Tournament Arc - 1
It was the day of the tournament match and I was selected in the starting 11 as an all rounders with both bowling and batting being mentioned.
Hmm, well I was a good part time bowler. While I did go for runs sometimes I would get wickets whenever I needed to.
"As I've seen all of you play today let me re arrange the entire squad's Qualities and what they are good at."
Pat Vinrou - Middle Order Batsman
Travis Lamial - Wkt Opn
Shemar Kailer - Fast (Right)
Ron Kayler - All Rounder
Gernie Shellow - Right Arm Leg Spin
Reverie Norman - Opening batsman
Joe Rogan - Wicket Keeper Batsman
Chella Shellow - Left arm Medium pace
Michel Stapner - Left arm off spin
Robert Bolow - All rounder
Niloy Miller - All rounder
Karvin Shephard - Top order Batsman
Stephen Shella - middle order Batsman
Revan Root - middle order batsman
Joseph Phillip - Left arm Fast
As he showed the screen there were listed names and what each of them was good at.
And the much awaited playing 11 was selected after this as he changed to the next slide and there showed the playing 11 and the order of batting.
1) Travis Lamial
2) Reverie Norman
3) Ron Kayler
4) Joe Rogan
5) Pat Vinrou
6) Revan Root
7) Robert Bolow
8) Joseph Phillip
9) Gernie Shellow
10) Michael Stapner
11) Shemar Kailer
"This will be the batting Order of the 1st match. I suggest you make as many runs as possible and bring the first day's runs to atleast 500, below 500 is unacceptable."
Huh? What the hell is this dude saying?
"Yes sir."
Is he serious? Shouldn't our goal be surviving the 4 days rather than scoring as many runs as possible?
Do these people not know the rules of Cricket by chance or is there no such rule as whoever survives the most overs wins the game.
"Excuse me... I don't understand, why do we have to score runs at such a high rate when our objective should be survival?"
"Survival? What do you mean?"
So they really don't know? I said with a hint of worry in my mind.
"The rules clearly state that whoever survives the most overs in the 4 days wins the match.
So there should be no point in telling people to score runs. Shouldn't you tell them to survive until the end and make sure they don't waste their wicket.
I mean scoring runs is alright but doing so while having your wicket in the line is not such a how do I say it... Smart move?"
"Heh, I've seen you practicing defense so many times in the nets so I thought you were someone respectable, since you practice everyday,
but I guess you are just a coword who can't face a ball head on. While it is true that Such a mindset existed before I'm quite surprised someone still goes by such an old philosophy.
Cricket is all about scoring runs, I'm sure you aren't an ameture and have experience in the cricketing field so how can you not understand that such a back handed filthy trick is for cowards.
For gentlemen it is only imperative that we face the challenge head on and beat the opponents to a pulp."
Heh, so these guys really do not understand what cricket is all about.
Well the younger generations always thought like that. While I was myself young, I found Test cricket to be quite fascinating.
I've always loved defending the ball rather than outright slogging it like a mindless fool.
But these guys, what type of cricket do they play? Isn't it quite risky to play such a form of cricket?
Well, we'll only know about it once the match starts.
I didn't say anything back because there was no pointvin doing so.
Such a form of cricket is dead.
We'll just have to see if they really are just mindless sloggers or do they actually use their brains while playing the sport.
It's a seaming track today so it'll be a real challenge to slog the balls with the amount of swing bowlers are getting.
We can't bat first, if we do... It'll be an honest collapse.
We probably won't even reach a 100 runs. The type of cricket Pat is playing is completely different from this pitch.
These pitches do not help the batsman whatsoever. Unlike My world, for some reason in this tournament Cricket has become a bowlers game.
While in my world Cricket was a batsman's game. Well that's only applicable to the academy, outside the academy cricket is still a batsman's game.
I think pat himself is a great leader, he didn't really belittle me. He didn't cause a scene or kick me out of the group for talking against him.
All he did was talking about what he thought cricket of the current generation was
He wasn't technically wrong if I think from a youngster's prospective.
He thinks that defending a ball is like running away from your problems but he doesn't understand just how hard it is to defend a ball with precision.
It's actually harder to defend a ball than hit it for a six. You can reflexively hit a ball for a six, you can't reflexively defend a ball with precision.
He doesn't understand what cricket is really about or rather he doesn't know what test cricket is all about.
It's about patience and endurance.
If he saw how the pitch was playing he'd probably rethink his strategy.
I'm atleast hoping that be the case.
He came back to the dressing room and told us the result of the Toss.
"We lost the toss and we'll be batting first."
Fuck... As expected, things don't just go like you want them to, do they.
...
I wonder what Noelle and the others are doing right now... I think they are probably out watching Justin's Soccer match which's going on right now.
Unlike cricket which has only 4 teams and is a group and knockout stage.
Football has about 32 teams with group of 4, well it's like Fifa tournament format.
It's that simple really.
A lot of people participate and watch those matches and if I'm right Justin's team wins the game and end up as top of this year.
"Bowled him, the stumps have been shattered and he goes out of the very first bowl. Reverie norman Goes back with a zero to his name. It's an excellent start for Team B."
This Mother fkr... Why the hell would be try and slog the very first ball? Is he insane?
Shit, I wasn't ready for this...
Shit... Shit... Shit, this is bad, my heart's beating so fast...
"Yoo Ron!!!"
Someone shouted from the stands..
Hmm, who's shouting my name right now? That voice, no way...
I mean I told them about my match and asked them to come if they had time but I didn't expect them to Come so fast...
Like it's barely 7:00 right now...
As expected it was her, It was Noelle and there were Fey and Amber sitting beside them giving me a slight smile...
"I don't know what's going on but Good luck."
With them here don't you think The game will get a big of recognition?
That kinda makes me hope that people will start watching the game now that these 3 are here.
I mean there's the rising star Commoner who's really popular. The Eastern elven Princess Fey Elvene is here and than there's the Daughter Of The principal Amber Present.
These are some big names... Just the thought of what the future holds for the sport is making my hair stand up.
"Thank you for coming."
I said as I headed to the 22 yards crease. How long has it been since I've last played on a cricket pitch.
Plus, it's my first Test match.
"Middle stump."
I said to the empire as I marked a line on the ground below the middle stump.
Than tapped my bat twice on the ground signaling that I was ready.
The bowler came running towards me with the ball and than he threw it at a high speed.
*Tap*
***END OF CHAPTER 44***