Magnum Opus

[Shady Slim]

yeah nah the next episode of shady slim asks inane questions about your cricket life

this time it's what's your best moment on the pitch

for me it's either my first wicket or first catch

first wicket since it came off my first ever legitimate ball, captain tossed it to me when they were like 2/90 chasing 100 (mind you it was a two day game so two innings each) and after a rank off-side wide first ball i follow it up with a nice full one that pitches right on middle and would have straightened to hit it, batsman skies it straight to mid off. this guy was on 40 when i got him and would prove to average over 50 and have the best bowling average and strike rate to boot

first catch since it was smashed to my right at cover/extra cover and i stuck a long lever out far, getting just enough on the ball to have it pop up, but further to my right, thus requiring another lunge to finally pouch it one handed

so how about you cw??

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

My best bowling came when I was absolutely knackered/hungover from a music festival the night before. Somehow I kept bowling amazing deliveries (left-arm orthodox turning past the edge to clip off stump on an artificial wicket was one of the highlights) and wound up with a 6-fer. The only thing I remember thinking was that I wish the game would end. At the end of the day the skip said drinks are on me back at the clubhouse. I promptly got in my car, drove home and slept for 12 hours.

 

[andruid]

I have never taken a wicket

 

[Garson007]

I once bowled a girl that played for the first team.

 

[Gnske]

I once carried my bat through an innings with my opening partner and that's about it, unleashed a pull shot in the innings so glorious in power and technique I actually fist pumped with my bat as I was going down the pitch assuming it had gone for four runs when in fact it had stopped in the outfield and we ended up with two.

Worth pointing out we drew that match and on the last ball of the opposition innings I dropped a skier and one of their players told me afterwards "Nice catch champion".

That was as good as it got.

 

[WalkingWicket]

Was offered a spot in a club's 3rd team for a League game, it was my first proper League game at that kind of level, and I was super nervous. First time the ball was hit to me in the field I wanted to make an impression so I swooped in and tried to throw down the stumps. Four overthrows.

Anyway, I was given the ball, there were about 100/7, and I spun 'em out. First ball the guy skipped down and missed it, keeper took off the bails. Second ball gripped a bit more and the batsmen nicked it to slip. Last ball of the over was bunted down the ground and long-on took the catch. Felt like a hero. I'd never met any of these guys and I really wanted to make a good impression, so taking 3-1 in one over was a pretty good way to do that.

 

[Daemon]

Dived full stretch at point and stuck out my left hand for an absolute blinder when I was 13 or so. I dropped it as I hit the ground but I got praised by everyone so whatevs.

 

[Tom Flint]

Was called up for my debut to our 1sts as they required someone young and agile in the field who wouldn't get the hump at batting down the order and not getting a bowl. I was brought into 3rd slip in the 4th over after our two openers threatened the outside edge a few times and I had a reputation from the lower teams as having a safe pair of hands. 2 balls later I dropped a knee high dolly after watching it all the way in then straight back out. I was immediately sent to square leg as someone else took my place in the slip cordon. My humiliation got worse as comments like 'head up mate, we've all dropped them,' 'no-one drops a catch on purpose,' and 'it came at you quite quickly,' rung out around the field. Runs started to flow in the next couple of overs and with heads starting the drop around the field and my misery getting worse I made amends by pouching a bullet down low at mid wicket. This welcomed their overseas Jamaican no.3 to the crease, but now with a spring in my step after a good catch, i managed to run out their star man without facing with a direct hit at the non-strikers end after a good pick up in close. Wickets tumbled and we skittled them for 70 odd. I didn't bowl or bat but was treated like a hero in the bar later that night though it was a long time before I was trusted in the slips again

 

[Burgey]

Bowling was when I was thrown the ball out of the blue (I wouldn't normally get a bowl in a Chinese restaurant) and took three wickets against our arch rivals on their home deck, including an lbw given by an umpire who "doesn't like that rule" but who was a good mate of mine and had always joked if I ever bowled he'd fire someone for me. The fact he picked the biggest **** on the other side to fire was all the better.

Fielding - in an A grade final I was at mid on to a leftie who was the other side's best batsman. I was never a great fielder but had been working hard at high ball catches all year. This bloke top edges a pull shot off our opening bowler which goes miles in the air. Our team saw I was under it and basically started getting ready for the next ball. I ran around about 10-15 meters and took it in regulation fashion. We rolled them for 58 and won the GF outright.

Batting - two stand out, complete opposites. I wasn't a very flamboyant batsman when I played up the grades, but could bat on dodgy decks and put a high price on my wicket. We got sent in on a wet deck in a grand final and slumped to 6/27. I was not out at the time and joined by our opening bowler who could also bat very handily. Anyway, we batted for nearly three hours together and put on about 130 odd, of which I only made 40, but it was the best innings I think I ever played. They had a quality attack and the ball was popping everywhere. I hated this team we were playing against, so I refused to wear a lid against them. I copped one flush on the jaw from the opening bowler which spat from a good length and left me with blood dripping down my shirt. At the other end, our opening bowler was smashing anything over pitched, while I cashed in on anything dropped short. What made it so good was just how ****ing hard batting was, and the context of the game, being a final and all. Reckon I got hit nearly a dozen times that day, but it was all about just dropping your hands and wearing it rather than popping up a catch. We ended up making 170 odd. Had them 1/2 overnight. Turned up the next day, their curator had mowed the outfield and actually rolled it, as well as had heaters on the pitch all night. They passed us seven down on what had become a road. ****s. **** I hate them, I still do, and that was 23 years ago.

The other was last season when I was just filling in down the grades. Got a duck first game, didn't play again til round four and was going to bat six but the bloke who was opening was running late so I said I'd do it. Went in, the ground was really big and I was rusty as ****. Just had one of those days. Leant on one in the first over and it just raced through cover for four. Looked at my partner at the other end and we both realised how fast the ground was and said "****, let's fill our boots here". Everything just hit the middle. Was crazy. I was first out in the 39th over for 137 with the score at 1/240. I was so pissed off. It was the first ball all day I'd premeditated. Just said if it was up it was going over his head. Got an inside edge and was bowled. I'll never get a better chance to make a double. It was cool, the attack was moderate, I wasn't tired at all and the ground was lightning fast. If I could have that one ball back and play it properly I genuinely reckon I'd have made about 250 not out that day. We still had a maximum of 31 overs to bat when I got out. Shits me even typing this when I think about it. We ended up making 9/452 off 61 overs and rolled them the next week for 61 and 39.

 

[Hurricane]

Hmmm...

With the bat: I have 3 centuries, a 98, some very solid 80s, and a tank load of scores between 50-60. I would say the first century. I battled all day against a former New Zealand spin bowler called Tom Puna (Theirry Henry to like this post). He was magnificent and genuinely bowled international level deliveries against us (except he was 60). Every ball was a good one, and he spun a web around you wearing you down one pin point delivery after another. Eventually he earned my wicket but wait it flew past silly point and he didn't react quick enough. 5 maidens later my batting partner and mate, lofted a delivery one bounce for four, and I decided screw it, I am a better batsman than him he is our opening bowler, if he can do that then I can too. So I launched into Tom Puna, and we started batting at 6 runs an over every over for 90 minutes. I ended up 108 not out and Mark ended up 64 not out. Probably his only 50 at any level of cricket. He said afterwards "I just did what Hurricane told me to do" which I took as a compliment as well. Mark had the shots but was usually impatient.

All round best perfomance: I took 7 wickets on a wet slippery pitch bowling off spin that skidded on. Then chasing 90 to win, I scored 27 not out in 2 hours of batting. The pitch was treacherous, but I had my eye in and I remember to this day, reading the seam movement off the pitch and adjusting my shot dramatically based on which way it seamed. I got out 5 runs short of victory and nearly cried as we were 9 down. Our number 11 turned out to be a good bat and was only batting down that low as the captain didn't like him. He hit Hamilton's fastest 18 year old bowler for two runs through midwicket to win the game and our first round match up of the Gillette cup with Melville. "Hurricane leads the way" was the headline in the newspaper sporting section (Really was - have lost the clipping now although my Dad may still have it). That night I went to a party and had a hot make out session with some chickadee from school and look back upon the day as one of the best in my life.

 

[harsh.ag]

Nice.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I was never a great batsman. In fact I was terrible, averaging a little over 2. When I strode out one game with our team trailing by 200 and the game lost, the only reason people stuck around to watch was to see my inept display with the willow, figuring I would only be there a few balls. Their bowler was an off spinner with a turban and was known for being a jerk. He floated it up outside off, I strode down with one foot and executed a textbook lofted drive over his head. As the ball made its way to the rope, the crowd erupted into a standing ovation. Even the bowler gave a little applause. Of course we lost eventually and I would go back to being constantly clean bowled for ducks, but in that moment I was a hero who made people feel pure elation, if just for a minute.