Story Three Lions on the Shirt? - Match Day: Northamptonshire fight back!!!

[Highlander999]

Thursday 22nd March

Umm delicious​

So we had just finished our lunch. My prawn sandwich had been delicious and my ribs had stopped aching although there was still a big bruise on them. As we sat around in the pavillion, the skip got up

"Right boys, that was an excellent performance with the bat. I strugle to see how Derbyshire can get that total. However we must not be cocky. There are a few good batsmen in that team, watch out for Di Venuto and Sutton. We should do a lot of damage with the new ball which Martin and Andy will be taking. I will then bring on Cooky and then you Tom. Now let's get out there and win this match!!!"

This was greeted by a lot of cheers. So I was to be the fourth bowler, bowling with Cooky. Hopefully the openers could make significant headway and leave me some green batsmen to bowl at.

As we walked out onto the pitch I moved to mid-off and could see from there that the square did have some grass on it meaning there could be a bit of movement. Hopefully I can use this to my advantage. The first couple of overs did not go to well for us as the openers Stubbings and Moss hammered Martin and Andy all over the park. Martin got the breakthrough however when he tricked Stubbings with the slow ball and clean bowled him. Di Venuto the danger man came out and started targeting Andy. The skip took Andy out of the attack and replaced him with Cooky after 3 overs which had been expensive. Cooky got the wicket of Moss for just 8 when he hooked him to Saggers at fine leg. Both the openers were gone and we looked to be in control of this match although the run-rate was a cause for concern.

Things got even better for us when Martin got another wicket when Bryant edged Martin to Darren at slip for a duck. After Martin had finished his fourth over, the skip called me across.

"Right Tom, I'm bringing you on next over. The match is in the balance here. They are ahead of us on the run-rate but if we pick up a couple of wickets we should be there. Try and keep it tight and don't give too many runs away."
"Ok skip. I'll do my best."

I started warming up, stretching, touching my toes and doing windmills. Eventually it was the tenth over so there were still only 2 fielders outside of the ring. I had a fine leg and a sweeper on the off-side. At the 10 over stage the score was 62/3. My first spell was going to be a crucial one.

With Derbyshire so far ahead of us on the run-rate my plan was to keep it tight and not give any runs away. I was a bit nervous as I marked my run up. I could see I would be bowling to Di Venuto who was looking settled and had been taking the game out of the bowlers hands. I hoped I could get him of strike so I could bowl at the weaker batsman, Bassano. I also had Stevens at slip which did show that the skip did have confidence in me. I hope I could back him up.

I was ready to bowl my first ever ball for Kent. How would I do?

 

[usy]

haha i love this story and the pictures baker..

 

[LUMB_YORKSHIRE]

and again you keep us in suspense... great work again

 

[freddiw]

awesome update congrats wid the bat,
lets just hope you can do as well with the ball

awesome update congrats wid the bat,
lets just hope you can do as well with the ball

 

[mattfb]

Ooooo bowling in the 10th over!
Hope you can get a wicket Great pres once again.

 

[Manly]

go on son!!

need the post! come on! wanna know how you did!

 

[Highlander999]

Thursday 22nd March

So I was ready to bowl my first ball. The skip had told me he would give me a six over bowling spell as long as I kept it tight. I had decided to go with a yorker first up to see if I could surprise him. I started my run and released the ball:

10.1 Yorker. No runs
10.2 On the legs. 1 run
10.3 Full and straight. No run
10.4 Short. Play and miss
10.5 WICKET Full delivery. Big swing. Beaten for pace
10.6 Full defended. No run

I had got my first ever wicket. :happy The wicket of Bassano. He had tried to heave me over the boundary but I beat him for pace and he missed it completely and I took his off-stump right out of the ground. I was really pleased. I was swamped by my team-mates who were all shouting my name. With the score now at 63/4 we had Derbyshire on the ropes and the game was looking to be ours. Apart from the wicket in my first over, I also only gave 1 run away. The best start possible for my bowling career.

Myself and Cooky were bowling very well now. He was slightly more expensive then me, but he was bowling to Di Venuto a lot more often then I was. In my next two overs I went for only seven more runs, one of those a wide. I had made an excellent start. Although Derbyshire were still ahead of us on the run-rate we were slowing them down and they were also running out of wickets.

Cooky soon got the massive wicket of Di Venuto. He had been hitting out all over the ground and Cooky's figures had begun to take a bit of a hammering from the continual onslaught. However Di Venuto tried one big shot too many. He tried to hook Cooky but he did not quite time it and holed out to Sheriyar at fine leg. The team were really buoyant now. We felt with this big wicket we had the game in the bag. We swarmed all over Cooky cheering him and the fact we were certain we had won the match.

Things however weren't going so well for me. After a great start, I began to leak a few runs away and lady luck did not appear to be on my side. I was bowling well, but the batsmen seemed to keep getting a few breaks. A few fielding errors were made of my bowling resulting in boundaries, and also I found the edge of the bat which Geraint missed, which really annoyed me. However I was still keeping it tight, I was just getting slightly annoyed that I only had 1 wicket while everyone else seemed to be getting wickets.

Eventually my six over spell was up. I had gone for nearly 4 an over which was not that bad, considering the way that Derbyshire were batting. I also had picked up the crucial wicket of Bassano. Cooky on the other hand had been more expensive but had got 3 wickets, including the wicket of Di Venuto. I was to be replaced by Sheriy who hopefully would get a few wickets, and quickly win this match. As I walked back to mid-off, the skip came over said:

"I had planned on bowling you at the death, but I doubt that will be needed now. Just sit back and enjoy the game."

So Rob had that much confidence in me, that he was willing to let me bowl in the last few overs. That did cheer me up.

So when I was taken out of the attack at the 21st over Derbyshire were on 113/6. If they had not lost so many wickets we could have been in a bit of danger, however we were confident we could skittle through the tail. The match looked to be ours.

 

[freddiw]

good update and good wicket a 50 and a wicket what an unbelievable start to professional cricket

 

[Ollie_H]

PHEW, i thought it was going to turn into what i said earlier,
Excellent work mate

 

[LUMB_YORKSHIRE]

well done on your first wicket and great work, Kent should really win now

 

[surendar]

liking those conversations and other stuffs along with cricket actions. Brilliant going with the story, Tom. Good that you made your mind to continue with this.

 

[Highlander999]

liking those conversations and other stuffs along with cricket actions. Brilliant going with the story, Tom. Good that you made your mind to continue with this.

Is that including prawn sandwiches

Thank you everyone for commenting so far.

 

[OrderDX]

great story here it is very realistic and i am loving it well done for the first wicket and keep it up england for you soon!

 

[usy]

yeah, good bowling by cook btw,

 

[Left_Hander]

Good first up spell. You are having a dream game here.