Story My Career Diary - Chapter 46

[Champagnepapi]

sorry its normal for me to make mistakes because im dislexic

 

[Dipak]

never knew Bailey could bowl so well.

 

[hedger_14]

Neither did I

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 40 (Part A) ~ McCullum Leads the Way​

It was time for the first One Day match to get underway and I was really looking forward to it. The pitch was a bit green here in Christchurch so I hoped it wouldn?t affect my batting too much and I wanted to make a good impression early on. George went out to the middle to do the toss and came back with the news that we were bowling first, having won the toss. Hopefully we could take a few early wickets and put New Zealand on the back foot. 15 minutes later. we made our way out onto the field with Tait to bowl the first over. The New Zealand lineup was:

1. Brendon McCullum (WK)
2. Aaron Redmond
3. Martin Guptill
4. Jesse Ryder
5. Peter Fulton
6. Neil Broom
7. Scott Styris
8. Daniel Vettori (C)
9. Kyle Mills
10. Daryl Tuffey
11. Shane Bond

Shaun Tait was getting it through with some real pace but that wasn?t going to stop McCullum who after three dot balls, dropped back and pulled it over square leg for a six to get off the mark. Redmond was also off the mark first ball to Geeves as he whipped it over square leg for the second boundary of the game before stealing a single out to cover the following ball. McCullum got a peach from Geeves next delivery as it seamed well away and McCullum played and missed. McCullum hit his second six of the game as he smashed Tait over cover for a big six and Shaun was not very happy. New Zealand were off to a good start with 26 runs off the opening 4 overs but Shaun Tait took a needed breakthrough when he got a short of the length ball to keep low and Redmond couldn?t get the bat down to keep it out as he was bowled for 7, but Brendon McCullum was still not out at the other end on 18.

Geeves was the one troubling Brendon McCullum but the frustration grew when McCullum got a huge top edge trying to hook a well directed bouncer but the fine leg fielder had been moved up into the circle at the start of the over. The ball landed just before the boundary and it was 4 more for McCullum. Guptill was off the mark with a beautifully timed shot off his pads which went all the way for six and New Zealand were looking to take full control of the fielding restrictions. Tait only lasted 4 overs in the attack before George decided to take him off, bringing on the Victorian paceman John Hastings to replace him. He bowled very well to Brendon McCullum, only conceding 3 runs off the over, two runs coming from the edge. Geeves had gone for a few in his previous over so he was also replaced by the medium pacer, James Hopes. His over wasn?t great, going for a couple of boundaries and New Zealand were really starting to put the pressure on us.

Guptill was trying to do too much as he smashed Hastings over fine leg for six before trying to go again next ball over mid wicket but Jon Holland was placed nicely on the fence who got under the ball well and held on to a good catch, Guptill out for 37, New Zealand 2/82. We started to slow the run rate down as Geeves bowled two good overs, conceding 8 runs between them while Holland came on to replace Hopes and bowled a good first over, only conceding 4 runs. There was still the immediate threat of Brendon McCullum though who brought up his fifty a couple of overs later with a nice sweep shot through out to deep mid wicket for the single, his fifty coming off 67 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes. Ryder wasn?t having the best of time playing Holland and nearly got himself out playing a reverse sweep and missing the ball but it hit him just outside the line and the umpire made the correct decision.

Ryder?s frustration cost him his wicket as he tried to loft Holland over mid wicket on the final ball of the over and only managed to pick out George Bailey in the deep and New Zealand were 115/3 after 20 overs. Hastings troubled Peter Fulton with the short ball the following over catching him a couple of times but George decided to save him for his final 3 overs and told me to warm up. I bowled a good first over, only conceding 2 runs plus a bye although the batsman were just trying to bat out until drinks and weren?t really going over the top. Holland bowled another very good over to Fulton who was finding it hard to pick out the gaps. My last over was frustrating as I beat the bat twice but I was unable to take a breakthrough and the second time I beat the bat was called a wide unbelievable and I just gave umpire a questioning stare. 5 runs came off the over and halfway through the innings, New Zealand were 140/3. Hopefully we could restrict them to under 280.

Short Scoreboard:

Brendon McCullum 55* (78)
Peter Fulton 16* (19)

Jon Holland 1/21 (5)
Brendon Hedger 0/7 (2)

 

[RPHKR]

Good writeup, love the way you describe everyone. Hope you save your team by your batting.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Excellent presentation, its really exciting to watch and read

 

[Prithvi]

0-7 off two overs! Not bad!

 

[Dipak]

Bazza's wicket's the key here. If he goes on for five more overs then Aussies are in trouble.

 

[Champagnepapi]

verry good updates mate brendon looking dangerous

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 40 (Part B) ~ Fulton Boosts NZ Total​

Holland continued with still 5 overs left in his spell and bowled another good over, only conceding 4 runs while I still had the ball at the other end. I was ecstatic when I got the huge wicket of Brendon McCullum as he tried to guide it down to third man but only managed to get a thick outside edge where Paine took a screamer to his right and the danger man was out for 57. I finished the over well, only conceding 3 runs and we would now be looking to get on top of the game. Holland kept it tight at the other end with another good over of only 3 runs although my next over wasn?t that great as I failed to get my line right and went for 5 runs although nearly got a wicket as Fulton played a lofted cut shot but fell just short of Voges on the fence. Jon Holland was taken out of the attack after bowling 7 overs for 28 runs and a wicket with Dan Christian to bowl for the first time this innings.

I was taken off after 5 overs for Shaun Tait. George gave me a pat on the back and sent me out to the boundary after a solid spell of 1/20 from those 5 overs. The runs were really hard to come for New Zealand as they were only managing around 4 singles. Broom was really struggling finally going into double figures after 26 balls and his frustration showed as he cut Christian straight to Voges at point and New Zealand were 180/5 with just under 15 overs to go. They finally started to get back into the game after a good over against Christian as they managed 9 runs from it as New Zealand moved to 194/5 after 38 overs.

Fulton?s first four of the innings, having only hit one six before, came from an outside edge off Shaun Tait?s bowling to spoil what would have been a very good over from the fast bowler. Dan Christian was taken off after that as Brett Geeves was brought back into the attack. His first over back was perfect, only conceding 1 run as Styris failed to get him away and it was now 201/5 going into the last 10 overs. Tait?s pace was hard to deal with but Peter Fulton made it look easy as he came charging down the wicket at him and hammered it over cover for the maximum to bring up his fifty. Shaun Tait finished his spell having taken 1/52 and took a catch the following over as Scott Styris picked him out perfectly off a Geeves short ball and Shaun made no mistake taking the catch.

John Hastings came on to replace Shaun Tait and got punished straight away, second ball slightly short and Fulton just punched it off the back foot over cover and it raced away for a boundary. Brett Geeves was really keeping it tight though as he only conceded 2 runs in the 46th over! New Zealand were still struggling for boundaries but managed 7 off the over as they were 235/6 after 47 overs. New Zealand got a much needed boost to their total as a six over fine leg by Fulton helped them take 10 runs off Geeves over. Hastings was taken off although and George gave me the ball to bowl one over. My first ball was good but my second was a half volley on Fulton?s legs and he had no problem dispatching me over mid wicket for four. I hit back strongly a few balls later though as Peter Fulton?s great innings came to an end as he picked out Voges at mid on and he was out for 84, and I had my second wicket. It was a very strong finish for the New Zealander?s though as they scored 10 off the last over to have scored 29 off the final 3 overs to boost their total to 264/7. It was going to be a tough total to chase down.

 

[RPHKR]

solid spell of 2/20 from those 5 overs.

Corrected.
You need huge total to score more runs and chase it, C'mon Hedgy! We need a ton.

 

[hedger_14]

Nah, I was right. I came on for an over later and took my second wicket then

 

[Prithvi]

Wicket of Bazzie!!!!!
Where is party dude?

BTW, good bowling! 2-29 is not common for a player like you.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Superb batting display by the Kiwi's but you particularly bowled well Well done

Its the time to disco with the bat now

----------

Just one suggestion, increase the font size a by whatever it is plus 1. Its good for presentation but a bit small.

 

[Champagnepapi]

i hope hedger will bat well