Realms of Eden: Home Fires B2A2

Kevin Bailey, his wife, Georgie and Maria Castellantes made a nice group. By the touches of Georgie on the long legged Maria, Kevin was going to find out very soon how much his wife knew about the activities between the science teacher and Sydney's favourite maths partner! Kelsey looked around the rest of the people, they crowded her back yard and she mentally counted at least thirty of Syddy's Angels present.

She looked for her boy and was not surprised to see him laughing and surrounded by at least a dozen of them. Reflecting that only a few months ago the boy would have been hiding in the shadows out in the bush somewhere rather than face that many girls, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What's tickled your funny bone, gorgeous?" asked Jo as she stood beside her friend and took a glass of wine from the tray Kelsey had just placed on the table.

"Angels blood, Jo! Look around you, it seems that everyone has it running in their veins tonight!"

Jo grinned and nodded in agreement.

Chapter 3 -- Just another game

Ian Creighton arrived at Sydney's house with the paper bag containing his breakfast as the man himself returned from his early morning run. He laughed at Sydney's face that turned his nose up at the toasted sardines and blue cheese sandwiches that he took from the bag in response to Sydney asking him if he wanted breakfast. He couldn't understand why the boy didn't like them and chuckled when he said he would shower and join him after he had finished them. Ian put on the kettle and inserted his game tactics disk into the slot on the display vid on the wall in the lounge.

Showered and changed Sydney made tea and toast then sat beside him as he used the remote to show Sydney his fellow teammates and the opposition. It was a routine that they had established many years ago when Sydney would arrive at the school early on the morning of the game. Ian and Paul would take him through the selections for his team and the team selected against them. Both of them would point out strengths and weaknesses as Sydney formulated plans in his head to use bowlers and field positions to combat their strongest batsmen and how he would combat their bowlers.

The routine was familiar, friendly and the little apprehension Ian felt about this game disappeared as the faces of the players in both the team Sydney would captain and the opposition went by without the boy commenting. Watching the young man collect his gear together Ian wondered again at how such a person could have been treated so badly as to not even have had access to something everyone had, a vid screen, to watch his favourite game on. He sighed as he sipped his tea then a small smile broke across his face. After today the young man complaining about not being able to find his socks would be one of those players on the vidcast.

Sydney noted the smile of satisfaction on his old coach's face as he found his favourite socks and wondered what the man was up to. He didn't have time to ask Ian why he was smiling as at that moment Bonnie, Jenny and Kelsey arrived and Jo stumbled from his bedroom and grumped about no one waking her for breakfast. Kelsey laughed at her and told her to go and have a shower that there was plenty of time.

Ian's face switched from a smile to a little bit of embarrassment as the last thing he expected was for Sydney's house to be suddenly invaded with female flesh. Particularly one that was naked and staggering from his bedroom. He stuttered and stammered a little until Kelsey told him that she would see him at the fields before 8:30 and he cheerily waved saying, "Righto then," and he was gone.

Sydney dressed into his whites and packed a bag of spare clothes and his spikes. Donning a pair of runners he headed down to the garage to collect his bag of cricket gear and dragged the lot up the stairs dumping it at the entrance to the kitchen.

Kelsey raised her eyebrows at him. "I thought we would take your hover and Jo can have mine with the booster seat in it." He looked stupidly at her and realised that he did in fact have a hover parked in his garage. Loaded up again he traipsed back down the stairs and piled his gear into the back of it. Jo was taking Bonnie and Jenny shopping with her today as all of them had professed that watching cricket all day was not their scene. He grinned as he recalled Kelsey telling them all last night as they made plans that she wouldn't miss it for the world.

"Get switched on Sydney!" he told himself as he packed the last of his equipment into the back of his wagon.

Kelsey found him still talking to himself and she stopped him with a small kiss on his neck. "You will do good today, baby, relax, enjoy it!"

"I didn't even fucking remember that we were taking my hover today, Kelsey!" he complained at his lack of concentration.

"Hovers are not important things today," she smiled. "Batting, opposition players, bowlers, fielding positions are. Tell me that you haven't already worked out the opening bowlers and field positions in your head already."

He couldn't answer her. That was exactly what he had been doing since Ian gave him the statistics and overview of players. Chuckling he hopped into the passenger seat as Kelsey said she would drive while he continued his planning.

Sydney groaned as they arrived at number 4 wicket at the main cricket fields. It was a wicket that had a reputation for being a feather-bed after the first hour and he fervently hoped he would win the toss in order to bat the opposition out of the game. Sydney lost it and found himself standing at the wicket organising the field as he observed the players he had on his team.

Wayne Hampson was the wicket keeper and Sydney was overjoyed to see his familiar face. They had played representative cricket together a few times and Sydney knew that he was as meticulous about setting the field as he was. He told Wayne that the left hander opening the batting had a reputation for scoring fast runs with plenty of boundaries and Wayne grinned as he watched his captain set the field accordingly.

Gareth, a big right arm opening bowler that Sydney had not seen before was flinging his arms around and stretching in expectation of opening the bowling. Sydney called him over to him after he had passed his hat to the umpire. "How's the field, Gareth?" he asked.

"No fine leg, skip," he observed after looking around.

"If I need a fine leg after your first over you will find yourself standing at deep mid-off for the rest of the day, son! Keep it up and across him, ok? I don't mind if you get driven a few times," Sydney replied with a pat on the man's bum as the big bowler nodded sheepishly.

Sydney ran back to first slip and noted that second slip was standing almost in front of him, "Tim?" he asked the man.

"Yes Sydney."

"Wayne covers a lot of room, as do I, shove over a couple."

The man looked at the gaps and shrugged shaking his head, but took up the position Sydney indicated.

The first ball was awfully short and Sydney was surprised when it didn't get flogged to the point boundary instead of smacking into Wayne's gloves. He passed it to him and Sydney sent it around the field back to the bowler. The next ball was across the batsmen but again was far too short and Sydney saw the batsmen eye off the point boundary again but had allowed the ball to go through. If the next ball appeared there again it was going to go.

Sydney grabbed the ball off Wayne, skipped down the side of the pitch and walking back with the bowler said quite sharply, "This is the first game of the season and you have the chance to get on top of this guy first up but here you are gifting him with sighters outside his off stump! You bowl one more of them and he is going to hit the pickets so hard the ball is going to be out of shape. Pitch the fucking thing up!" Sydney gave him the ball and raced back to first slip.

Tim had moved and Sydney shook his head as he looked at him. "Tim if I want you to sit in my fucking pocket I'll open it myself, now get over!"

Sydney was moving even before the ball found the edge of the bat and took the catch comfortably to his right at about chest high and threw it high into the air in delight. The bowler raced through and congratulated him on a good catch.

"It should have been on the first ball," Sydney told him.

Gareth nodded, "Sorry skipper."

"That's OK, now let's get the rest of this lot, on our toes now!"

The next batsmen was a nuggetty little character nick-named Jimbo whom both Wayne and Sydney had batted with before and they knew that he was quite a talent. Sydney made a small adjustment to the field and the last few balls of the over were played out with the ball hitting the bat in front of the stumps.

The tall red-haired Justin, Sydney's other opening bowler was also a new face to the man. He issued the same instructions to him as he had given Gareth, telling him to keep the ball up and reinforced covers with the extra man that he kept out of fine leg. The ball moved sharply off the pitch on Justin's second delivery with Wayne gleefully accepting the catch. Sydney had hopes that they might just get a good grip on this game.

The next man in was new to all of his teammates. So Sydney recalled Ian's details of the man, which were also a little sparse, it was unusual from his coach. He set a standard, though reasonably attacking, field and encouraged everyone to be on their toes.

Sydney's team couldn't quite seem to get a break and the only half chance that came their way flew high over the gully's head and down to the boundary. By drinks they were two down for about forty and Sydney was still a little optimistic. By lunch time he had used all three quick bowlers and Tim with his medium paced swingers but number 4 field was living up to its reputation as a feather-bed. They went into lunch with them still only down the two wickets and ninety odd runs on the board.

Kelsey greeted him enthusiastically when they walked off and Sydney got quite a few looks from the guys as her jiggling and hugging displayed her ample charms. The big man grinned as they walked hand-in-hand across to the canteen and grabbed some drinks to go with Kelsey's picnic basket of sandwiches. He asked her how she was enjoying it so far and she said that she hoped they got a bit luckier this afternoon.

He sounded out Ian shortly before they resumed and he suggested that they continue to keep the game tight, hoping that the opposition started to get a little tired of just running singles. Thanking him for his advice Sydney joined the rest of the lads heading back out onto the field. Wayne asked him how his bowling arm was. Sydney rudely suggested that he might as well give him the gloves if he thought that they were that desperate and with a bit of laughter they resumed their positions.

He looked across at Gareth who was standing deep at third man and signalled him to warm up and pointed to the opposite end from where he had bowled his last spell and he began his arm flinging. The first over after lunch was a continuation of before as Sydney checked to see if there was anything in the field that was amiss and finding nothing accepted the ball from Wayne at the end of the over and waited for Gareth to walk in.

"Right, son," Sydney said when he took his cap and handed him the ball. "Little change of tactics I want you to bowl as fast as you can at the little fella and pitch in a couple of short ones. Let's see if we can't unsettle him a bit. If you see me move to leg slip I want you to pitch in to try and get his ribs, OK?"

He grinned, "OK skip!"

Settling back in at first slip Sydney moved Tim out into a shortish forward square leg and called on Gareth to let her rip, mate! The first ball almost took off Jimbo's head as he played for something much fuller and found the ball suddenly in front of his helmet. Sydney laughed wickedly as he ran back with the ball to Gareth as the batsman dusted off his trousers after a little tumble in his avoidance of the bouncer. The next one skipped back into his pads and more in hope than in any belief that it was out Wayne and him appealed loudly from behind and weren't surprised at the 'Not Out' call from the umpire.

Sydney moved to leg slip then noticed that the non-striker failed to let Jimbo know that he had moved. He eyed him doubtfully thinking how he would be careful if he ever ended up in a team with him at the other end. Gareth bowled a great ball that rose quickly off the deck and straight for Jimbo's ribs and the batsmen raised his bat and hopped to deflect it down to what he believed was a vacant fine leg. Sydney had time to notice the look of disbelief on Jimbo's face as the ball dollied straight to his waiting hands. Gareth was ecstatic and Sydney was worried that he was going to kiss him on the field in his jubilant celebrations and barely avoided his huge hug.

The team was buoyant and Sydney encouraged them to move in a little quicker and to put pressure on any running these guys thought they might try. The words proved prophetic as the new batsmen attempted to get quickly off the mark on the first ball but succeeded in stranding himself halfway down the wicket. The ball returned quickly from midwicket to Wayne who gleefully ripped off the bails.

Sydney heard Kelsey and Ian's cheers and with congratulations all around he encouraged the team to keep it up. By drinks they had them seven down with only 150 on the scoreboard. The team was concerned about the new player and Sydney told them not to worry about him as he was only playing for himself and didn't care if he ended up 50 not out because he wasn't doing enough to scare them. Sydney noticed him scowl as he overheard him and Wayne looked carefully at the big man. When he accepted the easiest of catches off Justin from an attempted slog through mid-off he said, "You sly old dog!"

Sydney laughed with the rest of them as they watched the batsman trudge off bashing his pad in disgust. Sydney clapped the opposition captain onto the field and wished him the best and he surprisingly said, "Thank you, Sydney, that's very sporting!"

With eight down Sydney wasn't surprised that the last few batsmen would have a bit of a lash and positioned a couple of players deep in the outfield. They wrapped up the innings within a couple of overs and he clapped the boys off with a "Well done lads!"

Kelsey had his pads, protector, gloves, helmet and rib guard laid out for him when he walked through the gate. Donning his equipment quickly he picked up the bats in his bag and selected the one he had been most practising with. Sydney was ready to go inside the ten minute changeover period.

Kelsey patted him on the bum as he moved off and said, "Bat long, bat bold."

Sydney turned and finished, "And you can wear the green and gold."

He blew her a kiss and caught up to Tim on the way out. He grinned at the big man beside him, "You want to face?"

"As always!"

"Good luck."

Sydney told him they would have a lead before stumps. He looked at him incredulously and walked down to the non-strikers end. Sydney looked up asking the umpire for centre and aligned his bat edge to the marks that had already been scratched there and gave them another quick scratch and checked the field. It was pretty standard and he peered down the wicket to check the bowler and wasn't surprised to see the opposition captain rubbing the ball across his groin.

The first ball was short and moving outside of off-stump and he leaned slightly on his back foot and cut it hard and high over the point boundary for six. The second slip fielder said, "That's what I should have bloody done!" The next couple were overcompensations for the first short ball and Sydney slammed them through mid-off for four and fully expected the bouncer that came so slowly off the wicket the next ball. He thought he almost had time for a cup of tea as he heard Ian and Kelsey screaming 6 well before it cleared the pickets.

Tim wandered down the wicket as he practised the shot again. "You're fair dinkum about this lead aren't you?"

Sydney nodded. "Just stay with me mate, don't do anything silly, just get them while you can."

He played the last two down the pitch as the bowler tightened up his line and length.

Tim nudged the ball through point and they took an easy single and Sydney faced up to the left-hander from the other end. He was overly cautious with his first ball that slid down leg side and he deflected it past the keeper and watched it roll into the boundary past the diving long leg that didn't quite get there. They continued at a rapid rate with Tim showing his own flair for cutting and deflecting the ball through gully and point. At the other end Sydney bludgeoned all that was thrown at him, reaching his 50 with a drive through covers and by tea they had wiped almost 100 off the score.

As the two batsmen walked back out onto the field after tea Sydney noticed that there were quite a few people making their way over to the small grandstands that faced the field. He didn't take too much stock of the numbers and concentrated on getting his rhythm back quickly.

Everything seemed as big as a soccer ball and moved so slowly off the pitch that Sydney was easily finding gaps and where there wasn't a gap he used his newly grown muscles to fling his bat at the loose ball and send it high into the outfield and over or into the fence. The umpire commented that he was batting very well Sydney thanked him then joined in Tim's celebration for his own 50 and told him to keep his head down and that they would be all right for tomorrow.

It didn't seem very long before a very loud cheer went up from the grandstand. Tim was clapping Sydney on the back for his century and noted the score was none for 180, they were only two runs from leading. He turned to his batting partner and said, "How the hell did we get that many and where did this lot come from?"

The grandstand was now full of people and most of them were clapping. Sydney raised his bat in acknowledgement hearing noises around him he goggled at the crowds that were standing all around the boundary.

Tim said, "They heard you were on fire!"

"Nah, must be you they're watching!"

He guffawed, "Ok we have about an hour to stumps what do you want me to do?"

Sydney shook his head in disbelief then said, "Let's just keep going the way we are."

Tim nodded and Sydney returned to face the next ball. He finished 206 not out smashing one luckless spin bowler into the stands 5 times, stroking the last ball into the pickets on the first bounce much to the delight of the increasingly vocal crowd. He hardly felt puffed as Tim and him sprinted between the wickets, Sydney danced and swayed hitting everything he could through and over the field.

When the umpire called stumps Tim gave him a big high five. "I have never seen anyone bat so well! I have never batted so well in my life!" His joy was infectious and Sydney gave him a big grin as they walked off to an ovation of more people than he had ever seen at a Saturday cricket match.

The opposition captain held his players back congratulating Sydney on a great knock and they allowed the two batsmen to walk off the field first. Sydney's teammates swamped the pair with congratulations and Ian Creighton pumped his hand so vigorously Sydney thought he was using him to bring up water. "I knew you were special, but that really was special!" he gushed. When Kelsey grabbed him in a big hug and kissed him long and hard Sydney felt his face going extremely red at the catcalls and cheers that were going on around them.

He dropped his gear into his bag removed his pads and reached in for his protector when someone yelled out, "She'll get if for you Sydney!" The crowd around erupted into laughter as Sydney said it was a bit sweaty even for him.