School Spirit

In the shadow of the local paper mill, with the smell of acrid chemicals and paper pulp wafting across on the late summer afternoon breeze, and the tic-tic-tic of the high tension powerlines tapping a staccato of mild electrical radiation overhead, our Under 12 cricket team fronted up to play their final match of the season. Their opponents appeared, dressed all in white and looking rather intimidating as they walked by with their five foot of height as most our little blokes ricked their necks looking up to see their faces. A team of grade six and year seven kids striding past them, and our rag tag bunch made up mainly of kids just starting grade four. Could it have been more daunting?

How about we play by Under 14 rules instead, eh? That’d do it. Last week, you’re in with your partner for four overs. If you go out, you get to stay around until your four overs are completed. Today, you can stay in for longer, but once you’re out, tell your story walking, sunshine, because your day at the crease is over, champ!

Even if you’re out first ball.

This is no backyard cricket, my lads.

You mean… you can even go out LBW??

Well… nah, I’m not calling LBW today, that’s just nasty.

So, yes. Today our Under 12s played their final match, with Under 14 rules. If you go out, you’re out. But at the same time, if you make 15 runs, we decided to retire them to give the other kids a hit anyway. If they sat around and blocked everything and I was in danger of falling asleep umpiring at square leg, then they were retired as well. We only had twenty two overs to play with and fourteen kids to get out there.

The kids played with a really good spirit, all said and done. Only one managed to get retired, and that was mainly because he took too long, but he came back at the end to finish his innings after everyone else had gone out. One poor little feller found out cricket’s a mongrel of a game when he was bowled first ball. The rest, even if they went out after only a few balls, seemed to take it fairly well in their stride. They seemed to know that they could get their own back when they bowled after tea.

In fact, the first thing the youngest little feller said when he was run out at the end was ‘okay, where’s the pizza?’

I have no idea if we won or not. We never bother adding up the bowling scores, just our batting scores. It’s Under 12s. It doesn’t matter who wins. Just get out there and have a crack and a bit of fun. The kids ran off the field thinking they were winners anyway, because each time we took a wicket, the batsman was out of the game. Little victories are enormous when you’re ten!

Seeing a ten year old turn bowl a ball to have it snicked by the batsman and caught behind, then turn to appeal to you with the biggest grin you’d ever see on his face… that’s Under 12 cricket.

Seeing the rest of the team play ’stacks-on’ as they all pile on top of him a few moments later… that’s Under 12 cricket.

Seeing the little feller stagger to his feet once the kids crawled off him… that’s just funny.

Here’s to next season… but thankfully not until October!

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