Story The careers of Luke Gardener & Tom Carr: Lancs 1st Match! *UPDATED - 27TH AUGUST*

[Pakistani Army]

Unlcuky not to be included but Lancashire have a fantastic squad packed full of experience. I think Lancashire should pick up and easy win here.

Great works Luke. Great presentation and graphics. Keep up the fantastic works!

 

[OrderDX]

First Match!

We arrived at 9am with 90 minutes before the match began and I helped out with some fielding practice behind the stumps and actually for the first time felt really part of the team. I was surprised by how well I had settled in and I was bubbling with anticipation for the day that lay ahead. The toss took place at 10 and the pitch looked very good for this time of the season and although it was grey overhead we would have decided to bat. As it was Glamorgan captain, Robert Croft won the toss and chose to bowl so we got what we wanted anyway. I was told by Mike Watkinson the coach to just enjoy the day from the balcony as Glen Chapple and Tom Smith would be the ones carrying the drinks.

The match got underway and we started very well with Loye being aggressive and Chilton playing the more conservative role. We were 32 without loss after the first five overs and by the time the first powerplay was over the run rate was still good but we had lost Loye who scooped one down mid-on?s throat going for a big shot down the ground. Captain Stuart Law was in next and I wished him luck and he played really well. The next ten overs saw no further losses of wickets but 39 runs added to take the score to 95-1. Then came to wickets in quick succession Law tried to drive but James Franklin clean bowled him and Hodge his fellow Aussie went cheaply as well chipping one to square leg. Chilton went next ball and was brilliant bowled by Glamorgan captain Croft for a decent 45. We were suddenly 105-4!

I spoke to Paul who had got in the team before he was about to leave to go to the crease. I wished him good luck and he responded;

?Cheers mate I think I am going to need it the way these wickets are tumbling fast. Thank god Freddie is out in the middle with me.?

He was obviously a bit nervous and I didn?t blame him. Flintoff was playing brilliantly and Horton had a shocker he was run out for 3 after a dreadful piece of running. However we reached the 35 over mark at 166-5 and we had steadied the situation a bit with Flintoff and my rival, fellow wicket-keeper Luke Sutton. Then with the score 176-5 Flintoff straight drived but the bowler got a hand to it and quickly rebounded it onto the stumps running Luke out brilliantly for just 5. Luckily, Freddie was looking cool out in the square and between the 35 and 40 over mark we managed to move the score on from 166-5 to 197-6.

Now we suddenly went from 197-6 to 199-8! Cork edged to McCullum behind the stumps for only 7 and Mahmood wasn?t at the crease long he got yorked by Thomas for just 2! Now we had Anderson at the crease and the instruction was give Flintoff the strike who had past 50 and was looking in great form. We went from 199-8 to 222-9 thanks to the Fredster until Anderson edged behind for one of his many ducks. We had reached the 45 overs mark and Flintoff was approaching his century and he got there with some massive hits eventually ending on 124 after being caught on the cover boundary!

So the target for Glamorgan was 257 and we were more than confident we had enough runs on the board and we were not wrong. Glamorgan got nowhere near ending on 177-5 after their 50 overs thanks to fine economic bowling from Corky, Anderson, Keedy and Flintoff alongside Mahmood who picked up two wickets.

Flintoff was announced as Man of the Match unsurprisingly after his 124 off just 81 balls and as the team got back to the balcony Mike got us all together.

?Lads, well done a good performance to start the season and a win we were all expecting and we got. However there will be a lot of harder matches in the coming season and we must remember to keep our heads up when things don?t go our way. Congratulations to Freddie a fine knock today and some good bowling and batting from others but we still have plenty of work to do before our next match against Notts at Trent Bridge in the County Championship. Well done everyone.?

With that we got showered and we headed back to Lancashire where I was pleased to be in my own house and the comfort of my own bed. I had really enjoyed today and was glad we managed to win our first match of the season.​

 

[Highlander999]

Wow great win there, Freddie was on fire.

Also, awesome GFX work mate :cool:

 

[Pakistani Army]

Very nice win there. Supreme batting from Flintoff.

Great works mate!

 

[Jaztheman]

Freddie as good as he should be for England. Nice double diary here, looking forward to seeing you both in action and having your debuts.

Great work so far, mate.

 

[gutterman]

good win for the lancs freddie pulled through once again though

 

[saladguy]

Great win for Lanacshire, btw, why did you play at Leeds?

 

[OrderDX]

That is Cricket 07 for you lol