Story My Career Diary - Chapter 46

[Aditya]

Australia A off to a good start in their second innings. Now, it's important for them to continue the good work and give New Zealand a target of 350+.

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 37 (Part C) ~ The Lower Order Collapse​

George and Shaun made their way back out to the middle to bat again. They needed to push on, especially Shaun now that he had passed fifty. Mills started pretty well but got a bit straight to Bailey late in the over who worked him for a single but that brought Marsh who pounced on a full ball first ball, driving it straight back down the ground for 4, the shot he played so well in the first session. A couple of maidens were bowled in a row though to slow the runs but Marsh played a beautiful shot through the covers, coming down the wicket and piercing the gap in the infield to get another boundary and maybe a hundred was on the cards for Marsh. Mills was taken off and Tuffey was brought into the attack but a few no balls meant a reasonable over of about 6 runs. Marsh was trying to take as much spin out of the equation with Vettori as he came charging down the wicket and now playing a square drive against the spin through point for 4. A century could be on the cards for Marsh now. He nearly got out next ball though and was very lucky as he edged it straight between the keeper and first slip as they ran a single, Marsh moving onto 70*.

Marsh was trying to bring his century up as fast as possible, probably doing it for the team trying to score as many runs as possible tonight as he again used his feet to now loft the ball over backward point which evaded the fielder in the deep and raced away for 4. Men were put on the boundary for Marsh now, for both ends which dried up the boundaries for a few over?s which made Bailey think he had to go for the boundary and ended up cutting it straight to the fielder at cover and Tuffey had struck. Dan was brought out ahead of Voges because of his big hitting and it was obvious that we were now looking to score as many runs as possible. Chrstian didn?t last long though as he chipped one straight back to Mills who took the ball on his follow through and Dan was out for 1, and now Voges came to the crease. It was nearly disaster though as Marsh tried to hook the ball but it came off the toe and went straight up in the air but luckily no one could get under it and it fell safely.

Voges got himself started with a 3 down the ground before hitting a few singles while Marsh moved closer to the 100, on 88*. Voges got a short and wide delivery from Mills but didn?t make the same mistake as Bailey did as he cut it well over the top for his first boundary to move into double figures. He edged the next ball down to third man for four but only added 3 more runs after that before he played all around a straight ball from Vettori and he was out for 17, Moises Henriques now coming to the crease. He wasn?t sticking around though as he slog swept his first ball for a couple of runs before hitting an on-drive through mid wicket for 4 a couple of balls later. He didn?t last much longer as he got out for 7, edging a good short ball from Mills straight to Redmond at second slip who took it above his head and now I had to bat, and support Marsh on his way through to his hundred.

I got out to the middle as Shaun came up to me, ?Good luck. The ball isn?t doing much. Mills is just bowling well and tight so don?t get bogged down. We have heaps of time and only have bowlers after this so don?t really have to slog.? I wasn?t really feeling like slogging anyway. We needed a good partnership and it was up to me to get Marsh through to his century. I took guard and readied as Mills ran in to bowl. My first ball was down the legside though so I just let it go through to the keeper. He was trying to get me out bowled or LBW it seemed as he bowled a few balls around my pads but I got one away from the fielder and we ran a single so I was off the mark after 3 balls. Marsh scored a single late in the over to give me one ball to face. Going forward to defend, I edged it and my good run of luck continued as the fielder at second slip put it down. Now that was twice I had been put down at slip on 1. I was making a habit of it. Marsh told me to keep my head down which I was planning on doing anyway as Marsh took guard for the new Vettori over. Shaun Marsh finally fell though, late in the over as he came charging down the wicket but couldn?t make contact with the ball and McCullum completed the stumping to have Marsh back in the pavilion for 92, bringing Brett Geeves to the crease. He got off the mark against Mills while I started to get a move on with a forceful stroke through the covers. While the ball was in the air, it was in the gap and the cries of catch were more of desperation than anything else as I moved onto 7. I had to remember to make sure I hit the ball when it was on the stumps and I paid the ultimate price when I was bowled, playing an ugly shot and I was out for 9.

Laughlin wasn?t going to die wondering though as he came out and first ball was smashed over point for 4, despite a man being out in the deep. Mills got his revenge though a couple of overs later as Laughlin holed out to Southee at mid-off and he was out for 9, Mills taking his fifth wicket and it looked like we might be bowling today. Kyle Mills found himself on a hattrick when he brought the edge from Jon Holland and McCullum took a comfortable catch. A quick single brought up the 200 for the team as we edged closer to the end of the day with less than 10 minutes remaining. They started to get a move on though as Hazlewood smashed Elliott through mid-wicket for a boundary but tried the same shot the next ball and Tuffey took the catch to his right at mid-on and we were all out for 207, Hazlewood out for 6 while Geeves finished not out on 8. We would come back tomorrow and need to bowl them out for under 345 to win.

 

[Prithvi]

Nice to see this getting updated

 

[hedger_14]

I need something to do during the holidays

Although I'm not sure I'll continue it once the holidays finish but I'll do my best.

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 38 (Part A) ~ Redmond?s Hard Work Undone​

It was the final day of the match and we had a slight chance to take a pleasing win against the New Zealanders. Geeves and Hazlewood took the next ball and started tightly before Hazlewood just got a bit wide and Redmond sat back and guided it through backward point for a boundary. The batsman were playing it easy though as anything straight was worked to leg and Watling and Redmond were happy to leave outside the off-stump most of the time and were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Hazlewood only lasted 3 overs before Bailey brought him off, for Laughlin. They were looking to attack Geeves as Redmond played another nice shot through the covers for a boundary before scoring a single to get Watling back on strike. The first breakthrough finally came though as Geeves bowled a nice ball slightly short of a good length and Watling?s fend was ineffective as the ball caught the edge and Tim Paine took a comfortable catch above his head and Watling was out for 10, New Zealand 28/1.

Geeves was starting to look better bowling a nice line and length to Redmond but he got slightly wide again and the New Zealand opener made him pay, getting on the back foot and hammering him through the covers to move into the 20s. Geeves was getting his lengths right and got Redmond jumping around in his crease as we started to get the upper hand of the match. Guptill was finally off the mark with a boundary through point off Ben. Geeves was getting tired though going into his 8th over and Redmond took full advantage of a short wide ball, cutting through point for 4. Brett overcorrected next ball, full and straight and Redmond punished him again, straight over mid-wicket for a huge six.

Dan Christian got the same treatment, going for two boundaries off the first two balls of his next over. ?Warm up?, George said to me and I got ready to bowl. The next ball went for the maximum, as a short ball was given the treatment, Redmond hooking over fine leg for six. A single for Redmond finally brought Guptill on strike and Christian was able to keep him quiet for the rest of the over. Geeves was given a spell meanwhile and I was brought on to replace him. I started well, conceding 3 singles from my first over and bringing a false shot from Redmond but I knew I needed to get the breakthrough. Jon Holland was given the ball to take over from the expensive Dan Christian. Redmond brought up his fifty with a nice boundary down the ground and we knew we had to get him out. He was making us pay though as Holland was put over cover for six and Redmond could have had his hundred before lunch.

Guptill started to give me the treatment as he smashed two boundaries before smacking me straight back past me for six. ?Have a spell?, the skipper told me as I walked back to my fielding position. Holland bowled a perfect over, not conceding a single run but couldn?t get Redmond out. George surprised everyone by taking the ball himself. He must have regretted doing that when Guptill hit him for three sixes off the first 3 balls. Bailey came around the wicket though and put it right up in the block hole but Guptill still wanted a go and saw his middle stump go flying, out for 43. Holland was the one who took the needed wicket of Aaron Redmond though as he also tried to smash the ball on the legside and went in identical fashion to Guptill, for 60. Holland struck again with the wicket of Neil Broom two balls later and New Zealand had slipped from 121/1 to 121/4 within the space of an over. Holland finished off to take a double wicket maiden. Bailey decided to take himself off and brought Brett back into the attack, having taken 1/32 from his 8 overs. Geeves nearly had New Zealand 5 down when Ryder played uppishly towards point but the ball landed short of Marsh. His over was very good but ruined it with a slightly short, wide ball which Ryder punished to get off the mark with a boundary. A reverse sweep isn?t the smartest shot to play while on naught and Grant Elliott paid dearly for it as Holland struck again for his third wicket.

Brendon McCullum wasn?t hanging around though and his shot second ball was brilliant to watch even if I was on the fielding side, as he hammered it over square leg for the biggest six of the match. Brett Geeves backed up Holland?s good over with another maiden to keep things tight at that end while McCullum couldn?t get Holland away for anything in the next over as we had two consecutive maidens with one over left until lunch. Geeves couldn?t back that up though as Jesse Ryder smashed him over square leg first ball for a big six. Ryder hit a single next ball before McCullum batted out the rest of the over and New Zealand were 138/5 at the lunch break.


Short Scoreboard:

Day 4 - Lunch

New Zealand - 138/5 (29.0 over?s)

J. Ryder 11* (18)
B. McCullum 6* (13)

J. Holland 3/19 (6)
B. Geeves 1/43 (11)

 

[RPHKR]

Brilliant presentation, love the writeup and images from C2K7. Just wanna read it from start.

 

[hedger_14]

fearsome tweak. My lineup editor was missing for some reason so I downloaded it again from the C2k7 section but when I extract it, the .exe file is corrupt then disappears so I can't edit the lineups.

Anyway around this? Cause I can't really do the story unless I can get it to work.

 

[RPHKR]

^Corrupted? Can I upload the exe for you?

 

[hedger_14]

Wait, for the lineup editor? If you have the lineup editor, could you just upload the whole thing?

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 38 (Part B) ~ Bailey Takes Full Control​

Jon Holland continued after the lunch break, bowling to Jesse Ryder. He bowled a good over, only conceding a single while Josh Hazlewood was given the ball from the other end. He went for four first ball, before getting Ryder?s edge a couple of balls later but only managed to pick the gap between myself and Adam at third slip and it was four more to the total. Hazlewood?s frustration was intensified though when a yorker was dispatched over his head for six to end an expensive over of 14 runs and George told him to have a spell. Dan Christian came on to replace him following another maiden from Jon. He nearly struck straight away when Ryder?s shot was mistimed and went straight up but Laughlin at mid on was unable to get to the ball and the batsman ran through for the single. McCullum then got himself going with a nicely guided shot through the gully for his second boundary. Christian was getting punished as McCullum smashed him for another two boundaries to end the over.

When things aren?t going well, what do you do? You bowl George Bailey, that?s what you do. I hoped he was able to get a wicket in his second over, like his first, ?Come on mate. You can do it.? I told him as I walked into my fielding position. He started around the wicket to Brendon McCullum and first ball was a beautiful yorker at the base of the middle stump. Brendon McCullum wasn?t going to have a look at the new bowler before having a go though and found himself bowled in identical fashion to Guptill, out for 24 and Bailey had struck again. The rest of his over was good, only conceding 3 runs and another vital breakthrough from George Bailey. Jon Holland continued from the other end, keeping it tight. Ryder went after him a couple of balls into the over though with a lofted shot over square leg for six. George Bailey continued from the other end and who would have thought he?d have 3 wickets in 2.1 overs, as his yorker again proved too difficult for Jesse Ryder to play who played all around it and the off stump was out of the ground, the danger man bowled for 41 and the tail was exposed with Vettori and Mills now at the crease. Kyle Mills didn?t care that George Bailey had taken 3 wickets in 3 overs and made him pay for overpitching with a huge six down the ground following a boundary the previous ball to bring up the 200 for New Zealand and left them with 146 to win although only 3 wickets in hand.

George gave me the ball to replace Jon Holland with the two danger men out. I repaid the favour by taking the wicket of Kyle Mills, as he tried to go aerial off the back foot and only managed to pick out Geeves at mid on who took a comfortable catch. New Zealand were seeming to be throwing their wickets away as Tuffey edged Bailey where Hazlewood held on to a tough chance in the gully and Bailey had his fourth wicket, Tuffey out for 11 and New Zealand 214/9 with the result all but secured. After drawing three play and misses from Vettori, I finally finished it off as Vettori tried to play forcefully off the back foot but the ball hit high on the bat and George Bailey took the catch out at cover and we had bowled them out for 214 as we had won by 131 runs. ?Sorry skip for stealing your fifer?, I smiled to George as he walked over to congratulate me and he just laughed. We had recorded a very good win against New Zealand and now I had to focus on the One Day series.

 

[RPHKR]

Good team work there. Bailey won it for the Aussies.

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 39 ~ One Day XI Announced​

It was Saturday, the day before the first one day match and so the starting XI was to be announced today. I had trained pretty hard most of the week and I was fairly confident that I would be chosen especially after my century in the 4 day match. Most of the team were relaxed, after a good week, of mainly training and some time in the pool as well. We had played a game of golf a few days earlier as well, which although wasn?t my favourite sport was interesting and as my dad always played it and took me along sometimes, I went pretty well, Dan and James the only players that went better than myself. We waited around for the announcement and Tim finally gave it although I was very surprised when he told me that I would be opening the batting. He went through and told us the full starting XI, Moises and Ben missing out on spots in the XI as James Hopes and John Hastings came in for the two while Tait replaced Hazlewood.

1. Tim Paine (WK)
2. Brendon Hedger
3. Shaun Marsh
4. George Bailey (C)
5. Adam Voges
6. Dan Christian
7. James Hopes
8. John Hastings
9. Brett Geeves
10. Jon Holland
11. Shaun Tait

 

[RPHKR]

C'mon Hedjer! Good XI there. Expecting a fifer or a ton from you

 

[Champagnepapi]

i realy like your story just found this thread today and readen every single chapter hedger is doing great hope you are good enough to enter the internatniol team

 

[hedger_14]

It's Hedger

And thanks. Hope you'll keep reading.