would, cleanly grasping the ball and Elliott was out for 64, New Zealand losing their first wicket of the day and they were now 237/6. The skipper made his way to the crease and Holland was looking good with the ball this morning. George decided to move me into a silly mid on so we now had 4 catching men around the bat but Vettori played it nicely and Holland finished the over to take a wicket maiden. Dan Christian was brought on from the other end. He didn?t do too badly in his first over, conceding 5 runs including another McCullum boundary and now it was McCullum who was racing away, playing the pace bowlers with ease. McCullum nearly got himself out playing the reverse sweep to Holland and was very lucky to survive when he was hit on the pads with 2 stumps showing and the ball clipping the pads on the way through, and would have probably hit middle stump but the empire was unmoved. If only we had the referral system.
Holland continued with 4 dot balls and the final ball of the over was slightly straighter, pitching on the leg stump and McCullum again brought out the reverse sweep but again didn?t get bat on ball and was bowled, and we were on top now that the 2 danger man were gone. It only took us 3 overs to get the wicket of Vettori, as Dan Christian got one to seam away slightly and Vettori playing it away from his body only managed an edge straight into the hands of Voges at third slip. New Zealand 8 down now and in trouble. Holland struck again only a couple of overs later, when he decided to come back over the wicket to the right hander and got one to spin a bit, catching the outside edge of Tuffey?s bat as it fell onto the stumps. Southee and Mills put on a small annoying partnership but Christian finally got Mills to play at one outside the off stump and got a thick outside edge and again it was coming towards me at second slip and I stuck the right hand above my head and held onto the catch, New Zealand bowled out for 267, Christian finishing with 4/57 while Holland took 3/46. Now we had to bat again, with a 138 run lead. Hopefully we could get a strong lead before declaring. We just had to make sure we survived the very short stint before lunch.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Chapter 37 (Part B) ~ Marsh Fires with 50
Tim and Shaun made their way out to the crease just before lunch. Mills started well with a maiden, Shaun ducking from a bouncer first up before defending a series of straight balls back towards the bowler. Tim Southee didn?t bowl as well though in his first over, as he went for 3 singles before Marsh played a beautiful straight drive back down the ground for 4. 7 off the over, and one over until lunch now. Paine got lucky off the first ball of the over when he edged a drive through a vacant 4th slip region which raced away to the boundary. The rest of the over was played out without any runs being scored so we went into the lunch break at 11/0, with Paine on 6 and Marsh on 5. We had to continue well after lunch though. Both of the openers were doing their openers, playing off the new ball but Paine was lucky to survive going into the 9th over when he top edged a Mills short ball up high but the bowler or keeper couldn?t get under it as it fell short as the batsman scrambled through for a single. Paine needed to make the most of that chance now.
We got through to the 10 over mark without losing a wicket though which was a good start, and now at 31 without loss, we could look to build on our lead. And that?s exactly what Paine looked to do as he came down the wicket to Mills and played a beautiful drive through the covers which raced away to the boundary for 4 more runs. Southee finally had a break after 6 overs, with Daryl Tuffey brought on in hope to take the wicket of one of the openers. He started well with 5 dot balls but just got a bit too full with his last ball and Marsh was quickly onto it driving it down the ground for another boundary. Mills was the one to strike first though, Paine trying to cut a reasonably wide one but only managed to get the inside edge down onto the stumps, and it was again another start for Paine as he was out for 20 after making 12 in the first innings. The skipper was now at the crease, coming off a stunning unbeaten double century in the first innings. He was lucky to survive, nearly out for a duck as he edged Tuffey but it went straight through the hands of the gully fielder and went away for 4.
Marsh was looking really good at the crease, and you know he?s in good touch when he?s playing his great straight drives. There isn?t many in Australia who can play the straight drive as good as him as he just hit his third boundary back down the ground to move on towards a needed fifty. Kyle Mills finally was taken off after bowling 11 overs for figures of 1/30 and it was the skipper himself who was brought on. We had got through over half of the session so now we had to focus on getting through to the end of it, hopefully losing no more wickets. George was living dangerously though as he edged through the gully region for the third time and the third boundary and it was frustrating Tuffey. He was taken off though after that over and Mills was brought back on. Marsh was playing that straight drive as well as before though and came down the pitch this time to do it and moved onto 40 not out. Another boundary a couple of overs later, an edge through a vacant slips cordon moved him to within 3 runs of a nice half century with still about 4 overs before tea. He got there, with another edge through the slips for 4 to move past 50, coming off 102 balls as he raised his bat to the crowd. 7 boundaries, all fours had come in his innings, with 4 straight drives and 3 edges.
We brought up the 100 runs in our next over, off Vettori as we moved closer to the tea break. We just needed to make sure we didn?t lose a wicket beforehand. A hard cut shot from the skipper nearly brought his downfall but was put down in the gully, a chance that the fielder should have held onto but Bailey had been given a life so close to the tea break. Mills didn?t look happy at all. Vettori would bowl what would probably be the last over before tea. Marsh wasn?t going to play anything extravagant though and didn?t as he batted out a maiden and it was in fact the last over of the session as we went into the tea break at 102/1, Marsh 54* with Bailey on 22*. Paine was the only wicket to fall in that session, out for 20 so now we would be looking to attack in this final session in hope to declare at the end of the day probably hopefully giving them a target of 360 so they would have to go at about 4 an over on the final day. Who knew what George would decide to do though?
