Your Cricket Uni Cricket: A True Challenge? (And now Club Cricket)

[Highlander999]

Well I've just got back from my first training session with the Aberdeen CC. I thought because it was Aberdeen there would not be that many people who are very good. Boy was I wrong. I totally forgot that there were a ton of Indians over here studying. Jesus they were good. I'v never had to play spin bowling like that. One guy is nick named Harbhajan because he looks just like him and he spins it just like him. The pace bowlers I could deal with, but the 3 spinners had me really struggling. There was no way I could play any agressive shots vs them, I was just trying to survive.

Anyway I made quite a good showing with the bat in the nets. Now I have also been working on my bowling. Some cocky guy from Pakistan is first up and he is giving it all saying how he has played for some sort of county level thing in Pakistan and how he is better than all of us. I turn up with my Medium/Fast inswingers. First ball, I knock over the off-stump and second ball (a bouncer) he skies straight up. He wasn't so cocky then.

So basically I've been asked to go the 1XI training on Saturday (at 9am ) Some really good players there, but hopefully I might be able to scrape into either the 2XI or even if I am lucky the 1XI. Just have to wait and see

 

[shubhrayu]

Mate if you perform well here then you got good chances in County because in India if you play for your college or university your chances for playing for your main State Team increases.Many players in Indian Domestic level have come up by Playing Uni Cricket or College Cricket

 

[khalek]

Seems like there are lots of Indians and Pakistanis in your Uni, I am sure you will get into some sledging controversies soon

 

[shubhrayu]

Wanna Learn Sledging please consult me....My Username Shubhrayu My Cell no.**********

 

[barmyarmy]

Nets starting in October? I don't know why they bother playing cricket in Aberdeen, summer only lasts 3 days.
As for Scottish Uni's - most could prob take the domestic sides here in Scotland due to the English and Asian students.

 

[Highlander999]

Yeah we play using the indoor nets/bowling machines until Spring. We also do go and play away quite a bit, although we have our own little climate up here, lovely bright sun all the time

 

[Pak_cricketer]

Haha, reminds me of when I went to Cricket practice for a team I just found out about. We were doing fielding practice, and this guy kept on whining about how fielding doesn't even matter and he kept saying "cricket in India is so hard, here it should be so much easier", in their first game, he dropped 2 catches, misfielded 6 times, and didn't get any wickets.

Anyways, don't worry about the spin, it'll probably just take you a bit of time to get used to.

 

[Highlander999]

Well, I had another training session today. What a difference a week makes. The 1XI Captain who saw my "potential" last week, asked me to go in to bat first this week in the nets. 2 pace bowlers and 2 spinners. Trust my luck it was the wannabe Harbhajan.

One of the pace bowlers was quite slow and didn't swing it a bit, so I dealt with him easily enough. The other spinner, didn't get too much turn, but kept bowling full and outside my off-stump, so my cover drive got a lot of practice today :happy

However. Harbhajan I have finally learnt how to play :happy The culmination of this, was me advancing down the wicket and lofting it straight back over his head, smashing a window which was meant to be protected by the nets. I dunno what happened, but I suddenly could tell what he was trying to do. So I just kept dancing down the wicket and lofting him all around, or sitting back and cutting and pulling him. I made quite an impression on the 1XI keeper, I've been nick-named "Twinkle-toes, Tom" as I was being so light on my feet :

Slight problem was, the other pace bowler is 25, and went to a county youth programme when he was younger, and opens the bowling for the 1XI. He beat the edge numerous times, sent the stumps flying backwards once and had a probable LBW. I finally picked a bouncer, only to top edge it right under my grill. Bleeding mouth ftw : Still it was a really good experience to play pace like that, I certainly now need to work on my defence of the front foot.

My bowling was not bad. Grabbed a few wickets, though most the batsmen I bowled too weren't that good. The best moment though was when I got the opening batsman of the 1XI out. It was the last few balls and he was just slogging, but I actually did a good slower ball :happy and he just spliced it straight up in the air (certain catch)

So yeah training was good, if you hadn't guessed I didn't make the Saturday training due to the influence of a certain substance

I've been asked to play in some inter house competition (all in-door of course) which should be a good laugh. From what I gathered it is mainly just 1XI and 2XI players in it.

Realistically, for the summer, unless I really crank the pace up and my batting develops quickly I doubt I'll be in the 1XI. Still got a good chance for the 2XI, but it is still early days.

Time to find some ice for my jaw

 

[bladescape]

Ouch,that must hurt.

 

[Ayub 95]

Well Tom you shouldn't play cricket while drunk eh

 

[mattfb]

Sounds like you did pretty good but I thought you were a keeper?

 

[Highlander999]

Yeah I used to be, but there was no chance of me getting the keeping spot at uni, so I've been working on my bowling over the past year. I used to bowl when I was younger, so it is not too hard to go back to it

 

[Highlander999]

Making my debut this Thursday Batting at 4. Gonna just be a complete slog fest in-doors

 

[mattfb]

Good luck

 

[pal]

How large are your indoor fields? We basically play on an indoor soccer field during the winter time at my university. It's decent length-wise, but there is hardly any room to play lateral shots.