Story Queensland Bulls - The Big Day {Story stopped due lack of commitment from stu :p}

[GrayNicolls]

So you should be dropped if you're out of nick. Nice work.

 

[Left_Hander]

but in most of the Queensland matches it'll be wait until someone's out of nick until we get in.
and if we are out of nick then we will get dropped

I take it you won't be playing many games then . I must say this is looking 'marvellous'

 

[treva]

Team Bonding

Today we got up at the usual 7 o'clock and went and made some breakfast. As usual Stu headed for the shower while I sat down in front of the telly watching the news. We then left our house in Moorvale and headed down to Waloongabba to the GABBA stadium for another training session. We got held up in traffic and got in 10 minutes late. The lads were all sitting in the lounge area with the coach waiting for us. We went In and sat down. The coach announced the team we were going to be playing Victoria in the practice game but he said the team would be named the day before the match in 2 days time. He then said that we had done enough hard work in the nets so today was going to be a special bonding session. He said that we had to get into pairs and me and Stu naturally joined up. He then turned on the massive plasma screen on the wall and up came up the menu page for 'Cricket 2007.' We were told that we would have 10 over matches against another team. 1 player would bat the other field. we were told the team that won the final would get a special prize. So the games began...​

 

[plympilgrim]

sounds interesting, by any chance do you come up against Hayden and Bichel

 

[GrayNicolls]

Haha. Nice. Interesting twist. Let's hope you're both good.

 

[treva]

Team Bonding

... The games where picked out of hat and we were drawn against Midge (Mitchell Johnson) and Kaspa (Michael Kasprowicz). They hadn't really played any cricket games before and so we were confident we could beat them. Stu decided he would bowl and I would bat as that was the way it would go in the real cricket. We were playing as England and they had chosen India after Australia had already gone. They won the toss and decided to bat first on a hard bouncy pitch with losts of pace. So that meant Stu was bowling first. Kaspa made 69/4 off the 10 overs and we looked like it was going to be a win for us. After a bad start from me losing two early wickets I got there with 1.4 overs left and 7 wickets in hand. The next round came and we had to face Lovey (Martin Love) and Hopesy (James Hopes). They had got South AFrica and had beaten the West Indians in the first round by 5 runs. The old guys may not have played much on game consoles but they certainly weren't bad by any means. We bowled on a green pitch and got just reward restricting them to 54/7 after poor batting from Hopesy meant Martin had a hard job. I got there with only 5 wickets left and a few balls making a disastrous collapse losing 4 quick wickets. But we had got through and now we were in the quatres. There were 6 teams left, with 3 winners going through and 1 best loser. This team we were up against Bic's and Jimmy (Maher). They had the Aussies and had cruised to victories considering Bic's has got lots of experience on Cricket games. He was the most experienced gamer out of the lot of us so they had the best chance of winning. But we knew we could have em! We batted for the first time in the 1st innings all competition and I made a solid total of 83/2 that looked hard to beat. But for the first time Stu bowled badly and they needed 1 off the last ball to win with the scores level. He launched it over the infield for a massive six and we were out. We weren't to bothered to lose as It was a great bonding session. But It was slightly annoying to lose to Bic who Is a great mate. Overall it was a great day and In the end Bic and Jimmy won so we could say "we lost to the champions!"​

 

[plympilgrim]

great update a great read

 

[Left_Hander]

Nice. What did the special prize be in the end?

 

[treva]

Oh yeh sorry forgot

It was they had the choice of wether they wanted to play in the game or not and had to buy the drinks for the first round!

 

[treva]

The Eve of The Practice Match

Well today was the eve of the first match of the season that we could be playing in. Me and Stu got up a bit later than usual today as the coach told us we could have a bit of a lie in before we got some hard work in at training. We got ready and again we headed down the same route to Wollongabba to the GABBA stadium. We got in and had a drink of coffee with the lads before we went out onto the pitch. I hadn't spoke to Jimmy Maher, the skipper, that much although I know Stu and himself have become good mates. He came over to us two and we both said "Gooday skipper" in our aussie accent that seemed to be getting better but still a few of the lads laughed when we said it. He came and told us that he would be in our net today and would be deciding wether we will play tomorrow or not. We asked him wether he would be batting and he said of course he would be but he did mention that a few times he will just sit out for a while and watch us from an umpire's view. So at 11 we headed down to the nets. It was me, Stu, Jimmy and Ashley although known as Noffers whilst around the team. Jimmy decided he would go into bat first. Stu started off with a few wide looseners as I tried just to keep my pace to a bare minimum and concentrate on line and length. But then Stu began to find the line and length he wanted and with his pace beginning to get faster he looked a handful. Then Noffers got one to beat Jimmy all ends up and somehow missed the off stump by a few centimeters. I never really got going but didn't really get hit around the park. But Stu continued going from strength to strength and finally got his reward when Jimmy missed timed a straight drive and it went straight back to Stu for a dolly, caught and bowled. Then Jimmy said it was my turn to have a bat so I went and got my pads on. I came in and what I thought whilst bowling was exactly right. Stu came steaming In and gave me a bouncer aimed at my head. But I was prepared for it and managed to just get underneath It before the ball got to me and I heard a clang as It hit the metal bar holding the net up behind me. I thought thank god I didn't try and hit that one. Stu gave me a glare and then I knew that I was in for a tough ride against my good pal...​

 

[GrayNicolls]

Trouble in Paradise!??!?!

But, seriously it is time for business! Nice work.

 

[surendar]

Stu came steaming In and gave me a bouncer aimed at my head. But I was prepared for it and managed to just get underneath It before the ball got to me and I heard a clang as It hit the metal bar holding the net up behind me. I thought thank god I didn't try and hit that one. Stu gave me a glare and then I knew that I was in for a tough ride against my good pal...

All i can say is Excellent stuff, Trev! :hpraise It shd be a great eve then having struck by a bouncer of ur good pal Enjoyed reading it mate!

 

[gamerkid22]

Great Stuff absolutely superb.Both Trev and Culli are going a great job here. It good to read, waiting for more.

 

[treva]

The Eve of The Practice Match

... I then had Ashley bowling at me for the next couple of balls while Stu went to change his bowling boots as he broke his other ones. I decided that to impress the coach I was going to have to go after Ashley, and that's exactly what I did. But It didn't get off to the best of starts with me going for a full blooded drive away from my body with the ball going off the edge and would have carried over the slip fielders head's. But next ball I neatly played a hip glance. As the session wore on I got into better and better nick. Although Stu continued to bowl vicously the only concern for me was when one of his balls nipped back off the seam and just clipped the top of off's bail after I left it. But I did get a few beautiful shots away off his bowling, including a massive slog that went to the other side of the ground from where the nets were. Jimmy said that he had seen enough and told us to go back into the lounge area and wait until him and the coach would reveal the squad for tomorrows match. After 15 minutes of me, Stu and the lads waiting in the lounge, in came Jimmy and Terry, our coach.
Terry spoke:

" Me and Jimmy have had a good look at you all before tomorrows game against the Victorian Bushrangers. And we have come to a conclusion of the 11 that will play and the 12th man. So here it goes:
Jimmy Maher (cpt)
Matthew Hayden
James Hopes
Martin Love
Craig Philipson
Jack Teague
Chris Hartley (wk)
Shane Watson
Andy Bichel
Ashley Noffke
and Stuart Cullington

with Clinton Perren as 12th man

The two new lads have impressed me a lot and with Symo being out as well as Kaspa and Mitchell wanting a rest it's a perfect chance for them to show thier mark on Aussie state cricket. I will see you guys tomorrow here in the morning!"​

 

[plympilgrim]

wow thats a strong side, especially with watson at 8, glad to hear that you two are playing hope you have a great game