Backyard Baseball-Cricket

[The Foxtrot]

well, i am finally back in hot hot australia
tomorrow, for us aussies, will see the histroic opening and probably closing to the summer backyard cricket in James90 backyard.... this one match will dtermine who will be the ultimate of Summer 2005/2006 -
It will be me by a long shot...
keep ya posted

 

[James90]

Tomorrow shall prove inconclusive methinks.

 

[The Foxtrot]

Backyard Thirty30

James - 1/44(30)
Foxtrot - 20 (16)

James90 batted first and was dismissed on the fourth ball and the score was 1/4. He finished the over on 1/9 and then pressed on thereafter. At the halfway mark of the innings it was 1/25 and a 50+ total looked ominous. Some tight bowling at the end and some unfortunate obsticles making a very competitive 1/44

The Foxtrot started his innings well hitting the first ball for a smashing boundary, one which almost carried for six. The first ball of the second over (pace) saw Foxtrot come forward to a full ball, which clipped off stump. The last ball of that over saw James90 bowl a perfect inducking legcutter which had Foxtrot pushing. The ball was scooped back down the pitch under James90 dived forward getting the fingertips under it. Possibly his best catch in backyard to date. James90 then went for the kill bowling another over of pace. The Foxtrot went after it hitting a six first ball, then a four and a two for good measure. At 2/20 off 15 balls, James still had the edge but momentum had swung. A loose ball outside offstump saw Foxtrot try and bridge the gap but went a little too hard and edged the ball off the toe to the waiting mat of the keeper. (A.Trampoline)

Stedman 1
Foxtrot 0

 

[Nate]

Haha, awesome reads boys, keep going. Go Trampoline!

 

[The Foxtrot]

Backyard Thirty30 - Game 2

James 2/56 (30)
Foxtrot 16 (21)

James90 won by 40 runs

Winning the toss and batting again, the match started in similar fashion. Foxtrot started bowling spin and the first ball was hit through extra cover for four. However he struck back soon, bowling a legstump yorker. James90 made room to work it through mid-on but got a bottom edge through to the keeper. At 1/5 Foxtrot looked good and at 1/15 off 12 it didn't look like we were in for a high scoring match. However Foxtrot had the missfortune of bowling 3 pace overs in the last game meaning that he had to bowl 3 spin overs this time around. James took advantage of this and hit the ball hard back over the bowler into the neighbours house for six. After the ball was eventually retrieved James was 1/33 off 22. With the last over about to be bowled it would take a big effort for a total of 50. James lofted an on-drive into the solar puffy-thing on their roof, reminisant of Mark Waugh lofting Vettori onto the WACA roof. A partnership of 50 for the 2nd wicket looked likely when Foxtrot bowled a longhop outside off and James went for it, edging what was possibly the worst ball of the day. 2/48 and 3 wides didn't help the cause for Foxtrot as James finished with a flurry of runs racking up 2/56.

James adopted a leg-stump line in his first over of pace and hit Foxtrot on the body twice. He still managed 8 runs off it when James tried out the legspin. Tossing a full ball, Foxtrot came forward and smashed the ball straight back at the bowler. It was 1/9 and the next few balls were disasterous. Backing away and trying to smash it over point, Foxtrot was beaten by the extra bounce. The last ball off the over went for three and it was 1/13 off 12. The Foxtrot had the same trouble, failing to come to terms with the spin and bounce. He did take advantage of one fulltoss, hitting it back passed the bowler for three. A legstump halfvolley was missed and a legbye attempted but the stumps were kicked down with Foxtrot well short of his crease. The final over was just as bad and when the equation got to 41 needed off 10 balls, The Foxtrot had to go for it. The result was a quality yorker which hit the base of middle as Foxtrot swung hard.

Stedman 2
Foxtrot 0

 

[Nate]

I love `em. Poor Fox. It sounds that you might be playing a bit too crazily, stick to the orthodox, especially early on. And make sure you NEVER drop short with spin.

But what would I know?

 

[The Foxtrot]

i dont really care... i will play as unorthodox as i like....
James90 to make a report soon....
and it only sounds like i was playing crazily, but it wasnt that bad...
i mean what would you know?

 

[James90]

Backyard Thirty30 - Game 3

Foxtrot 2/38 (30)
James 2/37 (30)

The Foxtrot won by 1 run

After winning the toss for the first time there was no surprise that Foxtrot elected to bat but he couldn't have gotten off to a worse start. The first ball was driven hard to the left of the bowler who purely on reflex left the ground, moving to the right and clutched it milimeters above the surface. The catch of the summer, even beating the screamer in day two. The Foxtrot got away for a while with some nice strokeplay before a ripping legbreak struck middlestump after it pitched well outside leg. The Foxtrot then played a bit more cautiously with just 1 wicket in hand and some tight bowling meant that he just managed 38 and it set the game up for a close finish.

With the setting sun making it hard to pick up the ball and Foxtrot producing some swing an economical first over left James 1/4 after the first over. The next over produced its rewards aswell as James was beaten between bat and pad to one that went straight on. At 2/8 it would take a miracle to pull off a win from here but the game had produced its fair share of unexpected results. Foxtrot then went for the kill with another over of pace but James was able to push the ball around and survive until the other over when Foxtrot was forced to go back to spin. This was the chance to get back into it and the total finally caught up with the balls faced...19 off 19. The next ball was lobbed sweetly back over the bowler for four and a real good finish was shaping up. The flow of runs continued and suddenly James needed just 7 off the final over. Foxtrot had the luxury of bowling pace and the first ball was worked away for a single. 6 needed off 5 and James90 comes onto the front foot and drives one just to the right of the bowler for four. 2 needed off 4 and a 3-0 series win looked like the obvious result. The next ball jumped off a length and hit the body before rolling back up the pitch. No need to run, can't lose a wicket and still 3 balls to go. The next ball was even better, seaming off a good length outside off. Can't afford losing a wicket and the game, surely James would back himself scoring two from two. The next ball was identicle and James had a swing only to find clean air. Every ball at this time was taking about a minute to bowl as both players were horribly fatigued (in particular the batsman)

So 2 needed off the final ball, 1 to tie. All that was needed was to get bat on ball. Foxtrot came in with a plan in mind, quick, yorker length outside off stump. James saw it early and went to squeeze the coverdrive but the bat came down a little too slowly and Foxtrot had bowled four consecutive dot balls to win the match in one of the classic backyard battles. Now I know what's been missing all summer.

 

[James90]

I could use your "I was injured" routine but I'm not that ignorant. Although the swelling on my lower left leg would have you believe otherwise.

 

[Nate]

That`s pretty insane. Best I`ve had is .2WW1. to win a match.

 

[The Foxtrot]

you calling me ignorant?
you are calling me ignorant....
ah well what can i do.....it is so true...i find any excuse to make myself look good

 

[The Foxtrot]

well the summer season is over and James90 clearly takes the series 2-1.
we have like 10 weeks beofre the next holidays... we will post closer to the date...
anyway it is bye for now...and when the Easter holidays come around we will be in full swing..

 

[The Foxtrot]

Well...it is now mid semester break for the both of us and hopefully James90 and I can get a few matches in over these holidays...shame if we didnt

Watch this space for updates

 

[James90]

Urgh...soccer is better

 

[Nate]

I`ll be watching.