#great fast bowler

[turcott3]

first strike

mark estapa x fem! reader

warnings?: cursing, one kiss, fluff

masterlist

-

you sat anxiously at your vanity, teasing and touching your hair every minute until the hockey player texted you that he was in your driveway. when your phone lit up with the text your heart sank into your stomach.

“this is gonna be good.” you said to yourself, grabbing you wallet and heading out the front door. you opened the car door and got settled while you were greeted by the smiling brunette.

“you look great.” he smiles at you.

“thank you mark, you too.” you replied, his smile warming your heart. you and mark had been texting for a while. flirting, small talk, the whole shabang, but the two of you had never once hung out in real life, at least not alone. you’ve liked the boy for months and you’re finally on your first date with him.

“just so you know, i’m a great bowler.” he says, sparking an idea in your head. you had always loved to bowl with your family, and even won tournaments with them, so what if you could get this going a little quicker?

“oh i wish i was, i honestly suck.” you confess, totally lying out of your ass.

“hey no worries, i got you.” he says, ego booming through the roof of the car. the rest of the short drive was filled with your usual conversations, nothing out of the normal. you two walk into the bowling alley and make your way over to the counter.

“what’s your shoe size?” the woman asks the two of you.

“13 and she’s a?”

“6.” you smile.

“perfect, now let me ring you in,” she pauses, “your total is 24 even, are you splitting it?”

“no maam, im paying for it.” mark speaks up causing you to blush.

“thank you.” you whisper to him, his only reply being a smile. once you get to your lane you grab a 7 pound ball and he grabs a 12 pound.

“oh big and strong are we?” you laugh.

“what? oh this ball? if i had a 7 pound it would end up in the ceiling.” he laughs.

“woah okay mr macho.” you reply, giggling.

“okay i’m putting you as first, let me see what i’m working with here.” he says backing away and watching you bowl, purposefully shitty of course, but he has no idea. miraculously, you hit the two pins in the end.

“how’d i do?” you ask and he laughs.

“let me help you.” he says handing you the ball once it returned. you pick it up and you walk over to the lane, mark standing flush against your back. he grabs onto your wrist and lands his other hand on your waist.

“okay now bend your knees and lean forward. and don’t throw the ball, push it.” he say and you move together, picking up a spare.

“oh my gosh.” you say jumping and turning around as he smiles brightly at you.

“see it’s not so hard.” he says as you go sit down for his turn. he knocks 9 pins.

“damn look who’s winning.” you laugh and pick up your ball. it was show time. you walk up to the lane and send the ball effortlessly down the lane, knocking over 6 pins.

“see, i knew you could do it.”

“first to get a strike gets what?”

“a kiss.” he raises his brow.

“deal.” you reply and your heart sinks into your stomach. you couldn’t lie and say being around him didn’t make you nervous. a good nervous of course. you send the ball one more time hitting 2 more pins.

“your turn hot stuff.” you say patting him on the back.

“hot stuff?” he asks.

“mark im not blind, now go.” you laugh. much to your surprise he gets two gutter balls.

“you threw me off my game y/n.” he laughs sitting down next to you.

“i did no such thing.” you say getting up for your turn. as much as you wanted a strike, the idea made you nervous. you took a deep breath before walking up to the lane and sending the ball as fast as you could, knocking over all 10 pins. you turn around with wide eyes and jump for joy as he stands up and walks over to you, opening his arms to hug you.

“that was fucking awesome dude.” he says putting you down.

“it was pretty epic.” you laugh. once you’ve come back down you lock eyes with the tall boy.

“i was the first strike.” you say looking down at your feet.

“yep.” he replies, the building now feeling empty like it was no one but you two.

“hey look at me.” he says lifting your chin delicately with his hand.

“sorry i’m nervous.”

“why are you nervous?” he asks gently running his fingers down my arm.

“because you’re you. you’re tall, handsome….. let me not inflate your ego too much.” you laugh nervously.

“and you’re beautiful, smart, kind. i’ll inflate your ego any day.” he smiles, which you return as he finally closes the gap between you and presses his lips to yours. your stomach filled with butterflies as you melted into the feeling of his hands around your waist onto the small of your back. once you separate all you can do is smile at him.

“let’s finish this game yeah?” he says.

“yeah.” you say quietly. you go sit down in your seat, over the moon about what just happened, realizing you’re gonna have to tell him you lied about being a bad bowler sooner or later. once you finished the game that you had barely won, you exit the bowling alley and walk back out to his car.

“mark, i have to tell you something.” you say.

“what’s up? everything alright?” he asks buckling his seatbelt.

“oh yes of course. i just had to tell you that i lied about being a bad bowler,” you sigh.

“why?”

“because i wanted you to show me how to bowl, i wanted to get the ball rolling, figuratively, between you and i.” you say embarrassing yourself, “i also didn’t wanna hurt your ego too quickly.”

“y/n it’s okay, you’ve hurt my ego a tiny bit now, but i like you anyway. i was fully planning on kissing you regardless of if you were good at bowling or not. at least you getting the first strike makes way more sense now.” he laughs, reassuring you.

“thank you mark, i like you too….. and i have for a while honestly, and besides all that, you’re a good bowling teacher.”

“am i actually?”

“yes, you did perfectly.” you laugh.

“ego has been boosted again.” he states, placing his hand lightly on your leg as you pulled out of the parking lot. once you arrive back at your house he pulls into your driveway and puts the car in park.

“thank you for tonight.” he says turning toward you.

“you too, i had so much fun.” you smile.

“see you tomorrow? lunch?”

“yeah sure, what time?”

“don’t know yet but i’ll text you when im on the way.”

“perfect.” you smile as he leans over to kiss you one more time.

“bye mark,” you smile placing a hand on his cheek once he backs away a few inches.

“bye y/n.”

-

[hurlumerlu]

The waiting game.

A short THK fanfic (AO3)

Kant had winked before his jump.

He had looked pitiful, barefoot in his hospital gown, so out of place on the deck of the boat, and about ready to piss himself – but he had winked. As if he couldn’t leave Bison without giving him one last crumb of connivance, one last we’re gonna be fine. All this had told Bison was that Kant wasn’t so sure of it himself.

Bison hadn’t rushed to the side of the boat, nor watched the waters for a sign, and he certainly hadn’t dived in. He had stuck to the plan – Kant’s plan – and fled the fast-arriving cops.

"Relax", Kant had said on the drive from the hospital. "Kidnapping me was the hardest part."

Alone now, in another car, Bison begs to differ.

But no need for dramatics. Kant’s a great swimmer, and greater yet at getting out of a bind. He had spent an evening demonstrating this skill very literally, back when Bison still thought it was all just games, and it had taken some real creativity to keep him tied-up. It had been worth it, then, to see the confidence give way to frustration, to helplessness, to pleasure.

It’s worth far more now.

Sure, there’s a difference between freeing yourself to show off in bed, and doing the same thing underwater. Panic makes you clumsy and dumb. But Kant’s steady under pressure, right? Even starring down the barrel of a gun, at the wrong end of Bison’s wrath, he had kept his head. One life-threatening situation’s the same as another, Kant would say if he was here.

Then he would add something like "the sea’s got nothing on you, my love", with sly bedroom-eyes, and Bison would bury his fingers in his man’s hair and pull, hard, until – hmm. Maybe not that. Kant would be at the wheel.

Bison would say "you’re going to stop the car" and Kant would only hum, but he’d already be looking for a place to pull over, and when Bison would specify "if you know what’s good for you" he would get that slow widening smile, anticipatory and provocative, and – fuck, Bison hates driving.

Hates it now more than ever, in this busted car on these busted roads with a busted radio, and nothing but the cloying, cloying silence.

The safe house is empty when he arrives, like he knew it would be. Bison had to evade patrols, he took a number of detours and bumpy, winding paths, but Kant will likely have to come on foot, and before that he’ll need to reach one of their supply caches – he also warned that the captain was a canny old bastard and might not be convinced by Kant’s showy execution.

For all Bison knows, Kant is still waiting for the coast to clear.

He could also have gotten lost. He had assured he wouldn’t, that he knew the area well , but every word out of his mouth is a trust exercise, so...

The safe house is empty. Bison was not hoping he’d find Kant there.

He inspects the premises on autopilot. Anyone good enough to locate the place would have shot or arrested him the second he appeared, but Fadel would bitch about complacency, and he’d be right. Bison will have all the time in the world to become slow and unguarded once they’ve all regrouped outside the country.

He can’t grow careless so close to the finish line.

There’s nothing for him to do, here. Fadel would be working on straightening the bathroom cabinet’s door, or fixing the kitchen’s window screen, but Bison doesn’t even know how to try. There’s not much he’s good at besides murder, and nothing that would help now. He’s a decent bowler, a terrific dart thrower, pretty alright with young children. He’s learned basic first aid. He’s a competent waiter and his English’s serviceable. His flirting gets results, though in many cases just looking willing is enough. Mostly, he’s good at killing time.

Usually.

He could clean his gun. He’s already done it twice, and by now all it would do is open the possibility for mistakes in the reassembling, but he could clean his gun.

He doesn’t. Puts it on the coffee table, next to the burner phone that isn’t getting any signal. Bison knew what to expect. They talked about this, he and Fadel, agreed not to contact each other before the end of the week. Everything is going as it’s supposed to.

Any minute now, Kant will walk through the door, grumbling about the heat, or bug bites, or both. Bison will get up slowly from the couch, not daring to let himself believe, but there will be no denying it once they come face to face. He won’t even try to hide his relief.

Kant will get that look, the smug knowing one, with the raised eyebrows and downturned mouth that together form a smile, and Bison will cross the room, press himself against Kant’s salt-smelling clothes and burrow, burrow, burrow, until he’s home.

Any minute now.

[supernovasilence]

Meet the Family

Written for Futuristic Four Week 2024! Today's theme was Family. (I'll also be posting these as a series over on ao3, though we'll see if I make all the days on time lmao)

Summary: Wilbur invites his friends over to meet his family. He maybe should have given a few more details on who--and what--all his family includes. Gen, humor.

“No…” Wilbur said warningly as the great, gaping maw lowered slowly toward Hiro and Violet, teeth edging toward Violet’s forcefield while one beady eye watched Wilbur to see if its owner could get away with this. “Don’t do it…”

The monster lunged. Violet shrieked and slammed more energy into her forcefield. Hiro yelled and ducked instinctively, then peeked out from behind Violet’s shoulder, bare fists raised as if that would somehow do any good.

“No!” Wilbur yelled. “Bad dinosaur!”

Hiro and Violet screamed again as the T. rex chomped down on Violet’s forcefield and began to shake it like a dog with a ball. Violet concentrated everything she had on not dropping the forcefield as Hiro crashed into her and the two teens bounced around the purple bubble. They could dimly hear Wilbur still shouting.

Suddenly they were spinning across the grass in bright sunshine.

“Wo-o-oah!”

They rolled and tumbled and somehow, finally, slowed to a stop. Hiro staggered up, swayed, and promptly fell over again, too dizzy to stand. Violet clambered to her own feet carefully, trying very hard not to lose focus on the forcefield. It looked like it was dripping drool.

“Ew…”

“At least the shield held,” Hiro wheezed. “Thanks, Vi.”

Looking out, Violet saw Wilbur, not too far away (apparently they had done more spinning than actual traveling, which explained why her head was doing cartwheels), hands on his hips, scolding the T. rex that had almost just eaten his friends, while it sat on its haunches with a shamed, hanging head.

A panicked shout for Wilbur to get out of there! hurtled up Violet’s throat, paused, and died. It was replaced by annoyance. Extreme annoyance.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” She looked at Hiro.

He’d managed to get to his feet, and was watching with a nonplussed expression.

“Seriously, Wilbur?” he yelled.

Wilbur looked over, grinning. Hiro and Violet glared.

“What?” Wilbur asked.

“‘What?’” Violet shrieked.

“When you said we should meet your family, this was not what I pictured,” Hiro complained.

“I told you I had pets!”

“You said you had dogs!” Violet said. “You said Buster was, and I quote, ‘a Kennel Club crossword champion’.”

“That is not a dog!” Hiro gestured violently at the dinosaur, which was trotting happily after Wilbur as he walked over to his friends.

“Because that’s not Buster,” Wilbur said as though Hiro and Violet were the ones being silly here. “That’s Tiny.”

A shadow fell over the bubble as Wilbur—and his scaly terrier—reached it. Violet looked up at the dinosaur. It was easily 10 or 15 feet tall.

“Of course it is,” she said.

“Bowler Hat Guy brought him from the past during that one incident I’m not really supposed to talk about,” (Wilbur ran on too fast for either of the others to point out that they already knew practically everything about ‘that incident’, because Wilbur was absolutely terrible at not talking) “and we couldn’t figure out exactly when or where from to put him back. I mean, you can’t just dump a T. rex anywhere—he’d totally mess up the local ecosystem! And then we accidentally socialized him, and you really can’t dump a tame T. rex anywhere.”

“I don’t think tame T. rexes try to eat people,” Hiro said.

“He wasn’t trying to eat you. He was playing.”

“How was that—!”

Violet’s indignant question was cut off by the jangle of Hiro’s phone. He fished it out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

“It’s Penny.” He put her on speaker. “Hey, Penny.”

“Hi, Hiro. Are you already at Wilbur’s?”

“Yeah; Violet, too.” He looked at Tiny, clearly pondering the best, snarkiest way to mention their situation.

“I wanted to tell him sorry for being late, and I’m heading over now, but he forgot his phone somewhere again.”

“I did not!” Wilbur protested. “I…put it in a secure location.”

“You lost it,” Penny laughed. “Why do you sound so muffled?”

Hiro flicked on video chat. After a moment, Penny appeared on the screen, squinting at her phone.

“Why are you in a forcefield?”

Hiro silently panned the camera over.

Penny yelped and vanished in a pinwheel of house-grass-sky-Penny-house-grass. A second later she snatched her phone off the ground again and gaped at it.

“Is that a dinosaur? …he’s not eating Wilbur.”

“He’s tame!” Wilbur threw out his hands in exasperation. “He only went after Violet and Hiro because Dad made him some extra-reinforced jumbo beach balls to play with, and he thinks the forcefield is one.”

Tiny looked up hopefully and thumped his tail at the phrase ‘beach balls’. Violet glared.

“…are you serious?” Penny said slowly.

“I—”

“You’re petting a T. rex without me?! That’s so unfair! Aw man, traffic’s terrible this time of day. It’ll take forever to get there.”

“I can get Uncle Art to give you a ride,” Wilbur said. “He left on a delivery out near you right before Hiro and Violet showed up, and his ship’s plenty fast.”

“Don’t you need your phone to call him?” Hiro asked at the same time Violet said:

“Wait, so all those times you mentioned his spaceship, you meant actual spaceship? Your cousins aren’t going to turn out to be vampires, are they?”

Wilbur glared at them both.

“That’d be great, Wilbur; thanks!” Penny called loudly over the phone, though she was clearly stifling laughter too.

“…I might need some help finding my phone, though.” Wilbur said. He looked pointedly at the forcefield.

Violet eyed Tiny skeptically.

“You sure he’s not going to eat us?”

“Hurry up and find Wilbur’s phone so I can meet the dinosaur, guys!” Penny called.

“His name’s Tiny,” Wilbur said.

“Oh, that’s so cute—”

“Seriously, Penny?” Hiro asked. “You don’t care at all that we’re about to get eaten?”

“Alright, here goes nothing,” Violet said. “But Hiro, you better keep that call going. If we’re going to get mauled by a T. rex for Penny’s curiosity, I want her as a witness.”

Five minutes later, tentatively scratching Tiny’s great bronzy side, Hiro asked:

“So, are the rest of your family this weird?”

“Oh, no,” Wilbur said with a shrug. “The frogs are all from this time period; Mom just genetically modified them for intelligence. Which reminds me, we better go in through the side door. They tried to start a protection racket with Uncle Spike and Dmitri’s lawn gnomes, and now there’s a mafia war going in the front yard.”

“…I’m going to take that as a yes.”

[icecricnewsupdates]

Who is the Cricket World's Best Player?

The question of who is the greatest cricketer of all time has been a perennial debate among fans and pundits alike. While the answer is often subjective and influenced by personal biases, there are several players who have consistently dominated the sport and made a strong case for the title. Let's explore some of the contenders and the factors that contribute to their greatness.

The Modern Era Dominators: Kohli, Smith, and Kane Williamson

The past decade has witnessed the rise of three exceptional talents who have redefined the standards of batting. Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson have consistently produced match-winning performances across all formats, solidifying their status as the modern era's premier batsmen.

♯1. Virat Kohli: The Indian captain's aggressive style, impeccable timing, and ability to adapt to different conditions have made him a nightmare for bowlers. His record-breaking centuries and his leadership qualities have cemented his place among the all-time greats.

♯2. Steve Smith: The Australian's unorthodox technique and his ability to score runs at will have made him a force to be reckoned with. Smith's consistency and his ability to perform under pressure have earned him widespread admiration.

♯3. Kane Williamson: The New Zealand captain's elegant strokeplay and his calm demeanor have made him a joy to watch. Williamson's ability to anchor the innings and his match-winning performances have solidified his reputation as one of the best batsmen in the world.

➥ Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Schedule 2024-2025

The All-Round Legends: Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, and Jacques Kallis

The all-rounders who have excelled in both batting and bowling have always been held in high regard. Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, and Jacques Kallis are among the most iconic all-rounders of all time.

♯1. Imran Khan: The former Pakistan captain's swing bowling and his classy batting made him a complete cricketer. His leadership qualities and his contributions to his country's success have earned him legendary status.

♯2. Kapil Dev: The Indian fast bowler's ability to swing the ball both ways and his useful batting made him a valuable asset to the team. His leadership in the 1983 World Cup-winning team cemented his place in Indian cricket history.

♯3. Jacques Kallis: The South African all-rounder's consistency and his ability to perform in all conditions have made him one of the greatest cricketers of his generation. His contributions with both bat and ball have been invaluable to his country.

➥ Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Schedule 2024-2025

The Timeless Greats: Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, and West Indies Legends

While the modern era has produced some exceptional talents, there are a few players who have transcended generations and are considered among the greatest of all time. Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, and the West Indies legends of the 1970s and 1980s are among the most revered names in cricket history.

♯1. Don Bradman: The Australian legend's batting average of 99.98 remains the highest in Test cricket history. His dominance over bowlers and his ability to score runs at will have made him a mythical figure in the sport.

♯2. Sachin Tendulkar: The Indian "Master Blaster" broke countless records during his illustrious career. His ability to adapt to different conditions and his consistency have made him one of the most beloved cricketers of all time.

♯3. West Indies Legends: The West Indies teams of the 1970s and 1980s boasted a formidable lineup of fast bowlers and powerful batsmen. Players like Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, and Joel Garner dominated world cricket for over a decade.

➥ Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Schedule 2024-2025

[stokesy55]

OKAY I saw the ask about bras and fun fact, male athletes often wear sports bras to prevent nipple chafing. why do i know this? because i saw the aussie bowlers get all sweaty back in the gabba test against wi and i could see their sports bras through their shirts and i was too curious not to google

They also wear them because they can install performance trackers in them behind their necks so they can see how much distance they covered, how fast they were running etc. It's great for performance progress and just another stream of data for them to study xD

Marky wears one all the time 🥰

everyone wears them :D

[thefictioness]

9. Bounce

This work is part of a Kuroshitsuji Fictober series. For more info, click here.

In the sport of cricket, a bouncer (or bumper) is a type of short-pitched delivery, usually bowled by a fast bowler, which bounces once and then reaches the batter at head-height.

A nice summer breeze made the leaves on the tree overhead dance. Vincent yawned, the grass tickling his cheeks. Today’s lazy afternoon consisted of listening to the birds in the trees, the buzzing of the bees and the low grumbling of the individual that sat next to him. Diederich was deeply immersed in a notebook, alternating between writing and grabbing sandwiches off of the plate next to him, mumbling all the while. “Third man… Hmm… Who should I put there?” Vincent chuckled softly at the ramblings of his companion. “Crawford? Crawford isn’t a great cover…” Vincent rolled over to his stomach. “Hey Die…” Diedrich didn’t seem to notice him calling out as he continued. “When should Midford bat?” “Diedrich,” Vincent tried again. “Maybe Sutton could go for the long stop…” “Diedrich! Someone is stealing your sandwiches!” Vincent shouted. Diedrich looked around for his plate, alarmed. “Hm? What!” Vincent laughed. Diedrich’s frown became even deeper. “What was that for, Mole?” Vincent smiled broadly. “Teach me how to play cricket.” Diedrich nearly dropped the notebook he was holding. “What are you saying?” “I’m saying that the tournament is only weeks away, and I don’t know how to play,” Vincent shrugged. “You’re joking. You made a wager with me, knowing full well how good I am, and you don’t even know how to play? And now you expect the person you wagered against to help you?” The vein on Diedrich’s temple was starting to throb. “Well, it wouldn’t be very fair if you’d know how to, and I wouldn't, right?” Vincent blinked, portraying innocence. Diedrich rubbed his forehead and sighed. “I guess… I guess you got a point…” Vincent crawled up and sat down next to Diedrich. “Thank you, Die. That’s very kind of you.” Diedrich shielded his notebook. “You better not try anything funny.”

The next afternoon, The two boys went to the cricket field to practice. Diedrich was a stern but effective teacher, and within an hour, Vincent was batting like a true professional. “I’ve got to hand it to you, Mole. You’re a fast learner,” Diedrich said. They switched places so that Diedrich was batting, and Vincent was bowling. “Now you’ll want to bowl the ball somewhere within this frame…” Diedrich drew an imaginary rectangle with his bat. “To make sure it’s valid.” “I’ll try!” Vincent replied enthusiastically. Diedrich prepared himself, and Vincent threw. “Woah! Are you sure this is your first time?” Diedrich asked, after barely being able to bat a very fast ball. “I guess I’m a natural,” Vincent said with a smile. Diedrich got in position again. Vincent smirked, and aimed. “What do you think you’re doing!” Diedrich cried out as Vincent’s ball bounced off the ground and went for his head. He took a dive sidewards to avoid it. “Oh? Isn’t that allowed?” Vincent asked. Diedrich looked livid. “Now you listen. I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here, but that’s one very dangerous trick and it’s barely legal to use-” “So it was a legal throw then?” Vincent repeated his cause, cutting Diedrich off. Diedrich gritted his teeth. “You’re an absolute menace, Vincent Phantomhive. I knew something was up.” “I look forward to our match too, Die,” Vincent smiled. 

[stoookes]

With Broady gone and Jimmy about to retire :((( who do you think will be England's bowling attack from now on? Stuart recently made a statement that Jimmy's retirement (and his own too) leaves England wanting desperately for some experience. And I have to agree with him. I'll admit it, England aren't my team, so the only time I watch their tests is when they are playing against my team, India, and a bit of the ashes here and there. But very honestly, I can't remember any fast bowler apart from Jimmy and Stu to feature consistently in the admittedly small sample of matches I have. Woody is probably the next most consistent to these two. I remember Woakesy was there in the 2020 and the 2021 Ind test series, but I don't think he was there for the recently concluded 2024 one? Or if he did play, it wasn't more than a match or two. Again I remember Sam Curran being really good in the India series in 2018, and I'm pretty sure he played in the 2020 and 2021 series, but again, I don't recall him playing the 2024 one. Which is mystifying tbh, because Sam was absolutely great in the 2018 series, even Kohli said so and credited him with being the difference in the two sides or something like that. And I remember Ollie Robinson played a few against us, because he got into this pretty publicized sledging battle with Virat once. Apart from these three, whom I remember distinctively, I can remember some pacers like Olly (Stone I think??), Craig Overton, Josh Tongue, etc. playing, but they haven't featured consistently in squads or lineups. So who do you think can take up the Jimmy and Stuart mantle now? Because I can't seem to remember anybody who's consistently partnered Jimmy and Stu over the years, and has at least a fraction of their experience.

(God I am so not ready for Jimmy to retire, he debuted before i was born, so I assumed that he's been playing forever and he will continue to play forever 😭😭😭😭)

So I agree - one of the reasons Stuart and Jimmy never retired together was to keep the experience in the dressing room. I also very much think Jimmy has been pushed out rather than left of his own accord. I really desperately hope that he does stay on as bowling coach because at least then we don’t lose that experience.

We have all the ones you listed - woody is more impact than long spells, Jofra is hopefully coming back to tests soon, Sammy should hopefully get another chance, Gus Atkinson as well is being listed as the next one to watch. Woakesy didn’t play in the recent India test but I hope they do bring him back into the home attack. We also have tongue, Overton, stone. Personally I don’t rate Robinson but he’ll likely get a few more goes as we now try and work out what our future bowling attack looks like.

It was always going to be like this when either/both Stuart and Jimmy went because they’ve been the backbone of the England test squad for so long. I mean good on the management team seeing the India performance and declaring something needed changing. I just hope they do it right or it’s gonna be a tough few years

[corndoggod]

Walkie Talkie

It’s Wednesday evening, about an hour of sun left, and I’m walking down to the old penthouse in Flatbush to retrieve my new apartment keys. It’s moments like these — walking, doing dishes, a 30 min break between meetings — that I’d call my Dad. 

I can hear his excitement picking up the phone: Connor boy! We’d start with the weather. It’s a beautiful day here, I’d say. One of those days where the weather can’t quite decide what it wants to be, flitting between big blue sun and sudden gray with spastic rain. 

I’d tell him I’ve been running more and that I think I’m gonna sign up for a marathon near Albany with the goal of qualifying for Boston. It’s a friendly qualifier, according to Google, and we have some friends nearby we could stay with. I’d tell him I saw Chris Hayes on my lunch run — he was walking his dog in his PJs on a work cal. I knew it was a work call because I knew when his editorial team met to discuss the evening lineup. And that’s not all. This was actually my second sighting of Hayes. The first being at a bar in Gowanus before I really worked in media. How rare to encounter the same celeb twice in the New York wilderness? 

I’d tell him about bowling, though surely he would’ve called the following day to hear how we did in the playoffs. I’d regret to inform him we lost in the first round to a team of toxic old creepers. But I bowled well -- a 146 in the first game and then a 170 to close the season. I’d promise to send him the article about a Dallas bowler’s near-900 game, an almost unheard of string of three consecutive perfect games. In other words, 36 strikes in a row. A turkey to end all turkeys. The seventh extinction. 

He’d probably feed me some essay idea and remind me how much he loves my writing and remind me I got my work ethic from Mom. 

I’d tell him I won a hail mary bet, how it was a must-win otherwise I would’ve depleted all my FanDuel dollars, after which I promised to stop betting like I had been every week for the last two months and he’d say Oh yeahhh like the Kool Aid man (kool aid btw was invented in Nebraska). We both bet on Denver to repeat as champions so we’d prematurely discuss their first playoff game and what it portends for June. 

I’d tell him no I haven’t spoken to Ethan recently but we both love you deeply. 

Dad would hem and haw when asked what’s new with him. There never was much. Life was filtered through TV, current events, books, visitors and his window overlooking the parking lot with an American flag planted center stage. One of the nurses told me he offered up his grandpas flag honoring his WWII service to replace their tattered flag. 

He’d surely ask what I was reading. New York 2140. I borrowed it from you. It was perfect you had it, because that’s exactly what I wanted to read after Vinson Cunningham’s debut novel Great Expectations. I read it flying into New York and saw how vulnerable the city was to a rising sea-levels. We landed in LaGuardia, which has its ass hanging out on the water. Tunneling through the East River to Manhattan I saw the ancient screws coated in dust holding the center fast against past and future. 

It was a very New York book, too, with some interesting finance elements (liquidity, stoking then shorting the bubble, Ben Bernanke’s heroic levers). One of the main characters was a super, another was a degen finance bro. It indulged in geographic specificity, from street names to developed marshes, making several detours down local cul de sacs into forgotten pockets of history and waxing poetic about that famous New York energy. 

It flagged a little 400 pages in, but the animating premise -- a resilient New York that adapted to a 50-foot surge in sea levels after the ice shelf collapsed -- was endlessly fascinating. Downtown was “intertidal” with skyscrapers partly submerged in water at high tide, while sky bridges criss-crossed overhead, and cloud communities circled above superscrapers hundreds of stories high. The author imagineered a SuperVenice and it was a beautiful triumph against the odds. You would like the cloud influencer who shepherded animals at risk in her blimp-ark. 

He’d tell me about an interesting book review he read in the Washington Post and the book that would soon be delivered and of course the many others he had his eye on. You have plenty of reading material already. Read what you have! I’d normally say shaking my head. But this time I’d say those all sound great and I promise to take good care of them. I’ll read them all with you. 

Inevitably we’d both get quiet. I was always perplexed why Dad got anxious during any conversation lull, but he did and would proceed to wrap things up. I took advantage of this sometime. But not today. Today I’d say don’t go, the words will come, just stay on the line. 

[pct-zindabad]

THE WRATH OF KHAN

Imran Khan is indisputably Pakistan’s greatest cricketer. As an all-rounder, he bears comparison with the best there have ever been, a skillful fast bowler and resourceful batsman with a solid defense. But all of them he was a great leader that he really stood out. If you see the history of Pakistan cricket, it shows that Pakistan is a notoriously difficult team to captain.

But he had the massive charisma and stature to unify them and drive them to play above themselves, and that is quite a talent. His finest hour was undoubtedly guiding Pakistan to their first World Cup triumph in 1992, top-scoring with 72 in the final against England at MCG in front of 87k spectators. Although, Imran’s famously imploring his team earlier in the tournament when their hopes hung by a thread to fight ‘like cornered tigers’.

But he has to his name several other outstanding achievements. Imran Khan-led Pakistan to their first Test series wins in both India 1986-87 – obviously a huge thing in his country – and England in 1987. He also led Pakistan to three drawn series in a row against West Indies when West Indies were at the height of their powers. Pakistan, in fact, were the first side to seriously challenge West Indian supremacy.

When they won Test Match at Guyana in 1988, then it was the first time in ten years that West Indies had lost a home Test. The major contribution of Imran Khan when he took 11 wickets in the game. In his career, Imran claimed 80 wickets at 21.18 apiece against West Indies, an incredible record given how strong they were at the time.

He scored some important runs against them too, notably in his final series against West Indies in 1990– 91 when he averaged 50.33 (his overall average against West Indies was 27.67). Imran, who led Pakistan on and off for ten years from 1982 to 1992, mentored some fine players during that period, notably fast bowlers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Aaqib Javed.

Especially two w’s who swung the ball at pace even greater distances than he did. Imran had the bearing of a leader and for the most part, the players followed. Captaincy elevated his game to a striking degree, averaging 50.55 with the bat and 19.90 with the ball. He turned himself into a considerable bowler with an astonishing record inside Pakistan where visiting fast bowlers tended to find life desperately hard.

Imran himself took 163 wickets at 19.20 apiece there, a better record than he had elsewhere (his overall record was a hugely impressive 362 wickets in 88 Tests at 22.81 each; no one had taken more for Pakistan at the time he retired). Some of the famous players never faced him in Pakistan as he was nursing a stress fracture that prevented him from bowling for the best part of two years when toured therein 1983–84.

England encountered him in 1982 and 1987 and he was a major force both times. In three Tests in 1982, when we were perhaps a little fortunate to win the series 2–1, he scored 212 runs and took 21 wickets. However, he came to England with a passion to beat England in England in 1987. And he led the Pakistan side to do the first time.

In that series, he again took 21 wickets and was the match-winner with the ball in the one game that had a positive outcome at Headingly Leeds. Imran Khan bowling immaculately to take seven for 40 in the second innings. Imran, who was at Oxford in the early 1970s and from there joined Worcestershire, started out as a brisk medium-pacer but through determination and intelligence turned himself into a genuine fast bowler of quality. His two cousins Majid Khan and Javed Burki also led the Pakistan cricket team in the 1960s and 1970s.

Many cricketers remember facing him in one of their earliest games for Leicestershire at around the time he was stepping up his pace. It was the day after David Gower took an early exit from university and we were playing a Benson & Hedges Cup quarter-final at Worcester on a good old New Road pitch with pace and bounce. Gower was caught at slip off him and the ball carried a long way behind me, always a good measure of someone’s speed.

At the age of 18, he made a test debut against England at Edgbaston in 1971 but did not take a permanent place due to below-par performance. Hence, he continued to focus on his education and cricket in England and come back to the side in 1974 on the tour of England.

In county cricket in the period from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s, Imran would have been up there with Mike Procter and Malcolm Marshall as among the best at swinging the ball at pace. Perhaps the thing that completed his education was joining World Series, from which he emerged a far better bowler, learning from watching and working with so many other fine fast bowlers recruited by Kerry Packer. Imran Khan’s charismatic personality and athletic talent made him a popular celebrity all over the world.

In 1976, Imran took 6 for 63 and 6 for 102, for a match figure of 12 wickets to lead his country to 8 wickets win in the 3rdTest at Sydney. This spell surprises the whole Australian team and Pakistani dressing room. Before that match, he was having 9 test matches experience with 25 wickets under his belt with a heavy average of 43.52. Pakistan was trailing 0-1 in the tough series, but Imran’s hostile bowling spell makes Pakistan a marked ascent in the world of cricket.

In 1980, Imran Khan scored 123 runs in the first Test century against the powerful bowling attack of West Indies at Lahore. The years in which he played from 1980 to 1986, on either side of his lay-off for the stress fracture, he was taking his Test wickets at a very cheap cost. In 1982 he returned what remains the best match figures for Pakistan in Tests of 14 for 114 against Sri Lanka in Lahore. The following winter he took an incredible 40 wickets at 13.95 in six Tests against India.

What the Pakistan bowlers, led by Imran and Sarfraz Nawaz, seemed to understand better than everyone else was the mysterious art of swinging the old ball. Therefore, for a batsman, coping with anyone who could move the ball – whether old or new – both ways were always a challenge. You worked hard to get your runs.

The early 1980s was a great era for all-rounders with Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, and Kapil Dev all doing great things and rivaling each other for the status of top dog. In the 1987 Cricket World Cup, Khan decided to quit international cricket. But later, the Pakistan public and Zia-ul-Haq the Prime Minister requested him to take back his retirement. He could not reject the public appeal and return to international cricket until 1992.

In terms of bowling, Imran was perhaps consistently the quickest of them. Botham had times where he bowled with the same sort of pace, Hadlee could bowl a sharp delivery if needed but in comparison was slightly down on pace overall, and Kapil was brisker medium than brisk. But they all moved the ball in the air or hit the seam or both, and that was really what made them so difficult to face.

In July 1987, Imran became the first Pakistani bowler to take 300 wickets milestone during the 3rd Test vs England at Lords. If you see the stats, then Imran and Hadlee stood well out in front, averaging around 22 while Botham and Kapil took their wickets at a cost in the high 20s, a reflection really that they were unable to maintain their early brilliance into older age.

Ian Botham probably ranked first as a batsman but Imran, who began his career down the order, developed into a seriously good top-order player and accordingly ended up with six Test hundreds to his name (Botham made 14, Kapil eight, and Hadlee two). Imran kept on improving and became a world-class batsman in all forms.

Indeed, towards the end of his career, he was playing more as a batsman who bowled than a bowler who batted, and when he scored those runs in the 1992 World Cup final, he was batting at number 3. His Test record with the bat was highly respectable, an average of 37.69 comparing well to Botham’s 33.54, Kapil’s 31.05, and Hadlee’s 27.16.

Imran retired from all forms of cricket after winning the 1992 world cup. What gives Imran preeminence in this all-rounder fest is his stature as a leader of a national side that had previously lacked any direction. Since Imran, Pakistan cricket has rarely been stable. Talented players continue to be produced in extraordinary numbers given the absence of a coherent domestic structure.

But it has been engulfed in more than one corruption scandal, while a terrorist attack on a touring Sri Lanka team in 2009 has forced them since to set up a new home in the Middle East. Imran himself has entered politics in the ambitious hope of addressing his country’s many problems. After retirement, he entered politics and outspoken critic of government corruption in Pakistan.

Imran Khan laid the foundation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 1996. Imran Khan started a new journey into Pakistan politics and continued their efforts after badly failing in the 2002, and 2007 elections. Eventually, his efforts bring some happiness to his party becoming a strong candidate for the 2013 elections.

Even in one accident he badly injured his neck and back to falling from a platform at an election campaign rally. Therefore, his braveness in fighting against corruption & poverty won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 elections. Then he became the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan. The first cricketer to be knighted a prime minister of any country.

Imran Khan remains a philanthropist in the public eye. He has a great passion to build a cancer hospital after his mother died of those diseases in 1985. His wish was fulfilled by completing Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore in 1994 named after Khan’s mother.

[edwinspaynes]

"[Will] wanted to see the people walking to work, their bowler hats tiny specks under their eyes. He wanted to see motorcars zooming alongside carriages and understand just how fast they could go. He wanted to see the colors of the buildings and the pavement of the roads, and, as Tessa could not forget, he wanted to 'see the Tower Green upon which royalty lost their heads.' Tessa had quipped that Will might not wish to lose his own head over a giant circle." Or, the one where Will takes Tessa for a Ferris wheel ride.

taglist (lmk if you want to be added/removed): @staywildefairchild @sourlemons262 @belle-keys @coriia @drunkonimagination @alastaircarstairsismybff @vwritesaus @claritywithclary @luciehercndale @what-ho-christopher-put-in @life-through-the-eyes-of @alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @bluewrite @lulusofis @oursoulstheyplay @tessherongraystairs

[applesauce-drawz]

Isola’s 1st Birthday NRC

A Clown’s Birthday

Heike walked through the Heartslabyul dorm with a serious look on his face. He felt the weight of his duties that day. As he faced the task, he gripped a pencil in one fist and clenched a piece of paper in the other fist. His eyes looked around, feeling uncomfortable in the dormitory’s surroundings. Heike’s task was arduous, given his dislike for some individuals. He had to interview a birthday kid, but the person he had to interview was someone he disliked. The clown seemed out of place because the dorm controlled the character’s actions. The stern fellow felt the weight of the situation as he prepared to confront the imposing clown. Heike took a deep breath and summoned his courage to face the confrontation. Heike had defeated five prefects, after all. Therefore, he can take on a clown. He stepped into the dormitory, unsure of himself, and glanced around the room anxiously. He felt unshaken in his determination to complete the mission.

Heike searches for the birthday lounge amid the crowded Heartslabyul dormitory corridors. Today, the aroma of cake, tarts, and other wonderful birthday-themed items is here. And there in the center of it all, the most insidious feature: Isola Piacere. As Heike approached the birthday boy, he felt a nervous shiver down his spine. His face appeared disturbed by the thought of facing the clown himself. But he has to push through. Heikes’ grip tightens around the notebook as he continues his walk towards Isola. Everyone at the party smiled as they watched the clown’s tricks. They looked excitedly at the show. The birthday boy’s orange and blue party hat, followed by Isola’s own orange and blue tie bowler hat, pulled out. It resembled pulling a rabbit from a hat in its magical feel.

As the clown finishes his last trick, the crowd claps and disburses to get food, treats or talk to others. Heike waited for all of them to leave, smiling at familiar faces and waving goodbye to those who had to go. He lets out a sigh as he came up to the clown. Him waving away to the others.

“Ayeee, Happy Birthday Isola.” Heike gave the clown a forced smile as the taller figure turned to face him.

Isola lets out loud, proud claps, showing that he’s happy to see Heike. It wasn’t very often Isola got large celebrations like this for himself. It would be for his infamous acts around the globe when he was a small child. Now, on closer inspection, Isola Knelt down and stared at the pencil and pen. It didn’t take it long before the clown pointed it out to Heike.

Heike looked down at the items he held and showed them to Isola. This is the first time the island has had a birthday party, and it’s going well. It is his first year after all. Heike remembered the first time it had happened to him. It was a rather odd introduction to the student here. The questions that were written to him were loud and lively. Heike hoped he could come up with less offensive questions for Isola to answer.

“Right, this is the first for you, huh? All you have to do is answer some questions I have. Is that alright?”

Isola nodded to Heikes in question. Then stood up. The clown was ready to answer any questions that Heike wanted to ask Isola himself.

But before Heike could ask any rhetorical or there going questions. The blue hair student pulled out an iPad, dino themed stickers covered the iPad to the brim. Isola takes the device as it turns itself on. The screen shines on the talk to speech texts. Heike reassures Isola that the device is for communicating reasons. Heike knew Isola had some problems speaking with others, though. He knows how to read and write it.

“Right, of course! Happy birthday, Isola.”

He bows once more. Once he got up, he began to type with the device Heike gave him. Isola is rather fast at typing. He would’ve been a great tech kid if he were to be in Ignyhide, he thought. It took a moment for Isola to find the button to bring the digital voice to life. Once he did find it, Isola twirled his hand in the air and pressed the button. Heike’s head jerked up, his pointed ears listening to the technical Dino themed device.

``A pleasure to see you here, Heike. I am surprised you joined the party!``

Heike could hear a snarky chuckle coming from the clown as he gave him a frown. It was a better idea to have Isola be silent for the rest of the meeting. Heike lets out an annoyed sigh.

“First time for everything, anyway. How does it feel to have a party for you?”

Isola spun around joyously. He seemed rather happy to be at the center of his dorm’s attention. Even if it were street tricks, or magic tricks. Isola himself was happy to be in it all. Once Isola stopped his physical way of explaining how he felt, he typed it out.

``Fantastic! It’s only been a lifetime since I had the spotlight on good old me. It takes me back some old, old memories``

“How long have you had this clown-like persona? Is it a choice of character?”

Isola took his time to think about this question. Feeling the weight of his thoughts weighing on his mind. Isola walked over to a seat, a seat that was rather shorter and smaller than him. To be honest, everything seemed to be smaller than the giant gentlemen. As Isola sat down on the couch, he stretched out his legs as his arms pulled into the air and then placed them behind his head. Isola set his feet on the table in front of him. In Isola’s mind, this must be more convenient like this than in any other way.

The clown tapped the bottom of his mask as he thought. For the longest he could remember, Isola only had the clown persona. He had a bond with clowns themselves. Not that Isola wanted to be one himself. Isola pulled the tablet closer and types once more.

``Since I was a tiny, itttyyy bitty lad. Circus has always coursed through my veins!``

Heike gave Isola an eyebrow raise, curious about what he meant by that. Someone with this persona with a long span like that must’ve done something. But Heike didn’t care. The Dino lover shrugs and continues on his line of questions. If he said them in a row, he could get this done and over with.

“What’s a comfort item you hold close?”

``A little stuff donkey! Named Sir Jeralds the 3rd.``

“Is there a reason why it’s your comfort item?”

``Donkeys have always been my favorite animal!! It’s been with me out and in. Since the beginning of our circus.``

“You seem like the funny type. What kind of humor do you like the most?”

``Slapstick! A clown’s top favorite! Physical comedy, such as pies to the face, falling down, or whoopee cushions are over-the-top. We may also use exaggeration to achieve the comedic effect. After some build-up, we may use humor -that relies on misdirection to create a comedic effect. Such as hiding and revealing things in unexpected ways can create comedic moments.``

Isola sat up, setting the iPad down. As he does so, the clown pulls out a few balls from his sleeves and begins juggling them. Heike’s eyes glued to the clown, following every move he made. As the show went on, the clown added a big, bright ball, making things more exciting for his one audience member. With a snap of his wrist, he tossed the ball up to the ceiling, making it vanish from view. Heike held his breath, anticipating the clown’s next move. With a quick sweep of his hand, he produced the ball from behind his back and held it up for Heike to see. Heike stared at the ball with a surprised look on his face.

“Erm, impressive.” Heike moved the hand that held the ball away. He coughed into his hand, continuing with his questions.

“A lot of people wonder, How does House warden Riddle put up with your clown tricks?”

Isola paused for a moment, then did a quick nod. Tossing the ball over his shoulder, disappearing from sight once more. He moved back towards the iPad next so could text his answer once more.

``It’s fun seeing his head go red! I, for one, do not know how he hasn’t given me the boot. Though I have heard I was his scapegoat for finding loopholes in his silly, not needed rules.``

“I see, next one then.” Heike stares at the next question for a bit before asking. Who came up with these? Heike had an unnerving look on his face. He asks the question.

“How did you get those burns? The ones up on your arm.”

Heike interrupted Isola before he could respond, causing tension between them and filling the room with a heavy silence. The two faced each other, their eyes locked, the seconds ticking by with an almost electric intensity. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Isola’s iPad broke the silence. He must’ve been typing when they were staring.

``Coming too close to the sun to save someone. I recommend not to do it. No matter how much it hurts.``

Heike stared at Isola in disbelief. Utter disbelief. He didn’t quite understand what Isola meant. But this opened a total mystery of its own. Heike knew there was some odd history going on with Isola, and he was right to assume so. No one bats an eye at the clown. They don’t question his antics, nothing. He’s here, existing with the rest of his dorm friends and acquaintances. Heike would ask more personal questions to get deeper into this, but he didn’t want to press the clown to his limit. Two more questions will have to be asked.

“Well, um. Anyway! What’s your favorite way to play games?” Heike wanted to get past it. So, this will brighten the mood a bit.

Isola’s mood changed from one of agitation to one of excitement. The energy in the room immediately lifted as Isola stretched his hands out and began typing again.

``Usually, I play chess! With a lion, though, I could never beat him. I always come this close to winning! But he always comes up with a quick attack.``

Isola pinched his finger when he mentioned the winning. Ever since Isola found out about someone else playing chess, he’s been playing against him himself. Isola doesn’t think that the lion himself will ever take him seriously when playing, but Isola knows he’s seen his highness slip up a couple times. But he always changed his way of playing. And Isola had to relearn his tactics all over again.

Heike found it rather entertaining to imagine a rather large clown trying to play small chess pieces with a lion. Though, he wondered if Isola meant an actual lion, or one of the beast-men that are in this school that plays with him. Whatever it was, Heike had one more question. He could finish for the day.

“How is it like sharing your birthday with the dorm's jester, Litchi?”

They made a loud POP. Heike turned his head in his direction, and it happened to be the clown’s hat that popped. Like a balloon or confetti popper. Mentioning the jester's name caused Isola's irritation to increase. At least for what Heike could gather from the clown’s stance.

``I HATE that jester.``

[top4allo]

Cheteshwar Pujara reveals secret strategy to conquer 'most dangerous' Mitchell Starc

India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has given the Rohit Sharma-led team a great suggestion on how to deal with the threat of Mitchell Starc in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He mentioned that the fast bowler gets tired after his first spell and after that it is easy to play him. Australian national cricket team Mitchell Starc has been a huge threat to the Indian national cricket team…

[lotuscricket]

Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers: Big Bash League (BBL) Dream 11 Team Prediction

Hello cricket fans! Welcome to another exciting cricket prediction article. Today, we're diving deep into the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) match between Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers. This match is scheduled for December 22, 2024, at the iconic Brisbane Cricket Ground. If you’re looking to build a powerful Dream 11 team and want insights into player performance, pitch conditions, and match strategies, you’re in the right place!

Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers: Big Bash League (BBL) Dream 11 Team Prediction In this article, we'll provide you with detailed player analysis, team strategies, and other essential tips to help you create a winning Dream 11 team. So, grab your cricket gear, and let’s get started!

Match Details

MatchDateVenueBrisbane Heat vs Adelaide StrikersDecember 22, 2024Brisbane Cricket Ground

Overview of Brisbane Heat

Team Profile Brisbane Heat, known for their aggressive batting and energetic gameplay, is one of the prominent teams in the BBL. With a strong lineup that includes both experienced players and emerging talents, they are always a team to watch. The team has seen ups and downs in previous seasons but is eager to make a mark this year. Key Players to Watch - Joe Burns - Role: Opening Batsman - Strengths: Joe Burns brings a wealth of experience to the team. He is known for his solid technique and ability to anchor the innings. His ability to rotate the strike and build partnerships is crucial, especially in the powerplay overs. - Chris Lynn - Role: Batsman - Strengths: Lynn is a destructive batsman with a high strike rate. He has a penchant for big hits and can change the game's momentum in a matter of overs. His performance in home games has often been exceptional, making him a key player for the Heat. - Marnus Labuschagne - Role: All-Rounder - Strengths: Marnus is known for his all-round capabilities. As a batsman, he has been in great form internationally, and his spin bowling adds depth to the Heat’s bowling attack. His ability to play in crucial situations makes him invaluable. - Lachlan Fergusen - Role: Fast Bowler - Strengths: Fergusen has a knack for taking early wickets, which can set the tone for the match. His speed and ability to swing the ball make him a formidable opponent, especially in the initial overs. - Chad Sayers - Role: Bowler - Strengths: An experienced bowler who can bowl economically and take wickets at crucial times. Sayers’ experience in different conditions can be beneficial in pressure situations. Recent Form Brisbane Heat's recent performances have shown promise. They have a good mix of youth and experience. In their last few matches, they have focused on aggressive batting while maintaining a balanced bowling attack. If they continue this momentum, they could be a tough competitor in this match.

Overview of Adelaide Strikers

Team Profile Adelaide Strikers are known for their balanced approach and strategic gameplay. With a blend of power hitters and skillful bowlers, they can adapt to different match situations. The Strikers are looking to improve their standings in this season and will be eager to showcase their talents against Brisbane Heat. Key Players to Watch - Paul Stirling - Role: Opening Batsman - Strengths: Stirling is an explosive opener who can score runs quickly. His ability to hit boundaries in the powerplay overs is crucial for setting a strong foundation for the innings. - Rashid Khan - Role: Bowler - Strengths: Rashid is one of the best T20 bowlers in the world. His leg-spin bowling can take wickets at critical junctures and create pressure on the batting side. He is also handy with the bat, capable of scoring quick runs down the order. - Matt Renshaw - Role: Batsman - Strengths: A reliable middle-order batsman, Renshaw can stabilize the innings when wickets fall. His ability to play spin and pace well makes him a key player in the batting lineup. - Jake Weatherald - Role: Batsman - Strengths: Weatherald is known for his elegant stroke play and can score big runs. He has a good record in the BBL and is capable of playing match-winning innings. - Peter Siddle - Role: Bowler - Strengths: The veteran pacer brings a wealth of experience and can be crucial in the death overs. His ability to bowl yorkers and maintain tight lines makes him a valuable asset. Recent Form Adelaide Strikers have shown consistent performances in the league. They have a well-rounded team that can chase down scores or defend totals effectively. Their recent matches indicate they are gaining momentum, making them a formidable opponent for Brisbane Heat.

Pitch and Weather Conditions

Pitch Report The Brisbane Cricket Ground, known for its bouncy pitch, generally favors batsmen. The surface is usually good for scoring runs, especially in the first innings. However, fast bowlers can also get assistance due to the bounce and carry. It’s essential for teams to assess the conditions during the toss, as the pitch can wear down, making it difficult for batting later in the game. Weather Forecast The weather in Brisbane during December is typically warm. On the day of the match, the temperature is expected to be around 28°C (82°F). There might be some cloud cover, but rain is not predicted. However, it’s always good to check the weather closer to the match day as conditions can change.

Dream 11 Team Creation

When creating your Dream 11 team, consider the following tips to ensure you have a competitive squad: 1. Balance Your Team Make sure to select a balanced team that includes a good mix of batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders. A balanced approach ensures that you can score runs while also picking up wickets. 2. Player Form and Fitness Select players who are in form and have been performing well in recent matches. Pay attention to any injuries or fitness concerns that may affect their performance. 3. Consider Team Combinations Look at how the teams are likely to combine their players. For example, if a team has several left-handed batsmen, picking bowlers who are effective against lefties could be beneficial. 4. Focus on All-Rounders All-rounders can score runs and take wickets, making them valuable in Dream 11. Including all-rounders increases your chances of scoring points in multiple areas. 5. Captain and Vice-Captain Selection Choose your captain and vice-captain wisely. The captain earns double points, so selecting a player likely to perform well is crucial. Your vice-captain earns 1.5 times the points, so choose a solid player as well. Suggested Dream 11 Team Based on the current form and match conditions, here’s a suggested Dream 11 team for the Brisbane Heat vs. Adelaide Strikers match: Player NameRoleTeamJoe BurnsBatsmanBrisbane HeatPaul StirlingBatsmanAdelaide StrikersChris LynnBatsmanBrisbane HeatMatt RenshawBatsmanAdelaide StrikersMarnus LabuschagneAll-RounderBrisbane HeatRashid KhanBowlerAdelaide StrikersLachlan FergusenBowlerBrisbane HeatJake WeatheraldBatsmanAdelaide StrikersChad SayersBowlerBrisbane HeatPeter SiddleBowlerAdelaide StrikersBen CuttingAll-RounderBrisbane Heat Captain and Vice-Captain Picks - Captain: Chris Lynn – His ability to score quickly makes him a great choice for captaincy. - Vice-Captain: Rashid Khan – As a top bowler and a handy lower-order batsman, he can contribute significantly.

Match Prediction

This match promises to be thrilling, with both teams having strong players. Brisbane Heat, playing at home, may have a slight advantage. However, Adelaide Strikers' balanced lineup and their recent form make them formidable opponents. In this encounter, it could come down to how well the teams handle pressure situations. If Brisbane Heat can get off to a strong start with the bat, they could set a challenging total. Conversely, if Adelaide Strikers can take early wickets, they may dominate the match. Final Thoughts This upcoming match between Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers is sure to be an exciting one! Make sure to check the final line-up and player conditions before making your final Dream 11 selections. Enjoy the game, and may your team score big! For more cricket updates and predictions, check out our previous articles on lotuscricket.in. Don’t forget to engage with us in the comments section about your predictions and thoughts on the match. Happy cricketing! Read the full article

[trendingnews19]

Australia 405 for 7 (Head 152, Smith 101, Carey 45*, Bumrah 5-72) vs IndiaCenturies from Travis Head and Steven Smith, those two great India tormentors, put Australia in control of the third Border-Gavaskar Test at the Gabba, on a fast-moving second day that produced 377 runs and seven wickets. Five of those wickets fell to the exceptional Jasprit Bumrah, who kept India in the contest almost singlehandedly while swelling his overall Test tally in Australia to 49; Kapil Dev (51) is now the only Indian bowler ahead of him.Almost singlehandedly, because Bumrah wasn't the only India quick to trouble Australia here. Akash Deep kept landing the ball in testing areas and induced almost as many false shots (45) as Bumrah did (46), but ended the day wicketless. Mohammed Siraj put in a solid shift too, and for most of the first session India applied pressure from both ends and had Australia on a tight leash.The lack of depth in India's attack began to tell as the day wore on, though, and Australia pulled away as Head and Smith added a rollicking 241 for the fourth wicket in 302 balls. The second new ball gave India some respite, with Bumrah dismissing Smith, Mitchell Marsh and Head in the space of 12 balls, but Australia were already in a superb position by then.At stumps, they were 405 for 7, and in a position to dictate the shape of the rest of this Test match, although time (all but 13.2 overs of day one were washed out) and the weather may yet complicate their push for a win.India yet again had no answer to the thorny problem Head poses: how do you bowl to a batter whose stock response to the top-of-off line and length is a fast-hands square cut? They tried various options, but nothing really worked, and their attempts at going short proved particularly futile: their bouncers weren't hostile or accurate enough to cramp Head consistently for room, and the pace and bounce of this Gabba pitch too true to cause indecision. Instead of tucking him up and making him look awkward, India typically allowed Head to lean back and ramp the ball away over the slips.The bigger issue for India was their lack of sustained wicket threat beyond their three main quicks. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja, their fourth and fifth bowlers, gave away 141 runs over a combined 29 overs, while picking up just the one wicket. That wicket was a vital one, leaving Australia 75 for 3, but it was revealing that it was the result of a loose drive from Marnus Labuschagne rather than a genuine wicket-taking delivery.The problem of the fourth and fifth bowler was particularly pronounced after the tea break, when India resumed with a 70-over-old ball. It left them with a conundrum: they could either start the session with their best bowlers, or preserve them for the second new ball which was 10 overs away. They started with Reddy and Jadeja, and went on to concede 63 runs in the first 10 overs of the session.Smith, in particular, blossomed during this period, and surged in confidence after having had to struggle through his first half-century. He came into this innings with the big, back-and-across trigger movement that he had shelved following his first-ball duck in the first innings in Perth, and it took him a while to find any fluency. He was beaten numerous times in the corridor, particularly by Akash Deep, and had played 30 false shots by the time he'd reached his half-century.It was a measure of how much he was struggling, because each of the other 11 innings in Smith's Test career with 30 or more false shots were centuries. But perhaps it was a portent too, and his wagon wheel blossomed after he brought up his fifty, with India no longer able to restrict him to just the leg-side scoring shots. Smith's first fifty took him 128 balls, and his second just 57. And he only played eight false shots after reaching the half-century mark.The last of them was an expansive drive off Bumrah that he edged to slip after India had taken the second new ball. In his next over, Bumrah struck two more times to send back Marsh and Head, and like the wicket of Smith, these two also came from balls that landed in the perfect length to bring the batters forward without allowing them to drive safely, in the perfect channel to force them into playing, and with just enough seam movement to find the outside edge.It's the most fundamental thing about bowling in Test cricket, but finding that right area for a particular pitch can be a long and arduous process for even the best of bowlers. Bumrah had himself taken his time finding it on day one.It was almost inevitable, however, that he would find it as soon as day two dawned. His six-over spell in the morning was all but unplayable, with 14 of his 30 balls inducing false shots, and two of them sending back Australia's openers.He drew Usman Khawaja onto the front foot and got him feeling for the ball three times in a row, beating his bat with the last two balls of his first over of the day and finding his edge of the first ball of his second.An over later, Nathan McSweeney had fallen to Bumrah for the fourth time in his five-innings Test career, squaring up and edging an away-seamer to second slip, where Virat Kohli took the first of his three catches on the day. Bumrah had bowled five overs on day one, but McSweeney had only faced three balls from him. Now he was out, having been exposed to his nemesis for three balls in a row, leaving their overall Test-match head-to-head reading 52 balls, 12 runs, four dismissals.A tense period followed, with Labuschagne and Smith putting on 37 off 89 balls, with their doggedness at leaving the ball on length standing out as the main feature of their partnership. It may not have made the pulse race, but it served an important function for Australia, allowing Head to walk in when the ball was 33.2 overs old and doing significantly less than at the start of the day, and when the three main quicks had already bowled 29 overs between them.Karthik Krishnaswamy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

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The India vs Australia Test series is one of the most anticipated rivalries in international cricket. Both teams are known for their rich cricketing traditions, and Test matches between them are usually high-stakes, with both nations having some of the best players in the world.

Key Elements of the India vs Australia Test Match:

Format:

Test matches are played over five days, each day consisting of six hours of play, with breaks for lunch and tea. The goal is for one team to either outscore the other (by accumulating more runs) or dismiss the opposing team twice within the allotted time.

Competition:

The India vs Australia Test rivalry is intense, with both sides competing fiercely for dominance in world cricket. Australia's aggressive playing style contrasts with India's tactical and often more conservative approach.

Matches often feature heated on-field battles, with both teams boasting strong batting and bowling line-ups.

Key Players:

India: Over the years, India has been home to legendary cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, among others. More recently, players like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Jasprit Bumrah have played prominent roles.

Australia: Australia has produced greats like Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith, and Shane Warne. The current squad includes the likes of Pat Cummins (the captain), Marnus Labuschagne, David Warner, and Nathan Lyon.

Venues:

India and Australia take turns hosting the series, with matches being played in iconic venues like Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), and SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground).

The conditions vary greatly between these venues. In India, the pitches tend to be spin-friendly, while in Australia, the pace and bounce often favor fast bowlers.

Notable Series:

2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India's historic victory over Australia at home, where they came back from a follow-on to win the series 2-1.

2020-2021 Series: India’s stunning win in Australia, where they clinched the series 2-1 despite a slew of injuries and missing key players, including captain Virat Kohli.

2008 Sydney Test: The infamous "Monkeygate" scandal marred this series, involving accusations of racial abuse, but it remains a memorable Test for its drama and intensity.

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[venkateshwara-group1998]

The Venkateshwara Lions, promoted by the Venkateshwara Group, will be mentored by Brett Lee.

The legendary Australian fast bowler - Brett Lee - will mentor Venkateshwara Lions.

Dr. Sudhir Giri, the Founder President of the Venkateshwara Group, emphasized that the legendary Brett Lee will choose a great team and will do everything possible to ensure it becomes a champion.

The pomp & grandeur of Legends League Cricket & Amar Ujala LLC 10 is going to unveil soon. With a series of fours & sixes, LLC cricket will touch new avenues of excitement.

Held under the aegis of UP Tennis Ball Association, LLC teams of Agra, Noida, Moradabad, Meerut, & Lucknow have already been announced.

Venkateshwara Lions Moradabad is owned by the Venkateshwara Group–the leading education group of North India.  

The Pro Chancellor, Dr Rajeev Tyagi, disclosed this information at a press briefing. Dr Rajeev Tyagi is the official representative of Dr Sudhir Giri–the Founder President of the Venkateshwara Group.

In a few years, LLC 10 will become the most popular cricket league in the country.

Venkateshwara Lions Promoter Dr Sudhir Giri emphasized this league will provide a solid platform for the budding players of Meerut, Moradabad & UP West. This league will give wings to the dreams of young cricketers. I firmly believe that this league will become the most popular league in the coming years.

Iconic cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Mohammed Kaif, & Robin Uthappa are part of the other LLC10 teams.

The league aims to promote fitness through the Fit India initiative, develop cricketing skills, and encourage sportsmanship among players.

The League matches are currently underway at 10 places in UP, namely Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kanpur, Noida, Ghaziabad, Agra, Aligarh & Meerut.

This tournament will run for 100 days. Through this league, promising cricketers can showcase their talent on a grand stage. The presence of star mentors is not only attracting vast crowds but also making the league more professional.