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

[Cricketdude]

Thanks for all the comments guys. It's really appreciated

I had just written up the next update which took about 3/4 of an hour and was looking very nice. I stupidly wasn't thinking though and instead of exiting photobucket I exited out of Planetcricket losing my stuff : I'll try and update it sometime this afternoon

Keep it up!!

 

[formula1man]

lol, that really sucks.
*sigh* have to wait even longer

 

[thesweepmaster]

Thanks for all the comments guys. It's really appreciated

I had just written up the next update which took about 3/4 of an hour and was looking very nice. I stupidly wasn't thinking though and instead of exiting photobucket I exited out of Planetcricket losing my stuff : I'll try and update it sometime this afternoon

Idiot! (no offence)

 

[Highlander999]

Apologies for the delay. I've been extremely busy

Thursday 11th April

Myself and Andy knew that the entire Kent innings was resting on our shoulders. We would have to re-build it from scratch and hopefully we would be able to just scrape home. Our plan was to keep the ball on the ground, trying to rotate the strike. However, if a bad ball came along and we were sure it was safe we decided there was nothing wrong with having a swing at it. By this stage the Warwickshire bowlers were extremely fired up and I experienced a pretty rough time. I got hit on the helmet, twice in a row and then took one on the chest which left me winded. Andy also came in for a bit of a hard time, taking one in the crown jewels which left him in a considerable amount of pain

But slowly and surely we built up the partnership. The plan of just trying to roate the strike appeared to be working as we slowly reduced the Warwickshire total. We knew that time was not an issue as their score was so low and our run-rate had been so high. We were just planning on taking it nice and easy.

Then disaster struck....

Andy called me through for a very risky single and then sent me back when he realised it was never there. I turned around and tried to sprint back. I saw Bell was the fielder and knew a direct hit was on the cards and threw myself forward. Carter however got in the way and I collided with him. I made it into the crease but Carter's spikes opened up a massive slash all the way down my thigh and calf. Immediately blood started pumping out in copious amounts and everyone started signalling wildly to the dressing room to get the physio down here. I lay on the ground in a lot of pain as the physio came sprinting over,

"Tom, this doesn't look good. It's gonna need stitches. You have to go to hospital."

"What? No way!!!! I'm not leaving this pitch. bandage me up and give me a runner. It's just a scratch."

"Tom, don't try and be the hero. This is a very deep cut. Even if I bandage it up it will still keep on bleeding."

"I don't care, I'm carrying on "

"Well it's your choice at the end of the day but I think it is reckless."

The physio spent a bit of time wrapping numerous bandages around my leg trying to strap it up as best as he could. He then signalled to the dressing room that I would need a runner. Darren soon turned up. Carter came over to apologise looking quite upset but I told him it was a freak accident and I should have been more careful A quick pat on the back and a shake of the hands and the game was back on My leg was very sore and I was struggling to put weight on it but I felt it could hold me to the end of the innings. Myself and Andy discussed the new plan,

"Right Tom. I'll keep as much of the strike as possible and try and finish this quickly. You just hang on."

"That sounds like a good plan mate. I'm gonna stick this out."

Andy true to his word began to hit out and he really begun to dominate over the Warwickshire bowlers. Anything lose he punished but he was never doing a shot which might risk his wicket. Soon the 50 partnership arrived. We had saved Kent from an embarissing defeat and we had both dug in well.

With victory now pretty much guaranteed, the only thing left to see was if I could get my half-century. I had now actually lost quite a bit of blood and was beginning to feel quite light headed. My trouser leg was stained with blood, and I could barely move it. I was in a determined mood and when Giles gave me a full delivery I slog swept him and brought up my half-century :happy I was so pleased I completely forgot my leg and jumped up punching the air. My leg gave way completely beneath me leaving me with a face full of dirt Andy came over and was thumping me on the back,

"Tom. In all my time at Kent I have never seen such a determined, gritty and classy knock. When Kent most needed you, you came to the show even with most of your blood being left somewhere on the square "

"Cheers mate. I think we will need to finish this quickly. I'm feeling pretty unwell."

I had just gone very pale and was feeling very light-headed. I was still extremely happy about making another 50 though and knowing that myself and Andy had won us the match :happy

Andy took on board what I had said to him about us needing to finish this quickly and the very next over he hit two massive shots to win the match for us. We could see the rest of the team cheering on the pavillion and quite a few school-kids were running onto the pitch. We shook hands with the Warwickshire boys and the umpires and then headed in. As I neared the pavillion I began to feel very unwell. I opened the changing room door to see everyone in there, but strangely everything went out of focus. I slowly began to lean forward and then everything went black.........................
















I woke up in a hospital bed, with half the team around me, Gemma and a doctor. Apparently I had lost a hell of a lot of blood and had opened the door and passed out. We had put me into one car and the rest of the team into two other cars (how they all fit, I will never know ) and then David had sped of to the local hospital. I had lost 3 pints of blood whch really shocked me. The doctor said I would be fine and I could leave later on this evening. Then everyone left to give me and Gemma some privacy. She was very upset with me, saying I had been very reckless and risked my health for a "stupid" game. I did feel bad as she genuinely looked upset but I promised I had learnt my lesson. No more playing on with huge gaping holes

I was discharged later that day and went back to Gemma's house where everyone was celebrating. The lads had bought me a 12 pack of Becks and Gemma a bunch of flowers which was decent of them. Andy had deservedly got MOTM and we were all sharing his bubbly. We switched on the news where I had made the local headlines. Apparently the story had got out very quickly and the scorecard had just appeared on the screen. There was no denying it. Myself and Andy had saved the match for us.

Then a very poor quality photo of me, in my FC kit came up on the TV. I got a massive amount of ripping from the rest of the team saying that I looked like a bit of a ponce The reporter was talking about my innings and then a load of my stats came up for that match. I was not happy with all the attention as I knew I had performed well but I was a member of a team and we all deserved credit.

Soon after this the team all begun to head off home in ones and twos. Soon it was just me and Gemma. My mobile started ringing. It turned out it was the producer for Invicta FM the local Radio Station. He was wondering if I could do an interview tomorrow for ?200. I was delighted and agreed to meet them at 8. It rounded of a really great day for me in perfect fashion

 

[treva]

Very gutsy Tom, but stop trying to make yourself be a hero

Great update as usual and nice win. Now hopefully we'll get some big scores as the summer dries the pitches out

 

[Ollie_H]

Top work from you boy! Keep it up buddy!

 

[thesweepmaster]

who is gemma? and why only a 12 pack of Becks? god your team mates are crap with presents, I would have gave you 2x12 becks just for almost bleeding to death on the pitch for Kent. Stupid boy don't do it again .

Anyway fantastic presentation, a very good reading and appropriate graphics for the update, keep it up!. Oh and remember I will be challenging you soon for that SOTM .

 

[Highlander999]

Cheers for the comments guys

who is gemma?

She was mentioned earlier in the story as Tom Baker's love interest

 

[madmusician]

Great stuff - the best story around imo.

 

[thesweepmaster]

Cheers for the comments guys



She was mentioned earlier in the story as Tom Baker's love interest

oh I thought Tom Baker liked guys. Now that would have been very interesting:.

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Great win there Tom , great update as usual...Top work from Tom KUTGW...

 

[Pakistani Army]

Stop trying to make yourself the hero Tom. :

That could have been much worse. But I must say, brilliant innings despite the horrific injury. Great works and it was a brilliant read. As Nick said I think that this is the best story at the moment. Keep it up.

 

[tonka998]

That was bloody brilliant!! .... im sorry for the awful joke..... but nice 50 and keep up the good work

 

[Jit]

Thanks for all the comments guys. It's really appreciated

I had just written up the next update which took about 3/4 of an hour and was looking very nice. I stupidly wasn't thinking though and instead of exiting photobucket I exited out of Planetcricket losing my stuff : I'll try and update it sometime this afternoon

no problem mate take your time the same problem has happended to me

 

[formula1man]

Good 50, good win, you almost killed urself, but i enjoy you being a hero