Story My Career Diary - Chapter 46

[hedger_14]

Oh man. Cricket 07 just terminated when Binnu came out to bat.

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 21 ~ The Opening Match: First 5 Over?s​

So the KFC T20 Big Bash was underway. Tasmania?s line-up was as follows:

1. Tim Paine (wk)
2. Rhett Lockyear
3. George Bailey (c)
4. Travis Birt
5. Alex Doolan
6. Luke Butterworth
7. Jason Krejza
8. Brett Geeves
9. Naved-ul-Hasan
10. Xavier Doherty
11. Gerard Denton

It was a nice hard pitch and good conditions to bat on. A par score would be around 185 on this pitch, especially if the openers could get off to a good start. They won the toss but for some reason had a bowl first. George Bailey said the reason was that it should be a good pitch for the entire match and it?s better if we know what we?re chasing. I still thought it would be better batting first.

Warner and Hughes made their way out to the middle. Hughes got a yorker first up from Naved-ul-Hasan but easily lofted it over mid off for 4. Hughes nearly got out next ball trying to flick it off his pads but chipped it up to square leg who luckily misjudged it and running in too far and they got a single. Warner was also looking to get going and lofted his first ball over cover for 4 after they had moved the man back from deep cover to long off after Hughes? first shot. Naved-ul-Hasan came back strongly though only conceding 2 runs off the last 3 balls and it was 11/0 after 1 over. Denton was bowling from the other end. Warner then hit a six over long off. It was very good batting from the 2 openers. Denton got him back though throwing a short ball in and it hit Warner who was trying to pull it. It was a good over other than the 6, only 1 single being scored off it so 7 off the over.

The third over was a good over, bowling 4 dot balls before Hughes started to get going lofting one over mid wicket for 4 and then driving one straight back down the ground for 3 runs. It was a very good fourth over, Warner hitting 4 boundaries, one wide of long off, then a thickish outside edge over point for another four and then followed by a fine leg glance through fine leg for 4 and a nice lofted shot over mid wicket to finish the over. Warner had now raced away to 27* off 11 balls.

Jason Krejza was brought on into the attack. Warner was still looking attack, firstly mistiming a shot after dancing down the wicket and managing to run 4 and then again mistiming a shot dancing down the wicket but it went just over mid off?s head and raced away to the boundary. There was 11 off the over in the end and it was 53/0 after 5 over?s. Hughes was on 17* but Warner was racing away on 36*, both having faced 15 balls. A very good start to the opening match.

 

[Prithvi]

Um. Great start by us. Waiting to check how good I can handle with Bat at that crucial position btw, top class stuff. Looks pretty realistic. KIUGW.

 

[Biggy]

New South Wales dominating! You might not get a bat.

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 22 ~ The Opening Match: Over’s 5-10​

We wanted to continue the way we were going after our first 5 over’s. Hughes was trying to hit out and first ball of the 6th over, he mistimed a full ball from Denton which went straight up and Naved-ul-Hasan took an easy catch at mid wicket to dismiss him for 17 off 16 balls. Prithviraj made his way to the crease. He blocked his first ball off the back foot but his next ball was fuller and he put it over mid off for 4. No chance for the long on fielder to field that. He tried the on drive next ball but couldn’t get any runs but then edged the next ball behind to Paine who moved to his right to take a simple catch and Prithviraj C was out for 4.

Henriques made his way out to the middle. Prithviraj wasn’t very happy when he got back to the sideline. I said, “Bad luck, it was a good ball and you’ll go better next time”. A very good over for Denton, only 4 runs off and 2 wickets. Krejza continued from the other end. Warner hit his first ball for 6, dancing down the wicket and hammering it over point and the deep point fielder caught it but his foot was over the boundary and the third umpire had a good look at it before telling the umpire it was a 6. Most of the fielders were on the boundary now with Warner making his way into the 40’s. He tried it again though except over wide long on but the long on fielder ran in and took it comfortably. 63/3 now and Warner out for 42 off 17 balls. I made my way to the crease to accompany the captain. I knew I had to keep going.

I missed my first ball, trying to deflect it down to third man. I nearly ran the skipper out, trying to get off the mark but he survived and I moved to 1*. 7 runs were scored from the over but considering the first ball went for 6, it was a very good over. Doherty was given the ball from the other end. I hit my first boundary coming down the wicket and playing through mid wicket for 4. The captain was having trouble and ran himself out, calling me through for a suicidal single. Steven Smith made his way to the crease to accompany me. He was on strike since it was over and Henriques was run out at the strikers end. Geeves was brought on into the attack.

Smith was off the mark first ball with a six down the ground. A good way to start the innings. 9 runs were scored off the over and Doherty continued. I got on strike thanks to a leg glance from Smith for 1 and I hit the next ball over mid off for 4. 2 dot balls though to finish the over and it was 83/4. I was on 10* with Smith on 8*. We had slowed down a lot after being 53/0 after 5 over’s, so 30 runs coming in those 5 over’s.

 

[yashwanth kumar]

Good batting by Warner 42 of 17 balls would have been better for NSW if he had gone for more ......

Good Update mate

 

[Prithvi]

Ummm..... It was my clean weakness even in my story
BTW, good update mate...
And I said Warner when he came back to pavilion "No probs dude.. All Izz Well"(Only for Indian Users)

 

[Mihir Doshi]

An amazing story... KUTGW mate

 

[hedger_14]

Thanks for the comments guys. I hope to post an update today.

 

[hedger_14]

I do not have Photoshop on my computer so what should I do for scorecards.

 

[Prithvi]

Install it

 

[BKB1991]

ASk Wanderers, or Do you know how to use FrontPage?

 

[hedger_14]

I've never even heard of FrontPage.

 

[hedger_14]

Chapter 23 ~ The Opening Match: Over’s 10-20​

A tough 5 over’s had put us in a bit of trouble. Smith and I would have to get us back in the game. Butterworth was brought on into the attack. First ball was a delicate leg glance which pierced the gap between square leg and mid wicket and we ran through for 3, Smith just getting home. I couldn’t get it past the infield and batted out the rest of the over for no runs. I also survived an LBW appeal which probably shouldn’t have been out. Geeves was brought on from the other end. Smith was going well and hit a nice back foot drive over mid wicket for 4.

Butterworth continued and the field was spread. Easier for me for scoring singles. I hit 2 boundaries from the over, 1 through cover point and then a thick outside edge through backward point for 4 and I went to 18* from 20 balls and it was 100/4 after 13 over’s. Krejza was brought on into the attack. It was a pretty good over, 9 coming off it, including a back foot on drive by me which I ran four. Doherty was brought back on into the attack.

Smith got a single off the second ball of the over and then I hammered Doherty over long off for a six. That took me to 30* off 24 balls. I then hit a nice leg glance through the infield for a single and then Smith played a great on drive coming down the wicket wide of long on for 2. It was 119/4, 10 off the over. 5 over’s to go and we would want to get going. 160 from here would be a good total. Krejza continued into his last over. I was really going well now and hit another boundary through mid wicket for 4. 10 runs came off the over and it was 129/4, me on 38* off 29 balls with Smith on 28* off 26. Krejza finished with 1/36 from his 4 over’s. Doherty went into his last over.

Smith was really starting to get going with a leg glance for 4 followed by a hammering shot over long off for 6. There was a big mix-up next ball and both me and Smith ended up at the bowlers end and Paine took off the bails and Smith was the one to be ruled out. Smith had hit 37 off 27 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes. Dan Smith made his way out to the middle. 13 runs came from the over, but there was a wicket which would slow us down. I was on strike again. Naved-ul-Hasan was back on into the attack.

I was annoyed with myself, after hitting 3 two’s, a good length ball that I tried to drive on the up but all I got was an outside edge to Paine who took a good catch. I was out for 46 off 35 balls with 5 four’s and a six. The big hitter, Dwayne Smith came to the crease. He left the last ball of the over. 8 runs off the over and a wicket. Denton went into his last over, Dan Smith on strike. 24 runs came from the last 2 over’s and we finished 174/6 from our 20 over’s, Dan Smith scoring 15* off 10 and Dwayne Smith scoring 8* off 6.

It was a pretty good score considering we only scored 30 runs between over’s 5 and 10. Warner’s innings was crucial at the start as well as mine and Steven Smith’s partnership after Henriques ran himself out. I would want to put on a good all-round performance after my innings of 46 in our innings.

 

[CG123]

Good effort by you, a nice 46 off 34.
Warner was very destructive up the top.
Nice presentation and writing as always, keep it up.