Story Neil Fortino - Spinning my way to glory (Stellar Fightback v Glos.)

[Dragon Fire]

Neil Fortino - Spinning My Way to Glory

Neil Fortino
Full Name: Neil Kevin Fortino
Date of Birth: 9th February 1990, Kettering, Northants
Role: Spin bowler
Nickname: Nico
Batting Hand: Left Handed Batsman
Bowling Style: Off Breaks

Cricinfo Profile
Neil Fortino spent a long time with Derbyshire second eleven, but was unable to break past Jake Needham into the first eleven, and was dropped from their squad without representing their first team. An offspinner who is wise beyond his years and with a penchant for swatting bowlers to the boundary, many leading commentators say that he has been harshly dealt with by Derbyshire.

"I feel that Neil has a big future in the game," said Northants coach David Capel. "At Wantage Road, we have a good stock of spin bowling already in David Wainwright, Liam Dawson and Ollie Rayner, but the latter two have been approached by other counties. That is why we have offered him a limited-overs contract for the remainder of the season, and if he impresses he may be given a full contract for next year."

Certainly Fortino isn't a name on the tip of the media's tongue, but with some hard work and patience, he could ply his trade at Northampton for many years to come.
Nitram Flamer 2011

BATTING

|Mat.|Inn.|N.O.|Runs|Ave.|H.S.|50/100
First Class|0|0|0|0|0|0|0/0
List A|2|1|1|16|-|16*|0/0
Twenty20|0|0|0|0|0|0|0/0

BOWLING

|Ovs.|Runs|Wkts|Ave.|B.B.|5wi|Ct.
First Class|0|0|0|0|0|0|0/0
List A|13|60|0|60.00|1/24|-|0/0
Twenty20|0|0|0|0|0|0|0/0

NEIL FORTINO NORTHAMPTONSHIRE PORTRAIT​

 

[Near]

Interesting story...good luck with it

 

[The Rock]

A nicely written, simple and good looking first post. Good luck!

 

[Dragon Fire]

Fortino Move Confirmed

Up and coming offspinner, Neil Fortino, who had already been linked with the Midlands county has today been confirmed as an addition to the Northamptonshire squad for the rest of the season. "I feel that Neil has a big future in the game," said Northants coach David Capel. "At Wantage Road, we have a good stock of spin bowling already in David Wainwright, Liam Dawson and Ollie Rayner, but the latter two have been approached by other counties. That is why we have offered him a limited-overs contract for the remainder of the season, and if he impresses he may be given a full contract for next year."

Fortino, unlike his manager, was very forthcoming in his interview with the Northampton Chronicle and Echo. "I don't expect first class cricket, not with so much spinning talent already at the club in Rayner, Wainwright and Dawson. Also, the Twenty20 season is now over, but I do expect a good go in the Pro40 competition. We haven't played a game yet, and - being July now - the pitches will be taking some turn."

Indeed, if Neil is selected then his debut for the Northants 1st XI will be tomorrow: 17th July.

Tomorrow's Match
Derbyshire v Northants
Pro 40 Div 2 @ Derby

Probable XI
Porterfield, Kervezee, Dexter, Hildreth, Durston, Klokker *+, Wainwright, Wagg, Woakes, Fortino, Finn

FORTINO'S NEW HOME GROUND: WANTAGE ROAD, NORTHMPTON

 

[Chewie]

Looks to be a great story in the making! Very well written. kutgw!

 

[hedger_14]

Will this be the turn around in the stories section? Looks great so far. Nicely written so far. Hopefully you can take a few 5fa's

And just wondering, is this the second season in ICC, cause I'll assume it is because it says 2011, and you have Kervezee in your squad who was in Worcestershire for the 2010 year and Finn as well.

 

[The Rock]

Well written again. KUTGW. Waiting to see you bowl! With Rayner, Wainwright and Dawson in the same club as you, you will surely need to perform good to book a place in the side!

 

[Prithvi]

This story will produce a breakthrough for all average stories .
On a serious note, excellent, I can find professionalism here. May be, I'll be copying your style in my story .

 

[Aditya]

Nice start to the story mate. Good luck for this story.

 

[Dragon Fire]

Northamptonshire on the ropes against Derbyshire

The Northamptonshire Steelbacks started their Pro40 campaign today against the Derbyshire Phantoms away at Derby. There was much buildup earlier this week towards Neil Fortino's debut against his old county; he didn't really live up to the hype.

The Teams
DERBYSHIRE: Trescothick, Moore, ten Doeschate, Jefferson, Hamilton-Brown, Gidman, Adshead, Harris, Henman, Silverwood, Tomlinson
NORTHANTS: Porterfield, Kervezee, Dexter, Hildreth, Durston, Klokker, Wainwright, Wagg, Woakes, Fortino, Finn

After losing the toss and being put in to bat, the Steelbacks started dreadfully. They lost Porterfield third ball, and Neil Dexter came in to bat without looking remotely like hitting the ball off the square. At the other end, Alexei Kervezee looked extremely confident and was working the ball around with impunity. The flying Dutchman batted with the kind of elegance that makes the rest of us envious. Unfortunately, he was the only one. Dexter was eventually removed by Silverwood. The senior seamer took his third wicket - a promoted Durston - four overs later with the score on forty.

James Hildreth supported Kervezee well for a further fifteen overs, nudging singles and generally not being noticed. He made 21 before being the first of back-to-back scalps for the left-armed Tomlinson. After Klokker's golden gozzer, David Wainwright came in and instantly tried to launch the ball n the general direction of the Cayman Islands. He succeeded once before missing a straight ball and being bowled. With ten overs left, Kervezee fell to a sharp catch at point before Wagg followed him. Youngsters Chris Woakes and Neil Fortino (on debut) pushed the score up past 170 before Woakes and Finn became the second pair of consecutive scalps for Tomlinson.

Fortino is quickly becoming a media God as he gave another very generous interview. "When I went in I was like, what the f*** do I do? We're nearly all out but we don't have enough runs. I decided to hit anything in my own half in the direction of midwicket. Woakesy was great, though. He kept me in one piece out there mentally."

We'll see later on if he can manage to help Northants defend such a small total.

Northamptonshire - 172 ao
Alexei Kervezee - 70 (75)
James Hildreth - 21 (41)
James Tomlinson - 4/38 (7)
Silverwood - 3/29 (8)

NEIL DEXTER'S SLUGGISH INNINGS SET THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE GAME

 

[AbhishekS]

I'm in love with this story. Nice stroyline coupled with good writings and simple presentation. Great work.

 

[Zohaib]

Lol at the interview , Great story.

 

[Near]

Loving this story...keep it up, mate

 

[just_cricket]

Nice start. I like the font choice and simple presentation.

Fortino seems to be a bit of a character...

 

[Dragon Fire]

Phantoms cruise to easy Victory

After crumbling to 172 all out, the Steelbacks went out into the field looking demoralised. The overcast conditions should have suited their England opening bowling partnership, but with the classy opening partnership of Marcus Trescothick and Stephen Moore up against them, they were very much the outsiders.

Finn looked like a military medium pacer, and after a few overs both openers were trundling along at more than a run a ball, so the six-foot-seven giant was replaced by ex-Derbyshire Graham Wagg. He, like Tomlinson, was a left arm seamer and he, like Tomlinson, broke an important partnership by getting an edge to slip. Trescothick was replaced by ten Doeschate, who set about destroying the bowling. He was quite successful too until he didn't pick up the Woakes slower ball and was bowled. Once the powerplays were over, Klokker introduced the spin attack. David Wainwright bowled economically, but Neil Fortino was awful. He couldn't find a line and length, and was removed from the attack after just two overs.

Finn and Wainwright managed to keep the runs down, and for the first time in the game the Steelbacks created a bit of pressure. Eventually it all became too much for Will Jefferson who called for a suicidal second run that existed only in his imagination. Next ball, Rory Hamilton-Brown's leg stump was knocked back and the team was on a hat-trick. Ths was the ball that would make or break the run-chase, and it was successfully negotiated by Alex Gidman. At this point, Klokker decided to show faith in his young off-spinner, throwing him the ball. Fortino bowled better, but still not particularly well, and when Gidman fell to Wainwright for twelve it was already too late.

For once, Neil Fortino was not available for an interview having barricaded himself in the indoor cricket school.

Derbyshire Phantoms - 173/5
Stephen Moore - 75* (93)
Will Jefferson - 35 (35)
David Wainwright - 2/44 (8)
Chris Woakes - 1/27 (8)

STEPHEN MOORE SMASHED THE DEBUTANT FOR A HUGE SIX