Story Hong Kong Days: Chapter 5: Where's Chris: Part 2

[TheGreemSim]

Chapter 4: Vs United Arab Emirates: Part 4​

Roopnarine showed himself as a potential threat over the next 3 overs, although not having much of the strike in the 3 balls he faced he scored 3 runs taking him to 13 off of 8. Huggins bowled his last over and went for 9 runs, so his economy rate didn't really end up doing him justice as he had clearly been by far the best bowler so far, of course I was going to come on and change that.

Well now that Huggins had finished his business, surely it was my turn to impress, Butterflies filled my stomach but that feeling was soon over as Mark Woods didn't even give me a look in. The ball was immediately thrown to Jason Timms and Mark Woods didn't even look at me. Did this mean I'd be on next over as, as far as I was aware of Sutton had been bowled out.

Timms bowled a fairly decent over however Bartley and Roopnarine managed to exchange runs with ease and seven runs were scored off of it.

And then it happened, I wasn't even looking but the ball was thrown to me, it hit me in the stomach with a surprisingly strong force and I was knocked back. There was nobody rushing over to help me get up just loads of "Be alert, Drake!"'s. I staggered over to the centre nervously and slowly, ignoring all of the "Hurry Ups!" Coming from the field.

"Medium pacer right?" Skipper asked. I nodded. He moved Chris to Silly mid on.

I marked my run up, which wasn't very long, in fact it wasn't even a run up more of a walk up. I stood behind the umpire as he held his arm out in front of me as a barrier, I was worrying what would happen if my first ball went for a wide, it could happen as after all I hadn't practised my bowling in quite a while. Worst off, I was facing Garry Bartley who was settled in and had recently passed his personal T20 best. He would be confident enough to smack me for four.

"Right Arm Over The Wicket!" The fat balding umpire called as he lowered his arm. There was a long pause, I was just too nervous to bowl. I couldn't make msyelf.

"C'mon son off you go!" The double chinned, white uniformed man said to me before spitting all over my face after he coughed deeply.

I walked in 5 strides and then raised my front foot in the air. My arm gently brushed my ear and I released the ball as my arm was coming just past my head. I closed my eyes, I couldn't bare to see Bartley smack me away to the boundary.

"HOOOOWZAAAAAT! The close in fielders screamed. I opened my eyes and couldn't believe it. Jamie was jumping in the air with the ball in his glove whilst everyone else appealed, but after 5 or 6 seconds the batsman was still standing there and the appealing died out. I turned around to see the umpire holding his right arm out.

"No Ball" He said calmly. I was really beginning to hate him.

Ah well I thought, let's just focus on line and length. I walked in but couldn't help but notice Chris smiling at me cheekily. I jumped in the air about to deliver the ball, still watching Chris.

"Turtle Scrotum's! He suddenly yelled. The ball slipped out of my hands and rolled along the ground as I fell over to my side giggling.

"Dead Ball!"

As I got up wiping the grass stains off of my trousers the off-strike batsman standing next to me called me an " immature c-word that's probably best not to be repeated." Chris was then moved back into the outfield away from me.

Right time to be serious, I could make the difference here. After all this batsman has been facing fast bowlers and spinners, he won't be used to my medium pace, perhaps I could surprise him with it. And it was a fairly good ball I bowled to him. A full leg cutter that he didn't know what to make of.

The next ball was down leg side a bit which he glanced for a single. The batsman just kept exchanging singles which frustrated me. On the last ball I tried and aggressive attempt to bounce Bartley instead it was just a short ball that he masterfully hit away to the boundary. 9 runs off of my first over wasn't too pleasing.

Both Batsman now had 50 in their sites, particularly Bartley and they confidentially slogged at everything Timms gave them in the next over. 11 runs were conceded. With 5 overs left we needed a wicket desperately.

TGS

Sorry for the long wait but as you can see I'm getting slightly better at photoshop and I've also tweaked the scorecard appearance a little.

 

[Gorro_124]

Great Graphics! KIU!

 

[just_cricket]

Hard luck for Drake in his first over. Still, could have been worse.
U.A.E definitely have the upper hand but Hong Kong are still in this.
Kiu!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

:hpraise:hpraise


Writing is brilliant.

Hard Luck For Drake For Giving That Many Runs!!

 

[MaD]

Chris is gonna screw you one day, stay away from him
A pretty good over from Drake, although he'll have to tighten things up

 

[hedger_14]

Hopefully you get to bowl out your 4 over's.

 

[TheGreemSim]

Chapter 4: Vs United Arab Emirates: Part 5​

At this rate UAE were on for roughly 140 odd but with wickets in hand that could easily become 160+ which against a team like this we would find hard to chase. I prepared for my next over rubbing the white ball against my thigh to look professional. I jogged in and bowled a slower ball to Bartley. It got the treatment it deserved and was smacked for four. Bartley was now on 44.

The next ball I bowled was a slow half volley outside off stump which too got the treatment it deserved and was smashed to boundary. Oh god, I would have to carry the shame of Bartley's 50. He was targeting me the inexperienced new guy. He was trying to ruin me psychologically and his tactic was working. Oh well I better get this over with I thought and walked up this time releasing a half hearted ball that was another half volley. This time however he just turned it away for a single.

"What d'you do that for? You could've easily put that one away," I said to Bartley as he stood next to me and the fat umpire.
"I have plenty of time to get that 50. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I ruined a poor young kid's d?but by smacking him for 3 fours in a row to bring up my 50." He chuckled.

The last 3 balls of my over were fairly decent none of them going for any runs.

"Right, now watch this!" Bartley said as I put my cap back on and resumed my position in the field.

Vikram Miller was put on at the other end. That was odd I thought, he is only a batsman as far as I was aware of. Did this mean Timms wanted a go at my end and I would be taken off or that they were saving Timms for the last over? Either way it was a pretty poor over, 9 runs came from it and Bartley hit a beautiful late cut to reach his fifty off of the first ball.

With Bartley rearing to go, would I be bowled out or would Timms be put on at my end in an attempt to get him before he does any more damage? Well it was Timms who'd get the go. I accepted the captains choice and stayed in the field although I was a bit annoyed.

Turned out it was the right decision as the first ball of Timms over he managed to catch Garry Bartley out LBW. I was happy but the whole time I couldn't help but think that could've been me.

G Bartley 56 (43) 4x6 SR 130 FOW 126/4​

Well with him out of the equation perhaps we could restrict them to under 140. We just needed to keep the new guy on strike as much as possible.

The next guy was Hassan Ali, their wicket keeper. He scored 2 runs off of the 2 balls he faced in the over. Roopnarine scored the other. 12 balls left and hopefully we could stop them from getting 12 runs. To my surprise Vikram Miller managed to help us achieve this. He was lucky enough to have Hassan Ali on strike to him throughout the whole over and all he could muster up was 3 runs. He was looking very nervous.

Timms got given the last over which I thought was fair enough. Ali soon got himself off strike and with 4 balls left I bet Roopnarine was hoping to get 24 runs off of them. He ended up swinging and missing two balls outside off stump and then took a massive swing at a ball plumb on middle stump. He missed it and it hit his pads and he was gone.

G Roopnarine 23 (25) 6x1 SR 92 FOW 133/5​

The last ball was a block hole ball that was blocked. We all walked off knowing we had done well and had the upper hand.

 

[just_cricket]

Good effort from Drake and the boys there. They should really chase down that target if they can match their bowling effort with the bat...

Unique scorecards and presentation there, kiu man!

 

[riz7khan12]

they kept themselves in with a chance here; but its still UAE's game tbh, will need something special from the batsmen.

 

[MaD]

Easy chase, Honk Kong should win this easy
Drake to do some seriously hard core batting, one would hope
Nice pres as always

 

[TheGreemSim]

Chapter 5: Vs Where's Chris?: Part 1​

"Cracking finish, lads!" Mr. Atkinson said cheerfully. We were all huddled around a few deck chairs and our kit bags.
"Once you got that Bartley fellow out, all the rest of the buggers went with him." he continued before the skipper butted in.

All right, Me and Nick are in first. Jon, Vikram and Chris have your pads on. Wait Chris, where's Chris?" Everyone groaned, they knew he was up to something. I looked around to see if he was behind me but unfortunately it appeared not.

Well when that little brat comes back tell him to pad up, Nick we're off!" He then walked off with Nick to put his pads on.

"I don't know what that stupid fool's up to now but he needs to sort himself out" Jonathan Pipe said to me walking over to our bags. I sat down slightly worried about Chris, what if he was in trouble? What if he had been kidnapped when no one was looking? In a country like this I wouldn't be surprised. I'm sure I was just being paranoid, he'd probably just gone for a slash. To take my mind off things I treated myself to an ice cold Pepsi. Pepsi sponsored the tournament so we were allowed as much as we wanted. I preferred coke in all honesty, If I was on a forum right now I'd post something like:

Coke > Pepsi tbh.

White or "Whitey" as his friends called him really got us off to a flyer, We were on 21/0 after 2 overs, all of the runs coming from him, he'd managed to hit four 4's already.

4 overs gone and we were 37/0, at 9 runs an over we were racing away, the two no ball's in the last over certainly helped out. Chris still hadn't returned, I must say this was one mighty long wazz he was taking.

Then it happened. Mark Woods the captain was stumped. He foolishly went charging down at a quicker ball and was made to look like an idiot. He walked away in shame with only 9 runs on the board. This didn't matter too much though as Pipe went in at hti a 6 off of his second ball.

5 overs gone and we were well on our way with 44/1 but still no sign on Chris...

 

[just_cricket]

Good start for Hong Kong, but I can sense a mini collapse coming!
Without doubt Drake has organised for Chris to be kidnapped so he can bat in his place!

 

[MaD]

Chris shouldn't even be in the team

 

[riz7khan12]

probably went to the dairy to buy some chips :sarcasm

 

[hedger_14]

Only one thing I can say to this.

Pepsi > Coke