Wellington vs Auckland - I know, it's a couple of days late.....

It’s New Years day and I’m on the couch resting up for tomorrows One Day match against Otago.

A quiet night last night, went out and had a couple of beers with some of the Wellington boys, home by 12.30 very sober and very much looking forward to sleep.  I’m not one for the late nights to often, especially when I know I have to get up and train the next day.  I just can’t operate tired, let alone, with a hangover, at all!

Training today at 10am, but before we start training we debriefed the Auckland match from two days ago.

The first half of this game went according to plan, the second half, not so.  We bowled Auckland out for 197 in the 50^th over.  We’d bowled really well and really denied Auckland scoring opportunities through the innings.  Nap’s (Graham Napier), again, was brilliant.  Another four wickets to his name while Woody (Luke Woodcock) picked up three, including a double wicket maiden to start his first spell, genius! 

James Franklin came back into the team meaning he would take the ‘new’ ball with Naps.  This suited me as if I am to make the NZ One Day team, and play, I won’t be picked as a new ball bowler, but as the third seamer.  A role that is more suited to my style as I don’t swing it as much as a couple of the other guys. 

I had a chat, at the end of the Test series, to one of the selectors asking what I had to do to be considered for the One Day team.  And this was one of them, being able to do the role for Wellington that I would do for NZ.  So, the third seamers role, for Wellington, is mine and here I can do what I have been asked to do by the selectors; had a good day with the ball too.  No wickets, alas, but that’s as good as I’ve bowled in a One Day match in regards to lines, lengths and variations.  9.1 overs for 34 that included 2.1 overs at the death, not normally a part of the game I’ve been stong with.  I hit yorkers when I wanted to and my variations were spot on.  As I’ve said, it’s such a confidence game and at the moment with the bowling I’ve had behind me and the training I’m doing I really feel good about being able to execute deliveries and my plans.

The second half of the match didn’t start so good; three down in the sixth over for just 17 runs.  Enter Franky and BJ (Crook) for a 98 run partnership and when that was broken enter Nevs (Chris Nevin) for an innings that just oozed experience.  We got there six down with 1.5 overs left in the innings.  There certainly were some twitchy guys in the viewing room, myself included.

Training today went well.  The body is still a little tired but I warmed up real quick and had some good rhythm in the nets.  Today, for me, was about cranking it up to full pace and then going through the variations that I will be using tomorrow, including working on a new slower ball to go with the one I already bowl.  The new one went really well and may just make its debut tomorrow in the match.

I wish you all the Happiest of New Years, all the best for it!  Be safe, prosperous and most of all happy!!