had decimated Brighton.
On Monday morning Cameron quietly entered the locker room to collect his books for the day’s classes. Unfortunately Joshua had arrived before him, shared the news about his team’s big win, blow-by-blow details of the match now being retold for anyone that would listen.
Monday seemed to drag on endlessly as Cameron had to endure the taunting with a brave face reassuring his classmates that there was always next year. By Wednesday he was his old self again kicking a football on the school oval with Joshua.
Cameron had decided to attend the final on Saturday, a show of support for his mate and the Bentleigh team.
The big day arrived for this epic contest between the Bentleigh Demons and the McKinnon Lions.
Both coaches urged their respective teams to kill the opposition, wear down the opposition without giving them a chance. The fifteen-year-old boys were instructed to think of the other team as the enemy.
Winner would take all.
The game was fast and furious. Joshua was named ‘Best on Ground’, an award of little importance as McKinnon triumphed over Bentleigh by one point.
Now the Bentleigh change rooms were silent in defeat, their team’s turn to feel completely flat, heads bowed, tears shed as they listened to McKinnon celebrate their narrow win.
Eventually the dejected players left the dressing shed, not really wanting to talk to or see anyone. Cameron waited outside and Joshua finally emerged from the pavilion to see him standing there.
‘G’day Josh. Well done with ‘Best on Ground’ mate. Come on, it’s not the end of the world. There’s always next year.’
‘I suppose. But right at the moment I feel like shit.’
‘Well mate, if it’s any consolation I know how you feel.’
‘Yeah I suppose you do.’
The two friends began their walk home. They didn’t talk much but Joshua appreciated the support, sheepishly remembering the way he’d treated Cameron last week.
Final exams were the next important event in their year starting in October. Joshua and Cameron were both sitting for their year eleven certificate, parents and teachers constantly reminding them of the importance of these exams. ‘Do well in year eleven and year twelve will be more manageable’ or so they hoped.
The two friends studied conscientiously for the exams and passed with flying colours.
'We came off with flying colours.' George Farquar, 'The Beaux's Stratagem (1706). Victorious; extremely successful. The term comes from the practice of a victorious fleet sailing into port with flags flying from all the mastheads. By 1700 or so it was being used figuratively, signifying any kind of triumph."
Christmas holidays were the teenagers’ favourite time of the year. Cameron’s parents owned a holiday house in Torquay with Joshua’s family’s summer home at Lorne and a ski lodge in Falls Creek for winter breaks. The two mates wouldn’t see each other for four weeks; the absence managed by a love of surfing and meeting girls at local dances in their respective holiday locations.
At the end of January, they returned to school enthusiastically sharing stories of imagined conquests and the size of waves surfed.
Overall, life was good for these fifteen year olds. No major dramas in their lives and bright futures ahead of them.
The same could not be said about Harry Jordan.
Cricket is War
Chapter 2
Melbourne, 2014
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players each on a field at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. Each team takes its turn to bat, attempting to score runs, while the other team fields. Each turn is known as an innings.
The bowler delivers the ball to the batsman who attempts to hit the ball with his bat away from the fielders so he can run to the other end of the pitch and score a run. Each batsman continues batting until he is out. The batting team continues batting until ten batsmen are out, or a specified number of overs of six balls have been bowled, at which point the teams switch roles and the fielding team comes in to bat.
In professional cricket the length of a game ranges from 20 overs per side to Test cricket played over five days. The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with additional Standard Playing Conditions for Test matches and One Day Internationals.
Cricket was first played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, it had developed to be the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being played overseas and by the mid-19th century the first international match was held. ICC, the game's governing body, has 10 full members The game is most popular in Australia, England, the Indian subcontinent, the West Indies and Southern Africa.
Wikipedia Definition
November 21st 2014
Exams were finished. Joshua and Cameron were waiting for their results with bated breath, grateful cricket season had begun so their minds were occupied with thoughts of fast bowling and playing with a straight bat.
The students had turned sixteen in the off-season with selection for the ‘open’ team based on ability, irrespective of their age. Unlike football season both boys played cricket for the same team, Moorabbin. With an average age of 20 years among the team, Josh and Cameron knew their work was cut out for them if they were to play with the ‘big boys’. Moorabbin was currently the reigning premiers so finding a place in the side would be difficult but not impossible.
Neither boy expected to be chosen now, at the beginning of the season, but serendipity played a hand.
The coach, Phil Montgomery approached while they were practicing in the nets. Joshua was classified as a fast bowler and Cameron a batsman. Despite the pace Joshua was bowling, Cameron was hitting every ball to both leg and offside.
‘Boys, could I have a word with the two you please?’ said their coach. ‘I’m impressed with you both, not only your obvious skills but your work ethic too. I’ve just heard that Dennis pulled a hamstring earlier, while bowling in the nets. Apparently it looks bad so he’s been taken off to hospital to have it assessed.
Joshua, how would you feel about stepping in for Dennis when we play St Kilda on Saturday?’
‘Wow I’d love to Phil. As long as you think I’m up to it.’
‘Son, I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t think you were ready.’
‘Well done Josh.’ said Cameron, giving a congratulatory pat on his mate’s shoulder.
‘That brings me to you Cam. Ian, our number five batsman, has a nasty flu and had to withdraw. How would you like to replace him in this week’s match? And if you prove yourself on Saturday, well you never
