Haven't done an update in a while. The 16th September was a great training session. I batted really well and my bowling was pretty good. It was a less intense session building up for a less intense match on that Sunday (18th September). It was to be one of the few like that now that our team is playing up a grade (and in division one).
We went out to bowl first. Once we got their few strong batsmen out, they dropped like flies, honestly. Third ball of the match, I hear "catch!", and I did catch it but it was a no-ball. I was at square leg at the time. It was waist high - a rather easy catch. Not long after, I struck again - I ran out their opener (the one caught of a no-ball) for two before they had even reached twenty runs. It wasn't a mix up. I presume he had trouble running in pads. :p
I came on to bowl in the middle overs again. Turning the ball beautifully, I was. My first over was a tad flat, and I was hit for four, but in my second over, it was glorious. The third ball of that over was an absolute gem. Brilliant drop, brilliant length, brilliant line, brilliant flight. I tossed this one up to one of their few strong batsman hoping to be apart of the second wicket of the day. It was the kind of ball every off-spinner dreams of. The batter came forward. The ball spun back into him before he could get his bat down to block. The ball was passed him. It had spun through the bat and front pad. It almost flicked the stump, but it was not to be. I finished with 0/8 off two overs.
They were seven down when the near hat trick happened. The other, nowhere near as good as me :p, off spinner bowled a full ball to a slogger. I was at fine leg for the leftie, but I wasn't all that deep. To be honest, I was more of a leg slip. He tried to smash the crap out of the ball but he lifted his head and caught and edge on the follow through. The ball flew to me. Caught at fine leg. It was my first real catch of the day.
The next ball, to a right-hander, was caught at slip. Hat trick ball was an LBW appeal. It was to another leftie. It was smacking middle and off but it pitched down leg side. Not out. We were appealing louder than you could imagine.
We had them all out for 88 off 29.4 overs. It was an easy chase. We got to 88 off 16 and a bit overs but we finished the over. We ended on 1/98 off 17 overs.
On Tuesday, I was too sick to go to training. Thursday, we had school cricket team trials. The coach identified me as a rep player. He reckons I am 99.9% already in the team.
Friday night's club training was a mess. We had seven players there. I was opening on the weekend so the coach put me to bat first. In amongst wides and beamers, I was able to bat pretty well. Friday night was the thing all rep players had all been waiting for. Baggy black presentations, which included announcement of rep captains. I figured, after the guy rambled on, I might release '1001 ways to make a thirty minute presentation go for two hours'. Everyone in my team was almost about to put money on me being captain. I was announced captain! I was over the moon. Oh, and I even saw Fixxer there. :p
Saturday morning was Round Two. We went out and bowled, once again, a catch was taken off a no-ball. Their opener was given a chance on one. He was lucky he got it because he went on and made 104. I took their other opener. He was stumped. My first wicket of the season. Once again, I had eight runs off me but no fours this time. 1/8 off four.
They had made 201 in their 37 overs (CC). We had not bowled the extra three in time. We had 37 overs to get 201 and I was opening. All the talk was about their fast opener. My God, he was slow. Probably used to the fast pace anyway. The other kids were scared shitless, but I wasn't. I was run out though. I was at the non-striker's end at the time. My partner in crime played straight but got an outside edge through to a deep-ish gully. I called the run as I was going to the danger end. He didn't run. We ended up at the same end. I was out for 0. We made it to about 3/79 in our overs. We didn't win this time. Next week (and the one after) is a two day match. We shall do better then.
Last night, I was thinking, what do I want to achieve this season? Well, I want to take 13 wickets, score four scores of 35 or more, and take the rep team to our first win (as a group), ever. We didn't win a match in u11's or u12's. I am going to be the saviour for the team. We'll start training on Thursdays.