Our 2012/2013 season with Grafton United Cricket Club.

BEWARE - it's a really long post about cricket! It's taken us days to write it! --- Shaan & Raneel's mum

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Shaan's Best Cricket Games.

On the 27th of October 2012, it was my first game and season for Grafton United Cricket Club (G.U.C.C.). My team name was called GUCC Year 3 Taylor. Our first game of the season was against GUCC Year 3 Williamson at Cox's Bay Park. From there it was my best debut ever. If the bowling team gets the batting team out, you get minus 2 off your team score. From there when my bowling was finished I got 5 wickets for 8 runs. When I batted I made 25 runs from 15 balls with 1 four and 3 sixes. In our first game of the season we had won by 41 runs. That was the most exciting thing I have had before. The final score was Taylor 98-57 Williamson and I also got Player of the Day for my brilliant all-rounded game.

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On the 23rd of February, we played the Parnell Cricket Club Hippos. The Parnell Hippos won the toss and decided to bowl.

Lucas and Toby opened the batting for Grafton Taylor. They got off to a great start and then Sam and Puneet came in. Sam was smacking every ball and he made an impressive 32. Then we bowled. Lucas opened and he got to a super start. Then it was my turn to bowl and I thought I would get a hat-trick, but I didn't and I got 1 run and 2 wickets at the end from my over. Everyone else was amazing.

 The Parnell Hippos were struggling after their 8 overs. After that Luke and Hamish were brilliant and after that I was batting with Thomas. My coach said to Thomas and I "The Parnell Hippos have slow bowlers so you two need to watch the ball carefully, OK". "We have got it". said Thomas and I. Off the first over it was 4, 4, 4, 1, 4, 4 and we got 21 off that over. From the next over we got 6, 4, 4, 4, dot ball, dot ball and we made 18 off that. From the first 2 overs we made a 39 run partnership.

From the next over we were looking to getting our 50 partnership and we got 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4 and made 26 off the over. Now it was the final over and we got 1, 4, 1, 1, dot ball, 6. We made a 78 run partnership from 4 overs. Thomas made 24 not out and I made 54 not out. I was absolutely stunning. Then it was Taylor bowling. Each bowler was stunning and I got 5 wickets for 6 runs from my last 3 overs. I bowled. Overs: 4 Maidens: 1 Runs: 7 Wickets: 7. At the end of the game, I got Player of the Day for a stunning 50+ runs.

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On the 9th of March, we played at Colin Maiden Park against the Auckland University Cricket Club Marlins. It was my debut playing against a Auckland University team.
We were bowling first. In my over, I got 2 wickets.The other bowlers were great and the Marlins made 65 after 8 overs. Each batsman was superb in the first innings with Sam getting 32 and Taylor made 76 after 8 overs and we were leading by 11 runs.

Then I bowled around the wicket and my bowling figures were 4 runs and 4 wickets after 2 overs. Then the Marlins made 113 after 16 overs. Then it was Taylor's 2nd innings of batting and Toby and Raneel were great. Toby made 11 and Raneel did a beauty cover drive for 4 and he made 12.

Then Oliver and I batted. From the 5th ball off the second over, it went over Mum (who was scoring) for 6. Then from the 3rd over I got a 6 over the umpire, then it went over Mum again for 6, then it went on the off side on the rope and it was another 6.

From the last over from the 3rd or 4th ball off the over, it was a no-ball over my head and I hooked it for 4. At the end of the partnership we made 47. I made 33 and Oliver made 14. We had won our 3rd game in a row. The final score was GUCC Taylor 146-113 AUCC Marlins. Raneel got Player of the Day for getting 2 wickets in his first over.

On the 23rd of March, it was our final game of the season. We played at Shore Road against the Parnell Rhinos. We lost that game. I got 26 runs, which was the second highest score for Team Taylor that day. I got 1 wicket for 20 runs. I was exhausted after my last game for Team Taylor!



RANEEL'S GAME'S FOR TEAM TAYLOR:

Raneel's comments:

On the 9th of February, it was my first game for GUCC year 3 Taylor. I got a hat-trick. Then just before the game Pt Chev Dada came to watch us play against GUCC Vettori.  We lost the game and the score was 87- 159. Shaan and I made a 36 run partnership. Shaan hit a big six, I made 11 runs and Shaan made 25 runs. Both of us did not get out.

And my second game was against the University Marlins. That was my best game as I was the Player of the Day. Hu Dada, D Bops and Pt Chev Ba and Dada came to watch us. My bowling figures were 3-16. Also I hit a four which was a cover drive. I batted with Toby and Shaan batted with Oliver. Shaan hit 3 sixes in a row.

GUCC 150th JUBILEE CELEBRATION and SUPER SIXES TOURNAMENT:

On the 10th of March 2013 at Victoria Park, GUCC had a Super Sixes tournament to celebrate the end of the club's 150th Jubilee events. Our team was England and we had Toby Irvine and Pierce Vesty as our Year 4's. Our Year 3's were Sam Carter, Ben Heron and I. Then we have our outstanding Year 1 Raneel Vaidya.

Our first game was against India, who got 78/1 from 6 overs. We needed 79 to win. Ben and Raneel were the opening batsman for England. Raneel and Toby were fantastic and Toby retired for 25. England made 45/1 after 6 overs. We had Raneel not out for 18 and Pierce not out for 2. We lost that game by 33 runs.

Then we played against Australia. Pierce and I opened the batting. Krishna opened the bowling for Australia. On the 4th ball of his over he got me out for 0. After that the England batters did well to make 54/2 after 6 overs. Then Australia batted and they were great but they didn't make enough runs to win and Australia made 48/1 after 6 overs. We had our first victory by 6 runs.

In our third game, we played against New Zealand. Raneel was the captain. England won the toss and decided to bowl. Ben opened the bowling for England. He got two wickets in his first 2 balls, which was impressive (both of them were bowled). When I was bowling, from one of the balls, the batsman hit it high in the air, it was going straight past my head about 2 or 3 cm long. I had got my first wicket.

After New Zealand's 6 overs they made 39/3. After that England were batting with Toby and Ben opening. A couple minutes later Ben got out and I came in at No. 3. Toby and I were brilliant and Toby retired for a smoking 28. After that we had lost a couple of wickets and then I got out for 12. England were superb at batting and we made 56/5 after 6 overs. We had our second victory by 17 runs.

After lunch, we played in the 3rd vs 4th playoff against Zimbabwe. I was captain for that game and we won the toss and we batted first. When I batted I was brilliant and I retired at the end of the innings for 27 runs (the rules were players had to retire after 20 runs and at the end of the over). After England's 6 overs, we were 54/4.

Then Zimbabwe batted. Raneel opened the bowling for England. When I was bowling I was brilliant. I bowled no wickets for 5 runs with 4 dot balls. At the end of Zimbabwe's innings, they were 51/7. We had won 3rd place and the Bronze Medal by 3 runs. It was a great day because we had won the Bronze medal.

Thanks to Pt Chev Dada, Nana and Nani, Nyah, Gee Masi and Mike Masa who came to support us.

Raneel's comments: 

On the 10th of March, we played a Super 6's Tournament. Shaan and I played for England, along with Toby, Pierce, Sam (from Team Taylor) and Ben. I had fun playing. 

Our first game was against India, and we lost that game. I batted for the whole innings and I got 18 runs. Our second game was against Australia and we played Puneet (also from Team Taylor). We won that game by 6 runs. Our last group match was against New Zealand and we beat them by 17 runs. Our team mate Ben got 2 wickets and came close to a hat-trick. I was captain for this game.

ANZ CRICKET WORLD CAMP:

On the 20th of March we had our ANZ Cricket World Camp at Cornwall Park. I was in Martin Guptill's team and Raneel was in BJ Watling's team. We spent 5 minutes of drills and the coaches were teaching us new things. My favourite drill was when you had to bowl in a big square and little square. If you bowl in the big square you get 1 point. If you bowl in the little square you get 2 points and if you hit it on the wickets that is a bonus 3 points. I got 14 points. I got 5 points twice and I got 2 points twice.

At the end of the clinic, we got signatures on the back of our certificates by BJ Watling, Peter Fulton, Dean Brownlie, Neil Wagner and Shane Bond, and I had photos with Shane Bond and Dean Brownlie. We had a great time because all the drills we did were awesome.

Raneel's comments:
On the 20th of March, we had a ANZ cricket world. Shaan was in Martin Guptill's team and I was in BJ Watling's team. My favorite session was Bowling grip with Auckland Aces player Matt Quinn.
Some of the current Black Caps came, including BJ Watling, Peter Fulton, Dean Brownlie and Neil Wagner and the bowling coach Shane Bond.



GUCC JUNIOR CRICKET PRIZEGIVING and TAYLOR'S TEAM PARTY:

On the 24th of March, we had the junior prizegiving for Grafton United Cricket Club. For every team this man said 2 or 3 people will give the people medals for Best Batsman, Best Bowler and Most Improved player. The man said all the Year 2 teams then the Super Sixes and the Minicaps as the two Year 3 team that went before us. Then he called out Year 3 Taylor. Sam Carter was our Best Batsman, I was our Best Bowler and Thomas Laing got Most Improved. After the Prizegiving we went to Cath's house for Taylor's Party. Then Ed called my name and said, "Shaan, you were the Most Valuable Player for a great season." After all the medals were given out to each person, we went swimming in Sam's pool. It was awesome in Sam's pool. I had a great time because it was brilliant.