FTP: From the Pavilion general chat

[ZoraxDoom]

Had some good pops here too. Got two Accomplished bats now! One is a guy I pulled out of the UAE U-19 side cause I felt the manager sucks One plays for the Kiwis.

Oh, and I wrote this up as well:

The Blind Society Mid-Season Report!

Amidst the celebration over The Blind Society's 7th consecutive Senior One Day League win -a 10 wicket thrashing of second placed Bubbarians- Zorax held the team's Mid-Season Press Release just as he had promised. It was held right there on the TBS CG outfield, where moments ago John Sandri had cracked the winning runs.

Zorax talked about several issues, including the team's performance to date, their expectations for the rest of the season, and even some transfer rumours. There was also the Questions and Answers segment, meaning much to look forward to for all the media personalities present.

The Blind Society are currently unbeated in Div 1 of the SOD competition, and are also first place due to NRR in both the Youth and T20 competition, with just one loss in each.
But while their performances in their first season of Division 1 competition in all three leagues has been very impressive, The Blind Society have failed to impose themselves outside of the West Indies - eliminated in round 4 of the Pavilion Cup, and with just 2 wins in 6 games of the prestigious Champion League. This is an issue Zorax promised to address, and without further adue, we proceeded to the conference.

"I'd like to welcome you all here, and thank you for coming.I know I haven't had much time as of late to address our fans and the media, and I regret that and hope to cover all the issues here. The fans are a big part of who we are as a club, we don't want you all to feel 'out of the loop'."

"The first issue of discussion is our performance to date, and I have to say, it hasn't been much of an issue! We've batted well, we've bowled well, all the players have stood up and put in performances when we need them, and it shows. We've played as a team, shown a good attitude and have enjoyed this season. Only two competitive league losses -one by just one run- says volumes about how we've been doing. Sandri and Vithana have fit right in, and everyone is clicking together as a team.
Ofcourse, I do regret that we haven't done well internationally. We've had some tough luck and lost some close matches in the Champions League, but we have won our last two games, and have a few games left. We are showing an upward swing, and hopefully we will end the league somewhere in middle of the table instead of the bottom.We are also set to represent the WI in the Pavillion Club Challenge, so hopefully we can do our fans and the West Indies proud with some wins there.
The Pavillion Cup exit was dissapointing though, the players want success there and the fans want success there. Hopefully we won't let them down next season."

Then came up the issue of the team's expectations, and Zorax minced no words.
"We'll win the lot!"
"There is no doubt we'll do our best to win everything, to try and be the first Triple Champion. Winning the CL is out of the question, but we could always try to qualify for next season. And then there is the Pavilion Club Challenge to look forward to, hopefully we'll do well there."

Regarding any team news, Zorax was brief.
"I'm sure all of you may have realised, but Amaltman Japsal has taken over the captaincy of the side. This decision has been taken in the best interest of the team, and after a lot of consideration. Mayuri was a fantastic skipper and an excellent batsman, but he was just not a certainty in the side anymore. We needed a captain that was likely to play in every game, and after plenty of consultation with the players involved and with the entire team, we came to this conclusion.
Jaspal has all of our support, and has done a great job so far."

However, Zorax remained tight lipped about any transfer rumours, simply stating that "Some players may be leaving in the near future, but that's all I'm gonna say."Finally, came the part of the Press Announcement everyone was waiting for - the Questions and Answers session.

Out of the several questions asked -ranging from the players' favourite ice cream flavours to what their favourite movie was- two questions really stood out.The first came from a suspicious looking man wearing dark shades and a green coat - some suspect he may have been a spy from an opposing team.
"Why are you first in all leagues? Is it tactics or luck?
And, do you think your team will keep this up?"

"Well, I think it goes hand in hand. I believe in the saying that fortune favours the brave, and we haven't been afraid to experiment and to try and put the other team on the backfoot early. We've gone out there looking to take the game to them and looking to win, and we've created a bit of our own luck in doing so. There are some very good teams in here, so you do need a bit of good fortune to be where we are.
Having said that, I do firmly believe we can keep this up. We are gaining in momentum, and the side has shown great strength when it comes to dealing with the absence of some international players. We have won gamed nevertheless, and I believe we can still keep winning games."

The next question was from a young eagre fan, wearing a funny hat with the number 7 on it.
"How much time do you spend managing your club? Do you think it is harder for new teams to make it big?"

"Well, I usually do put in a lot of effort into managing the side. Controlling a top team is tough, you need to study your opponents weaknesses and strengths, and play accordingly each game. You've got to see which players are in form and which need a break. You've got to make sure not to over exert your best players, yet make sure your team revolves around them. Don't over expos the rookies, yet give them some match experience. All the while you are dealing with hiccups like international selections and trying to make sure your team is always one step ahead and not stagnating. It isn't an easy job, but is something I love to do and is very rewarding in the end.
As for newer sides making it big, I do believe it is getting tougher with each passing season as the bigger clubs get better players and more professional, but cricket is a game where you can't count out anyone. One good day, and anyone can beat anyone. Hopefully we will see some new rules regarding player loans which allow youngsters to play for these new clubs, and help them out in their goal to make it big. There are already a lot of incentives and rewards for a side pushing above their weight, and hopefully some inventive or tactful manager can suprise us all by taking a small side to the top."

And on that note, with the stars appearing in the sky, Zorax called the Press Release to an end, and announced that the next one could very well be at the end of the season. Hopefully by then, he'll be talking about what it feels to be the best side in the West Indies.

 

[Maxkarter]

Re-signed up, got my team today and remembered why I let it go inactive before, I feel more confused and stupid than I did before starting battrick and that took two attempts! Squad looks decent, but then I don't really know better.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Read the rules And if that doesn't help, there is a newbies section in the forums. Very helpful.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

My w/k batsmen just hit a match winning knock against the aussie U-19.

Best strike rate of the entire match by about 30.

He only averages 3 from 5 competitive U-19 matches though

Teh Night Watchman says "The score of 7/154 didn’t look good but the tail hung around with keeper Mitchell (47no) who was really the batsman to get on top of the bowling scoring those off 39 balls at a strike rate of 120.51!

Mitchells fine cameo got the Scots home with 3 overs to spare and just 2 wickets in hand and also earned him Man of the Match honours."

http://www.thenightwatchman.info/archives/98

 

[Sureshot]

Won my first OD game. Though I found it odd that a batsman with a dreadful bat rating scored a run a ball century.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Wow, how was that possible? Sure he was a dreadful bat?

Me vs. Ste at the moment:

End of over 29 (4 runs) - Everton C.C(121-4) RR 4.17
E. Mitchell 42 (66b) , T. Bhagoo 19 (12b) , B. Emankum 5-0-27-1

A mix of second XI and third XI players. Mind you, it has two U-19 and 1 NT player in it nevertheless...

 

[ste_mc_efc]

Wow, how was that possible? Sure he was a dreadful bat?

Me vs. Ste at the moment:

End of over 29 (4 runs) - Everton C.C(121-4) RR 4.17
E. Mitchell 42 (66b) , T. Bhagoo 19 (12b) , B. Emankum 5-0-27-1

A mix of second XI and third XI players. Mind you, it has two U-19 and 1 NT player in it nevertheless...

Zorax nicked it by a wicket with 4 balls to spare. He needed one run from the last two overs with 4 wickets left when, Collingwood bowled a battrickesque triple wicket maiden to get my hopes up.

If I had checked the pitch type and adjusted accordingly I probably would have won. I wasn't far from full strength though, as my decent ratings showed.

Pops today. This guy I bought for 119k a couple of weeks ago:
Paul healy
Team (Youth) Everton C.C Talents Prodigy
Bats Right hand batsman Bowls Left arm Medium
Wage $1,804 Rating 27,197
Nationality England England Age 19
Form average Fatigue rested
Experience dreadful Captaincy average
Endurance ordinary Training Bowling Technique
Batting dreadful Bowling reliable
Technique reasonable Power ordinary
Keeping ordinary Fielding ordinary

And this promising youngster

Team (Youth) Everton C.C Talents Gifted (Batting), Skilled (Bowling)
Bats Right hand batsman Bowls Left arm Finger spin
Wage $1,926 Rating 24,852
Nationality West Indies West Indies Age 18
Form reasonable Fatigue energetic
Experience dreadful Captaincy ordinary
Endurance ordinary Training Bowling Technique
Batting dreadful Bowling reliable
Technique reasonable Power ordinary
Keeping dreadful Fielding poor

 

[ledzep]

Pleased with my pull today (actually two good ones in a week, got a avr/avr reas keeper last week, hoping for usa u19 selection maybe) I got an avr/avr rm bowler.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I got an Average/Ord RF 17 YO who has Average batting too. I'm pleased Skilled Power talent.

 

[Maxkarter]

Okay here's a big post for the FTP boffins, tell me who to fire, who's good etc.

Senior squad:

Player  		Age  	Nat  		#  	BT  	Role  	End  		Bat  		Bowl  		Tech  		Power  		Keep  		Field  		Capt  		Exp  		Fatg  		Form  		Wage   	Rating 
Hendrik Barnard   	20 	South Africa 		rm 		average 	poor 		average 	ordinary 	poor 		poor 		ordinary 	poor 		ordinary 	passable 	average 	$1,136 	22,876
Wayne Richardson   	20 	South Africa 		rws 		ordinary 	average 	ordinary 	ordinary 	dreadful 	ordinary 	ordinary 	reasonable 	ordinary 	rested	 	average 	$1,126 	22,406
Angelo Buchanan   	21 	South Africa 		rfs 		poor 		dreadful 	ordinary 	average 	average 	poor 		ordinary 	average 	ordinary 	passable 	average 	$952 	22,336
Darlington Mphunzi   	21 	South Africa 		rm 		ordinary 	ordinary 	average 	ordinary 	ordinary 	poor 		ordinary 	ordinary 	dreadful 	passable 	reasonable 	$1,162 	23,622
Heinrich Immelman   	22 	South Africa 		rfm 		ordinary 	average 	dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	ordinary 	poor 		atrocious 	poor 		energetic 	reasonable 	$958 	19,438
Mario Lambrechts   	22 	South Africa 		rfs 		ordinary 	ordinary 	average 	ordinary 	poor 		poor 		dreadful 	dreadful 	ordinary 	passable 	reasonable 	$1,068 	20,350
Peter Murray   		22 	South Africa 		rws 		poor 		poor 		atrocious 	poor 		average 	average 	ordinary 	reasonable 	poor 		rested 		average 	$806 	19,925
Julian Fiebig   	23 	South Africa 		rm 		ordinary 	average 	poor 		ordinary 	dreadful 	ordinary 	poor 		reasonable 	ordinary 	satisfactory 	reasonable 	$1,070 	21,554
Bothwell Shanyurai   	23 	South Africa 		rm 		dreadful 	average 	average 	dreadful 	ordinary 	poor 		dreadful 	poor 		poor 		rested 		average 	$1,206 	18,752
Alfred Hanrahan   	24 	South Africa 		rf 		dreadful 	poor 		poor 		dreadful 	atrocious 	ordinary 	average 	average 	ordinary 	revived 	reasonable 	$788 	15,970
Ronald Harrop   	24 	South Africa 		rm 		ordinary 	poor 		poor 		poor 		average 	ordinary 	average 	ordinary 	ordinary 	energetic 	average 	$836 	22,502
Shane O'Brien   	24 	South Africa 		lm 		ordinary 	poor 		dreadful 	ordinary 	ordinary 	ordinary 	dreadful 	capable 	average 	rested 		reasonable 	$856 	19,778
Adam Hayne   		25 	South Africa 		lm 		ordinary 	average 	ordinary 	ordinary 	ordinary 	average 	average 	poor 		ordinary 	satisfactory 	average 	$1,400 	26,519
Ronald Day   		26 	South Africa 		rm 		poor 		poor 		poor 		dreadful 	ordinary 	poor 		average 	average 	ordinary 	energetic 	average 	$732 	19,799
Victor Alexander   	27 	South Africa 		rm 		average 	ordinary 	dreadful 	poor 		reasonable 	dreadful 	ordinary 	ordinary 	dreadful 	energetic 	average 	$848 	21,064

Youth squad:

Player  		Age  	Nat  		#  	BT  	Role  	End  		Bat  		Bowl  		Tech  		Power  		Keep  		Field  		Capt  		Exp  		Fatg  		Form  		Wage   	Rating 
Leonard Cannon   	16 	South Africa 		rm 		dreadful 	ordinary 	poor 		poor 		poor 		dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	atrocious 	energetic 	reasonable 	$736 	17,046
Alcon Claxton   	16 	South Africa 		rws 		poor 		atrocious 	dreadful 	poor 		average 	dreadful 	dreadful 	poor 		dreadful 	rested 		reasonable 	$594 	14,682
Tichandepi Kgamadi   	16 	South Africa 		lm 		ordinary 	poor 		ordinary 	ordinary 	ordinary 	dreadful 	atrocious 	poor 		atrocious 	revived 	average 	$866 	18,477
Samuel Liebenberg   	16 	South Africa 		rfs 		dreadful 	dreadful 	poor 		dreadful 	dreadful 	ordinary 	atrocious 	capable 	dreadful 	revived 	average 	$656 	12,987
Fackson Mukomana   	16 	South Africa 		rm 		poor 		atrocious 	ordinary 	dreadful 	dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	rested 		reasonable 	$716 	14,842
Gift Phiri   		16 	South Africa 		lm 		poor 		ordinary 	dreadful 	dreadful 	poor 		ordinary 	poor 		average 	atrocious 	rested 		average 	$718 	16,490
Barry Radford   	16 	South Africa 		lws 		dreadful 	dreadful 	dreadful 	poor 		ordinary 	poor 		ordinary 	average 	dreadful 	revived 	average 	$606 	16,313
Derek Wessels   	16 	South Africa 		rm 		poor 		dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	dreadful 	dreadful 	energetic 	average 	$820 	16,904
Norman Bowden   	17 	South Africa 		rfs 		average 	poor 		poor 		ordinary 	poor 		poor 		poor 		atrocious 	atrocious 	rested 		average 	$706 	19,322
Hugh Chinner   		17 	South Africa 		rfm 		dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	poor 		ordinary 	dreadful 	poor 		ordinary 	atrocious 	energetic 	ordinary 	$742 	16,658
Julian Oosthuizen   	17 	South Africa 		rfs 		dreadful 	poor 		dreadful 	ordinary 	dreadful 	dreadful 	ordinary 	ordinary 	atrocious 	rested 		reasonable 	$598 	13,780
Ayanda Takawira   	17 	South Africa 		rm 		dreadful 	poor 		poor 		atrocious 	dreadful 	reasonable 	dreadful 	reasonable 	dreadful 	rested 		reasonable 	$902 	15,045

 

[FreddieFan]

They're all rubbish, fire them all and give up.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Fire anyone who isn't alteast Poor in one skill. Keep track of the guys who are Poor in atleast one skill, and sell them when they hit ordinary unless their other skills/age/talents make them worthwhile to keep. For example, one bowler in my team started as a Poor/Poor allrounder who was 18. I trained him for a bit, held on to him, and now he is pretty good.

You can buy Ord/Avgs pretty cheap, so get a few of those and try and focus on your youths for good players.

 

[Sureshot]

When do youth players get promoted into the Senior team?

 

[ste_mc_efc]

When they turn 20.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Just logged in to find 8 messages waiting for me:

Ubayd Nasser selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Wahid Murat selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Amin Mousa selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Ibrahim Hamdan selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Adambara Manjari selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Parvathi Pradip selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Anandasagara Thommana selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete   
Gopalan Vishal selected in touring party National Team Zorax 02 Nov 08 00:02  delete

:help
Between those 8 players, I've lost my best spinner, two key batsmen, my frontline AND backup keeper, my RF bowling allrounder, a RFM fringe bowler (always plays on Green/Hard/Uneven tracks) and a very solid RM bowler.

It's gonna be a hell of a week...