Finals, goodbyes, thank yous and reminiscences!

As I finish my 7 months in Australia, I cant help but to look back on what has happened.

From the big goodbye before I embarked on my trip, which ended up being a fairly drunken affair, to the goodbye the kind Stevens family put on for Tom and I last weekend, it has been an adventure I will never forget!

The last few weeks were a fantastic finish to the wonderful time that I have had in Sydney. I can't go on without mentioning and explaining the whole cricket finale. What a finale it was, to a marvellous season, and my first, hopefully of many abroad!
After losing the first qualifying final, but getting a second chance in the finals series due to being the highest place losers out of the six teams, we grabbed the oppotunity with both hands. In the semi-final, we were picked to play against the finals leaders Auburn, who earlier in the season I had played against in the 2nd grade and our 3rd grade won a low scoring game by 5 runs. 

We bowled first and the combination of their slow batting and our good bowling, we managed to bowl them out for a low total and then batted the end of the first day only losing one wicket. We came back on the Sunday, to win the game. 

We batted well, but lost wickets too quickly. Personally, I felt the best I have all season whilst batting, not missing one out the middle and timing everything well, until a mental lapse and a bit of stupidity cost me my wicket.
We finished of the day with Ben (the ever fired up one) hitting the winning runs and putting us into the 3rd grade grand final!!!
The week that followed, was full of sightseeing again with Susie and Chloe and more than one visit to the drinking holes in Sydney!
Friday came around and an early night followed. Although I was up for this game more than I have ever been up for a game in my life, I was forced to calm down and to push a super sopper to try to hurry up the start to the days play. 

However it was all to no avail, as the days play was called off and we were all told to come back on the Sunday and try to start the game then, so we went to watch the 1st grade final, between Sydney Uni and St George at the famous Hurstville oval. We were subjected to watching Stuart Clark bowl extremly well, for figures of 32 overs 2 for 40.
However this was just a distraction on the way to what we all wanted to happen on the Sunday. We all turned up extra early to try and make up the lost overs from the previous days play. 

Jiffy won the toss, and we elected to field, a key decision! 

We bowled exceptionally well, notably Brian Summerville, who bowled balls that were almost impossible to hit - at one point the batsmen actually turned round to me behind the stumps and told me to have a go, because he could not get near it!
With tight bowling and good fielding, it was for the ever present Gav 'Rhonda' Scott to take 5 wickets, to restrict them to the low score of 87. 

We went out to bat with a session and a half to get the runs, but we knew it wasn't going to be easy with a damp wicket and a new ball - it felt a lot like England early season and wickets could easily tumble.

We battled very hard to get ourselves into a strong position, but a few overs before tea, Gav fell to a poor shot, where he ended up knocking a simple catch back to the bowler! 

This was not a good thing for the team, but it did get me into batting in the final. 

Tea was approaching and the loopy spin was tempting, but I managed to resist temptation and I just watched balls go past before the tea break was called.
Only needing 30 after tea, Alex smashed his way to 42, winning the game with a lofted off drive over mid-off's head, which smashed into the fence and the celebrations started!
After the team song in the changing room, the collection of the trophy and then another rendition of the song in the middle, it was back to the club to celebrate. 

A few scooners later we found ourselves going to the pub, staying until it closed and then after a brief stop at home, we all went to the city to carry on the celebrations. 

Very tired, there was still a smile on my face, which was still there when I woke up the next morning to tidy up the house before we moved out.
Thank you to all the boys in third grade this year. It has been a pleasure and an honour to play with you all and I wish you all the luck for next season, whichever grade you are playing in!!!
The final weeks have been full of goodbyes and 'the last time...'.  All I can say is "thank you" to everyone and I hope to see you when I get back for the Ashes in 2010-11.
Yesterday, was Tom's final goodbye, as he caught a flight back to England and I hope I will see him when I get back. I have lived with him for 6 months and I can honestly I could not have lived with a better bloke for my time here and I wish him luck. Hopefully I'll see him on the Ashes tour in 2010-11 in Aus as well.
I would like to thank everyone for everything that they have done for me while I have been here. From lifts to cricket, days work, to advice along the way. I wish you all the luck for next season, and I hope you all have a good winter, whilst I'm playing in England

Looking back, I will never forget the people that have helped me on my way through the ups and downs while being in Sydney!
From the first day that Bruce picked me up from Sydney Airport, I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for me. He has got me tickets to the test match, given us free net sessions at the indoor center at the SCG and not to mention the lifts here and there throughout the time here and most importantly he has always been at the end of the phone whenever I have needed a friendly voice or a bit of advice from my 'dad'. Thank you Bruce for everything you have done for me.
Croomie for all the things you have done, and the patience you have had with me during the time I have been here. I cannot imagine that there are two people other than you and Bruce who give up more of their free time, and sometimes unfree time to the club. It has been a fantastic experience for me and I don't think that I would have had half as good a time over here, if it was not for you guys.
To the guys whom I have played cricket with all year, it has been a wonderful time for me, and I hope that I have contributed when I needed to. 

Thankyou everyone for the time you have given me to help me with my game.
One other name that stands out is Brian, who has been particularly hard on me if I have thrown my wicket away, or when I have got lazy whilst keeping. Thank you so much for everything and I hope to see you again in England when you manage to come over.
To everyone I have shared a drink with while I have been here........... the nights out that I can remember were fantastic. I hope that when you guys finally come to England, I can take you out and we can re-live the nights that I have shared with you here.
Thankyou to everyone I have stayed with while I have been here, in the early days, Ray & Terry after nights out, the Aggett family, who have always been so kind and always offered a bed and a meal, which are fantastic and worth a try! hehe. Jake and Clay, who have let me stay with them for the last few weeks of my travels. Not forgetting the Carters, who made Xmas & the New Year welcoming, when my parents were unable to get out here because of a family illness.
Thankyou again to everyone for everything they have done for me. I wish you a fantastic winter, and a succesfull season next year.
Thanks again!!!!
Elliot

to the important time of the season!

So it is coming to that important time of the season when every point counts and bonus points here and there can affect chances of premiers, semi finals and even home or away ties at finals.
3rd grade currently sit in second place in the table after a dramatic win last weekend in a one-dayer, which saw us 9 down needing 6 runs. We won, with 5 of the last 6 runs coming from extras, the last two runs being full tosses over the batsmens heads! 

I managed to scramble together 33 runs, which puts my total at 501 for the season, with a few games to go I hope to pass the 750 mark, hopefully more if I can and also to score that elusive hundred that I so desperately want.
Away from cricket Dan and Ema, my housemates have left for a tour of Asia and then to sunny England, where they will live in North London as Dan has found himself a club in the Middlesex league. 

Thanks to them, as Bay Road has been a lively place while they were here, taking the place of our dear friend Conrad!
I have managed to find a job, which is good news.I am working as a floorers labourer. Sounds exciting, but it really isn't.
Back to cricket matters, although for a different club this time, I met Amersham's new overseas player a few days ago. I met Alex Lines at the Shires .v. Grade game, where the select 11 from shires and grades play each other at the SCG. Alex was nominated for the side, however missed out on selection for the final 11. 

I hope he now understands a bit more about our club and I wish him luck for the season to come!
Anyway I shall be off.
Hope everyone is well!
I shall update soon!

Hello again, hope everyone is well!

It has been a busy time on my trip recently and a few things have happened since the last update!!! 

Firstly I mentioned in the last edition that I had been dropped back to 3rd grade, however this may have been the best thing that could have happened - I get to play with a lot of ex-first grade players and am learning something every week. I can honestly say that I am improving as a player! I have even started to score some runs again. 

I scored a fifty in an U24's game a few sundays ago, a 40 last sunday and also a 47 on the saturday, and a 27 on the most recent saturday. Not only that the 3rd grade players have helped to earn a outright win on saturday.

More later

christmas and after update

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas, even if it has been a little cold and wet around England!

I have had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and I would recomend it to anyone. I was kindly picked up by Rhys and Ben and we made the journey to Avoca, a beach town on the central coast. We drove for about 2 hours and finally got there to meet the rest of the Carter family.

For the time up till Christmas day, it was just fantastic views over the beach from the balcony of the house and a lot of time spent on the beach catching the rays and some waves, although the later was not quite so succesful for the first few days. Oh and how can I forget the time spent drinking beer on the balcony watching the world and women go by!

Christmas rushed on towards us as we were enjoying the beautiful weather and the beach, and before we knew it, it was Christmas Eve and we were putting out some carrot for Rudolph and some prawns for Santa.

Although not feeling like a normal English Chrismas, it was very very enjoyable, I mean who could complain about good food, nice wine and 30 degrees on the beach on Christmas day. Christmas day was some experience, as for the first time in my life I was on the beach and sipping beer by 11 o'clock in the morning!

After a Barbeque and a roast dinner as well, it was back to the beach and more drink. All I can say is thank you ever so much for the fantastic time I had over Christmas and I hope that you had as good a time as I did over the whole festive period.

However it did not stop there - next was the world famous Sydney New Year! I can see why it is world famous. Myself, Rhys, Ben and Duncan were lucky enough to be at the top of a ferris wheel in Luna park at midnight to view the fireworks and harbour. It was amazing and I can recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it!

After New Year, the Carters left for Hong Kong and then home. I would like to thank them again for a fantastic time with them.

After new year it was back to the house in Oatley, although it did not last long as it was off to the cricket for the second day of the test match, which the Carters kindly gave me a ticket for. Then it was the 4th day which was a gift from Bruce. Thankyou to both of you again for the kind gifts.

Back to work after that, as I had spent a little to much over Christmas and New Year, with the christmas spirit running through my veins!

So it was also back to club cricket as well and unfortunately a loss to South Sydney, a loss to Aubern in the U24's, however a win the next week in U24's including a 51 for myself, which was a relief as I had been a tad short on runs for a while.

I think that I've brought everything up to date, except that I had the disappointing news that I have been dropped from the 2nd X1 for the next round, so it is back to 3rd grade for me.

Hope everyone has had a really good break and another update will be here soon.

P.S. I hope everyone has a really good time in their gap years, as I know a lot of them start after Christmas and New Year. Have a fantastic time!