A leader with a goal ... Warwickshire Story under KGKOOLKAT777

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Warwickshire, in light of recent disasters has, in a move of desperation, appointed Kiran, better known as KGKOOLKAT777 as coach and selector. A ambitious person by nature, Kiran has set out a promotion goal for 1 season and then look to the championship. He has put together an inexperienced squad and will shortly start posting match and team updates on childishthings.com/forum. A preview of the squad will follow shortly.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Players

Varun Chopra – A very consistent opener for me. He is always churning out runs. A key player and key to chances of success. Age 34

Liam Dawson – A reserve opener. Very up and down. Hopefully when he does play he can make big scores. Age 32

Tim Anderson – A highly talented player who has played for England but fails to convert starts into big scores. With a high price tag he may have to look for another team if he doesn’t start performing. Also an opener. Age 25

Greg Darkes- A promising youth player who never came good. With 1 year left on his contract he would have to have a great season to get a renewal. Age 26

Jeff Matterson – A personal favourite. My first regen who has always been a reserve batsman but can hit huge scores on occasion as proven in the 2nd team. Also an occasional wicket-keeper if needed. Age 30

Barry Peel- An expensive youth player. He didn’t do much in his first year and will have to perform well to stay in the side. Age 20

Michael Reeds –Another promising youth player. A lot of potential. Much will depend on his performance this year. A good opener with Chopra. Age 23

Christian Dicks- A player with a lot of potential… Age 21

Noel Coop – A player newly signed. Nothing special but time will tell if he has a future here. Age 23

Jos Buttler - Done well for me. Hopefully he can continue his great run. Age 31

Robert Henry – Once made a huge 365. Now 29 he needs to make those scores consistent to keep his place in the team with many up and coming stars. Reserve keeper to Buttler but often plays as a batsman. Age 29

Keith Barker – Once the spearhead of the attack but now 35 is in his twilight years. Slipped onto the reserve list. Age 35

Chris Woakes – Very good with the bat. Not so good with the ball. England regular. Age 33

David Coles – This guy will be a star. All-rounder averaging over 50 with the bat and under 15 with the ball for the 2nds. Will play a big role in his first season. Age 22

Wayne Howarth – England regular. Very good first class bowler. Handy lower order bat averaging 27 with a FC hundred. Age 27

Geoffrey Chivers – a limited overs player who has a decent record in FC. Also handy with the bat having a FC 99*. Age 26

Andy Levy - Leg-spinner. Will hold together an attack of explosive paceman. He has to be careful not to lose his place to the unknown orthodox bowler. Age 24

Peter Cochrane – Very promising fast bowler. Averaging under 15 in the 2nds he will have immense pressure on him when the premier bowlers are away and he is leading the attack. Age 22

Phil Hollins – An extremely raw fast bowler with some potential. Could develop into a major weapon for me with some coaching. Age 24

Marcus Hemp – A bowler who bowls it just quick enough and swings it just enough. Could be a handful for opposition teams this year. Age 22

Alec Reeds: An unknown orthodox spinner… Age 22

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Meet the overseas players

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Warwickshire vs Cardiff UCCE

A decent game for us. I decided to go for some younger players in the bowling line-up, dropping out the experienced Chivers for Reeds, the left arm spinner. I learnt a couple of things from this match.

• Reeds is a potentially star bowler
• Dicks and Peel are stars in the making
• Peel is a good defensive batsman holding the innings together
• Anderson needs to stop wasting starts. Getting out to a part-timer with a rash shot on the last ball of the day is ridiculous
• Cochrane could become a good new ball bowler
• Coles looked good with the bat but not so good with the ball
• The run-rate at which Cardiff scored was way too high

[KGKOOLKAT777]

One change from the university match with Coles moving up to 7 and Hemp coming in for Dawson.



The match didn't go great for us. We made a fool of ourselves batting and it was left to the tail to recover us. When they batted Burns and Dearman thrashed us all around the park and just when we thought we had them, the no.11 hit a fifty. We then lost our last 6 wickets for 20 and if they had scored at a higher rate in their 2nd they would have won. Thankfully, we come away with a draw.


Batting Award: Varun Chopra - Got us out of a mess in the first innings combining with the tail for some valuable runs. Special mention must go to Cochrane for hanging around with him while also making runs of his own.

Bowling Award: Wayne Howarth - An ok 4 wicket haul in the first innings followed by a spirited performance in the second earns the spearhead this award.

Aside: Cardiff UCCE have just beaten Durham with D Cole the star with bat and ball

[KGKOOLKAT777]

No changes for this game against Derbyshire, arguably one of the weaker teams. Being sent in, we started scoring at a good rate and the openers put on a 50 partnership before 2 quick wickets fell. Dicks and Anderson continued to pile on the runs. The bowlers tied them down though and the scoring rate dipped below 2 at one point. Anderson then brought up a hundred before falling. Dicks and Henry continued on before Dicks had his stumps uprooted by a cracker from Norwell. A mini collapse occured before Henry started to get into his gear by thrashing the bowlers around the park combing with Howarth (27) for an 113 run stand. All the bowler chipped in and we enforced the follow-on. We ended up needing only 66 runs and we got there with no major problems.



Batting Award: For his amazing innings I am going to give the award to Robert Henry but special mention to Tim Anderson who finally converted a start.

Bowling Award: Marcus Hemp - Great bowling in both innings. Always had them under pressure but all the bowlers bowled well.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

We headed into this huge game against Sussex, eager and excited. We made no changes as they won the toss and batted first. They got 300, a par score. From our point of view, Cochrane bowled well and Anderson picked up 2 quick wickets. When we batted Anderson and Peel batted well but both played rash shots when settled. Our batsman played disgusting strokes as we conceded a 45 run lead. Reeds and Cochrane then ripped through the top order but because of some lower order resistance we still had to chase a challenging 278. Once again Anderson and Peel proved the difference providing a 173 run stand giving us an amazing win.



Batting Award: Anderson/Peel - can't split them

Bowling Award: Cochrane - 8 wickets, the difference between winning and losing the match

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Good hundred from Henry.Good bowling from Cochrane. Not much from the rest.



Batting Award: Robert Henry

Bowling Award: Peter Cochrane

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Adversity struck as both Peel and Howarth obtained injury so the 2 changes were forced. Chopra in for Peel and Chivers in for Howarth.



This game was the best game of the season so far. Reeds and Anderson made starts before falling and then a collapse happened. Chopra and Cochrane got together and made the partnership of a lifetime. I was extremely pleased when Cochrane reached his maiden fifty and ecstatic when he got the hundred. Chopra also played a fantastic innings. Then Reeds and Cochrane knocked them over twice and we got a huge innings win.



Batting Award: Peter Cochrane - Maiden Century and a superb knock. Mention also to Chopra for a great hundred too.

Bowling Award: Peter Cochrane - Another superb performance although mention to Reeds for his 6 wicket haul in the first innings.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Very pleasing progress after 5 games and a uni match. The future looks promising.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

No changes again. Yorkshire are one of the best teams in the competition and to beat them would be a huge moral boost. They won the toss and batted but Cochrane and Chivers ripped through the team and they ended up being bowled out for under 250. We then batted. I was quite annoyed with the way we batted. Every single player got a start but then got out. We ended up getting 333. The next innings was a complete disaster we just couldn't get a wicket. The match developed into a tame draw. We still got 9 points though.



Batting Award: Robert Henry - consistent in both innings, turning out to be a good season for him. Maybe this could just get him in the England selector's eyes.

Bowling Award: Peter Cochrane - good bowling in the 1st innings.

Aside: I am purposely hiding the results table and will reveal that only at the end.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

Couple of changes as Perera, back from international duty and Howarth, back from injury come in for Darkes and Chivers. Coles needs some good performance though to stay in the team.


This was a good match for me. We won the toss and batted and Perera and Anderson started positively. Perera and Dicks fell in quick succession. They put on a good partnership before we collapsed to the trio of spin. Then Cochrane got a few wickets and Howarth took over taking 6 wickets in a row. To add insult to injury, a Hemp bouncer got the no.11 Ashraf flush in the face forcing him to retire hurt. Then Henry and Anderson got together again and Henry made a huge hundred. Anderson keeps getting out after starts again and it is frustrating me. Then all the bowlers chipped in as we bowled them out for 80 earning a 422 run victory.



Batting Award: Robert Henry - What a golden season for him

Bowling Award: Wayne Howarth - the spearhead is back in business. He and Cochrane form a formidable opening combination.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

We made 2 changes with Woakes and Peel coming in for Coles and Hemp.


A decent game, not much explaining needed. Both teams played well.



Batting Award: Christian Dicks - Hasn't been in the greatest of form this season but he has finally come good.

Bowling Award: Cochrane/Howarth - Both good.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

As we take a break for the T20 over comp. I noticed an amazing performance from Cochrane.

[KGKOOLKAT777]

1 change, Hemp in for the England-bound Howarth.

We bowled Worcs out for 301, par. The top order all fired and we got a 44 run lead. Cochrane and Woakes then bowled them out for 188 and we made the runs with ease.



Batting Award: Angelo Perera - Good score in the first innings

Bowling Award: Peter Cochrane - What a star.