I had bowling practice today!
Went down at about 4:20, and jogged and stretched for a bit, and started bowling at 4:30.
It started off hopelessly. Line and length messed up, and I couldn't get a good runup going. But then I took a few pointers from my coach - hold the ball in one hand while running up, and I re-jigged my runup, and started getting better results. Bowled some beautiful deliveries at the right line and length, and even though I did overpitch quite a few balls, my line was getting really good. I discovered a while back that when I'm tired I over-pitch, and it was a hot day and I had been doing quite a bit of work before coming down, so I was tired as it was. And after half an hour I took a bit of a break.
After the break I struggled with full-tosses. I could keep my line straight, but couldn't pitch it. My bowling run-up was taking a lot out of me. I've got a pretty lengthy run-up - It is 12 steps down and 7 steps to the right from the crease. I start from there, walk 7 steps, then run in and bowl. I am thinking of shortening it. I also didn't practice any variations since I was struggling to get my stock ball right.
All in all, I really need to work on my stamina...
And then came the match! I volunteered to be skipper, and opened the batting. We were a strong batting side, 3 good bats including me, but no real stand-out bowlers. 4 a side, 8 overs, I thought I'd retire after 3, give another guy a chance to bat, and come out towards the end to slog.
So we started well, I hit a four on my first ball, and some wides from the other team means we were 8 off the first over, I got 5. Next bowler bowled a few dead balls, a wide which we got a single off too (to me), and a six, before declaring the over, giving us 18 off 1 over
We were going great, then my opening partner played a silly shot. Another good bat came in, but then he got me runout! Shortish ball outside ofstump, I tapped it past the keeper (who was the 4th player in my team, the batsman who was out was umpire), he misfielded, and we should have got the single. But he just stood there calling no leaving me halfway down the track! Runout for 6, disgusting!
We got 61 in the end after 6 overs, with 2 overs left. I still thought we could defend this, they were a weak batting side, with just the guy who batted well from my earlier match and 3 hit-amd-miss batsmen.
First two overs gave 19 runs, so I brought myself on to bowl. Do you know how it feels when you tell a fielder to stand in one place -like at the boundary-, and he doesn't listen -by standing closer- and the next ball the ball flys over their head? Well, imagine that twice in an over with two fielders
. And then another bad ball for four, a bunch of singles and a no-ball or two, and we can estimate say...18 runs in the over?
I didn't bring myself on to bowl after that, and we picked up three wickets from one bowler, one being a runout, and all we needed was to get the last-man out to win. But they needed just 11 runs in 3 overs. I was going to bring myself on, but then I had a small kid in my time who was begging for a bowl (more like pouting), and refused to field if he didn't get to bowl. So I gave him a bowl, told him he had 2 fielders on the off, one in the leg, and the batsman couldn't hit well in the offside, so just to bowl outside offstump. He bowled a wide outside off, and got hit for a four on the legside, and a few dead balls.
So I went to the legside, and told him to just bowl stump to stump. Prompty the next ball was short and outside off, and they got two.
So then I move back to the offside as he said he'll bowl offstump this ball. Next in the legs for six, and the match is done. I gave him a mouthful after that. He's a nice kid, and I've always told him that I felt he could be a good cricketer. I'm always the one who lets him bat and bowl when others wouldn't, so I felt it fair if I could tell him off for this performance. He went home unterstandly grumpy after that, and then since a couple of other guys had to go as well, we ended for the day.
Went down at about 4:20, and jogged and stretched for a bit, and started bowling at 4:30.
It started off hopelessly. Line and length messed up, and I couldn't get a good runup going. But then I took a few pointers from my coach - hold the ball in one hand while running up, and I re-jigged my runup, and started getting better results. Bowled some beautiful deliveries at the right line and length, and even though I did overpitch quite a few balls, my line was getting really good. I discovered a while back that when I'm tired I over-pitch, and it was a hot day and I had been doing quite a bit of work before coming down, so I was tired as it was. And after half an hour I took a bit of a break.
After the break I struggled with full-tosses. I could keep my line straight, but couldn't pitch it. My bowling run-up was taking a lot out of me. I've got a pretty lengthy run-up - It is 12 steps down and 7 steps to the right from the crease. I start from there, walk 7 steps, then run in and bowl. I am thinking of shortening it. I also didn't practice any variations since I was struggling to get my stock ball right.
All in all, I really need to work on my stamina...
And then came the match! I volunteered to be skipper, and opened the batting. We were a strong batting side, 3 good bats including me, but no real stand-out bowlers. 4 a side, 8 overs, I thought I'd retire after 3, give another guy a chance to bat, and come out towards the end to slog.
So we started well, I hit a four on my first ball, and some wides from the other team means we were 8 off the first over, I got 5. Next bowler bowled a few dead balls, a wide which we got a single off too (to me), and a six, before declaring the over, giving us 18 off 1 over
We were going great, then my opening partner played a silly shot. Another good bat came in, but then he got me runout! Shortish ball outside ofstump, I tapped it past the keeper (who was the 4th player in my team, the batsman who was out was umpire), he misfielded, and we should have got the single. But he just stood there calling no leaving me halfway down the track! Runout for 6, disgusting!We got 61 in the end after 6 overs, with 2 overs left. I still thought we could defend this, they were a weak batting side, with just the guy who batted well from my earlier match and 3 hit-amd-miss batsmen.
First two overs gave 19 runs, so I brought myself on to bowl. Do you know how it feels when you tell a fielder to stand in one place -like at the boundary-, and he doesn't listen -by standing closer- and the next ball the ball flys over their head? Well, imagine that twice in an over with two fielders
. And then another bad ball for four, a bunch of singles and a no-ball or two, and we can estimate say...18 runs in the over? I didn't bring myself on to bowl after that, and we picked up three wickets from one bowler, one being a runout, and all we needed was to get the last-man out to win. But they needed just 11 runs in 3 overs. I was going to bring myself on, but then I had a small kid in my time who was begging for a bowl (more like pouting), and refused to field if he didn't get to bowl. So I gave him a bowl, told him he had 2 fielders on the off, one in the leg, and the batsman couldn't hit well in the offside, so just to bowl outside offstump. He bowled a wide outside off, and got hit for a four on the legside, and a few dead balls.
So I went to the legside, and told him to just bowl stump to stump. Prompty the next ball was short and outside off, and they got two.
So then I move back to the offside as he said he'll bowl offstump this ball. Next in the legs for six, and the match is done.
I gave him a mouthful after that. He's a nice kid, and I've always told him that I felt he could be a good cricketer. I'm always the one who lets him bat and bowl when others wouldn't, so I felt it fair if I could tell him off for this performance. He went home unterstandly grumpy after that, and then since a couple of other guys had to go as well, we ended for the day.
. Two fours off it though (both bad balls, I was really tiring, but one went over a fielders head once again. I swear I'm gonna kill one of them these days...), and some singles and I ended with 2 overs for 20 and a wicket. Not bad.
