Story A Journey with the Blackcaps **New Zealand vs Australia: 1st Test**

[surendar]

No problems Tom.. As I always say, " There is no time constraints in the stories " Will be looking forward to it. As Trev said in another thread, I will have this message in my user title

 

[just_cricket]

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What he said...(minus the user title bit)
I've really enjoyed reading this so far, so make sure you keep it up when everything is sorted out, because it's a really interesting read.
The Saffers and Aussies have performed poorly so far, but I bet they'll turn it around in the internationals, unfortunately.
Go the Black Caps!

 

[Highlander999]

Disaster for Australia​

After the fiasco that was the warm up matches, the last thing Australia needed was to start to have injury problems. Yet, that is exactly what has happened to them. With only a day to go till the first test vs New Zealand, Australia batsmen, Marcus North, Mike Hussey and Phil Hughes were out jogging in a local park. There was absolute shock when a call came through to the emergency services that a peddle bike had crashed into Marcus North. The emergency services passed on the message to the Australian camp and the Australian physio and Ricky Ponting both arrived there at the same time the ambulance did.

North was put in the back of the ambulance and went off to hospital to find out what the damage was. Luckily for him and Australia there were no broken bones, however he did suffer some muscle damage and will now miss the first test.

The unlucky and injured Marcus North in action vs South Africa​

This now left the Australian selectors a slight dilema on who to pick. Marcus North might not have been in the best of form with the bat, but he had been proving very useful with his part time spin bowling and there was no real options in the Australian 20 on who could replace him. There was complete and utter shock then, when it was announced that the exiled Andrew "Roy" Symonds had been put on a plane, double time and was now in the Australian camp, training hard. Symonds had been away on a fishing holiday *cough cough* when the call came through to him and rumours are already circulating that he might be filling in at number 6. If he does and performs well, maybe he can reclaim his spot in the Test side.

Symonds luck appears to have turned​

Here is what Symonds said on his selection:

"We were about 5 miles out of Sydney harbour when my mate came to me with the phone saying it was Ricky Ponting on the other end. I thought he was joking, but quickly realised he wasn't. Skip quickly explained to me what had happened and asked me if I could make it out to New Zealand by that afternoon. I said I could and I quickly through some clothes in a bag, with the rest of my stuff arriving this evening, and just got on the next flight to New Zealand. I am really excited about being given another chance to play for my country and I don't plan on wasting it."


Very interesting news then from the Australian camp. Symonds is a class act, but with no warm up matches, and relatively little match fitness, will the selectors risk selecting him for this first test? Only time can tell...

 

[just_cricket]

Good update!
Good old peddle bike, ae? Only in New Zealand
Next Phillip Hughes will get attacked by a sheep

 

[Highlander999]

*Quickly changes next update*

Noooo

 

[saladguy]

Next Update: Brett Lee gets shot?

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Sad news for Aussies that North wont play, but Symonds return is again some good news. Great presentation and writing as usual Tom,

Next update, Terror attack sends Aussies back home..

 

[Biggy]

Since when were terror attacks and people getting shot funny? :cool:

Big Roy back where he belongs.

 

[MWaugh]

ah thats a real shame. big marcus north fan. has more to offer in test cricket then symo does

 

[bladescape]

ah thats a real shame. big marcus north fan. has more to offer in test cricket then symo does

Same here!

 

[Roofrom50]

It's a shame not being able to see North being a asset to the Australian side, but the return of Andy Symonds will boster the Australian public

 

[OrderDX]

Wow i just read this and as usual it is might impressive Tom! Good start i look forward to where it goes!!!

 

[Highlander999]

For this three match test series, Cricinfo in association with Sky Sports will be running a Fantasy Cricket Competition. The prizes will be very good. The winner of each match will be invited to ask questions of our studio stars, and will receive 5,000 vCash and the winner of the competition of the three matches combined will win 25,000 vCash, a free rep and a chance to have an interview with either Daniel Vettori or Ricky Ponting.

The rules are very simple. Out of the two squads, you have to pick 5 batsman, 1 all-rounder, 1 keeper and 4 bowlers. You name one captain for your side and four bonus players. Here is the scoring system explained:

Runs Scored: +1 for each run scored
Run Out: +5 to the player who removes the bails
Run Out: +10 to the fielder for the return throw
Run Out: +15 to the fielder for a direct hit
Stumping: +15 to the wicketkeeper.
Catch: +5 for a catch taken by a wicketkeeper.
Catch: +10 for a catch taken by a fielder or bowler.
Wicket: +20 for a wicket that results from a catch or stumping.
Wicket: +30 for a wicket that results from a bowled or lbw.
Duck: -15 for wicketkeepers and all-rounders only.
Duck: -30 for batsmen (bowlers excluded)
Runs Conceded: -1 for every 5 runs conceded by any bowler
A fifty and a three wicket haul : +20 points
A century and a five wicket haul : +30 points
A captain triples your score.
A bonus player doubles your score.

Here are the available players

Batsmen

P. Fulton (NZ)
A. Redmond (NZ)
J. How (NZ)
M. Guptill (NZ)
D. Flynn (NZ)
R. Taylor (NZ)
T. McIntosh (NZ)
R. Ponting (Aus)
M. Clarke (Aus)
S. Katich (Aus)
P. Jaques (Aus)
D. Hussey (Aus)
M. Hussey (Aus)
P. Hughes (Aus)


Wicket Keepers

B. McCullum (NZ)
G. Hopkins (NZ)
P. McGlashan (NZ)
B. Haddin (Aus)


All-Rounders

J. Oram (NZ)
J. Ryder (NZ)
J. Franklin (NZ)
D. Vettori (NZ)
C. White (Aus)
S. Watson (Aus)
A. McDonald (Aus)
M. North (Aus)
A. Symonds (Aus)
J. Hopes (Aus)


Bowlers

K. Mills (NZ)
C. Martin (NZ)
J. Patel (NZ)
M. Gillespie (NZ)
I. O'Brien (NZ)
T. Southee (NZ)
S. Clark (Aus)
D. Bollinger (Aus)
B. Lee (Aus)
B. McGain (Aus)
M. Johnson (Aus)
P. Siddle (Aus)
B. Hilfenhaus (Aus)

So there we have the squads. Now go and pick your XI and remember. 5 batsmen, 1 all-rounder, 1 keeper, 4 bowlers, 1 captain and 4 bonus players. Good luck and have fun

 

[Ollie_H]

What a shoddy update ... Jeez and I expected so much better from you tom! hahah...seems to be a big thing with fantasy cricket at the moment .. Good work hagman.

holdenator added 10 Minutes and 17 Seconds later...

Fantasy XI

Bat
R. Taylor (NZ)
R. Ponting (Aus)
M. Clarke (Aus) BP
S. Katich (Aus)
P. Hughes (Aus) BP
Keeper
B. McCullum (NZ) (c)
All Rounder
J. Ryder (NZ)
Bowlers
K. Mills (NZ) BP
B. Lee (Aus)
M. Johnson (Aus) BP
P. Siddle (Aus)

 

[Pranav]

Nice update! Fantasy cricket has tempted me to post here

My XI:

Batsmen :
1. R. Ponting (Aus)
2. M. Clarke (Aus) +
3. R. Taylor (NZ) (c)
4. M. Guptill (NZ) +
5. M. Hussey (Aus)

Wicket keeper :
6. B. Haddin (Aus) (wk)

All Rounder :
7. D. Vettori (NZ) +

Bowlers :
8. I. O'Brien (NZ)
9. M. Johnson (Aus)
10. K. Mills (NZ) +
11. B. Hilfenhaus (Aus)

'+' : Bonus Players