Re: king_of_slaves's blog.
Played for an adult side (Cargill CC) against Cern CC on Sunday... Not too good with the ball, but I rocked with the bat (for my standards) lol top scoring for my team.
I thought I was bowling well, but still figures of 7-0-37-0 (Overs-maidens-runs-wickets) suggested otherwise. My economy rate, even though over 5 was one of the better ones from my team as Cern CC has amassed a total of 291-5 in their alloted 40 overs.
I was put to bat at number 7, about 2-3 number lower than where I bat for the Switzerland Under 17's, but I didn't really mind it seeing how the target was quite high and that it was an adult side. Our team was left stranded at 37-5 after 8 overs and that is when I stepped in. My brother was the other batsman out there and our first goal was to see to it that we didn't lose any other wicket before drinks (20 overs). That target was achieved as the score read 75-5 after 20 overs and my Swiss U17's coach, who had just arrived 15 minutes prior to the drinks break to watch the game, had a few words with me. Those were basically something along the lines of: "Look Ali, you know that a score of 291 is now well out of reach and you know that blocking out the 40 won't help. I know you like having a go at the bowlers in the nets, so just enjoy batting today, don't put any pressure on you at all. This is a good chance for you to make a high score and maybe even a 50".
Once back on the field, I did exactly that, I started playing my shots and at the start of the 28th over, lofted one over square leg, but the fielder managed to catch the ball one handed. I scored 30, my highest score for an adult side and for this season as well. (I had a pretty mediocre season with the bat) I think it was an important lesson after all because as I wasn't taking any pressure, I was able to bat to my potential. One of the reasons why I have struggled to score this season has been because when I get in the team needs me to score fast and if on top of that wickets start falling around me, I succumb to pressure as well. That is clearly one thing I need to work on. Until now I have been running away from my all-rounder role and after every failure with the bat this season I told myself "Whatever, you're a bowler, not an all-rounder, it doesn't matter what the coach thinks" but with a couple of good players (including our best batsman) will be too old to play next year, I think it's finally time to take some responsibility and to stop running away.
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