DAY 1
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
Queensland Vs South Australia Gold
Due to day light savings we had to set our watches. Unfortunately I put my watch an hour forward instead of the correct half hour, that�s a fine! So I woke up at 5:30 for a morning run and some ball drills, instead of my intended 6am! And boy was it cold that morning. Breakfast was brilliant as all I had to do was pour and eat. Even a newspaper was provided, what service!
Following a team meeting we headed off for our very own professional team pictures, where Lewey got himself a fine for wearing the wrong QLD gear.
On this day we would be playing South Australia Gold, the weaker of the 2 South Australian teams. Toss won, we went out to bat and Liam set the tone by hitting the very first ball to the cover boundary. Next ball he did the same and then a few balls later another 4.
However Gold hit back, and having QLD struggling at 7-63 would be a gross understatement. My initial reaction to this collapse was;
�This cant be happening, not with this team, were QLD!
Originally down at number 8, I was promoted a spot up and it felt exactly like what I usually come in with the Rangers (early trouble) so it wasn�t that nerve racking. However getting off the mark down to fine leg brought a huge relief.
Another weird thing was seeing Fitty coming down at number 9! Can you imagine what would�ve been Gold�s reaction, having QLD 7 down and having a young 16 year old come out. Now imagine their reaction was when this kid started belting them around the ground and looking like a player who can actually bat.
Interestingly this was the first time Fitty and myself have batted for a period of time as I have always been the one getting out first, but it was definitely a partnership I thoroughly enjoyed. Viddy batted with maturity as we made it a goal for us to stay in as long as possible and look for the singles. In the end we established a Championship 8th wicket partnership of 54 until yet again I was the first one to go getting a ripper inswinger from Jockey Boy, a kid with the stature of a jockey and a voice you�d hear on a cartoon.
In the end we recovered to be all out on 152.
Keeping at Nationals was interesting as I have never had so many balls come through to me from the bowler, and keeping to Stinky was an experience due to his express pace and his ability to swing the ball-late, as in after its passed the stumps. I really had to watch the ball all the way down for him, but after gloving a nick for my first catch the nerves had all settled.
Rhys lightning was the star first up knocking down 3 top order batsmen, including a stunner of a delivery with his very first ball. Varun also fired up with the ball and had some help from Neo, who in short cover had a ball MELTED at him! Outstretched he got both hands to the searing ball to take a classic.
One thing that stood out was the quality of fielding. It was awesome to see so many people backing up when the ball was hit, and the talk on the field was brilliant.
One ball from Stinky swung into the batsmen, so I started to follow the ball leg side, unfortunately the batsmen got an outside edge to the vicinity that I just left vacant! So I had to lunge to my right, where the ball had already passed me. It slapped right into my gloves and I ended up facing the opposite direction of where the ball had come from.
I felt I was soo lucky on that catch I didn�t even getting up to celebrate as I laid there while the team pulling me up jumping around.
In the end, QLD ended up bowling Gold out for 94 in 25 overs with Rhys, Stinky and Fitty taking 3 apiece. Out of the 12 overs Stinky bowled, I didn�t have to glove a single ball down leg side, that�s how good he was bowling. Another indicator of how good he was bowling was that I spent a good 40 minutes with a bag of ice in my hands after the game! They were tender as anything.
It was then off the pavilion for a drink and watch the Boxing Day cricket test. Later on we went out onto the balcony to watch the NSW-Southern Districts game, and NSW was getting schooled, especially by Lumberjack-man. (A guy who dressed and wielded his bat like one) Opportunities like this don�t come that often, so the guys started providing some audible side line commentary/sledging for the players involved. When I mean players, I mean NSW.
Off to the sports bar for a feed where they totally stuffed our order up, in return we got 7 hamburger meals in return, then off to bed while a few of the guys went out to reconnaissance what the city will provide the team on new years.
Unbeknown to Liam, certain players removed his mattress but kindly laid out his pillow and blanket over his bed boards. So after a tiring late tour of the city Liam crashed into his comfortable cushy bed only to grace the dorms with certain expletive phrases and words . Laughter rang out followed by the traditional chicken noises