The running of the Bulls

[kc_law]

Hi, so I bought the iPhone app (and it is pretty amazing to be honest), so I thought I would give this whole story shindig a go. I'm using the Queensland Bulls because they have some good young bowlers and some very ordinary batsman, and I thought that could make for some good times. Anyways... squad (as of game date ):

Ryan Broad (RHB, RM, 28yo)
Opening Batsman
FC: 2525 runs at 35.56 with 7 centuries from 41 matches.
OD: 416 runs at 24.47 with a highest score of 81 from 18 matches.

Chris Lynn (RHB, SLA, 20yo)
Opening Batsman
FC: 220 runs at 36.67 with 1 century from 3 matches.
OD: 61 runs at 15.25 from 4 matches.
T20: 5 runs at 5 from 2 matches at a strike rate of 83.33.

Craig Philipson (RHB, RFM, 27yo)
Middle Order Batsman
FC: 1023 runs at 24.95 with 2 centuries from 25 matches.
OD: 1293 runs at 34.95 with 1 century from 48 matches.
T20: 293 runs at 19.53 from 21 matches at a strike rate of 129.64.

Wade Townsend (LHB, OS, 24yo)
Opening Batsman
FC: 623 runs at 32.79 with 3 centuries from 12 matches.
OD: 19 runs at 19 from 1 match.
T20: 82 runs at 20.50 from 4 matches at a strike rate of 100.00.

Mark Allenby (LHB, LS, 22yo)
Middle Order Batsman
OD: 20 runs at 20 from 1 match.

Brett Pelser (RHB, RM, 25yo, T20 only)
Opening Batsman
FC: 1384 runs at 69.20 with 4 centuries from 20 matches.
OD: 513 runs at 34.20 from 21 matches.

Ben Dunk (RHB, RM, 23yo)
Wicketkeeper
T20: 142 runs at 35.50 from 6 matches at a strike rate of 147.90.

Chris Hartley (LHB, RM, 28yo)
Wicketkeeper
FC: 2745 runs at 31.92 with 5 centuries from 61 matches.
OD: 874 runs at 23.62 from 61 matches.
T20: 137 runs at 19.57 from 17 matches at a strike rate of 97.14.

Lee Carseldine (LHB, LM, 34yo)
All rounder
FC: 2209 runs at 35.63 with 3 centuries and 14 wickets at 47.57 from 43 matches.
OD: 1478 runs at 30.16 with 3 centuries and 13 wickets at 25.92 from 54 matches.
T20: 510 runs at 31.87 from 22 matches at a strike rate of 130.42 and 7 wickets at 16.14.

Jason Floros (LHB, OS, 19yo)
All rounder
Yet to debut in any competition

James Hopes (c) (RHB, RM, 31yo)
All rounder
FC: 2970 runs at 30.00 with 5 centuries and 132 wickets at 31.15 from 61 matches
OD: 3238 runs at 26.76 with 2 centuries and 187 wickets at 29.14 from 168 matches (including 77 ODI's).
T20: 752 runs at 22.12 from 43 matches (including 11 T20I's) at a strike rate of 130.10 and 32 wickets at 34.41.

Chris Simpson (RHB, OS, 28yo)
All rounder
FC: 1760 runs at 21.46 with 2 centuries and 47 wickets at 67.91 from 50 matches.
OD: 513 runs at 14.25 and 48 wickets at 33.54 from 52 matches.
T20: 294 runs at 18.37 from 18 matches at a strike rate of 141.33 and 16 wickets at 23.75.

Andrew Symonds (RHB, OS, 35yo, T20 Only)
All rounder
FC: 14477 runs at 42.21 with 40 centuries and 242 wickets at 36.01 from 227 matches (including 26 tests).
OD: 11099 runs at 34.05 with 9 centuries and 282 wickets at 33.26 from 424 matches (including 198 ODI's).
T20: 1499 runs at 38.44 from 54 matches (including 14 T20I's) at a strike rate of 158.96 and 35 wickets at 31.51.

Cameron Boyce (RHB, LS, 21yo)
Bowler
FC: 6 wickets at 38.25 with his best figures being 6/181.

Ben Cutting (RHB, RF, 23yo)
Bowler
FC: 57 wickets at 28.60 with his best figures being 6/37.
OD: 16 wickets at 29.62 with an economy rate of 4.89.
T20: 7 wickets at 35.29 with an economy rate of 9.50.

Luke Feldman (RHB, RFM, 26yo)
Bowler
FC: 33 wickets at 23.97 with his best figures being 5/32.
OD: 1 wickets at 39 with an economy rate of 3.90.

Ben Laughlin (RHB, RFM, 28yo)
Bowler
FC: 10 wickets at 60.30 with his best figures being 2/55.
OD: 36 wickets (incl. 4 ODI wickets) at 23.31 with an economy rate of 5.18.
T20: 5 wickets (incl. 1 T20I wicket) at 35.20 with an economy rate of 7.33.

Alister McDermott (RHB, RFM, 19yo)
Bowler
FC: 3 wickets at 34.67 with his best figures being 2/53.
OD: 10 wickets at 33.10 with an economy rate of 5.02.
T20: 2 wickets at 49.00 with an economy rate of 7.00.

Nathan Rimmington (RHB, RFM, 27yo)
Bowler
FC: 8 wickets at 77.62 with his best figures being 2/25.
OD: 25 wickets at 21.72 with an economy rate of 4.20.
T20: 26 wickets at 14.92 with an economy rate of 7.10.

Christopher Swan (RHB, RFM, 32yo)
Bowler
FC: 68 wickets at 30.0 with his best figures being 5/26.
OD: 22 wickets at 19.77 with an economy rate of 3.88.

Ryan Harris (RHB, RF, 31yo, Australian contracted)
Bowler
FC: 118 wickets (incl. 9 test wickets) at 32.71 with his best figures being 7/108.
OD: 91 wickets (incl. 29 ODI wickets) at 28.31 with an economy rate of 4.84.
T20: 44 wickets (incl. 12 T20I wickets) at 21.36 with an economy rate of 7.30.

Squad as of 12/10/2010 (game date)

Changes for 2010/2011 season
IN: Brett Pelser, Mark Allenby
OUT: Scott Walter, Nathan Reardon

[kc_law]

Game 1: OD vs. WA

Preview: After a good off-season of training, the Queensland Bulls were prepared for a great season. The first challenge is the Western Australian Warriors in Perth, which is always a tough road trip. This game will see the OD debut for three Bulls players; Townsend, Allenby and Feldman. The Bulls will have to be ready for some fierce pace and bounce from the Warriors attack. The youthful Bulls bowlers will be led by the experienced James Hopes and Ryan Harris and will have a mighty challenge up against a line up sporting the talents of Hussey, North and Marsh (amongst others).

WA XI: S. Marsh, W. Robinson, M. Hussey, A. Voges, M. North, L. Ronchi, D. Bandy, M. Johnson, A. Noffke, S. Magoffin, B. Dorey.

QLD XI: R. Broad, W. Townsend, C. Hartley, L. Carseldine, M. Allenby, J. Hopes, C. Lynn, L. Feldman, C. Swan, B. Cutting, R. Harris

The Match: The Warriors won the toss and elected to bat on a hot Perth day where the pitch was offering a bit to the bowlers. Marsh and Robinson started slowly, putting together a partnership of 83 runs before Marsh was bowled by Cutting for 41 (53) as he was starting to accelerate. The Hussey and Robinson partnership saw the scoring slow again, as Carseldine and Swan bowled some tight overs. Robinson eventually fell to Carseldine for 51 off 93 deliveries. Hussey was also bowled by Carseldine with the only other notable contribution in the WA total of 9/226 being from Voges, who scored 39 runs off 41 deliveries. Ryan Harris had the best bowling figures for Queensland, take 3/39 from his 10 overs, taking the wickets of Bandy, Johnson and Noffke.

Queensland started slowly chasing the total, showing the new ball to be difficult in these conditions, struggling too 0/33 from the first 10 overs. Townsend couldn't push the accelerator when needed and fell for 19 off 60 deliveries, showing he had difficulty adapting to the One Day format. Broad managed 40 from 59 deliveries as he was bowled by Noffke. The only other notable contribution was Carseldine, who cracked 47 runs from 55 deliveries as he attempted to catch the run rate up, but Queensland couldn't pull it off and ended up collapsing to be all out for 192 runs.



Aftermath: The Queensland batting was always a weakness, but after a strong bowling performance to limit WA to 226/9, it was very concerning. A more aggressive approach is needed from the top order to have success in this format of cricket.