The English Cricketing Empire - A Story

[Dutz]

Good games and story but actually put the pic in not type "pic" lol!

[TheDevil666]

2nd Test and a real chance to win the series. With Bresnan injured I make 3 changes. Bresnan, Kieswetter and Hoogard out. Broad, Tredwell and Hildreth in.



I lose the toss and Pakistan will bat first. Damn.

Day One

Pakistan pile on the runs in the first session. 78/0.

But Swann had the answer. He took our first 2 wickets, Umar (90) and Alam. 194/2 though is still a good score.

It got worse as Pakistan moved to 314/2. Our bowlers had no answer as Farhat powered past a century and Khan backed him up with a half-century.

Day Two

Pakistan may have been thinking 500-600 but we made a brilliant comeback. We took 8 wickets in the morning to bowl them out for 415, Swann leading the way with five-for.

With the pitch now in a decent state for the bowlers we struggled to 88/2 at tea. We have to hang in there!

We limped on. KP got a decent start but LBW on 44. Hildreth was out very cheaply but Cook moved to 84* while Prior simply stayed in. 190/4 at stumps.

Day Three

But when Cook went cheaply we were in trouble. When Swann got hit by a bouncer he had to retire hurt which is a massive hit to our chances. Broad and Tredwell went cheaply but Prior hit 80* to move us to 279/7.

We were bowled out for 308 but there was enough time for Prior to make his hundred. Pakistan had a lead of 107. 2 wickets for Anderson in the remainder of this session put them at 'net' 145/2.

With the cloud cover our seamers ripped through the Pakistani batting order taking 7 wickets for 117 runs. The lead was now 224. Hope.

Day Four

Stuart Broad cleaned up in the morning to ensure Pakistan wouldn't take the game away from us. He finished with 5/40 and we needed 232 to win the Test and the Series. Come On England! A good start seemed essential. We got a half decent one too, 41 partnership before the Skipper nicked behind on 20. Then Cook fell in the last over before lunch where the score was 46/2. Someone needed to step up.

It was difficult and we could only manage 44 runs in this session for the losses of KP (Run-Out) and Hildreth who was out cheaply. 100/4.

Trott edged behind and Broad was clean bowled. With no Swann we were in dire trouble. It got worse as Tredwell was out LBW. Prior and Anderson held on till the close. 75 to win and only Prior, Anderson and Onions to do it.

Day Five

It wasn't to be. Prior mishit a drive and was caught while Onions was clean bowled. We lose by 50 runs.



1-1, 1 to play. We were rubbish with the bat and we know it!

[TheDevil666]

3rd and Final Test. With the series 1-1 this game could (and should) be a classic. Hildreth is replaced by Morgan while the injured Swann is replaced by Kieswetter giving us a 4 man attack. Tredwell will have to step up.



I lose the toss and will have to bowl first.

Day One

After enduring a bad start to the session Tredwell took 2 wickets and the score was 93/3 which we were happy with. Just.

Many of their batsmen got starts but kept getting out like Farhat for 45. We took regular wickets and it was 198/6 at tea.

We made no mistakes with their tail and bowled them out for 246, Haider falling just short of 50 while Tredwell had a 5 wicket haul. Our openers made 42/0 before stumps on Day One, a good day for England!

Day Two

It was much more difficult to bat on the morning of Day 2. The cloud came over and we limped to 97/3 at the first interval.

We batted much better in the afternoon, more fuent. Trott made it to 65* and we got to 169/4 a real platform.

245/6 was the score at stumps. KW was out cheaply but Trott had carved out a hundred, one of his best I'd say. Umar Gul finished the day with 4 wickets.

Day Three

Trott peppered the boundary all morning as we advanced to 304/8. He now had to bat with the tail but at least we had a lead.

He was eventually out for a mammoth 160 and we were all out for 360. That is a good lead of 114. Anderson added a quick wicket before tea to leave them 11/1.

Alam fought back with a superb half-century to take them to 98/2. We were still on top but Pakistan hadn't given up.

Day Four

We had a brilliant opening session. Alam was taken out early by Anderson and we dismissed the middle order cheaply. 178/6, let's finish it today!

And we finsihed off the Pakistani tail like that. Incredibly Anderson took 6/43 while Broad backed him up with 4/61.We needed 82 to win.

And we did! Pakistan were never really in it despite some early wickets and Cook hit 42* and we won by an impressive 6 wickets.



And that is another fantastic Test Series win! 2-1 over Pakistan builds on the 1-0 triumph in India.

[TheDevil666]

Before we leave this tour we have 5 ODIs to play. Here is the 15 man squad (Bresnan and Swann injured)



Let's move quickly onto the first ODI then.



I lost the toss and was put into bat, not too bad then,

England Innings

A terrible start to our innings when Davies was out 3rd ball. But then a stand of 150 in 25 overs between KIeswetter and Trott put us in the ascendancy. This ended when Kieswetter was out for 76. But Trott powered on before being dismissed for 163 off 142 balls including 24 boundaries! A staggering innings and easily a match-winning one! We should have made at least 350 but our middle-order collapsed dramatically and we could 'only' muster 322/8. A brilliant score but should have been more.

Pakistan Innings

Pakistan had to come out swinging with 323 to chase.A partnership between Farhat and Khan had us worried briefly but we eventually bowled them out for 225. Luke Wright led the way with 5/36 and we won by 97 runs.



1-0, 4 to play.

[TheDevil666]

Buoyed by our success in the First ODI we eagerly move on to the second hoping to make it 2-0. Ian Bell and Michael Yardy come in to replace Morgan and Wright.



We lose the toss and will field first.

Pakistan Innings

Pakistan hammered our bowling to all parts of the park but, like us in the last game, made less than they should have done. They made 300 all out but it was difficult to tell who the star of the innings was. Alam for his 163 or Broad for his impressive figures of 7/60. Anyway we had 301 to win.

England Innings

Davies and Kieswetter enjoyed a brilliant opening partnership of 147. Our RR stalled from then and it got worse when Davies was out for 97. With 5 overs left we were 248/2 53needed off 30. Tanvir bowled the next over, 11 off it inluding 2 fours by Trott. 42needed off 24. To the delight of a delirious crowd KP smashed 4 consecutive boundaries off the next over to take 17 runs before he as bowled. 25 needed off 18. Surely. But we couldn't find the boundary rope in the next over and we needed 19 off 12. Bell and Trott still there. An unfortunate run out to Bell meant we needed 12 off the last over. But Trott edged behind after a boundary and we lost by the impossibly close margin of 2 runs!



1-1, 3 to play. What a series this is shaping up to be!

[TheDevil666]

Onto the very improtant Third ODI where someone could take the initiative. Luke Wright comes back in for Yardy.



I lose the toss and will bowl first which isn't bad.

Pakistan Innings

A simply masterful bowling display. When we had them 17/3 I thought it was going to be good. It was much better. We got them at 33/5. And then 58/7. It took us 34 overs to bowl them out for 85!!! Well done lads! Broad and Woakes 3 apiece!

England Innings

It's only England who can mess it up from here with 86 to win! But this time we didn't. We got home by 8 wickets and about 29 overs to spare, a fantastic, comprehensive victory!



2-1, 2 to play.

[TheDevil666]

Now we can clinch the series with victory here today. Don't be shocked but I go with an unchanged team.



I win the toss and field.

Pakistan Innings

The wickets didn't flow as freely in the last ODI but that was to be expected. Some solid partnerships, wayward bowling and 82 from Khan allowed Pakistan to post 265/8.

England Innings

266 to win the series then. Kieswetter went cheaply and so did Davies. A gargantuan partnership between Trott and KP looked to set us on our way before Trott was on 70. Colly was tied down and we needed 24 off the last 2 overs. We fell short by TWO RUNS again!



2-2, 1 to play. Nicely set up for the decider!

[TheDevil666]

So 2-2 one to play. It's the decider and the last ODI of the season. Victory means the series. I name an unchanged XI.



I win the toss and bat.

England Innings

Kieswetter went cheaply but it didn't really matter as the other opener, Davies hit a quick 60. Trott continued his superb series with another big score of 84. Some hitting down the order from KP, Bell and Woakes allowed us to make 267/9 which is a good total.

Pakistan Innings

The series is within our grasp! An opening partnership of 70 had us worried. It got worse as Alam strolled past 50. Pakistan were so far ahead of the Required Run Rate. At 171/2 Pakistan pratically had the series in the bag. A wobble thanks to Anderson took them to 184/5. But with Alam there they were still favourites. Cue Stuart Broad who removed Tanvir, Riaz and Anjum to take a memorable Hat-Trick!! He's Big, He's Bad, He's Better than his Dad,Stuart Broad! We cleaned up the tail to win by an impressive 71 runs. Broad 5/34!





We take the series 3-2!

We then won the T20 Series 2-0 in 2 close games winning by 5 runs and 3 wickets respectively.

[TheDevil666]

So my first Season in charge of the Test Team went like this:

(H) Sri Lanka, Drew 1-1
(H) India, Lost 1-3
(A) India, Won 1-0
(A) Pakistan, Won 2-1

We should have beaten Sri Lanka but let it slip in the final Test. India outplayed us on our home turf but we hit back with a vengance on their turf. A tough series in Pakistan saw us come out on top.



Brilliant seasons for Prior and Trott but elsewhere it was a bit average.



Brilliant Season for Broad and Onions while Anderson, Swann and Bresnan were pretty decent. Hoggard, Tremlett and Tredwell were off the pace.

[TheDevil666]

So my first Season in charge of the ODI Team went like this:

(H) Sri Lanka, Won 4-1
(H) India, Lost 1-4
(A) India, Lost 0-5
(A) Pakistan, Won 3-2

We hammered Sri Lanka before getting tonked by the World Champions home and away. A hard-fought series against Pakistan saw us come out on top.



Trott was again the stand out man.



Pretty good by all the bowlers but supremacy in this format is a long way off.

[TheDevil666]

Never really bothered with T20s but here we go:

(H) Sri Lanka, Lost 0-1
(H) India, Lost 0-1
(A) India, Lost 0-2
(A) Pakistan, Won 2-0

And averages don't mean a jolt in T20. We're fifth in the World.

[TheDevil666]

Now let's take a look at what we're doing this year:

Home Season

Sri Lanka (2 Tests, 1 T20, 5 ODIs)

This serves as a warm up to...

South Africa (5 Tests, 1 T20, 5 ODIs)

Away Season

Hit and giggle World Cup...I mean the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka

South Africa (3 Tests, 3 ODIs, 2 T20s)

Zimbabwe (2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 2 T20s)

[TheDevil666]

Right time to start a new season. For the first Test against Sri Lanka I decide to treat it as a warm-up for the more serious business of the South Africans. We have one debutant in our side while Sri Lanka have five!



I win the toss and bat, it won't get any easier.

Day One

On this difficult pitch to bat on, the Captain led by example. He made an unbeaten 50 in this session and while Carberry was out after a good start we made 85/1 at lunch.

The debutant Boralessa was on fire! 4/21 were his figures at tea as he accounted for Trott, Strauss, Carberry and Hildreth! 151/5 at tea.

Bopara and Prior dug in, the former reaching a fine fifty. Prior was out late in the day but it was 246/6 at stumps. I'm reasonably happy, this pitch is a dog!

Day Two

We were eventually bowled out for 302 - Bopara with 66. 14/0 was the Sri Lanka score at lunch.

They proved difficult to break down. Sangakarra hit a 50 as they moved to 116/1. Big session needed.

And we got one! Sangkarra went for 60 as their entire batting order collapsed. Samaweera may have made 80 but Woakes and Onions tore them apart to bowl them out for 212. At the end of the day our lead was at 96 for no loss.

Day Three

We decided to get a move on. By lunch the lead was up to 170 and we had only lost both openers. Big win could be on the cards here.

In the afternoon we may have lost Trott and Hildreth but the lead was up to 250. Shah on 35*.

He eventually went for 67 but our lead acclearted up to 317 at stumps with just 3 wickets left.

Day Four

A brilliant 52 from Swann enabled us to set Sri Lanka 397 to win. At lunch they were on a steady 31/0.

At tea they were 108/1 which made me a bit worried. But we still had runs to play with and they had a weak batting order.

Sangakarra was the only casualty in the evening for 120. That wicket was huge and I mean huge. 208/2.

Day Five

Still 189 for SL to get. And as soon as the weak side of the line up came out we pounced. 284/7 and we're on our way!

And Swann cleaned up the tail to finish with 4 wickets. We won by 102 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

[TheDevil666]

After the first Test I go back to selecting a proper, full-strength Test XI. A win or a draw here will clinch us the series and No.2 in the world!



I lose the toss and field first.

Day One

A suicidal run-out and a wicket for Graham Onions meant both openers were dismissed in the first session, 82/2.

Two half-centuries between Samaweera and Jayawardene put SL in a position of dominance, 205/3 at tea.

But once we got those two out the soft underbelly of their batting was exposed. Broad took a five-for and it was 295/8 at stumps. Now we're in control.

Day Two

We bowled them out for 318 - Broad finishing with an impressive seven wicket haul. Both of our openers fell cheaply and it was 24/2 but Trott and KP rebuilt the innings to make it 82/2 at lunch.

KP and Trott both made 50s in this session but the former fell for 74. We were still in a good position though, 169/3.

Trott and Bell dominated the inexpierenced Sri Lankan bowling attack. Trott made it through to a hundred in this session as we breezed to 247/3, 71 behind.

Day Three

Our score faltered to 321/7 as Sri Lanka made an impressive comeback removing Trott, Bell, KW and Prior effortlessly. But at least we had a lead.

Some big hitting from Swann (69) saw us make 427 which gives us a good lead of 109.

Sri Lanka cut our lead down to just 7 by stumps...but at the loss of 4 wickets! Anderson with 2.

Day Four

Let's win it today! Thirimanne made 78* but it appeared to be in vain as SL slumped to 173/8.

And so it proved as we bowled them out for 177 giving us just 69 to win. A Cook six saw us home by 10 wickets!



That's the series wrapped up 2-0!

[TheDevil666]

Before the 5 match ODI series we had a T20 game which we lost by 17 runs. Ah well.

Now onto the ODI series, last year we won 4-1 so we have to be confident. Here is the squad with Alex Hales getting a place.



Hales gets his spot for the first ODI ahead of Davies. Woakes edges out Anderson



I win the toss and bowl.

Sri Lanka Innings

Some horror bowling by Wright, Collingwood and the 2 spinners allowed Sri Lanka to make 294. At least Broad and Woakes did OK otherwise it would have been a real nightmare! Chandimal and Jayawardene both hit half-centuries.

England Innings

Chasing a near-impossible target thanks to the conditions (and the bowlers) we did a decent job in reaching 220 all out. Alex Hales made a good 68 whilePietersen backed him up with a score in the 80s. Sri Lanka win by 71 runs thanks to a bad bowling display.