The Cricket Legend

• Braydan Carter, Grade 4, St Catherine Labouré Primary School
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Beyond Words 2015' competition

Hi, I’m Tom and I have a huge passion for cricket. I would play with bat and ball outside, all day, every day, if I was allowed to. I play at two different levels of cricket, one being at club level and two at a representative level. I also play indoor cricket in the Winter.
One day, I hope to play at an international level, that is my dream. My life has been inspired by Steve Smith because he grew up in the Shire, like me and he is even Captain for Australia, it just goes to show you that anything can happen.
Sometimes, I have been in the ups and downs with batting and bowling. It doesn’t matter if you don’t do well, but at least you tried your best. Cricket isn’t about how good you are, it is about how much fun you have on and off the pitch.
As I am writing this story, I am currently working on becoming an all rounder. I am working on making the ball stick to the ground, a habit, whilst batting. Whilst bowling, I am working on perfecting my Yorkers and at the same time, getting beautiful length with my leggies. (Yorkers are balls that bounce directly on the batter’s toes and leggies are a ball that spins onto the leg side of the pitch.)
Cricket is a very mental game. It is easy for the bowler to get you out if you are scared or sad, which has happened to me sometimes, but at the same time, if you are happy or excited, you will remain on the pitch for a longer period of time. It’s true, even ask a professional cricket player if you don’t believe me, even though you should, think of some of the greats, such as Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh and so on.
You know how I said cricket is a very mental game, well, if you want to have a long innings batting, just think of the person who is bowling, is your brother, sister, Mum or Dad and say to yourself that “I’m not going to let them get me out. Same with the bowling, but just think that your enemy is under all of that padding and with determination, you should surely get a wicket in one of your overs.
With a few examples of greats that I showed you before, just think of their long and successful innings that they have had but they also get very few runs and a couple of ducks through career. So, don’t take it to heart if you don’t have the best innings all of the time, no one is perfect at everything.
Fielding is not as exciting as batting and bowling however, you MUST stay focused in the field otherwise, you could give away a catch and allow lots and lots of runs for the opposing team which, could cost you the game.
Cricket is amazing.