Realms of Eden Book 03: Whirlwind

Jason nodded then said, "Ok Skipper what do you want us to do after tea!"

The Aussies declared at 5 for 300 as Jason and Simon went on a rampage after the break both falling to catches on the boundary chasing fast runs. The two went within a couple of runs of one another. Peter Bond let Dean, Cliff and Richard go out for short but productive innings before calling a halt just after the final drinks break.

Joe Donnelly and Gareth Peterson had been rested from the game to concentrate on their weight and fitness. It was a chance to see another fast bowler in action, Barry Crawford, who had been brought over to supplement the squad. Peter had no problems with throwing him the ball for the first over to the Kiwi captain.

Barry was a stocky man with powerful shoulders and strong legs. Sydney had faced a few balls from him in the nets prior to the game and was impressed with the man's speed and ability to swing the ball both ways.

He had asked Ted Russell why the man hadn't been in the original squad and was saddened to learn why. He hadn't been available at the start of the tour he told him as the man had had to finalise some matters around the death of his wife in a horse riding accident a year or so ago. Ted told him that Barry had actually quit cricket altogether and it had only been in the last few months that the man had been cajoled to take up his career again instead of spending his time boozing and grieving.

Barry looked remarkably fit and Ted told him that Sydney himself was responsible for that as the man's interest in the game had been rekindled by watching Sydney bash bowlers all over the paddock. Apparently he had made a boast that he could have stitched the young fella up in his day. When someone told him to put his money where his mouth was he started back. Giving up drinking and taking up a very aggressive training program that had him back in the Western Australian Black Swan university team terrorising batsmen at the beginning of the season. He finally accepted an invitation to join the tourists from Thelma who arranged to get him there when they turned up in Auckland.

Sydney was polishing the ball as Barry gave his cap to the umpire. As they walked back to his bowling mark he said, "Ok Matey just pretend it is me up there and see if you can't make a mess!" Barry Crawford looked at him in surprise and Sydney just grinned and clapped him on the back of his pants as he raced back to first slip.

Make a mess he did. Trapping the confounded Kiwi skipper in front on his fourth ball as the man had played for outswing that didn't come from the ball pitched on middle and off. Jerome shook his head in disbelief as the previous three balls had ducked away from him almost catching the edge of his bat as they pitched in almost the same spot.

The left hander who had watched his skipper miss the first three then trapped on the fourth thought he had a grasp of the man's bowling. Striding confidently to the crease asked for middle and off from the umpire.

Barry, Peter and Syd watched the man and Sydney said, "He's thinking you are just bowling outies, which will be innies to him Barry, want to surprise him?"

Barry grinned suggesting that a couple more slips might be handy and told Sydney that the first one would be as the batsman expected.

The left hander arrogantly met the ball with the middle of his bat and played it back down the pitch past the bowler. He almost thought about a run but saw Dean come swiftly in to field just past the non-striker's stumps. The next ball swung viciously away from his searching bat and Tim Robbins yelled in delight as he caught the ball chest high at second slip.

The Aussies in the crowd went up as one cheering "Barry! Barry!" as they found another hero to cheer for.

"Well done Caveman!" yelled Sydney as he gave the bowler a hug.

His teammates grinned and Barry Crawford looked at them in confusion. "BC," said Peter Bond, "You know the caveman comics that appear in the papers every day!" Barry Crawford chuckled then accepted his cap from the umpire and headed down to deep third man acknowledging the crowd as they generously applauded.

"Keep it tight Mike!" called Peter and was happy to see the man concentrating on line and length as they had discussed in the rooms before they came out to field. A couple of singles were given away and Peter gave Lou Johnson a bit of a glare for some sloppy fielding at the end of the over.

Barry looked at Sydney standing at first slip as the big man called, "Ok Caveman let's see if he has fast enough feet!"

His run up felt good as he came past the umpire and whistled the ball towards the right hander around about his toes. Cliff and Sydney were screaming for the LBW before he had even finished his run through and he had barely turned when they were beside him hugging and laughing as the umpire's finger pointed to the sky.

"Whirlwind?" he asked Sydney. "What about this bloke coming in?"

Sydney looked confused.

The bowler grinned. "Well you've called the first two wickets of the hat trick how am I going to take this bloke!"

Peter Bond chuckled. "Got you there matey. Innie, feet you've called both of them!"

"Bloody hell," Sydney sighed dramatically. "Skipper I think I might have to go and sit down a bit my mental powers seem to have drained me. What with carrying the batting and now the bowling I think I am getting a bit tired."

Barry Crawford almost doubled up with laughter as he backed away from the stupefied look of his skipper and grinning vice-captain. "You bastard Whirlwind!" he laughed. "OK just get ready in slips we'll see if we can't give your hands a workout as well your mouth!"

Peter reinforced slips for the incoming right hander and got Jason in under the man's nose as well. He readied himself at gully as Barry stood at the top of his mark. The crowd was hushed then started to stomp their feet as the bowler began his fluid run to the crease. Peter heard the snick then swivelled his head towards the cordon and fell on his back in disbelief as Sydney Douglas took the easiest of catches safely in his big hands and threw the ball high into the sky screaming like a banshee.

The crowd went ballistic. Sydney pointed to the big screen showing the Angels' batsman trudging off as the caption read 'Caught Whirlwind Bowled Caveman'. Clasping Barry's shoulder he said, "I think you might need a new name on that shirt of yours!"

By stumps the Aussies had the Auckland Angels 8 down for 48 runs and they stood in the middle of the ground acknowledging the crowd as they waved, cheered and screamed.

Robert, the physio Pamela, tracksuit wearing Kelsey and Sandy along with the rest of the squad appeared on the grounds handing out drinks and ensuring that the men warmed down their muscles.

"Ready to run gentlemen?" Kelsey asked stretching and twisting along with Sandy as the crowd behind them began to sing and clap in expectation.

Sydney looked around the crowd and noticed that not too many people were moving to the exits. He grinned up at Robert who was already in his running shorts and shirt. "Ok but I am not stripping to put on some minuscule pair of shorts that is going to have my balls hanging out of them! I'll run in what I have on thank you," said Sydney as Kelsey threw him a pair of shorts.

"No fair Sydney," said Sandy, "Shorts!"

Reluctantly he got up and dropped his cricket pants much to the delight of the thousands, mainly women that remained. He pulled up the shorts and was happy to see that they weren't as snug as he feared.

There was only to be the four of them Sydney found out. He and Robert started off slowly behind Sandy and Kelsey who had removed their tracksuits to reveal skimpy shorts and tight running tops. The boys around them and Pamela clapped as the girls stripped off laughing with the men as they revealed themselves.

The pace for the first lap was slow and Sydney suspected it was for the benefit of the many cameras around the field to capture the sight of the two beautifully athletic women in front of him. The second lap was quicker and the next even faster until they passed the halfway mark on the next lap. Robert chuckled beside him and said, "Want to see who can breast the line first?" as he nodded to where some of the boys were holding a tape across the track at the bottom of the field.

The girls pushed to sprint mode catching the two men by surprise as Sydney heard a voice over the ground speakers say "Go!" Sydney and Robert took off after the women and allowed the long legged sprinting females to stay just in front of them down the straight in front of the screaming crowd. The two men went to the inside of them as they all matched strides and hit the tape together. Cameras flashed as they hit.

The crowd were cheering madly again and Sydney looked up to the big screen to see an extreme close up of Sandy's and Kelsey's breasts hitting the tape beside the lower chests of the two men inside of them. The scoreboard flashed 'Dead heat!', then 'Protest!' and replayed the finish again in very slow motion capturing the up and down movement of four breasts as they came to the line.

When Kelsey's right breast and Sandy's left one hit the tape a bright white line was drawn across them showing them dead level with Robert and Sydney just out of the line. The scoreboard flashed 'The girls by a breast, bad luck guys!'

Everyone was still laughing as Dr Lock came up to Sydney. Looking at him intently as most of the people on the ground quietened watching her. "Mr Douglas can I feel your pulse please and you too Mr Dinnane?" as she reached for their wrists. She held them for around twenty seconds then asked Sydney if he was up for another sprint.

Sydney looked at her strangely. "I want you to run one lap as fast as you can, OK?" Dr Lock asked.

He nodded and she walked with him over to the side of the oval just past where the finish line had been and got him into a runner's crouch.

The ground announcer said, "Ready! Set! Go!"

Sydney took off around the first bend as a huge roar erupted from the crowd at this unexpected turn of events. Sydney blanked them out and simply concentrated on running fast down the back straight and into the turn. Around the next bend bursting down the straight he had just run with Robert and the women. He stretched out hard and hit the tape that the boys were holding up again.

There was a hush from the crowd and then cheers and stomping broke out, "Whirlwind! Whirlwind!" crashed around his ears. Kelsey pointed up to the scoreboard. 'Unofficial world record 400m men outdoor 43.15 seconds, Sydney Whirlwind Douglas'. Dr Lock held his wrist for a long time.

He was showered and waiting for Kat at the side of the now empty grandstands. Watching her pack up her camera equipment she passed it over to one of the broadcast crew to store until tomorrow. She was conscious of the young man watching her in the shadows of the stand, as she was also aware of Cecilia Bowman fuming on the phone with their producer back in the studios. Hearing the woman's sarcastic remarks about her camera woman throwing herself at the man caused her face to fall and somehow she knew that no matter what she said her days in this job were numbered.

Sydney was at her side as she straightened having packed the last of her gear, his hands warm on her shoulders as he gave them a gentle rub. "Don't worry about her Kat she's just jealous," he said softly

She shook her head at him saying, "She will make it so that I am seen as some sort of slut and our very conservative production manager doesn't like that sort of behaviour. I might as well start looking for another job. Do you mind Syd if I take a rain check, I am not feeling all that social tonight?"

Sydney realised that he wasn't going to change her mind and gave the woman a soft kiss and told her that he would see her tomorrow if she had time. Nodding she walked out of the grounds.

Sydney was fuming and ready to take Cecilia Bowman apart with his bare hands when Thelma's voice thundered in his mind. "Don't you dare Sydney Winston Douglas!" He cringed at the use of his middle name.

"Just make sure you watch the entertainment segment of the news this evening. I think you will find that Cecilia Bowman is already finished!"

Sydney grinned and said, "Thanks T!" Laughing as he felt the woman's heat touch him and her silly grin across her face.

So it was with vindictive glee that he gathered the teams, the Auckland Angels players were in the bar as well, around the big screen. He got Mandy to turn the volume up when the entertainment news came on. Kelsey asked, "What is happening Sydney?"

"Not sure Kel but Thelma said to watch the entertainment news."

"Well what a surprise for sports interviewer and social butterfly Cecilia Bowman today at the cricket. Not only was she unable to impress the hottest man alive today with her abundant charms, but she lost out to a very attractive woman that was later identified as Kate 'Kat' Weatherby. Apparently the Whirlwind lifted her off her feet and spirited her away to a cosy love nest during the day's play."

The film showed Cecilia deliberately undoing the buttons on her blouse and attempting to engage Sydney's attention with a brazen display of her cleavage. As the film rolled showing Sydney making the catch to save the camera woman's head and the woman's startling blue eyes and pretty face.

"Whirlwind was later quoted as saying that he was attracted to Kat because of her modesty and graceful charm. Looking forward to catching up with her later this week when they had some spare time in between his and her busy schedules.

"He provided no comment on Cecilia's blatant display only to say that he preferred his women's assets to be natural." The film then showed Cecilia stamping her feet in a tantrum and an obviously fake breast slipping out of the almost completely unbuttoned blouse.

"Well Cecilia I guess it's back to the drawing board, or perhaps the surgeon's table if you want to keep your youthful good looks attracting more men to your bed!" ended the host cattily.

"In other news on Whirlwind and the Australian cricket team. It appears that another record could be looming for the superstar batman. He has been sent out the challenge by athletes across Oceania to compete against them in a one off match race in Wellington next week.

"The man, who it seems can do no wrong, recorded a blistering pace around Coney Fields cricket oval this afternoon." The tape rolled showing Sydney's sprint around the oval and the time recorded and displayed on the scoreboards.

"Officials say that arrangements are being made with Whirlwind's management team to compete in a winner take all purse of five million dollars. In speaking with Mrs Kelsey Gilroy, his media manager, this evening we've learnt that if Whirlwind does take up the challenge and happens to win he will be donating the money to charity."

Kelsey's face was on the screen saying, "The Single Mothers Association and the Bring Them Back charity aimed at retrieving the so-called exiles from across Oceania that were banished under the out dated mutation and vilification laws rescinded by parliament last year."

She giggled at an unheard question and said, "No Whirlwind has not fathered any children but he feels that all children should have the opportunity to do what they want despite the fact that they only have one parent."

The host of the show smiled and continued. "Still on the Aussies, and my word haven't they been entertaining so far on this tour. What bowls at 150 kilometres per hour and swings his balls both ways? Answer just after the break." The show cut to an ad with the hostess grinning wickedly at her question.

Players in both camps roared with laughter and Sydney laughed the hardest. He called out, "Caveman! I think that hostess wants your number man!"

Mandy and another waitress walked around the group collecting empty glasses and taking orders for new drinks. Kelsey gave the woman a little grin as she went past and Sydney heard her whisper, "Thank you so much Kelsey, I am so relieved. I really thought I just wanted them to remember but the money they gave me means I don't have to worry about uni fees till the end of my course!"

She then turned to Sydney and kissed him quickly behind the ear then headed back to the bar to help out.

"Well the answer is this man," the players settled as the show came back on and a photo of a smiling Barry Crawford was displayed.

"Barry Crawford is the latest fast bowler to be brought into the Australian squad to bolster their stocks. Nicknamed Caveman by his teammates he blew the Auckland team away today with a display of terrific fast bowling. Including a hat trick as he took 4 wickets in two overs to have the Angels in big trouble at the start of their run chase. Full details of the game are in tonight's edition of sports news."

The woman's voice was breathless and throaty as she had commentated over the film of Barry bowling and taking wickets. "I for one wouldn't mind being dragged back to his cave!" she simpered as the vid came back to the studio.

"Well that's all we have time for tonight, back to you Karen!"

The sound was muted not that anyone would have been able to hear a word over the noise that erupted from the people in the bar anyway. Barry Crawford tried to hide behind Sydney as the players around him began singing, "Who are ya, Who are ya!" and pointing at him then suddenly a big shout of "Caveman!"

Kelsey, Robert and Sandy were in tears of laughter. Mandy's voice shouted out across the lull. "Barry Crawford! There is a call for you. You can take it on the phone down the end of the room."

Barry was stunned and Kelsey suggested that he might like to go and take it. He returned a few minutes later a huge grin on his face and into the sea of smiling faces all around him said, "I have a date with a certain entertainment news hostess tomorrow night!" The crowd went wild!

The early morning run through the pathways of Auckland's parks area was well attended with only Ian, Dr Lock and Murray King missing. Sandy and Kelsey ran in the middle of the big group as Robert, Sydney and Barry Crawford took the lead.

There was plenty of banter amongst them all as players discussed the prospect of an outright over the Angels. Pamela Smith, never known to talk much, surprised the group by suggesting that the crowd wanted them to demolish the local team telling Peter not to even think about making them follow on.

Dean and Brian agreed. "They want Whirlwind to blast a quick fire century and then get them back in and clean them up!" said Jonathan putting in his thoughts.

"Well let's see if we can give them what they want then boys OK?" shouted Peter as they increased their pace for the last couple of hundred metres back to the motel.

Mike Brennan wrapped up the innings in the first over of the morning. Firstly knocking over the stubborn wicket keeper batsman who had been so patient the evening before, by crashing through his defences with a superb Yorker on his third ball. Then a mix up on the next ball between the nervous tailender and his equally as jumpy opening ball partner saw them stranded in the middle of the pitch. Simon Hunter in covers flung the ball back to Cliff over the stumps who gently took the bails off.

Peter Bond told Simon to cool his heels as he padded up with Sydney to open the batting. He had already told Jerome that the Australians would be going back out to bat even though they were 250 in front. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as the news was put up on the scoreboard and they lifted their voices in delight as the Captain and Vice-Captain walked back out onto the field behind the Auckland Angels team.

"You want to face Sydney?" asked Peter.

"As always."