WJCC Vs Whitfords Week 2

As of around midday today WJCC notched up their first win of the season against raining champions.
The team batted very well with most top batsmen getting starts with both Michael and matt getting starts but then given out with quite dubious decisions for 20 odd each. Daniel played well for his 20 or so batting at number 3 but most importantly stayed out there with star performer Rassi who scored a good 55 before being dismissed.
The most encouraging part of the batting was that there were partnerships all the way through the match leaving one batsmen who is always well set in the middle.
Nearing the end the game became very close as they bowled and fielder very well with a few maiden overs and slowly but surely the pressure was moved back onto us. We lost a few quick wickets with people trying to up the run rate in the last 6 overs or so and as Stefan got bowled it was my turn to bat with somewhat a larger amount of pressure on my performance.
As i headed out we needed 9 runs off 14 balls and when ever you see that on TV you pretty much know that the batting side is going to win, but in our grade its a lot different as we are neither that good at hitting the ball or in some cases that quick between the stumps.
As i was walking out there i decided that our team has played too well to lose this game as we put in 150% both in the field but batting as well so i decided that i would push my back as far as it would go and further to get a win out of the game. My original idea was because i'm not a huge hitter of the cricket ball i would try to give Ash most of the strike and just run very hard between the wickets.
The first 2 balls i faced i crunched both but straight into the fielders so that brought the needed rate 9 off 12 balls.
Ash was now facing and he hit the ball for two tows which were both usually only singles but with any sport if you run hard and put pressure on you can make the other team back off a bit or make mistakes. Ash then just tapped the ball onto the onside straight to the fielder but as i was backing up a hell of a long way i ended up making it very easy.
This left me on strike with the target a more comfortable 4 off 9 balls. Although i knew that the game was not won yet and stranger things have happened and since i was playing Australians i was half expecting them to end up bowling under arm the cheating bastards. But back to the story after my first 2 balls i did sort of understand the pitch i was playing on and was quite comfortable as the bowler i was facing wasn't that express but to be completely honest i prefer quick bowlers over slow ones. The bowler bowled one on a good length that i ended up just having to try to drive but couldn't get it properly and ended up going down to mid off instead of through the covers for a dot ball.
Its 4 off 8 balls now and i have 2 balls left on the over i faced up for another ball and the bowler ended up drifting just onto the stumps and just over pitching about a foot to allow me to get on the front foot comfortably and drive it to the right of mid on. I didn't hit it very hard or out of the middle of the bat but i still managed to get a fair bit of it and past the diving fielder and straight away, i took off looking for at least 2 runs maybe even 3 on the arm of the fielder as it was a long boundary down there maybe 65m or so i ran the first one hard and just as i turned for the second i heard applause and cheering from the sideline as the whole team was on the boundary encouraging us on. it turned out that i timed the ball better than i expected and it had rolled over for four bringing up my first runs of the day, the season as well as my first four of the season and most importantly the winning runs for the team. After congratulating each other Ash and I had to face another over and a ball because we still have to complete our 56 overs even though we have already won.
So with the match won, i just decided to go out have some fun and some batting practice and being a fast bowler myself i know that i was to expect a short ball and sure enough one came which i tried to flick over the top but i missed by a bit.
The last over was fun as Ash put on a few more runs with 2's coming off the first 5 balls and a single off the last which was also a no ball so i managed to get to face one ball for the last over.
My idea was to slog the ball over cow corner to where my team were but he was a good bowler, usually bowling line and length outside off stumps so i decided to move across my stumps to sty to reduce the angle. but as he bowled it and i shaped up for the big shot he bowled a yorker which i could only defend for no run.
Leaving me 4 not out and Ash 30 odd not out and the team ended up 196/6 off 56 overs in reply to their scored of 178.
So today was a good day for both myself and the team as well as my back as it pulled up alright after the game and running and turning.