Cricketing Timewaster

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Well, there are eleven teams and a maximum ten spots. So someone will miss out, but I think it'd be very unfair for it to be you given that you've organised all the previous tournaments at your own expense.

Carry on - I'm giving the game up. Just too much going on in my life at the moment. Sorry, guys.

[Etienne]

OK, so we've got one slot remaining. The two who haven't accepted are ad hoc and VT. I know both have indicated that they aren't planning on carrying on with the game though.

[ad hoc]

I've basically quit, Etienne. I haven;t logged on for about 3 weeks now. So count me out. Hope VT is still involved

[Levin]

Bollocks to this game. 28 runs required from 61 balls, 5 wickets in hand. In the subsequent 17 deliveries I lose 5 wickets for 6 runs. Miffed.

VT. even if you don't have time now. can you hibernate your team? Get rid of expensive players and just sign in once a month or so?

[Levin]

Mason of Lynx really making the most of the dry, windy conditions 18-2 of his 10 overs.

[Granthamian]

I’ve decided to experiment and bring in 2 or 3 grizzled veterans to see if they make any difference to the team. I can’t see me carrying on with this game when my membership expires at the end of the year so I don’t have the time to monitor how a player develops over the seasons. I have one main team and an affiliate team which therefore compete in 8 competitions. I’ve managed to get up to division 3 in three of the competitions this season but I don’t expect to be able to climb any further. What is the highest division any of you has reached?

[Etienne]

Looks like it might work.

[pebblethefish]

Two somewhat contrasting games today.

The Flowers tied against a team 30000 points better than us in a magnificent rollercoaster ride with the youngsters in the side saving (and nearly winning) the day in a game that had me repeatedly hitting refresh and reminding me why I play this game.

Then over to my affiliates, who beat a bot in 49 balls (their innings and ours combined).

In answer to Granthamian 's question, I can reach the third division in England, and the second in Holland, but beyond that are teams that 100% specialise in either youth or seniors, and I've hit a brick wall.

[Etienne]

Utterly preposterous finish to the youth game between Dragons and Ferrets that's just concluded.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Utterly preposterous finish to the youth game between Dragons and Ferrets that's just concluded.

I left it with you needing about 40 from 12 overs so got excited that we'd somehow won. We didn't.

To be fair it was a crumbling pitch and my spinners got 6 of the wickets.

[Etienne]

I meant preposterous in terms of tension rather than simply unlikeliness, but it wasn't just your spinners taking 0 wickets in their first over, but then taking 6 between them in their next 6, it was also Rojas suddenly conceding 15 runs off one over when his other 6 overs only went for 7 runs total (without which I would have lost), and the cruise, collapse, cruise, collapse sequence.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I see what you mean, I hadn't noticed that over. It's all very unlikely isn't it?

[Levin]

Well the more club cricket I'm exposed to, the more these sorts of finishes and results make sense. But yes, unlikely for pros. It's probably better to have a close but unlikely finish than a dull one.

[longeared]

I'm pretty sure they did something to the game engine in the last off season, because there's been more random weirdness in games these last few weeks than there was in the previous year.

[Favourite Worst Nightmare]

Interesting to see a right arm finger spinner clear at the top of the wicket taking leaderboard in the yoof league.

Remember the name. Hitesh Gopivallabha

[Antepli Ejderha]

[Levin]

My, my. That was a tight one.

[pebblethefish]

My, my. That was a tight one.

I take it you're talking the Ferrets - Wellworth game?

I took a break from watching my game to see the end of that one - excellent match

[Levin]

Yeah, result on the final ball, all 80 overs bowled and 18 wickets. You couldn't ask for much more from a day of cricket.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I'm not sure how we won that one, very bizarre.

[Levin]

Congratulations Favourite Worst Nightmare on winning the OTF championship. I think it's fair to say the victory has been built on a very solid bowling attack.

[Favourite Worst Nightmare]

Cheers, yes I’m a big believer that bowlers win you matches, both in real life and the virtual world. We’re yet to beat our bogey team Wellworth though.

I’ve accepted the invite for the the next OTF League, thanks as always for sorting.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Thanks Levin for the invite, I've accepted. Looking forward to the task, I'm hoping to be competitive.

[Levin]

188*! Now that's a score.

I've only got a couple more weeks left with my three oldest youths now and then my team gets significantly worse.

[Etienne]

Yes, I was very grateful that the OTF Youth tournament will conclude just before Dean Dawes graduates to the seniors. He's not an amazing player, but he's essential to the team balance as none of my other bowlers can bat and none of my other batsmen can bowl. We've bought a replacement all rounder, but he isn't nearly as good. We've just lost keeper/batsman Boak, and another batsmen Van Hasselt will be too old after today. When all three are gone, that's three of our top four run scorers gone.