The English Cricketing Empire - A Story

[TheDevil666]

We now move to the final leg of the tour - a five match One Day Series. Here is the fifteen man squad - Collingwood as captain.

[TheDevil666]

1st ODI then, here are the teams:



I win the toss and bat first

England Innings

After our openers failed to push on from a decent start, Pietersen made a brisk 42. This was followed by a 52 by Bell as everyone chipped in with a least double figures. Woakes made a cheeky 15 off 4 balls! 241/7 was our score.

Sri Lanka Innings

Not what I expected.Anderson went for a shocking 8 an over in the first part of his spell and SL got to 77/0 after 10 overs. Then an incredible fightback from messers Swann and Woakes reduced them to 99/5, the pendelum swinging drastically. Dilshan led a counter-attack with a good 50 but had no one to support him. It was never really close and they were all out for 211.



1-0, 4 to play.

[TheDevil666]

2nd ODI and 1 change is made, a risky one. Shahzad is put in for Anderson after Anderson's shocking display in the last ODI.



SL won the toss and elected to field.

England Innings

And what a lightning start we made. The 100 partnership for the openers came up in just 13.2 overs, both reaching fifties. Feeling reckless I too the batting powerplay in the 17th over and added a quick 34 runs. Davies and Kieswetter both went for 78 and 97 respectively but both of them deserved hundreds. After they went Pietersen and Bell kept the RR steady and both contributed - Pietersen with a run-a-ball 47 and Bell with a likewise 50. Swann helped out also with a 40-odd score and our score was a mammoth 359/7.

Sri Lanka Innings

With Sri Lanka's long tail I thought we were going to walk it... and so it proved! Broad and Woakes took 3 apiece as we bowled them out for 127. Victory by 232 runs and a 2 lead in the series.



2-0, 1 to play. Victory in any of the next 3 one-dayers will win the series and boost our ranking up to third!!!

[TheDevil666]

Bresnan comes in for Yardy because of the pitch conditions.



Sri Lanka win the toss and bat, I would have sent them in anyway.

Sri Lanka Innings

Their openers made a good opening stand and I felt as Sri Lanka must have done during that Second ODI. Powerless. 3 of their batsmen made 50s and Samaweera made a brilliant 96 before he was caught. 297/9 they made and I thought the chase would be extremely difficult, maybe impossible.

England Innings

Pietersen and Morgan gave us a sniff and one stage but after a good spell by Mendis we crumbled to 218 all out.



2-1, 2 to play.

[TheDevil666]

Now to the 4th ODI and I go with an unchanged XI. It's a good wicket and I believe we can seal the series with this game.



I win the toss and bat first - it's served us well before!

England Innings

I wanted a score of 260 but after the top 3 were dismissed relatively cheaply at 75/3 that looked far off. Step up Colly and Bell who crafted a partnership of around 130. Bell attacked and looked for the world that he would get a century but fell just short on 96. Is no one going to get a century this series?! Some late-order hitting propelled us to 264/9 - a decent score.

Sri Lanka Innings

SL made a lightning start again with Mathews leading the way. Broad, in particular, was smashed around the park. At 92/1 in no time at all it was looking like another bad day for us. Until Bresnan and Woakes came into the attack. They tore through the batting order speedily and took 3 wickets apiece. SL bowled out for 127, a stunning comeback and a series win (my first!)!



Despite the impressive bowling I put that victory down to the Bell-Colly partership that really took the game away from the Sri Lankans.

[TheDevil666]

Anderson came in for Swann as the conditions were not assisting the spinners at all in this, the final ODI and game of the Sri Lankan tour. We wanted a 4-1 win they wanted to restore some pride. There's a big difference between a 4-1 win and a 3-2 series win.



I got stuck in to bat after SL won the toss.

England Innings

I didn't want to bat first beacsue of the heavy cloud cover. I had no idea what would be a good score. During the innings we never really got going. our batsmen attackd in fits and bursts and often got out after getting in. Davies top scored with 49 and we made 229/9 - a decent effort I suppose.

Sri Lanka Innings

Against our seam-only attack Sri Lanka made a good start. Because of the cloud cover though they were like us - fits and bursts and never really got going. A good 50 by Samaweera threatened us but in the end they ran out of decent batsmen. Woakes again took 3 wickets as we won by 33 runs and the series was won 4-1.



They raises us to a brilliant 3rd place in the ODI rankings.



Next up is a Test Series against the Indians.

[TheDevil666]

It's time for the 1st of 4 Tests as we seek to beat India which will be the path to No.1. Kieswetter comes in for Ian Bell after much careful thought but Prior takes the gloves. Hoggy maitains his place after a beautiful performance in the last test.



I lose the toss and have to bowl first, ouch.

Day One

Hoggard vindicated his selection as he took the wickets of Gambhir and Laxman in the morning session. Those wickets were huge and the score was 79/2 at the break.

Attritional cricket followed in the next session. We didn't manage to take any wickets but we did keep the runs down. Vijay and David both brought up half-centuries, 151/2 at the interval.

More of the same followed until Hoggard swung one back into Dravid's pads and ended his innings. Superb by Hoggard and then Anderson removed Sharma with the new ball. Nothing could stop Vijay and he got to an unbeaten hundred at the close with the score 254/4.

Day Two

The prized wicket of Vijay came early in the morning when Anderson got him to feather one behind to Prior - he made 124. Broad and Swann each chipped in with a wicket and the score was 369/7 at lunch.

A late charge of 65 by Kohli brought India to 442 all out - Anderson and Hoggard the stars of the bowling. We now face a tough challenge to save the Test...

Our first target was the 243 to avoid the follow-on. This looked unlikely as Sharma and Khan worked in tandem and our openers went cheaply. It got worse as Pietersen was out to Vijay. Morgan was promoted to no.5 and we needed him to dig in. He did with Trott and we closed the day 82/3.

Day Three

We needed to put a fight but we didn't. Morgan had to retire hurt after being hit and was out of the Test Match. Kieswetter and Trott folded tamely and the score was 158/7 at lunch - very adrift.

We were bowled out for 177 and asked to follow-on. 265 behind. The final humiliation was complete as we were bowled out for 121. We didn't survive the day.

[TheDevil666]

Some drastic changes made - Bell, Bresnan, Tremlett in and Broad, Kieswetter and Morgan (injured) out. We simply must win this one.



I win the toss and bowl first.

Day One

Maybe it was a bad decision. Tremlett can find the only wicket of the morning session and India close it out 94/1.

Much more like it in the second session though. Laxman piles on a quick fifty before Bresnan gets him. Anderson takes down 'the wall' and Sehwag before Swanny adds another. 194/5.

Frustration in the evning session. Dhoni smashes everything for a quick 68 before Anderson scalps him. The tail then wag after Kohli had to retire hurt. 318/8.

Day Two

The tail wag a bit more. Then we drop a catch, then another! 368 all out eventually with Chawla making 61. Strauss gets out cheaply (again) and we're 31/1 at lunch.

Pietersen and Cook then fall in quick succession. (7 and 22). We needn't worry though as Trott and Bell breathe life back into the game and the series, Bell hitting a quick 50. 145/3 at tea. It could have been so much worse.

Bell turned this into a ton in the evening but then threw it all away the next ball when he holed out. Out for 100! Trott also built his innings, more slowly, but managed to reach 95* at the close meaning he had to endure a nervous night's sleep. 258/4 at the close.

Day Three

No worries for Trott though as he converted into a magnificent ton and went on to remain unbeaten throughout the morning. Matty Prior assisted him well making a good 50 in the same time. The score was a healthy 355/4 - just 10 runs behind.

With the sun now beating down this was the best time to batting. That's what I thought anyway. Trott was out in the second over after the interval for 139, a fine effort. At the other end Prior went from strength to strength converting his 50 into a ton. Bresnan went cheaply ut Swann hung around and we were 455/6 at tea.

Swann did more than assist though, he brought up his 50 as we sailed past 500. He was out for 78 and Prior edged behind for 142. We were bowled out for 562 - a lead of 197 and well placed to win the test.

Day Four

India showed their agressive intent as they totalled 112 runs in the first session but it cost them 3 wickets. 2 for Swann on a turning pitch.

Gambhir completed a brilliant hundred in the afternoon with his teammates falling all around him. They managed to wipe out the lead but were 5 down for 222.

Tremlett eventually got his man and the floodgates opened briefly. The Indian tail wagged and they managed a score of 315/8 at the close.

Day Five

Swann took the wicket to finish with figures of 4/84. We needed a potentially tricky 138 to win.

We managed a paltry 24 runs in the hour before lunch for the loss of our openers, both of them. This was difficult.

Zaheer Khan was close to unplayable taking KP and Bell in the same over. At 40/4 it looked all over (for us) but after solid batting by Trott and Prior we moved to 80/4 and it looked all over (for them) at the interval.

And so it proved. Trott took his score to 62* and Prior 48* as we got home by 6 wickets which ties the series up at 1-1.

[Chasjs]

You get bashed for 442 and lose by an innings and a margin then put them in? Gutsy. Or were you just scared of batting?

[Dutz]

I was going to say before looking at the score it was not a bowl first pitch a bit of cloud but a great wicket!

[Chasjs]

I'm not going to say I was wrong but that was a great victory, Well played. The batting was fantastic for a 5 man attack. What happened in the first game? I was surprised to see you not play Bell in that and it looks like he's responded.

[diagoj]

Chris Tremlett is missing from that earlier game.

[TheDevil666]

I was a bit scared of batting actually under that cloud. I didn't play Bell in the first test because he averaged 19 in the Sri Lanka and Kieswetter averaged 59. You're right he did respond.

[TheDevil666]

Unchanged team for the third test match. 1-1 in the series we can take the initiative with a good win which I think we're capable of.



I win the toss and, like before, decide to bowl with the cloud.

Day One

Both dangerous openers were removed in the the first session by Chris Tremlett and were both caught behinds. 84/2 at lunch suggested the game was in the balance.

Dravid and Laxman continued the recovery and both made fifties in a frustrating session curtailed by rain. 154/2.

Laxman converted his runs to another test ton as we toiled and toiled. However, Dravid wwas out for 88 in our only success of the session. The shine is starting to come off Matthew Hoggard now. 272/3.

Day Two

Our bowling was utter rubbish now. India attacked and we had no answer. Laxman moved on to the 170s and India got to 429/5.

We eventually bowled India out for 566 early in the evening session. LAxman had made a stunning 251.

Strauss was again out cheaply (19) to mark a useless series for him. Cook and Trott showed some fight and it was 69/1 at the close.

Day Three

Cook showed the only resistance in the morning as our top order was knocked over. 133/5. There was no guts, no fight, nothing.

Cooky showed more of the same in the afternoon. He moved to 102* a superb effort in the circumstances. Bresnan was our only casualty of the afternoon and it was 203/6.

But he was out to the first ball of the evening session a massive blow - maybe a game-killing blow. After that Swann swung his bat merrily to make 61 before he was out and we survived the day - 290/8.

Day Four

And we were bowled out early on Day 4 for 313, just 53 short of the follow-on. We only needed one more batsmen to take charge and we could have been fine. We were asked to follow on.

This time Cook was the opener out cheaply as we battled to 61-1 at lunch, the lead under 200.

Strauss converted his good start into a fifty. Much needed under the circumstances. Trott was out though in the 30s but he was the only man we lost in the afternoon with Pietersen getting a good start. The lead cut under half now with only two lost wickets.

And that fifty for Strauss soon became a magical hundred - finally he was leading by example. Pietersen also brought up his own fifty. Staruss was out for 115 but, like Trott, was the only wicket to fall in that session. 236/3 - we will never surrender!

Day Five

We moved into a priceless lead early in the 1st session. You get the sense that we can do this! Pietersen got his own ton but was out the very next ball for a brilliant 102. 323/4 at lunch - a lead of 70.

Pathan then tore into our batting. Incredibly, we were bowled out for 398 in this session after we crumbled badly. India needed 138 to win with 1 session left...

And we couldn't get any wickets. This incredible Test Match went down to the wire. India needed 26 runs off of the last 30 deliveries... and they got them! A heartbreaking defeat as India won by nine wickets. We just couldn't get close and it's 2-1 down, 1 to play.

[TheDevil666]

We needed a win here to preserve our excellent and proud record of not losing a Test Series since Spring 2009. James Hildreth makes his debut at no.6 coming in for Hoggard.



I won the toss and batted, game on!

Day One

Strauss got another start but fell cheaply again. Likewise for Trott but Cook started well and was backed up by Pietersen. 96/2 at the first interval.

Cook built on his good start and raced to 86* including 4 6s! Pietersen was out for 20 but Bell assisted Cook to get us to a solid 179/3 at tea.

That 86* soon turned into a century for Alistair Cook - brilliant batting. No wickets were lost in the final session as Bell continued his good start to be 75* at the close - the score 273/3.

Day Two

But the good 'ol English collapse came to the fore in the morning. Chawla managed to trap Ian Bell LBW on 87 while Cook was run out in the 130s. Prior and Bresnan fell in quick succession and it was now an average score of 341/7.

We were bowled out for exactly 400 just before tea. The debutant James Hildreth had added 63 precious runs before he ran out of partners.

India fought back to be 87/2 at stumps. Laxman and Gambhir were back in the hutch while Tremmers and Jimmy A had a wicket apiece.

Day Three

Sehwag battled though to fifty but Anderson tore through 'the wall' again. 169/3 and the game was very much in the balance.

But by tea it was India's game. 279/3 and Vijay had got his fifty while Sehwag hit another priceless Test Ton.

Vijay converted his fifty to a ton while Sehwag was finally dismissed for 151. 389/5 and it may just be over.

Day Four

WHAT A COMEBACK. Swann took 3 very quick wickets in this session followed by Anderson completing his five wicket haul. The last 5 wickets fell for 6 runs. 401 all out, what a Test Match this could be! We added 51 quick runs for the fall of Strauss to get into the lead at lunch.

Trott went early but that didn't stop Cook smashing everything backed up by the always pacy Pietersen. The score was now 161/2, we couldn't could we?

I now saw it as a ODI game and was determined to be aggresive. Cook hit his way to 117 before being caught on the boundary. Pietersen swung merrily for a quick 53 before he was bowled and Bell joined in the party to make a fifty of his own. 292/4 at stumps.

Day Five

I batted for near enough an hour giving India 334 to win. For me 10 wickets would tie the series...

In the 13 overs before lunch it was brutal. Common Assault, if you will. 73 runs were hit for the loss of nothing. I'm guessing the IPL is helping, eh?

Bresnan, Tremlett and Swann all contirbuted a wicket apiece but India monstered to 235/3. 99 to win or 7 wickets off the final session. COME ON ENGLAND!

Dravid carved out a match-winning hundred. Despite Bresnan taking 2 wickets they ot it down to 16 needed with 5 wickets left. Anderson then took 2 wickets in 2 balls to give us hope but they saw it out to win by 3 wickets. What a Test Match it was!



We lose the series 3-1 but no lost ratings points.