Highlander999
ICC President
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2006
- Location
- London
Kent v Scotland: My Chance to Shine?
I was ready to face my first ball. I had chosen my mark on a line of middle and leg, and was planning on just using the dead bat for the next few overs. The sky was crystal clear and it was a warm morning. As Amin began his run an eagle flew overhead. All these things went through my mind while I focused on staring at Amin trying to work out where he would pitch this. He released it
It was straight on my stumps. I moved forward, but as the ball pitched it seamed and took an edge of my bat I whiped around to watch it fly past second slip, down to thrid man. I shared a grin with Amin. It had been a beautiful delivery to face first up but luckily I was off strike now. This left-armer can really cause trouble for the batsmen.
For the next couple of over's myself and Rob's plan appeared to be working. We were both still there and the ball, was beginning to lose it's shine. It didn't help that it had landed on a piece of concrete when Rob had hit a 4 in the last over really scratching up one of the sides. We were still very hesitant about playing across the line as weren't prepared to take any chances on this pitch. I eventually struck my first boundary when I drove Higgins for 4. It was a nice feeling and I was beginning to feel in good touch.
We began to hit out more, and both our scores begun to accelerate as we built a stady partnership. As I hit another four, the 40 partnership was brought up. We had both looked in good touch,
"Good going Tom. A nice, mature innings you have built up here, showing you are very skilled wherever you bat."
"Cheers Rob. Nice to see you back in form as well."
"Yeah we are both looking good. Just remember not to play across the line."
As I headed back to my crease those words were ringing in my ears. It was so tempting as it was the easiest way to score runs, and with a very weak leg-side field I was battling with my sub-conscious not too play the wrong shot. Amin was bowling too me... again
: He released it on my legs. Before I thought about it I was playing across the line. The ball seamed away from me and completely missed my bat and my pads, uprooting my middle and leg stumps. I couldn't believe it. After having played myself in, I had just gone and played the most dumbest shot possible. I had made it clear to myself not too play across the line and yet I had gone and done exactly that. I was raging
In the pavillion I was not happy. Graham came over to me and said it had been a good knock in difficult conditions and that when I get older I would be less inclined to play shots like that. I was still annoyed as were now 48/2 and we needed a partnership pretty soon as I had just gone and wasted the one between me and Rob.
Things however, went from bad to worse as we soon lost two quick wickets much to my despair. First Rob perished when he drove straight into the hands of Higgins at cover, and then Darren quickly went when he got a beauty of a ball from Amin. There wasn't much Darren could have done about that and there are times when a batsman just has to put his hands up and give credit to the bowler. The only person who had looked like he was enjoying himself out there was Martin. He was just taking the attack to the bowlers and you could tell he was after his first half-century of the season. We were however, still 70/4 with the powerplay overs just finishing, so we weren't in chaos but we were in a bit of trouble.
We still had three recognised batsmen in Andy, Mike and Niall, and both Jimmy and Cooky can hold a bat. But they were in batting a wee bit too early for my liking and I was hoping they were up for the challenge. Meanwhile I was talking to Cooky about the conditions,
"So Tom. Reckon you can get a few of your countrymen out?
"
"Hey. I ain't Scottish. I enjoy getting them out as much as you do. Still it is just perfect for us. Just wish I hadn't done my leg in so I could get more overs."
"Yeah that is bad luck. What have I told you about diving, it looks impressive but it never works
"
"Yeah, yeah yeah. Look who's talking. The man who won't bat unless he has made a small crater for his mark"
"If you look all the best batsmen do it. Chanderpaul takes about an hour."
"Yeah, well once your as good as him I won't hassle you about it"
Although me and Cooky were joking around (typical) everyone else was pretty worried. I expect a few of the guys were wondering the unthinkable that if we lost to Scotland we would be the laughing stock of the rest of the County Championship.
Sure enough we soon lost Andy and Mike in quick sucession. Andy just got beaten for pace and skied the ball right up into the air. Mike hit a few confident shots before getting a top edge of a square-cut putting it straight into the hands of Malone who took a very good catch. We were now in a lot of trouble.
There was now a lot of pressure on Niall and Martin. We were 128/6 and these two needed to get us at least past 200 to be vaguely safe. Martin had been looking in excellent touch and Niall was constantly improving. It was however, a bowlers track and they were really showing us how to do it. Could Martin and Niall do it for us, or would we be left for a nail biter of a Scottish innings to try and scrape together a victory? I was hoping the later option, I couldn't deal with too much pressure in one week
I was ready to face my first ball. I had chosen my mark on a line of middle and leg, and was planning on just using the dead bat for the next few overs. The sky was crystal clear and it was a warm morning. As Amin began his run an eagle flew overhead. All these things went through my mind while I focused on staring at Amin trying to work out where he would pitch this. He released it
It was straight on my stumps. I moved forward, but as the ball pitched it seamed and took an edge of my bat I whiped around to watch it fly past second slip, down to thrid man. I shared a grin with Amin. It had been a beautiful delivery to face first up but luckily I was off strike now. This left-armer can really cause trouble for the batsmen.For the next couple of over's myself and Rob's plan appeared to be working. We were both still there and the ball, was beginning to lose it's shine. It didn't help that it had landed on a piece of concrete when Rob had hit a 4 in the last over really scratching up one of the sides. We were still very hesitant about playing across the line as weren't prepared to take any chances on this pitch. I eventually struck my first boundary when I drove Higgins for 4. It was a nice feeling and I was beginning to feel in good touch.
We began to hit out more, and both our scores begun to accelerate as we built a stady partnership. As I hit another four, the 40 partnership was brought up. We had both looked in good touch,
"Good going Tom. A nice, mature innings you have built up here, showing you are very skilled wherever you bat."
"Cheers Rob. Nice to see you back in form as well."
"Yeah we are both looking good. Just remember not to play across the line."
As I headed back to my crease those words were ringing in my ears. It was so tempting as it was the easiest way to score runs, and with a very weak leg-side field I was battling with my sub-conscious not too play the wrong shot. Amin was bowling too me... again
: He released it on my legs. Before I thought about it I was playing across the line. The ball seamed away from me and completely missed my bat and my pads, uprooting my middle and leg stumps. I couldn't believe it. After having played myself in, I had just gone and played the most dumbest shot possible. I had made it clear to myself not too play across the line and yet I had gone and done exactly that. I was raging
In the pavillion I was not happy. Graham came over to me and said it had been a good knock in difficult conditions and that when I get older I would be less inclined to play shots like that. I was still annoyed as were now 48/2 and we needed a partnership pretty soon as I had just gone and wasted the one between me and Rob.
Things however, went from bad to worse as we soon lost two quick wickets much to my despair. First Rob perished when he drove straight into the hands of Higgins at cover, and then Darren quickly went when he got a beauty of a ball from Amin. There wasn't much Darren could have done about that and there are times when a batsman just has to put his hands up and give credit to the bowler. The only person who had looked like he was enjoying himself out there was Martin. He was just taking the attack to the bowlers and you could tell he was after his first half-century of the season. We were however, still 70/4 with the powerplay overs just finishing, so we weren't in chaos but we were in a bit of trouble.
We still had three recognised batsmen in Andy, Mike and Niall, and both Jimmy and Cooky can hold a bat. But they were in batting a wee bit too early for my liking and I was hoping they were up for the challenge. Meanwhile I was talking to Cooky about the conditions,
"So Tom. Reckon you can get a few of your countrymen out?
""Hey. I ain't Scottish. I enjoy getting them out as much as you do. Still it is just perfect for us. Just wish I hadn't done my leg in so I could get more overs."
"Yeah that is bad luck. What have I told you about diving, it looks impressive but it never works
""Yeah, yeah yeah. Look who's talking. The man who won't bat unless he has made a small crater for his mark
""If you look all the best batsmen do it. Chanderpaul takes about an hour."
"Yeah, well once your as good as him I won't hassle you about it
"Although me and Cooky were joking around (typical
) everyone else was pretty worried. I expect a few of the guys were wondering the unthinkable that if we lost to Scotland we would be the laughing stock of the rest of the County Championship. Sure enough we soon lost Andy and Mike in quick sucession. Andy just got beaten for pace and skied the ball right up into the air. Mike hit a few confident shots before getting a top edge of a square-cut putting it straight into the hands of Malone who took a very good catch. We were now in a lot of trouble.
There was now a lot of pressure on Niall and Martin. We were 128/6 and these two needed to get us at least past 200 to be vaguely safe. Martin had been looking in excellent touch and Niall was constantly improving. It was however, a bowlers track and they were really showing us how to do it. Could Martin and Niall do it for us, or would we be left for a nail biter of a Scottish innings to try and scrape together a victory? I was hoping the later option, I couldn't deal with too much pressure in one week
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. Actually, knowing how you bowl then this will be too much for Scotland
:happy
