[DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

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jaybro
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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by jaybro »

CrimsonAvenger wrote:
Wed Apr 01, 2020 6:57 am
One problem I see now is that, the younger generation of this forum wouldn't know about Rawson and Brandes and no matter what efforts I put in to secure a spectacular bowling attack, I'm most likely staring down the barrel. Probably it was important to include more recent names, and those players whose careers we see with "rose timted glasses" as jaybro puts it...
Yeah especially with the likes of KC, Rawson, Fletcher & Traicos who’s careers were mainly spent toiling away in domestic leagues. In end I feel the enjoyment I got from doing the draft will out-weigh an unlikely victory
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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by foreignfield »

Big K: Streak will feel right at home in this team which he will have to carry on his own on more occasions than not. At least he got Whittal for company when he tries to salvage the innings and get his side to a below par 240ish total.

Eugene's batting from no. 3 onwards looks very strong, and his bowling attack is good if unspectacular. But his cannon-fodder openers mean that Goodwin & Andy Flower will get exposed to the new ball way too often: If both had a weakness than it was against quality fast bowling.

Jaybro definitely has the most varied seam and spin attack, although I'm not 100 % sold on the reliability of 3/4 of his pacers: Johnson had a purple patch in '99 and was never an opening bowler in county cricket where he generally disappointed. Friend and Olonga were very inconsistent. This is an attack that will at times reduce the opposition to 15-5, at other times give away a 90-1 start for Traicos and Cremer to contain. Jaybro's batting has some obvious holes in Wishart and the openers--again Johnson never replicated the form of '99--but he bats deep. Neck and neck with team Eugene I think Jaybro's finishers will win the day three times out of five.

Crimson has, for me, the best opening combinations in both bowling and batting, the most miserly spinner in Price plus more handy spin options, but his middle order looks a bit suspect from no. 4 onwards, and Chigs & Choppa are a spectacular but highly erratic finishing duo.

Semi-finals:

After some wobbles at the top Jaybro in the end comfortably disposes of Big K. As so often before Streak couldn't do it on his own.

The contest between CA and Eugene is a more seesawing affair after Eugene's false sense of security in his superb middle order is blown away by Brandes and Rawson, and Tibba goes trying to reverse sweep Razor once to often. Marillier yorks himself first ball, but a level-headed Fletcher and some lusty blows by Blignaut still get his team to a competitive total. In return GF and Houghton build a solid platform before the heavens open and Messrs. Duckworth & Lewis come to the fore. After the resumtion the lower middle order panicks and collapses. 14 runs are needed from the final over, Rainsford to bowl, Eddo Brandes on strike.

... to be continued ...

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by jaybro »

foreignfield wrote:
Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:17 am
Big K: Streak will feel right at home in this team which he will have to carry on his own on more occasions than not. At least he got Whittal for company when he tries to salvage the innings and get his side to a below par 240ish total.

Eugene's batting from no. 3 onwards looks very strong, and his bowling attack is good if unspectacular. But his cannon-fodder openers mean that Goodwin & Andy Flower will get exposed to the new ball way too often: If both had a weakness than it was against quality fast bowling.

Jaybro definitely has the most varied seam and spin attack, although I'm not 100 % sold on the reliability of 3/4 of his pacers: Johnson had a purple patch in '99 and was never an opening bowler in county cricket where he generally disappointed. Friend and Olonga were very inconsistent. This is an attack that will at times reduce the opposition to 15-5, at other times give away a 90-1 start for Traicos and Cremer to contain. Jaybro's batting has some obvious holes in Wishart and the openers--again Johnson never replicated the form of '99--but he bats deep. Neck and neck with team Eugene I think Jaybro's finishers will win the day three times out of five.

Crimson has, for me, the best opening combinations in both bowling and batting, the most miserly spinner in Price plus more handy spin options, but his middle order looks a bit suspect from no. 4 onwards, and Chigs & Choppa are a spectacular but highly erratic finishing duo.

Semi-finals:

After some wobbles at the top Jaybro in the end comfortably disposes of Big K. As so often before Streak couldn't do it on his own.

The contest between CA and Eugene is a more seesawing affair after Eugene's false sense of security in his superb middle order is blown away by Brandes and Rawson, and Tibba goes trying to reverse sweep Razor once to often. Marillier yorks himself first ball, but a level-headed Fletcher and some lusty blows by Blignaut still get his team to a competitive total. In return GF and Houghton build a solid platform before the heavens open and Messrs. Duckworth & Lewis come to the fore. After the resumtion the lower middle order panicks and collapses. 14 runs are needed from the final over, Rainsford to bowl, Eddo Brandes on strike.

... to be continued ...
Intriguing .....
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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by CrimsonAvenger »

Goodness me, Eddo, please save the day!

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by foreignfield »

Hi folks, back again after our line broke down. On the ground Googly blames Zimbabwe's inept and corrupt government for the power failure but word is going around that Maehara forgot to pay his quartely web fees.

Can pre-tournament favourites Team Eugene keep their nerves?

Here we go:

Ball One: Rainsford to Brandes -- SIX! Rainsford bowls it on a length, and Eddo, seeing it like a football, takes a step foward and lofts it high towards the pavillion and the commentary box where Tino Mawoyo shows suprising agility to leap up from his chair and pluck the ball out of the air. Luckily the weather is fine here at HSC and the windows are open.

8 from 5 balls needed. Fletcher has a word with his bowler. Taibu is now standing up.

Ball Two: Rainsford to Brandes -- No run. Great comeback by Rainsford. A perfect yorker. Brandes did well to keep this out.

Ball Three: Rainsford to Brandes -- 4 runs. Eddie goes for the yorker again, but the ball ends up a low full toss which Brandes powerfully swats to the fence. Who wants to be a fox in his yard?

4 runs from 3 balls needed with two wickets in hand, and suddenly Team CA are looking like firm favourites here. Flower, Fletcher and Taibu have a long chat.

Ball Four: Rainsford to Brandes -- 1 leg-bye. HOWZAT! Rainsford is on his knees, he's convinced he got his man. That looked plumb. But the umpire is unmoved. Remember, there is no DRS available after Zimdoggy sold the necessary equipment to the Estonian Ice Cricket Federation. It seems as if Brandes only ran the leg-bye to irritate the umpire, but this means he's off strike ... Let's have a look at the replay: Indeed, that's plumb. Blignaut has run up from long-on and is towering over the umpire; it seems as if he's about to tear his shirt off (a shame there are, as per usual, no Ladies in the house) -- I'd say that is intimidating staring. Fletcher and Flower have to step in and calm Bligz down. Sure enough there were some mumblings in Camp Eugene before the match about the neutrality of the German umpire who has been spotted drinking coffee with Team CA's general manager in the past.

Everybody needs to calm down here. It's only a game ... 3 runs from 2 balls.

Ball Five: Rainsford to Rawson -- OUT! Bowled him! Rainsford is pumped, Bligz gives him the chest bump and buries the poor fellow under him; Tibba flies on top of the pile while Andy Flower politely applauds the bowler from first slip.

Rawson has to go and Raymond 'Razor' Price walks, jumps and jogs out to the middle. You can tell he loves it.

3 runs from 1 ball.

Ball Six: Rainsford to Price -- Wide! Price makes room for himself and Rainsford bowls a slower ball outside off. That's touch and go and Blignaut is again halfway up from the boundary before Fletcher sends him back. Over in the TV box Dirk thinks it's a fair call, Tino disagrees.

What tension here at HSC. Rainsford has to bowl the final delivery again. 2 runs from one ball. Brandes walks over to Razor and promises him free roast chicken for the rest of his life if he can do this.

Ball Six: Rainsford to Price -- One run! It's a tie! Rainsford bowls it short, Razor goes for the pull and toe-edges it over the keepers head. Taibu turns and hares after the ball. Price runs like never before, turns, but can only stare in disbelief as Flower calmly collects Taibu's rocket of a throw and denies him all chance of a second run.

The match is tied, I'm shot, and nobody knows which team will advance to the final. Are we going to see a coin toss? A super over? A poll? I hand over to my colleague brmtaylor.com for the post-macht presentations and a look at the playing regulations for this tournament.

Bye!

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by CrimsonAvenger »

Wow! That was an exhilarating read foreignfield. I thought you were referring to umpire Tifin till I read the part of him being German :D

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by foreignfield »

I was actually getting nervous about the result while typing :lol:

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by eugene »

Isn't there meant to be a poll which decides which team is best?
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by CrimsonAvenger »

foreignfield wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:48 pm
I was actually getting nervous about the result while typing :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
eugene wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:48 pm
Isn't there meant to be a poll which decides which team is best?
That's why he stopped where he stopped, I guess...

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Re: [DRAFT 1] Kriterion_BD, eugene, CrimsonAvenger, jaybro

Post by foreignfield »

eugene wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:48 pm
Isn't there meant to be a poll which decides which team is best?
The news is that a massive thunderstorm has made all further play at HSC impossible and the quadrangular will indeed be decided by a poll after all.

Now everyone is anxiously waiting for the poll to "roar into life". But knowing how things are run in the vast, splendid ZCF Building it might be several days before we see some real action on the polling field.

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