treva
ICC Chairman
The Big Day
Martin batted out the over and it was my turn to face my first ball. I was nervous and the fact that it was Warne bowling made it even worse. I just though to myself, "Just see the first ball through. The last thing I want is a golden duck on debut." Warne came up to bowl and I saw somebody walking across the sightscreen so I stepped away. Finally I was ready to face Warne. He bowled a flat delivery at yorker length and I just kept it out.
Martin kept coming down the wicket and encouraging me while the Victoria fielders kept giving me a bit in my ear every other ball. I remember what the coach said before the match, "Don't be edgy, Get on top of the bowlers early and play my natural game." So with me facing Warne for my 2nd over he gave me a delivery that was a half-volley just outside off. I decided to attempt the sweep shot because of the way the field was set. The sweep shot is one of the more frequently used shots in the One Day game, but it was certainly not one of my specialities. But I managed to get it out of the middle and it raced away to the fine leg boundary for a much welcomed four! Then Martin went bowled by Shane Warne for a quick fire 43 runs from just 32 deliveries. In came the wicketkeeper, Chris Hartley.
Martin Love raises his bat whilst walking off at the GABBA
Hartley told me that he was hanging around and that he was going to look to score quickly and over the top. And that's exactly what he did! He smashed 27 runs in 24 deliveries with 4 fours. He is a very athletic player as you would expect a wicketkeeper to be, and he made some very quick singles and two's. But he called me for a run that maybe wasn't on but he was going to the danger end. A direct hit saw him out by about one foot. I was taking my time to score runs and had moved onto 14 from 29 deliveries. Warne had continued to keep me down and I decided enough was enough. I thought he may be the worlds best legspinner and maybe best bowler of all-time but I had had enough of blocking. He gave me a lovely flighted delivery and I went to drive it over extra cover. All I managed to do was edge it straight to the waiting hands of Crosthwaite behind the stumps and my debut knock had come to an end. I had played an okay knock for 14 from 30 deliveries but was annoyed that I had only hit the 1 four. The score was 131/6 and my time at the crease on debut had ended...
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. Are you going to get dropped now? 
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