England in the 90s

blockerdave

ICC Chairman
Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Location
London
Profile Flag
England
Had a mare.

For some reason a while ago when I loaded the 2nd Test v NZ in the tour, it had the wrong umpires. Obviously I couldn't have that so I deleted the tour and started playing the 2nd test in "Play Now". Without realising, I hadn't been saving I'd always been using the autosave. Dicking around with something else, I accidentally overwrote the autosave. The last save of the 2nd test was about 3 overs in to day 1. I was actually approaching lunch on day 3!!

Annoyingly, after getting spanked by an inns in the first test, I was in command in the 2nd test. Been bowled out disappointingly for 222 in 1st inns, but responded by ripping them out for 108, with hemmings taking something like 5-4 off 6 overs! I was then 100-odd for 3 second inns, over 200 ahead... and lost it all.

What was I dicking round with you ask...

Well, I was trying to see if I could make an approximation of a cable-knit vest, and how it would look in-game.

Have restarted the 2nd test, in play now, with the vests - what do you think? Also another showcase for the glasses I managed to get on Merv Kitchen.

 

Ed Smith

Gaffer
Moderator
ENG....
Northern Superchargers
The Boys
Joined
May 31, 2006
Location
Jos Buttler's Nightmares
Profile Flag
England
That looks good. I was also toting with the idea of changing the shirt pattern to 2 and making the sleeves white with the main body a slightly off white to resemble a vest. Reckon it would look better with the cable knitting pattern you have going here like
 

blockerdave

ICC Chairman
Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Location
London
Profile Flag
England
Being 2-0 down against New Zealand, and having them racked up 371 in the first inns of the final test, I needed a bit of luck. Alec Stewart had battled to 97 and was on the verge of what would have been only my 2nd century (Gooch got 101 in the last test) when I got my luck:


Stewart got his ton, and went on to 124 before his luck run out with a silly run-out. But I got up to 329, a deficit of 42. Needed a good start to the second inns, and Gladstone Small delivered.


Small and Malcolm blew away the top order, New Zealand 31-5 at one stage. They recovered a bit, as they bat deep, but Malcolm took 5-60 and I dismissed them for 122.

My target was 165, and Gooch and Atherton got me off to a fine start with an opening stand of 102. Bit of a wobble as Gooch went and Stewart fell for a duck, but Atherton and Lamb got me very close before they both fell, and Smith and Fairbrother took me over the line for a 6 wicket win.

2 series down, lost them both. 5-3 in tests. India up next.[DOUBLEPOST=1584871516][/DOUBLEPOST]@DalePlaysCricket I’ve downloaded your 1990 India. Great work, but noticed you’re missing Atul Wassan who played in the 3rd test. I’ve created a version to add to your team and shared him.

Also shared a Nigel Plews, who stood in the first and third tests vs India.
 

blockerdave

ICC Chairman
Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Location
London
Profile Flag
England
While doing some research for this, I discovered something interesting about Graham Gooch.

You think of him as a world class batsman, and his numbers stack it up - 20 hundreds; 8,900 runs at 42.58.

But actually, he had 15 years as a fairly mediocre batsman. (12 if you discount 3 years banned after the rebel tour.) From his debut in 1975 (when he bagged a pair) up until the end of the 80s, he played 73 matches, scoring 4,724 runs at just 36.90 with only 8 hundreds (and 29 50s, a pretty poor conversion rate of 21.62%).

Then he had 5 amazing years where he played 45 matches, scoring 4,176 runs at 51.55 with 12 hundred and 17 50s, a conversion rate of 41.38%.

In the Ashes series of 1989, tormented by Alderman, he'd scored just 183 runs at 20.33. If it hadn't been for the second rebel tour, he might have been discarded. Instead, with Gower humiliated by the Aussies and Gatting with the rebels, he was pretty much the only candidate to be captain, and after a injury hit tour to the Windies (2 matches, 128 runs at 42.66 with 1 50), he embarked on his miracle summer vs New Zealand and India - 6 matches, 1,058 runs at 96.18 with 4 hundreds and 3 50s, and never looked back.

Talk about sliding doors!
 

T.J.Hooker

Panel of Selectors
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Online Cricket Games Owned
Bit unfair to say he was ever a mediocre batsman. He posted mediocre stats - one of the features of the Botham / Gooch griefing in the early 80s was the fact that Botham had a bunch of tons while Gooch didn't - but the dude was still playing shots that only top class players can play.

Check out his 123 in 1980. At one stage Holding bowls a straight full toss, hip high, really quick - knee high it's an easy strike but hip high at Holding's pace is awkward and dangerous. He flicks it for four like it's no big deal, and it's just a quality bit of improvising to a delivery that must have caused some alarm.

The way he drives off the front foot and forces off the backfoot on the offside is top class in that knock, as well. A lot of players couldn't get properly onto the front foot against that attack, but he had strong scoring options if they overpitched, and a strong forcing shot if they gave him too much width on length balls, and a good pull shot when they tried to bounce him out.

That strong driving instinct and quick front foot was what undid him vs Alderman, though. He just didn't pick Alderman's inswinger well and got caught with his front foot set up for a booming offside drive. Sucker punched.
 

blockerdave

ICC Chairman
Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Location
London
Profile Flag
England
Well, I lost the first test of the India series.

Quite chastening how crap I am and how I don’t seem to improve!!

Onto the second test. India bat first. Big opening partnership at a quick pace, dominated by Shastri. Nothing happening for the seamers... I turn to Hemmings in the 18th over.

Hemmings takes 4-14 in 6 overs as India slide from 87/0 to 103/4 at lunch! Shastri’s 61 the only score of note, with Sidhu making 29. Vengsarkar - my 2nd inns nemesis in the first test - goes for a duck and Azharuddin for 7. Manjreka (4*) and Tendulkar (0*) are at the crease.

If this is a spin friendly pitch I’m in trouble, India have 3 in their team, I’ve just got Hemmings and perhaps Atherton’s part time leggies.
 

Ed Smith

Gaffer
Moderator
ENG....
Northern Superchargers
The Boys
Joined
May 31, 2006
Location
Jos Buttler's Nightmares
Profile Flag
England
Well, I lost the first test of the India series.

Quite chastening how crap I am and how I don’t seem to improve!!

Onto the second test. India bat first. Big opening partnership at a quick pace, dominated by Shastri. Nothing happening for the seamers... I turn to Hemmings in the 18th over.

Hemmings takes 4-14 in 6 overs as India slide from 87/0 to 103/4 at lunch! Shastri’s 61 the only score of note, with Sidhu making 29. Vengsarkar - my 2nd inns nemesis in the first test - goes for a duck and Azharuddin for 7. Manjreka (4*) and Tendulkar (0*) are at the crease.

If this is a spin friendly pitch I’m in trouble, India have 3 in their team, I’ve just got Hemmings and perhaps Atherton’s part time leggies.

Oh, 2and test is the one Kumble played in. You're screwed.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top