Completed my first test match on Cricket 2019 last night, and it was an absolute cracker. I played as Bangladesh against Zimbabwe on a dry and hard Dhaka wicket. Having only played T20s and Five5s prior to this match, my longer-version temperament was clearly missing as I slogged away and got all out for 345 before lunch on day 1. However, my spinners did the trick and managed to restrict ZIM to 218, giving me a healthy first-innings lead. When I came to bat again, I failed to amend my first innings errors and ultimately was bundled out for 272. ZIM needed exactly 400 runs to win in more than 3 days. My spinners again got them at a corner by reducing them to 74/4. Judging by the first innings, I was pretty convinced that it would be an easy victory for me, and so happily came back to finish the match on day 3. However, ZIM batsmen showed tremendous application and batted the full day out losing only two wickets (one being a wonderful run-out), taking the score to 241/6. Not sure if the pitch had become easier to bat on or if the batsmen simply had learned from their mistakes, but bowling suddenly seemed to have become a lot harder. On day 4, even after losing Raza, the eventual-centurion Taylor was slowly and certainly taking ZIM towards victory when I decided to take the new ball and try bowling bouncers. But they simply would not pull or hook, let alone mistime anything. I was losing my patience when Mustafiz gave me a lucky break. ZIM’s No.8 batsman left a bouncer, but it hit his elbow and crashed into the wicket. From then onwards, my bowlers never stopped attacking, and eventually, the spinners’ variations and last-second line changes were rewarded with a rare knick from Taylor. Now I sensed victory. Their No. 9 batsman blocked a ball, but it hit his toe and went up in the air for silly point to catch. 14 runs to go and the last man was at the crease. Then I made the biggest blunder of the match. The no. 11 batsman nicked one length outswinger to my keeper. After taking the catch, I was so excited that I totally forgot about appealing! There went my chance, or so I thought. Fortunately for me, the tail-ender was probably more shaken by that, and on the very next ball, he did the same thing again. This time, I appealed, and the match was over on day 4 with ZIM still trailing by 10 runs. I had my first win!
I used Pro, Medium/Medium/Medium settings, Mohammed Sherry’s AI settings for tests, and rumple43’s Ashes Cricket physics settings for a Dhaka wicket, increasing ball and pitch friction every day as recommended by Dutch. The physics sliders were spot on, although the super-high no-ball bouncers were a bit unrealistic for Dhaka imho. I think I would try the English seaming conditions next; I need to feel that fast bowlers have some power too lol.
