Story The HRV Cup: The Knights' Quest ***WF victors in close game with OV***

[AkshayS]

Ryder is looking pretty realistic, It is a superb update.
But this is going a bit slow, post updates fast man.:hpraise

 

[CG123]

Top class stuff again mate.
Match is pretty even ATM, so next five over's will be crucial.
I wouldn't worry too much about speed although that was you one weakness with your test medal one, as long as you are still enjoying making the updates and they are as good as this one it's all good.
Lol at how fat Ryder is in the fourth picture.
Love the HRV maximum and the Ford moment of success, and of course the HRV cup is bigger than the IPL!!!

CG123 added 1 Minutes and 14 Seconds later...

Also why are there just bat shadows, and no player shadows???

 

[surendar]

For next 6-8 overs, they should be very careful in rotating the strikes with odd boundaries every over. If they do it, RR will automatically be on the rising curve. Lets see.

Yes, I also wondered why there were only bat shadows. But, not a big deal. The additional efforts - modifying players, kits etc deserve HATS OFF! :hpraise Keep it up.

 

[just_cricket]

The shadows are just wierd stuff from cricket 04 - I haven't edited them at all! I tried to add them in once but it just looked strange.

I'm trying to do consistent updates every second night - otherwise I find I get too keen and update too many times in three days, and there is a lull for a week while I prepare some more, and it just becomes an inconsistent cycle.

So next update will come tomorrow!

 

[just_cricket]

Firebirds Innings: 6-10 Overs

HRV Cup
Round 1, Game 1
Wellington Firebirds v Northern Knights
Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve​

: Welcome back to the Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve, for this update from overs 5-10. With the Wellington Firebirds winning the toss and batting first, they find themselves at 44/2 after 5 overs. Now it looks like the first bowling change may be made, with Bradley Scott replacing Graeme Aldridge:

5 Over Update​

Over 6:
Bradley Scott came in to bowl as the first change and started well. Again Merchant couldn't put away his first three balls, striking them all nicely to fielders, but managed to drive a single down to mid off who was a bit sluggish coming off the ring. Things also looked good for Scott against Shah, who was beaten by a beauty outside off, but he retaliated by playing the shot of the day, a lofted drive straight back over Scott's head for 6! 51/2

A sign of things to come? Shah showed some early form in New Zealand with a beautiful straight hit​

Over 7:
The Knights' captain James Marshall decided immediately to play his trump card, Daniel Vettori, with the 6 over fielding restrictions out of the way. However Merchant played his version of a trump card, bringing out a delightful array of strokes to hit Vettori out of the attack. He began by cutting him away backward of point for 4, coming down on the ball and playing it late to hit it on the ground, behind point. He then pulled out an odd stroke, a mixture between a paddle sweep and a pull shot, just using the pace to deflect it behind square. He then flat-batted a six over mid wicket, nicked a four trying to cut again, and capped that off with a smashing cover drive that luckily found Williamson on the boundary, and was kept to one. With 19 off the over, Marshall said to Vettori something along the lines of "Take a break, mate." 70/2

Merchant was powerful, lucky, and also inventive, as he showed with this paddle stroke​

Over 8:
Bradley Scott continued, and was immediately clipped through the leg side for 4 by Merchant, who was really getting stuck in now. A few singles from the batsmen a wide, and a no ball, followed, before Merchant put the last two balls of the over away for two fours - one a nice straight drive, the other a top edged hook stroke. The latter brought up his fifty off just 31 balls:

Merchant brought up his first HRV Cup half century - 53 off 31 balls​

Over 9:
Kane Williamson replaced Dan Vettori with more successful results - which wouldn't have been that hard anyway! Although he didn't begin well - put away for 10 off his first two ball. Marshall would have been thinking "Oh dear, here we go again..."

Shah began the over well, with two boundaries. This attractive on drive brought him 4.​

However, Shah took a single off the next ball and Williamson came back well, to trap Merchant lbw trying to sweep. It was a quicker ball from Williamson, bowled with a much lower trajectory than his previous two, and it just snuck under Merchant's bat, skidding through straight on to catch him plumb. A good innings from Merchant, he set the Firebirds' innings up well and made a good job of dealing with Vettori, or rather dealing to Vettori. The final ball from Williamson was pushed into the covers for one by Grant Elliott, the new man at the crease. 98/3

Trapped in front - Merchant had to go after an entertaining stay​

Over 10:
Marshall made another 'different' decision, electing to bring back Grame Aldridge who had earlier gone for 25 from his first two overs. Once again Shah took 10 off the first two balls he faced in an over - a cut which was misfielded on the boundary by Arnel, and then a powerful pull over mid wicket. Aldridge then dished up another ball in the slot, but Shah could only find Vettori at deep backward square:

Shah was caught on the boundary for a brief but entertaining 32 off just 10 balls​

James Franklin, the new man in, played out a couple of dot balls before driving a nice four through the covers, to bring the Wellington Firebirds to 112/4 after 10 overs.

: Well, a topsy-turvy first 10 overs of the HRV Cup that probably has the Firebirds on top at this stage. Let's take a look at the statistics of this innings so far. First the batting card:

Merchant and Shah the main contributors there. And now the bowling card:

Arnel probably the pick of the bowlers, although no one really stands out. Aldridge has had a really mixed 3 overs, while Williamson snatched a wicket in his expensive first over. Now let's take a look at the Manhattan or Skyscraper graph:

That shows the roller coaster ride that has been this first 10 overs - it looks as though the Firebirds are on the way up at the moment, but as you can see the Knights have snared a couple of good wickets too.
Play will resume after the break - make sure you join us again then for live coverage of the exciting HRV Cup!​

 

[Highlander999]

Good innings from Shah and Merchant but both got out in silly ways. After both doing so well off the first few balls in their overs they should have just got some singles instead of trying to smack every ball out the ground. This match could go either way now.

Supeb graphics mate, is that ingame stuff or did you make them?

 

[BKB1991]

Wellington in a strong position thanks to some superb batting by Shah and Merchant. They have been aggresive but both just gave their wickets away cheaply. Due to their heavy onslaught, I think the Firebirds should try and rotate the strike in the next 3-4 overs and go bang-bang in the last few. Vettori still has 3 overs left, and I reckon he will come back strongly

 

[AkshayS]

WEllington is in such strong position. They will win this match.

 

[Aditya]

Daniel Vettori's 1st over for 19 runs,quite rare to see. Wellington are in strong position but if Northern Knights manage to pick few wickets they'll be back in the game,looking forward to the next 10 overs.

Great presentation mate.

 

[riz7khan12]

northern look set to win here; one more wicket and they're into the lesser experienced players, but they have to be careful as to not let these two get away as 112 after 10 is a extremely good score.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

awesome presentation!!

Nice to see vettori's form same as in IPL

 

[TheGreemSim]

Arnel needs to come back on and cool down the run rate.

 

[age of the fall]

Brilliant updates, this really is a gem of a story. Bravo JC, brilliant job!

 

[Prithvi]

Hey, if it is not so personal, can you share the Scorecard PSD's with us please.

 

[CG123]

Merchant and Shaw have done a great job, setting up Wellington with a chance of going past 200.
Vettori really got taken to, but with two new batsmen at the crease you should probably bring him back on.
As always great work, keep it up.