Championship Dash
Page 6
The Grifton team barely managed to see out their 20 overs, scoring nine for 93. Allunga took five wickets, Phoebe three and Barnsey one.
‘Now, how about some good country tucker for our friends here from Grifton Grammar?’ Farmer McKenzie beamed as the players gathered together.
‘Perhaps after the game?’ Marjorie suggested. The desire to win hadn’t completely left her. She wanted her players to focus on cricket, not food. Dismiss Allunga, and they were in with a huge chance.
The Kangaroo Flat players spent most of their allotted 20 minutes up on the hill, hugging and catching up with parents, relatives and friends. Only Allunga stayed oval-side, chatting with Farmer McKenzie and some of the Grifton players.
After the break, the Galahs gathered on the oval to resume play.
‘Allunga and Camden to open and we don’t want to see you until the score has reached 94,’ Emmi said.
‘Your turn to face, Cam,’ Allunga said, smiling at her friend.
‘Are you sure?’ Camden asked, feeling the butterflies return.
‘Of course, and you know what? You’ve got the best technique out of any of us. So, today, go the next step. Push through the line and force the ball. Get one away early and you’ll feel like you’re completely in charge.’
‘Okay,’ Camden said. He knew he didn’t sound confident. ‘Yeah, okay,’ he repeated, louder.
Camden defended the first three balls, knocking them gently back down the pitch. He looked over at Allunga. She smiled encouragingly. The next ball was quicker. All Camden could do was jab it out of his stumps. At this rate, it was going to be a maiden.
Allunga walked down the pitch towards him. ‘It’s time,’ she said. ‘Remember the “V” I drew? Try and picture it in front of you.’
Camden nodded, determined.
The next delivery was a half-volley. Easy to defend and easy to attack, Camden thought suddenly, with his left foot planted firmly down the invisible ‘V’ on the pitch.
CRACK!
Allunga jumped as the ball bounced between her legs and down to the boundary for four.
‘That felt so good,’ he said to Allunga at the end of the over.
‘That looked so good,’ Allunga replied.
Camden scored 34 runs before lofting a catch to mid-off, but by then, with Allunga not out on 45 and with nine overs still to bowl, the Kangaroo Flat Galahs were well on the road to victory.
A late flurry of wickets couldn’t slow their momentum, the Galahs winning by five wickets with just under four overs to spare.
The crowd gathered onto the oval for the presentations. The Perth Scorchers were on hand to present medals and caps to every player as well as the enormous T20 State Championship trophy to the winning team.
The Kangaroo Flat players, including Fatty Bumbar, gathered together on the podium, and everyone’s hand took a grip of the enormous gold trophy as it was passed to them.
‘Speech!’ someone shouted.
The Kangaroo Flat players looked at each other before Allunga finally took hold of the microphone.
‘Well,’ she began, glancing at her teammates. ‘We have all grown so much, as a team and as cricketers. All I can say is, thanks to Farmer McKenzie and thanks to my friends here for welcoming me into the Kangaroo Flat Galahs cricket side.’ She paused as everyone cheered and clapped. ‘Oh, and thanks to the Grifton girls. You’re a great group and we actually have something for you.’
Farmer McKenzie handed the wad of spare envelopes to Allunga, who shared them among her team. One by one, the Kangaroo Flat players gave the envelopes to each of the Grifton Grammar players.
A special marquee for the cricketers, coaches and other officials had been set up on the oval, and the Kangaroo Flat players spent the next couple of hours swapping stories with each other and their opposition, and reuniting with their parents and friends.
Finally, it was time to pack up and prepare for the long trip home. There were promises of rematches as goodbyes were said.
‘Will you be coming back to Kangaroo Flat?’ Joy asked, looking up into Allunga’s eyes.
‘Of course,’ Allunga said, though Camden could tell she was holding something back.
‘But not for long, huh?’ he asked.
Allunga turned to look at her friends. ‘I’m sorry to have been a bit shy about where I’ve come from and where I’m going,’ she said. ‘You see, I thought that any day we’d be moving on and I wouldn’t see you again. I’m from Geraldton. Right on the coast. I was playing cricket pretty much every day of the week. As you’ve probably guessed, cricket is my all-time favourite thing. But about a year ago, my mum got really sick.’ Allunga paused. ‘So, now it’s just me and my dad.’ She hadn’t told anyone so much of her past and she was finding it difficult.
‘You’ve made such a difference to these kids,’ Farmer McKenzie said softly.
‘Not as much as what you guys have done for me.’
‘So, why did you come to Kangaroo Flat?’ Camden asked.
‘Well, my dad decided that after Mum died we’d just get in the caravan and go. He didn’t know where. So we’ve been travelling. Never stopping for too long. And it’s been fun. Then one day we landed in Kangaroo Flat and we saw you guys training and I just burst into tears and Dad said, “Allunga, we’re going to stop here a while. That okay with you?”’
‘I’m so glad he said that,’ Joy said, rushing to hug Allunga.
Allunga nodded. ‘Yeah, me too.’
‘But why haven’t we met your dad?’ Emmi asked. ‘Doesn’t he like cricket?’
‘He loves cricket. He’s watched us train heaps. And he watched the zone match against the Eagles. But he kind of prefers to keep to himself a bit. He decided to stay back for this game.’ Allunga’s face suddenly changed. ‘Anyway, what about one last huddle?’ she called.
The Galahs rushed to her side and embraced as one. ‘The Galahs!’ the team shouted.
‘Woof,’ Fatty Bumbar barked.
Lugging his bag, Camden followed his parents to the car. Turning back one last time, Camden saw Allunga standing tall and proud but alone, gazing out over the cricket oval. ‘Wait,’ he called, dropping his bag and running over to the marquee.
Allunga turned and smiled, sensing Camden’s arrival. ‘Yes, Camden?’
‘Um, well, do you need a lift home?’
‘Sure, that’d be great, but is it okay with your parents?’
‘Oh, yeah, absolutely,’ Camden lied, though he knew they’d be fine about it.
‘Farmer McKenzie, I’m good,’ Allunga called, hoisting her bag over her shoulder.
Farmer McKenzie smiled. ‘Righto.’
‘Now, let’s plan next year’s team, shall we?’ Allunga said as she walked with Camden.
‘Yeah, let’s do that,’ Camden replied, unable to hide the grin on his face.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Penguin Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Version 1.0
Big Bash League 6: Championship Dash
ePub ISBN – 9780143782308
First published by Random House Australia in 2017
Text copyright © Penguin Random House Australia 2017
Branding copyright © Cricket Australia 2017
Illustrations copyright © James Fosdike 2017
The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted.
A Random House Australia book
Published by Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level
3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.penguin.com.au
Addresses for the Penguin Random House group of companies can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com/offices
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Panckridge, Michael, 1962–
Title: Championship Dash [electronic resource]
ISBN: 978 0 14378 230 8 (ebook)
Series: Big Bash League; 6
Target Audience: For children
Subjects: Cricket stories
Sports – Juvenile fiction
Cover and internal illustrations by James Fosdike
Cover design by Christa Moffitt, Christabella Designs
Ebook by Firstsource