An All Rounder

• Damon Delaney, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2013

Cricket. It's the best! You can't fault it in all of its points. The crowd, the atmosphere, the players, the umpires. I'm Mike Stafford, and I'm 19, and am crazy, fair dinkum about cricket. The love of the game all started when I was 6. My Dad took me to a Twenty 20 big bash game, Australia Vs Pakistan. I watched the game and I knew that was what I wanted to do, or at least be involved with. Ever since then I had been begging my Dad to play cricket with me, in the Backyard, a casual net session, or beach cricket at our holiday house. But every game I played I made over competitive, and had to win, and that was the only flaw about me and cricket together.
When I played my first game for my beloved Rangers at the age of 10, I was an All-Rounder; a star player. I was bowling ball after ball, batting, hitting runs off everything that came my way. I was home, so to speak. My coach always said I was destined for greatness, and was born a star, I thought he was the best, and he should coach Australia, after all, season 2013 hasn't been the Aussies greatest, our batting is appalling! Anyway, back on track.
When I grew older, I stared, quite frankly. I was taking wickets and making runs. At home all I did was practice, practice, practice! I cut myself from the outside world, and I can say it helped my skills; but I was alone. It was the emptiest feeling I have ever experienced, I was stressed and wasn't performing as well on the field, even though my skills were exquisite. Then one day, on September the 12th 2020, there was announcements for the Victorian Squad for this season. Immediately I practiced again, I also connected with some new friends and I felt great. I thought I had a great chances of making the team.
Then the day had arrived for me to try out. I went to the MCG, and I was incredibly nervous and scared but I couldn't let that affect my Cricket. The try outs started and I was a little bit all over the shop. My batting was fine but my bowling was horrible! The other men there (all in their early 20's), were absolute naturals! They were bowling 135k's an hour! Also their batting was fantastic, their ability to play all over the ground was amazing, I learnt so much from them! We all left and the manager said he would inform us if we made it in the next week. I was pretty confident I would make it.
Then I got the call, and my heart was pumping hard when I answered. I guess all the hard work doesn't pay off all the time, and not everything ends in a happy ending... But it might for you. There's always tomorrow.