Playing Up Read online

  ‘Where’s Kaboom?’ Davey was seething.

  ‘You’ll never get near it. Mudge carries it around with him all the time.’ Mo leered and tipped his cap to Kevin. ‘See you, suckers!’ He sneered and ran off.

  Davey hated to let Mo or Mudge get the better of him, but how was he ever going to get Kaboom back now?

  CHAPTER 11

  BATTING FOR BRADMAN

  Davey sat on the back steps staring into space. Usually Friday afternoon meant cricket with the boys, but being grounded meant he was stuck at home.

  He absentmindedly gave a tennis ball a rub and turned it over in his hand. Max whined and nudged his nose up against Davey’s leg, hoping he’d get the hint. The dog tucked his hind legs neatly underneath his tail and sat down. He gazed at his owner hopefully.

  ‘Here, dog.’ Davey chucked the ball across the lawn towards the back fence. He didn’t even bother trying to bowl properly. His arm ached and his whole body felt heavy.

  Max trotted back along the grass and dropped the wet ball at Davey’s feet. He rolled it back and forth expertly with his nose and whimpered.

  ‘No more, Max,’ Davey said abruptly, then headed into the house.

  Davey was rarely home this early. Normally he’d be out playing cricket with his friends until dinner time. Nobody else was home and the house felt spookily quiet.

  He opened the pantry door and stared at the contents. Usually he was ravenous after school, but today nothing appealed. He closed the door and ambled into the TV room. A quick flick of the remote told him that nothing interested him.

  Once inside his bedroom, Davey flopped on the bed with a sigh. He lay on his back and gazed up at the ceiling. One of the reasons he loved his bat so much was because it had been a gift from his granddad and they had spent time together sanding and oiling it to perfection. His granddad had taught him how to look after a bat – what the willow wanted and how to tell when it needed attention. He knew it would sound stupid to say out loud, but his bat was like family.

  Above his bedhead was a poster of his hero, Ricky Ponting. The poster was so old and faded it had taken on a greenish tinge. Davey still loved looking at it, even if Sunil had drawn a beard on Ricky’s chin and coloured in two of his teeth.

  Now Davey flopped over to look at his hero. Davey could imagine Ricky yelling out to the bowler: ‘Mate, is that all you’ve got?’

  ‘Did you ever feel like giving up, Ricky?’ Davey asked.

  Ricky rearranged his cap and considered the question. There were times when I doubted myself.

  ‘I know how you feel,’ Davey said.

  It’s up to you to turn things around, Davey. Ricky looked directly at him. Nobody else can do it for you.

  ‘How? I don’t have my lucky bat!’

  Don Bradman practised without a bat and look what he did! You have to improvise, Ricky continued. Nothing ever goes the way you want under match conditions, either. You just have to be prepared!

  And with that, Ricky gave Davey a knowing wink.

  Davey thought about Ricky’s advice. His brother Steve and Ricky were both saying the same thing. Davey needed to take control. He needed to stop letting cricket haters like Mudge and Mo get in his way.

  Suddenly, he felt energised. ‘Max!’ he yelled at the top of his voice.

  Max jumped up onto the bed and licked his face.

  ‘Urgh, gross!’ Davey pushed Max off the bed and got up. ‘Stop slacking off, Max, we need to practise!’

  Davey searched inside one of the kitchen drawers. Ricky’s tip about The Don had given him an idea. He found an old golf ball of his dad’s and headed outside to the pitch. Then he pulled up one of the wickets and carried it over to the side of the house.

  When Steve got home half an hour later, Davey was still practising his batting using a wooden stump and hitting a golf ball repeatedly against the wall. Steve smiled and headed inside the house.

  CHAPTER 12

  BIG BROTHER

  It was finally Saturday morning. Davey and Sunil were in Davey’s backyard having a hit. For once there was no Sluggers game, because they had a bye, but Davey was fired up to practise his leg-spin bowling. It still wasn’t going well.

  ‘I need to rip the ball more to make it spin and bounce,’ Davey said. ‘But it’s really hard.’

  Sunil was no great shakes as a batter, but he was having no problem dealing with Davey’s gentle leggies, especially as Davey couldn’t maintain a consistent length.

  ‘Yeah, you should bowl more often!’ Sunil agreed. ‘I’ve never batted so well!’ With that, he gave Max another four to retrieve.

  ‘It’s only spinning one way,’ Davey said, thinking out loud. ‘I’m going to have to learn to bowl a wrong’un like Shane Warne.’

  ‘You’ve got to do something, Warner,’ Sunil said with a grin, ‘ ’cause this is just too easy.’

  Davey made a Mo Clouter face. ‘You could live to regret those words!’

  ‘Watch me,’ Sunil retorted, waiting. ‘Let’s face it, you have the ugliest bowling action I’ve ever seen!’

  Davey went back to his mark. He gripped the ball tightly, came in off his short run and ripped the ball as hard as he could. It pitched just outside leg stump. For once it bounced and spun viciously.

  ‘Take that!’

  Sunil was beaten. He pushed forward and only succeeded in edging the ball to where first slip would normally stand. Max had been waiting at mid-off and collected the ball between his jaws before dropping it back to Davey.

  ‘Hmmf,’ Sunil said.

  ‘I’ve still got it!’ Davey gloated.

  ‘I bet you can’t do that again,’ Sunil said.

  ‘Bet you I can!’

  Davey was getting his groove back. As he walked back to his mark, he noticed Steve coming out of the house. He was wearing his cricket whites.

  Max let out a happy yap and raced over to Steve.

  ‘No more advice, bro!’ Davey said, bristling. ‘I’m doing everything you told me.’

  Steve laughed. ‘Good! Because we need you.’

  ‘Who needs me?’

  ‘The Sandhill Saints,’ Steve said. ‘We’ve got the big game against Shimmer Bay Skiffs.’

  Davey had forgotten about Steve’s big game. He would give anything to watch it and support Steve, even if he was the world’s most annoying older brother.

  ‘Have you forgotten, I’m grounded, for . . . like, ever,’ Davey said.

  ‘You can come,’ Steve said. ‘I cleared it with Mum.

  ‘You did?’ Davey was taken aback. This was news.

  ‘We need an eleventh man,’ Steve explained. ‘Lee Woon’s injured.’

  ‘You want me?’ Davey was floored.

  Steve dug his index finger into Davey’s chest. ‘We want you.’

  ‘Way to go, Warner!’ Sunil slapped his mate on the back.

  Davey was taken aback. ‘I thought . . . I thought you didn’t think I was any good.’

  ‘You’re okay,’ Steve said with a grin. ‘Not bad for an eleven-year-old.’

  ‘High praise from the master!’ Davey did a mock bow.

  ‘Don’t let it go to your head,’ Steve warned.

  Davey beamed. He was still stunned at the news. Playing for the under-fourteens. That was massive! His mind raced.

  ‘Hurry up and grab your stuff,’ Steve said. ‘Game starts in an hour. Danny’s mum is going to pick us up in about ten minutes.’

  Steve headed back inside, leaving the two friends staring at each other.

  ‘Lucky you, Warner,’ Sunil said. ‘You never know, that selector could be there to watch.’

  Davey remained rooted to the spot. He stared at Sunil dumbfounded. As soon as Steve was out of earshot, he gripped Sunil by the shoulders.

  ‘It’s a total disaster,’ Davey said, shaking him. His voice sounded full of fear. ‘This is an emergency! I need Kaboom and I need it now!’

  CHAPTER 13

  BAT OR NO BAT

  Davey and Sunil to
ok off at breakneck speed down Eel Avenue to Kevin’s place. They didn’t have much time.

  Kevin’s dad answered the door. ‘Kevin and George are still asleep, but feel free to wake them up,’ he said with a grin.

  George had slept over at Kevin’s after staying up to watch Australia play India on TV. Kevin was snoring gently, his mouth hanging open. A thin trickle of drool had created a wet patch on his pillow. Sunil wanted to take a photo with his phone, but there was no time. George was curled up on a mattress on the floor.

  ‘McNab!’ Sunil shook his friend roughly. ‘Pepi! Wake up!’

  ‘What?’ Kevin’s eyes shot open in fright. He sat up and hastily wiped his mouth.

  ‘Urgh!’ George groaned as Davey nudged him with his foot.

  ‘Davey needs help,’ Sunil said. He grabbed some clothes from the floor and threw them at Kevin.

  ‘Why?’ Kevin asked as a pair of boxers hit him in the head. He pulled a face.

  ‘I’m playing for the under-fourteens!’

  ‘That’s great!’ George sat up.

  ‘No it’s not!’ Sunil snapped. ‘Have you seen how big they are? Davey’s going to get eaten alive.’

  ‘That’s going a bit far,’ Davey said drily.

  ‘If we don’t help him get back Kaboom, there could be nothing left of him by the time this game is over.’ Sunil was pacing up and down the room.

  Davey shot him a withering look. None of this was helping his confidence.

  ‘You saw Mudge on Friday,’ Kevin reminded them. ‘He didn’t let Kaboom out of his sight.’

  ‘So,’ Sunil concluded, ‘wherever he is today, he’ll have Kaboom with him!’

  ‘Mudge plays lawn bowls at Penguin Palace RSL on Saturdays.’ Kevin winked knowledgeably.

  ‘We could go and plead with him,’ Sunil suggested.

  ‘He’s not going to give us Kaboom!’ Davey was running out of time. ‘Mudge hates cricket even more than he hates me.’

  George didn’t say anything. He was deep in thought. ‘We have to think more like Clouter,’ he said finally.

  Sunil made a face. ‘Clouter?’

  ‘Mo didn’t have Kaboom, but he offered us a trade and we took the bait,’ George explained.

  ‘Hook, line and sinker,’ Davey muttered.

  A car horn beeped outside.

  ‘Thanks for trying, guys but it’s no use.’ Davey shrugged. ‘I’ve got to go.’

  ‘Wait!’ Sunil grabbed his Kookaburra from his bag and handed it to his friend. ‘You might need this.’

  ‘Thanks, Deep.’ Davey took the bat and left.

  ‘Good luck!’ his friends called after him.

  Davey’s stomach was in knots as they pulled up at the Shimmer Bay cricket ground. A large crowd of supporters had already gathered.

  ‘Just in time,’ Steve said. The umpires were already on the field.

  They grabbed their gear and tumbled out of the car. Davey recognised a few people. His dad was sitting with a group of other fathers up in the stand. Howie gave Davey a wave.

  ‘Go, Davey!’ His dad gave him a big thumbs-up.

  Davey waved back furiously and nearly whacked a Shimmer Bay player in the head with his elbow.

  The player ducked just in time. ‘Watch out!’ he snapped.

  Davey swung around to apologise and found himself face to face with Josh Jarrett, also known as Mr Perfect, the best cricket player Davey knew and the captain of the Sluggers’ rivals, the Shimmer Bay Juniors.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Davey asked.

  ‘I could ask you the same question,’ Josh said, looking amused. ‘I sometimes sub for the Skiffs.’

  ‘Guess I’ll see you out there, then,’ Davey said.

  ‘This is the big league, Warner.’ Josh smiled. ‘Better keep your eyes open or you might get hurt.’

  Davey wasn’t sure which made him more nervous – seeing Josh, the game ahead, or having no Kaboom.

  But he had no more time to worry about it. It was time to play cricket.

  CHAPTER 14

  THE BIG LEAGUE

  The Shimmer Bay Skiffs won the toss and opted to bat first. Steve gathered the team together for a quick pep talk. Davey knew that, as captain, Steve would have to be on the go continuously, thinking on his feet and making it up as he went along. It was a huge job and now he had his little brother to look after.

  ‘Today’s a big match,’ Steve said. ‘Let’s get out there and smash these guys, they’re nothing.’

  ‘Well, technically, their current for-and-against record against us is seven to one,’ Jerome piped up. ‘In their favour,’ he added, a little unnecessarily.

  ‘Yeah, but they don’t play with heart like we do,’ Steve countered with conviction.

  ‘They’ve got seven rep players and the fastest bowler in the league,’ Jerome pointed out.

  ‘You can shut up now, Jerome.’ Steve silenced his friend with a meaningful look.

  Jerome shook his head, but stayed quiet.

  ‘We’ve done the hard work,’ Steve went on with enthusiasm. ‘Just stay on form and do your best.’

  The players nodded and wished each other a good game. Steve placed his fielders and saved Davey for last.

  ‘You won’t bowl today,’ he told Davey. ‘I’ll get you to field at third slip.’

  Davey nodded.

  ‘You okay?’ Steve asked.

  Davey opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. He couldn’t remember ever having felt this nervous.

  ‘You can do it, Squirt,’ Steve said. Then he added, ‘Just don’t mess up.’

  As the opening batters approached the wickets, Davey took up his position.

  His palms felt too wet and his mouth too dry. He stretched lightly on the spot, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, keeping his legs light and spry. It helped a little to have Steve’s belief in him, but at the end of the day he was on his own.

  Davey concentrated hard and tried to ignore the bowling ball in his stomach. He was going to do all he could to hold his own in the under-fourteens and, failing that, just stay alive.

  The openers made a solid start, but off the fourth ball of the fifth over, Steve got one to duck away. The Skiffs’ opening batter, Karesh, was drawn wide and his attempted drive only managed to get a thick edge. Davey flung himself to the right, stuck out his hand. He was as stunned as Karesh that he somehow managed to hold on to the edge. One wicket down.

  ‘Not too shabby, bro!’ Steve yelled. He ran over to give his brother a hug. Even Jerome gave Davey a nod of respect.

  It was a start, but Shimmer Bay continued to bat well. Davey saw little action again until Josh came out as number four, at the fall of the next wicket. Davey was surprised that Josh batted so high in the order in this grade, and burned to get him out. Josh made a point of flashing Davey a big smile every time he scored a run – and that was too often. It was infuriating, but Davey grudgingly had to admit it – the guy could play.

  Although he’d lost a couple of partners, Josh was batting really well and scoring quickly. With his own score on forty-six, he was shaping up to take the game away from them.

  Then he edged one past the slips, down towards the third-man boundary. Davey chased from third slip with everything he had and more. He thought he might throw up from the effort, but ran hard all the way. He picked the ball up just inside the boundary, turned and threw in one motion. The return was right over the stumps and Danny the wicketkeeper took the bails off. Josh had been looking to keep the strike, but didn’t make his ground. He was run out!

  ‘I kept my eyes open that time,’ Davey said with a big smile when Josh passed him on his way off the field.

  ‘Warner . . .’ Josh muttered as he left. He looked furious.

  The lower-order batters for the Skiffs kept the runs going and, at the end of their twenty-five overs, they were eight down for 128 – a challenging total.

  It was the Saints’ turn to bat, chasing 129 runs to win.

  They
lost two early wickets, but Steve went in at number four and their captain was in good form. He helped them reach sixty-five with only four wickets down. Davey tried not to get too excited. If they kept going at this rate, they should win.

  But you never knew how quickly the tide could turn. The Skiffs’ fast bowler, Zane, came back into the attack for a few overs and caused a collapse. The Saints lost four wickets for very few runs.

  Davey was next in. He was batting at number ten. He picked up Sunil’s bat. It wasn’t Kaboom, but it was the closest thing he had.

  ‘Go, Davey!’ his dad shouted. Davey’s stomach did another flip and he concentrated on taking deep breaths as he approached the pitch.

  Steve was the other batter. The situation was dire. They had enough overs left, but still needed fifty-nine runs to win, with only two wickets standing.

  ‘Try to give me all the strike and I’ll get the runs,’ Steve advised. ‘You just have to stick around and grind this out.’

  ‘I’ll grind you out,’ Davey said firmly. ‘Put a sock in it, Steve.’

  Steve glared at his young brother. ‘I’m the captain and your job is just to defend,’ he said.

  They had a small chance of winning this game, if they didn’t kill each other first.

  The first ball Davey faced was a swinging yorker. He managed to jam his bat down on it and it squirted off to the leg side for one. Steve drove the next ball to the boundary for a four.

  They pressed on. Little by little the target was reduced. Davey began to relax a little and started to time his shots better.

  We can do this, Davey realised. We could actually win!

  Although Zane peppered Davey with short and fast deliveries, he had made thirteen runs. An unlucky number for some, but not me, thought Davey.

  Josh came on to bowl and over-pitched his first delivery. With a rush of confidence, Davey instinctively knew what to do. He stepped down the wicket and drove the ball long and high over the bowler’s head for four. The crowd loved it!

  Josh glared at Davey.

  ‘So much for getting hurt,’ Davey said smugly.

  Steve walked down the pitch and Davey thought he was coming to congratulate him on the shot. ‘What was that?’ his brother snapped.