Training Begins

Today I hit the nets on my own to get back into the swing of bowling in preparation for Sunday's game.

Over the course of an hour I bowled about 7 overs and afterwards felt happy with the session, taking a number of positives from it.

An immediate good sign was that I didn't appear to be rusty. My run up and action felt decent from the word go and the ball was coming out pretty well. For my first couple of stints I bowled a good line but was just struggling to keep a consistent length, with a couple of short but mainly full balls rearing their ugly head. However, my natural outswing looked OK with the old balls I was using, moving a little in the air and then the occasional one would straighten and zip off the seam. For my third stint I really knuckled down and focused on length and got it pretty much sorted out. By the end I was bowling pretty consistently on a good line and length, and often getting decent purchase out of what is a relatively dead pitch, using an old ball. I had one more stint to round out the session and I focused on bowling an over of good deliveries. I managed 6/8 which wasn't too bad.

The thing I'm probably most happy about, is that there weren't any REALLY wayward deliveries.

Couple of points that I took note of:
- Started to fall down in action. Staying tall while running in aided in staying tall in my action as well.
- Probably need to settle my run up down more, there is no need to charge into the crease and I know as a fact that I bowl a lot better with a steady run up.

So overall, happy with the session and I'm sure after Sunday I'll be glad that I made the effort. Body has pulled up OK as well. Not bad for my first bowl in a month.

Team training at the SCG nets begins next Tuesday, really looking forward to that.

I'll be back on Sunday to report on the game.

Playing Schedule

Here is the list of games that Collaroy Plateau Cricket Club will be playing on the tour. The games highlighted in blue are the ones that I am currently going to play in, however injuries and incidents pending I could end up in more or less. As you can see its a packed schedule, lots of cricket to be played with ample opportunities.

This list is subject to change.

3rd of July - Singapore
5th of July - Westleigh
6th of July - Earby
7th of July - Marple
8th of July - Roe Green
9th of July - Bradfield
10th of July - Osset
12th of July - Ingelby
13th of July - Yorkshire
14th of July - Edwinstowe
15th of July - Duffield
16th of July - Sandiacre (Follow On XI)
17th of July - Clay Cross
19th of July - Stony Stratford
21st of July - Knebworth Park
22nd of July - Buckhurst Hill
23rd of July - Amsterdam

Welcome/Introduction

On the 2nd of July 2009, I leave Australia with 22 Collaroy Plateau Cricket Club associates, including my Mum, Dad, brother, sister and Grandfather on route to England where I will experience the most exciting cricketing and travelling adventure of my life. At least 11 games of cricket are scheduled for me to take part in, including one in Singapore and one in Amsterdam, and I am hoping to advance the quality of my performances from this tour.

I am writing this blog so I can track my preparation, the build up to the tour and then record the happenings on the tour itself. It will focus mainly on the cricket and my own experiences. I don't care if anyone reads this or not, it is here as a personal record. But if anyone does decide to follow my progression through this exciting period of my life, then I hope you enjoy your reading and I will strive to make it as interesting as possible!

For those who don't know me, let me start by saying I am by no means a high level cricketer. I am 18 years of age and last season played B2 grade (the 5th lowest division of park cricket in my area, the highest being A1s) and struggled to play to the standard that I expected of myself. I class myself as a right handed bowling all rounder. I bowl medium fast outswingers and have opened the bowling for my team for years now but feel that since I injured my lower back 3 years ago, my bowling has never reached the potential that it showed before then. On the batting side of things, I was all over the place last season. I am at my best opening the batting, but gave that up a while ago in order to concentrate on my bowling - it was just too much to open both. Nowadays I am almost regretting that decision, because I have been shafted all over the place in the batting order where instability and uncertainty is something that I don't like and believe hampers my performance. Amongst all this I managed at least three significant innings, so I am not too disappointed with my batting currently.

Ok, so that covers the introduction side of things. My preference for next season here in Australia would be to try for grade cricket. I know that I will have to improve to be successful there and therefore am placing a great importance on this tour of England.

This coming week I plan to begin my physical preparation. I have a lot of time on my hands as I am enjoying a gap year after finishing school last year. I plan to have a bowling session at the nets on either Wednesday or Thursday to warm up for a tour practice game which I will play on Sunday (on turf), although the weather report says possible showers: hopefully they stay away.

Over the next few days I will post our playing schedule and also list the people I am touring with (nicknames or first names will be used throughout this blog). A report on my midweek training will also be posted.

That's all from me now. Cheers.

TC