Cricket Match

I lifted a hand to stroke away a stray strand of her hair that partly covered one eye. "I'd like to wake up next to you forever." It was said casually, but my next words were stifled as she spoke.

"Forever is a long time, but the way that I feel about you is almost overwhelming."

"Why? I'm not sure that I understand."

"I'm not sure that I understand either, but I've had this feeling ever since that first kiss, that I want to be with you as, I don't know, my girlfriend, my lover, my partner. It was all I could do yesterday to concentrate on the cricket, I kept thinking about you and us. It scares me."

"What scares you?"

"How I feel about you, I'm in love with you."

I gasped, "But how, why?" Her words shook me.

"I am, I think I have been for a while, I don't know, I can't explain it, but I know what I feel and it excites me, as well as scaring me."

"I didn't think about it yesterday whilst we were playing, I was terrified of screwing up. But in between times it was always there and I know..." I hesitated.

"You know what?"

"That I love you, I mean I'm in love with you, I have been for a while, I think. I probably was but didn't let it ever... I refused to acknowledge it because then it would have been real and I'd have to face the fact that it was stupid. You're older, probably wiser, famous, I'm none of those things."

"Older yes, by almost five years, wiser is doubtful, famous is a matter of opinion, but none of that matter, it's how we feel."

We kissed and for the first time in my life I felt something very special, that I could never put into words. I called to mind the words I'd spoken to Olivia and Karen just, was it only ten days ago, about wanting to find a special someone. I think that I've found her.

Realising the time, we pulled on some clothes and set off for our run. When we got back, we fooled around in the surf for a few minutes before changing and preparing for the day ahead.

*****

Because our team were batting it meant that most of us sat about on the balcony of the changing room and watched the play unfold. It was important for the next person who was to go in to bat to be kitted up with pads on, bat, gloves and hat ready, but it also gives you a sense of the play, how the wicket is behaving, the fielding positions the opposition were using and the light. All of these things were important for the next batters, but I was a long way down the order, so I watched to try and learn about test match cricket. Hayley and I didn't sit together, she had her ways on match days and although we spoke now and again, I was pretty much alone with my thoughts.

I didn't think about the two of us very much, I didn't think that it would be very productive, neither of us knew how things would go. I spent an hour sitting next to our batting Coach who talked about techniques but she didn't talk about mine, saying that in the middle of a match wasn't the time to try new things, she was right, that would have been foolish.

We scored runs steadily, without any drama and only lost a couple of wickets before lunch. During the early afternoon, the runs came more freely, but we lost a couple more wickets and I realised that Hayley was walking out swinging her arms, helmet on, looking determined. I noticed her long blonde ponytail swing from under her helmet and watched her ass as she walked, smiling as I thought how nice it was to cuddle against. As I was batting at number eight, I thought it was a good idea to get ready myself, it would be embarrassing if two wickets went down quickly and they had to wait for me.

Then it was the tea interval and I took my pads off again, only to strap them all back on again twenty minutes later. Things were going smoothly and forty minutes passed before a wicket fell and it took another half hour before I was suddenly up, pulling on my gloves and setting off. It was Hayley who had been trapped leg before wicket and she didn't look happy as we passed on the boundary. She muttered, "Good luck," as we crossed.

I didn't have any nerves as I'd walked out and it was only after the first ball, I faced had fizzed past me without my seeing the damn thing, that nerves set in. Suddenly I realised that I was batting in a Test Match for the first time in my life and that everyone was watching. I got a bat on the next ball, but no run. Then I realised that Grandad would probably be listening with his ear to the radio and that made me determined not to let him down, for some reason he was the one I most wanted to please, he was such a lovely man and so proud of me.

I took a single and raced to the other end only to realise that it had been the last ball of the over and I was on strike again. I batted for fifty minutes until the close of play and had scored 24 runs, not great but it could have been worse. The problem was five minutes before the end another wicket went down and Helen came out as the last man, woman! She didn't score, but we were still there when stumps were called and we had a first-innings lead of forty, so far.

Hayley greeted me at the top of the steps with a bottle of cold water, a huge smile and a slap on the back as she said, "Well done, you did great." Several other team members said similar things and Helen the Captain hugged me as she added her congratulations. I sat down for ten minutes, not moving except to sip my water, I was emotionally worn out.

Dinner was a quiet affair. We were casually dressed as usual and ate some very nice Barbadian stew washed down with a couple of bottles of beer. Half a dozen of us walked along the beach for half an hour letting the water lap over our feet and talking about the days play. I wanted to take Hayley's hand but didn't think that it would be very wise.

When we got back to the main hotel buildings someone suggested another beer, but I declined, I was tired and felt worn down by the events of the day and knew that I had a call to make, so I excused myself and headed for the room. After another shower, the third of the day, I pulled on a T-shirt and phoned Grandad. We only spoke for five minutes, but he was full of praise and made me feel so good. Gran told me that he'd never moved from the radio all day and that she was also very proud of me. I asked her to call Mum, to assure her that I was okay. Then I climbed into bed and was out like a light.

I felt the bed move as Hayley climbed in. I said, "Hi," and she apologised for waking me. "Don't be silly, I couldn't stay awake, but I would hate to have missed a goodnight kiss."

"You had a good day and I knew you were shattered, but I love your goodnight kisses so there was no chance of missing one."

She leaned in and our lips met. I was in heaven, no one had ever kissed me like Hayley. Suddenly I was wide awake and the two of us were wrapped around each other and it was turning me on. Hayley slid down the bed, between my thighs and kissed me down there, she slid a finger inside and touched a very special spot that had me coming in a few seconds.

She lay beside me smiling at me, "You enjoyed that."

"I've enjoyed every touch, every kiss, every cuddle, everything that we've shared. Now I need to do something for you."

"There's no need you're tired, leave it..."

I shut her up with another kiss, annoying words like 'no need' were not what I wanted to hear.

I slid down and assumed the position she'd been in and lapped at her, I used two fingers and thrust them in found her spot, "Fuck yes, there, right there." And she came within a minute or two. I kissed her and was out again.

Day three

The sun was shining, Hayley was holding me and I felt great the next morning.

I strode out to the middle with Helen, pulling on my batting gloves as we walked. For the first few overs we only added a couple of runs, but then decided that we needed to get on with it and score runs more quickly. I've no idea why Helen thought that meant flinging the bat at every ball, but that's what she did and she wasn't a batter of any note, that's why she was at number eleven. After another wild stroke that went to the boundary for four runs, it occurred to me that things weren't going to last much longer. I was right, the next ball demolished her stumps.

We were all out and as I walked back to the changing rooms I laughed as I thought about that phrase. Cricket has a language and terminology all of its own. You don't need to know it as a spectator to enjoy the game, what difference does it really matter to the viewer if the ball went to deep square leg, deep mid-wicket or cow corner, the fielding positions I was most often covering. A side has eleven batsmen or women and there has to be two in the middle at all times, one at each end of the wicket. So, when ten wickets have fallen or batters have been got out, the innings is over and the team is 'all out,' but one batter is still 'not out' and that's how it's recorded on the score sheet. No wonder people get confused!

*****

At the start of the second innings, I resumed patrolling the boundary and was called into action a few times. I watched as Hayley bowled, I admired her style, grinned as her ponytail bobbed when she ran in. Then Helen called me over, "Sarah, tight, keep it tight and frustrate them, let Hayley do her stuff." There were forty minutes until lunch and my first couple of overs were tight. Hayley seemed close to taking a wicket every ball.

I started my third over giving away a single. My next slipped between bat and batswoman's leg pad dislodging the bail from the top of the off-stump. I threw my hands up in appeal, not that it was needed, the evidence of the batter walking off was obvious. It was the first time I'd taken a test wicket by bowling my opponent. Lots of pats on the back and a few well dones. Hayley squeezed my shoulder and gave me a smile that pleased me more than all of the other congratulatory gestures.

My next ball was padded away, but it must have made my opponent decide what she was going to do next. She advanced down the wicket towards me and I held the ball for a fraction of a second longer than normal, she missed it completely, but Amy, our wicket keeper, didn't miss, she took it close to the bails, on top of the stumps and quickly dislodged them. The batter was two feet away from the crease and safety. I turned as the umpire raised his finger, the batswoman looked confused and I raised a fist in triumph, before I was almost beaten to death by my colleagues, oddly now, something to be welcomed. I was bashed and clapped, there were lots of smiles, a few laughs and one brief squeeze of the shoulder, the gesture I valued more than all the others.

I realised that I'd now taken wickets, caught, bowled and stumped, three of a spin bowlers' main ways of getting batters out, just a leg before wicket now required.

After lunch I was surprised that Helen asked me to take one end, I'd expected the quick bowlers to be in action. Between us Hayley and I bowled in spells from that end through until tea, leaving the medium pace and quicks from the other end. The tactic seemed to frustrate the opposition no end and wickets fell regularly.

We were into the tailenders soon after the tea interval and hoped to wrap things up quickly. In between my bowling stints, I was active in the field constantly and had been moved closer to the action, mainly at mid-wicket and I stopped a lot of runs being scored.

In my final spell, I delivered a ball that I hoped would spin or turn just a little, but for some reason, it deviated a lot and the batter stared at it as it flicked her pads. I turned around and asked the umpire if it was out. I could see him replaying the delivery in his mind before he raised a finger and now, I also had a leg before wicket.

When the play finished, we had two wickets to take and were 130 runs in arrears. A great position and I hoped that the next day we could win my first Test match.

It was a nice evening, after dinner, most of the team sat around talking until a steel band started playing. That opened the flood gates, there was lots of dancing and we tried doing some limbo dancing. I was amazed that Hayley could limbo as well as she did, I was okay, but fell on my backside a few times and decided to sit it out.

Once again, we headed to our room and after undressing there was more kissing, but we were both worn out and Hayley fell asleep in my arms. Oh, how good would it be for that to happen every night I thought.

Day four

This morning we were lying back-to-back, touching very closely. Maybe not as nice as being held but I'd settle for that. We had our usual run, breakfast and then set off to the venue for some practice.

Two wickets to get and it was normal to start the day with quick bowlers, but Helen decided that we would move all the fielders in closer and crowd the batters. I was much closer to the action, but I had to be even more alert, because there was far less time to react, although less ground to cover. I was busy right from the off and saved a few runs.

The last batswoman was at the crease and she drove the ball towards my position and set off for a quick single, although why she thought that was a good plan, I have no idea. Her batting partner realised the folly of her decision and shouted a very loud, "No," which made her turn back. By now I'd scooped the ball up, turned and threw a fast flat throw to the wicket keeper, who took the ball and rattled it into the stumps. The batswoman was still a yard from safety and the umpire raised his finger. We'd done it and I was chuffed with that last play.

It had taken less than thirty minutes before we wrapped things up, now we were batting again and needed only 141 runs to win. I sat watching and realised that Hayley had dropped onto the bench next to me. She leaned over, "That was some throw, you're pretty good at this."

It made me smile and I was even more proud than I had been. She placed her hand on mine which was once again on the bench between us and squeezed it. I enjoyed that and expected her to move it but she left it there making me feel all warm, giving me a sense of being cared for.

I have no idea what got into our opening pair, but the way they played you'd think they wanted to get it over before lunchtime and raced along. Suddenly a complete miscue and a wicket fell which slowed things up and by the break, we'd added 59 runs.

Helen completely missed the first ball after lunch and it shattered her stumps. It's amazing how many times after an interval or even a drinks stoppage, a wicket goes down. Two balls later the other opener went and I started to get nervous, thinking about having to bat. Helen called over to Hayley and told her to pad up.

When the next wicket fell Hayley walked out looking purposeful and Helen told me that she wanted Hayley to go and play as if it was a T20 game, where different, more aggressive, tactics were employed. In a few deliveries,' it was obvious that she was going to finish this quickly or sacrifice herself. She scored fifty at breakneck speed but whilst the boundary shots were great to watch some of the near misses made me cringe. Then one went so high it had snow on it when it came down, right into the fielders' hands. She slapped the air with her bat, but when she slumped down next to me, she was grinning and said, "That was fun."

By the time the tea interval was due we only needed eight runs and our opponents still had to take four more wickets so the Umpires consulted and agreed to delay the break. It only took another fifteen minutes before it was over and I squeezed myself with delight, I'd won the first Test Match I'd played in, Grandad was going to be beside himself.

The celebrations after the game included beer with our opposition and they went on late. A great thing about cricket is the friendship between rivals and the chance to meet and chill out after the game. We had a late dinner, but it was a day off the next day.

I was lying on the bed waiting for Hayley and when she appeared, naked, she jumped onto the bed with her knees astride me. She held my wrists on either side of my head and leaned in to kiss. When she stopped, I smiled at her, "Nice to have you to myself again. Being with the gang and partying is good but this is better."

"You know we can do both, party and then our time. Now, what are we going to do?" Her grin was mischievous. I didn't answer but slid lower on the bed so that her opening was over my mouth. I flicked her lips with my tongue. "Are you serious?" she asked.

Words seemed superfluous so I drove my tongue in and grabbed her ass pulling her down more tightly against me. My ministrations made her moan and writhe, she moved her hands, placing them flat on the wall behind the bed. I'd wondered if I could do this for long before I needed to move, but the feeling of power to excite her and make her orgasm was incredible, of course, the person on top might also feel like they have control. Those thoughts took up too much energy so I stopped them and worked on my girlfriend's pleasure.

Hayley eventually collapsed sighing and muttering, "No more, I can't take any more." She lay down with her eyes closed for a few minutes before she stirred and asked if I was okay.

"I'm great, I loved that and I want to do it again." Her face fell. "Not right now you idiot, but soon, I loved it and I think you might have enjoyed it."

"I'll say," she replied. "Give me a minute and I'll be with you."

"No, don't move, let's just sleep."

Day off

I woke up with Hayley wrapped around me and I relished the feeling that she seemed to love me. Despite not having any training that morning I slipped out of bed and into running gear. "Watcha kid? Run again?" She asked.

"We have a free day and we're going to have fun, but a run will make us both feel better."

Grunting she threw back the duvet and wandered naked towards the bathroom. I sat brushing my hair and watching her in the mirror. She was slightly stockier than me, no not stocky, she had a great figure, breath-taking, she had more developed muscles and more mass, if anything she was perfect and I was touch skinny by comparison. The sight of her ass as she disappeared made me feel something incredible, but it would be better to resist or we'd never get out of this room.

As we ran, I asked, "Did you call me 'kid'?"

"I did, I guess. Why, what's the problem?"

"I'm not your kid, don't do it again, I don't like it." I wasn't mad, I was younger than Hayley, but for some reason, I didn't like the term.

Her reply was, "Okay Princess."

That made me laugh and I nearly tripped. That made her laugh loudly. We did our usual two miles, then showered and headed for breakfast, a big breakfast today, no training.

There were sail boats at the hotel and we decided that it would be fun, so we headed to the beach where we spoke to the person who organised the water sports events. He offered us two single boats or a two-person sail boat and we opted for the latter. For the next ten minutes, the guy explained what he thought we needed to know and the questions that Hayley asked made me think that she'd done this before. The idea of tacking went over my head, but I did understand the bit about righting the boat if it capsized and he made us practice. I was good at it and suspected that it would be useful, probably more than once.

Hayley took the tiller and we set off at quite a speed, the sun was bright and we'd slathered on the sun block, added sunglasses, hats and a T-shirt over our swimwear. It was quite exhilarating and I relaxed with my feet up enjoying the speed, then Hayley decided to change course. Now, it was my first time in a boat of this type, actually of any type except a ferry or a rowing boat, but even I realised that I was in a really bad position to balance the boat when it was turning at speed. She'd not given any warning or any thought to the process and over we went. I knew that practising getting the boat back the right way up would be useful and it only took me two goes, getting back into the damn thing took plenty of effort though.