FBI's Season 2008

Re: Manee's Season 2008

Club net session

I had a club net session yesterday evening. I did not bat and whilst bowling, I looked to work on my new load up and getting closer to the stumps. The new load up changed throughout the session but eventually fixed on an action which I was happy with. My accuracy was good throughout the session and I felt that I bowled well but that I could have got closer to the stumps a bit more, perhaps. I got massive outswing at the start of the session, but as I sorted out my body shape, I was getting a few to veer back in to the right hander too.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

Saturday League Game

I had a 3rd XI game yesterday, which we won by 19 runs on a joke of a pitch. We scored 97 (thanks to a crucial 1 by me:p) and I took 4-2-12-1 in our defence of that total. I felt that I bowled okay, but still could not get closer to the stumps, no matter how much I tried. I felt in quite poor rhythm and my new load up still feels somewhat uncomfortable. I am happy that I did get a wicket though, batsman chopped on attempting a low cut and I feel that I have made progress on how to bowl to right handers - it is about driving the bowling arm through to the target.

My run up is feeling much more smooth and rhythmical than at the start of the season and feel that I should revisit my original plan of a jump of set length which can help me carry momentum to the crease. The increase in pace brought about by the longer jump is evident [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2mA9hIyp98]here[/ame] as compared to a far slower delivery with a shorter jump [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bqrkB4gGOA]here[/ame] (watch in high quality).
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

I think it's safe to say that you are picking up pace. Keep it up - when it all comes together you'll pick up a lot of wickets.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

4th XI Fixture

Had a 4th XI adult game today, tis a very low level and I picked up 6.2-2-8-2. I did concede many byes by bowling down the leg side far too often and was very stiff for the entire day, tbh. Was never really up for a game...

Sunday League match

Played in a Sunday League game today, which is quite a high level. We play against a fair few teams who have players at third or fourth division First XI level. We bowled first and I got the ball after 18 overs, with the keeper standing up. I bowled okay, but got a fair bit of tap due to bowling a pretty shocking first two and final over, the other three were good though;). I was getting a fair bit of outswing but did not attempt to swing it in simply because there was a leg side wide rule (in that anything down legside was a wide). I took one wicket (caught at mid wicket) and would guess that I went for approximately 35-40 off my six overs.

My fielding was comically bad due to one embarassing misfield. I was fielding on the cover boundary and the batsman played a leg glance which went in my direction, I totally lost it and the ball bounced just in front of me and rolled for four while I looked around for it!

As far as my action goes, I felt that I wsas working a good-ish action and brisk run up on saturday and toward the beginning of sunday. However, as the 27degree heat of Sunday set in, my action became a lazy one, reminiscent of a side-on VRV Singh.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

School Game

Had a school game yesterday, we bowled first and I took the new ball. I bowled well, with figured of approximately 6-0-15-1. I felt that I bowled pretty well, besides a two consecutive wides and about four down the leg side, I felt that I hit good lines and as usual, my length was not an issue. The most promising sign was that I got a few to shape in to the right hander, which took my first wicket - a length ball pitching on off which just seamed in and hit middle, beating the straight drive. My match today showed clearly that I could be a massively effective bowler if I made the inswinger my stock ball; however, it still only appears, almost by accident. The balls I got to swing in: beat the bat, got inside edges, went between bat and stumps :)mad:) and got my wicket :)D) whereas the balls which swung away merely just beat the bat and got edged for four. I feel that if I remain more upright in my action and spare too much effort at the crease, I will not fall away and perhaps I will get my wrist behind the ball better...I am sore as hell and have a friendly match today, wish me luck. :D
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

Nice work Manee, the wickets are coming, told ya they would. Keep the work going mate. How did the friendly game go ?
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

I had to miss it, due to vomiting on the morning of the game, just as I was about to leave :mad:
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

U16 Fixture

I had an U16 game on Friday, 24 overs per side. We put 161 past the opponents and I opened the bowling to begin their reply. I bowled with okay pace (still nowhere near what I want to be, but I assume that only physical training in the winter will get me there) and got a few to shape in. I was happy to bowl a mostly good line and I got some good inswing - mainly due to a gale force wind than any skill on my part. I picked up a cheap wicket in the 23rd over of the innings, caught behind too, which was nice.

3rd XI

Bowled for the 3rd XI as second change. I felt I worked up okay pace again, but had a problem with my landing foot - either due to landing in someone else's footmarks or a ridge in the ground between the jump and landing (I suspect the latter). I bowled a good line after my second over and got 6 overs under my belt. I got driven for a few fours but that was mainly due to a lightening outfield and a very tired mid off more than anything else. I managed to get that batsman out by going around the wicket and getting one to hoop into his leg stump with a yorker:)

We batted first and I got a bit of a bat, hitting 3* including a delightful drive down the ground on the last ball of the innings.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

Several Updates

Okay, several updates here. First, had an U16 game on Friday on a lively track (after one whole week of sunshine). We bowled first and I worked up some good pace and bounce and felt in good rhythm - no wickets but got the batsmen mistiming hooks and playing and missing off the full balls: 4-0-14-0.

Played on Saturday, was less rewarding, I bowled pretty poorly. Wasn't in great rhythm: 8-0-24-0.

On Sunday, I thought I bowled quite well, picked up an early wicket with an inswinger and came back at the end and bowled okay: 8-0-22-1, which were good figures considering the opposition scored at 5.35 runs per over.

The squad for Australia (school tour for when I will be in Upper Sixth Form) was chosen on Tuesday and I was the second person into the room to have the verdict given. They said that they wouldn't be selecting me - I was extremely upset and demoralised because I hadn't even got a chance to prove myself for the School 1st XI, but you have to take these negatives in life, I guess.

Had a net session that evening for club and thought I bowled quite well. I was getting a good chest drive working and was working up some of the best pace that I have worked up this season, getting out a left hander my age who plays 2s cricket with a seaming delivery - God, I love bowling to left handers; the balls that don't come out right swing in sharply and those that do end up swinging away in the corridor.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

Bad luck on the tour.

But awesome stuff bowling wise. You went 3 an over and you still thought you bowled bad! Haha. But yeh I know what you meant, you didn't feel right.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

Yes, and the opposition weren't very good. It is weird, I just don't get a lot of wickets; I never pick up 3 wicket hauls or more for some reason, perhaps it is my bowling style. I have tried to get closer to the stumps to prevent this trend as it is hurting my pride to never pick up wickets.

Added 56 second(s) later...

Jonesy;27086 said:
Bad luck on the tour.

Indeed, but it has motivated me to get better so that I can be a spearhead of the first XI and stick two fingers up to the selectors - despite thinking deep down that the move they made to not select me was hardly a horrible decision.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

The initial squad is 25 (the one I was in), and if someone drops out of the final squad of 16 then they select someone from that initial 25, but I doubt that I will be high on that list of reserves.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

I think you've been unlucky, as even if you're not the most talented there, you strike me as the kind of player who'd give 110% in every game.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

I think it is my lack of fielding ability which is the main reason I was not selected. Frankly, I think my fielding is adequate but that I am prone to a lot of errors when I don't pick the ball up (with my eyes) off the bat.
 
Re: Manee's Season 2008

Three Day Weekend Update

As usual, another three day weekend of cricket for me. On Friday, I bowled pretty lazily, considering we were against poor opposition and it was always going to pour down. I managed to pick up a wicket and didn't go for many runs. We played through the rain for the points and chased their 64 (off 24 overs) in about 5 overs.

Saturday was a different matter. I felt very good and was really running in. I got through 12 overs and picked up 2/21. I bowled a right hander with one which came back off the seam and kept low to hit off stump and I dismissed a left hander with one which came back off the pitch from outside off stump to hit off stump - with the batsman not having much of a clue. I felt I rarely bowled a bad ball and my figures would have been a lot better had I not been hit for six when attempting a bouncer - which was dropped on the boundary and parried for six. Slightly infuriating, but what can you do. While batting, earlier in the game, I hit 12* including a nice flick off my pads for six off a quickish medium pacer.

On Sunday, I was naturally very stiff but got through six overs. I went for a fair few runs against some free flowing stroke makers but was annoyingly denied a wicket. I went left arm around the wicket to the right hander and the batsman got a leading edge from just outside leg stump to point who took a diving catch and it wasn't given. Insanity, considering there was absolutely, positively no explanation except it hitting the leading edge of the bat.

Oh well, a moderately successful weekend and I am quite happy. Started doing some core exercises and been stretching my hamstrings daily for a while now and the latter has been helping quite a bit with preventing or reducing the quantity of morning (or afternoon, on one of those days which you never really wake up in) leg stiffness. Hopefully the core exercises will give me some strength. Basically, I'm doing:
- Planks
- Supermans
- Sit ups
- Rotations from side to side from a slightly lent back sit up position
- And a couple involving one of those giant exercise balls.
 
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