Academy Smash Read online

  ‘They’re a bit harder to control,’ Emma said, watching Billy choose a brand-new cricket ball.

  ‘Okay, maybe I’ll go for this one, then,’ Billy said, picking up a ball that had one shiny side.

  ‘Good choice,’ Emma said.

  Billy stared at the ball in his hand. It felt slightly heavier than what he was used to.

  ‘It’s Billy, isn’t it? You haven’t bowled with a real cricket ball before, have you?’ Emma asked.

  ‘Nope,’ Billy confirmed. ‘But I reckon I’ll be okay,’ he added, looking up into Emma’s friendly face.

  She laughed. ‘I’m sure you will.’

  ‘Can I bowl fast?’

  ‘You can bowl as fast as you like,’ Emma said.

  ‘Full run-up?’

  ‘Maybe a couple of warm-ups first?’ Emma suggested.

  Billy had spent hours and hours reading about fast bowling, and practising in the garden at home and the local cricket club nets. He’d once found an old, chipped and cut-up cricket ball, but its seam had been flat and soft and Billy had found it hard to grip. But that had been a year or so ago. Now his fingers were a little bigger. He looked at the cricket ball in his hand and smiled. He may not have bowled as much as other kids with a real cricket ball, but he knew heaps about how to bowl well.

  Making sure that the seam was facing upwards, Billy ran smoothly to the crease and delivered the ball. It wasn’t his fastest, but it was pretty quick all the same.

  ‘Wow,’ someone muttered.

  ‘That’s nice, Billy,’ Emma said, nodding approvingly.

  ‘You’ve got some more pace, haven’t you?’ Ben asked, reaching for his phone.

  ‘Geez, where’d you learn to bowl?’ one of the boys asked. He was a few years older than Billy and almost as tall.

  Billy shrugged. ‘Mainly at the market. You know, bowling rotten apples and stuff.’

  The boy stared at him a moment, shrugged, then walked back to the top of his mark.

  Over the next ten minutes, more and more officials arrived at the cricket nets where the fast bowling group was practising. Even the batting group had paused to watch.

  ‘I’ve never seen someone so young with such a smooth delivery,’ a coach was saying into his phone.

  ‘Okay, Billy, let it go,’ Ben said, standing alongside him at the top of his run-up. ‘You’ve attracted a nice little crowd. Show them what you can do.’

  ‘Sure, Ben,’ Billy replied.

  A sudden hush settled in the nets area. Running as fast as he’d ever run, Billy approached the bowling crease. With perfect timing and effortless control, he leapt into his delivery stride. Slightly side on and with his left arm up high, Billy thrust back his bowling arm before whipping it past his ear. Fully extended now, Billy released the ball, trying to keep his head up to watch the ball fizz towards the stumps.

  The ball swung in, pitching on middle stump line and just short of a length, before moving sharply off the seam, clipping the top of the off stump. It was probably the best ball Billy had ever bowled.

  ‘Who is this kid?’ someone muttered, staring at the tall, lanky boy who was standing halfway down the pitch with a goofy grin on his face.

  ‘Far out,’ someone else gasped.

  A man in a Melbourne Stars polo shirt strode over to another official talking rapidly into his mobile phone next to the nets. ‘That was unplayable,’ the man said. ‘I want Glenn Maxwell padded up and facing this kid. I’ve just had an idea for a promotion. This kid is going to be the new face of the Melbourne Stars.’

  There was a flurry of activity as the rest of the fast bowling group, along with Ben and Emma, moved off to another net. In no time, there were officials and people with cameras setting up technical equipment in and around the cricket net Billy was bowling in.

  ‘Now, Billy, how would you like to be the new star of the Melbourne Stars?’ the man in the polo shirt asked.

  ‘Play with the Melbourne Stars?’ Billy cried. ‘Aren’t I too young?’

  The man chuckled. ‘Well, you’ll play with them, but not in matches, of course.’ He looked at Billy and smiled. ‘Not yet, anyway. I’ve heard your story, and I love it. Kid who works at the local market, never played a game of cricket in his life, learns to bowl by chucking rotten apples at a fruit crate.’ All Billy could do was stare at the man. ‘Now, go and bowl at Glenn Maxwell, and don’t you worry about the cameras or anything, okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ Billy said. ‘No worries.’

  Everything was happening so quickly. Was he really about to bowl to one of the best T20 batters in the world?

  Friday morning

  Billy watched his first delivery get pummelled into the side netting by Glenn Maxwell. He thought it hadn’t been a bad delivery too. Fast and just short of a length outside off stump. But with what seemed like all the time in the world, Glenn had planted his front foot well down the pitch and smashed the ball.

  ‘Nice,’ Glenn said, picking the ball up in his gloved hand and tossing it back to Billy.

  ‘Nice? You smashed it for four, Glenn!’ Billy said.

  ‘Yeah, true,’ Glenn agreed. ‘But remember, it’s T20. Sometimes good balls get hit around the park as often as bad balls.’

  ‘I guess,’ Billy said, a bit unsure where to bowl his next delivery. He decided on a shorter, faster ball.

  CRACK!

  Once again, the ball flew off at a hundred kays an hour from Glenn Maxwell’s bat.

  ‘Too short,’ Glenn called, ‘but good pace.’

  Billy tried everything: slower balls, wider balls, a hot, fizzing yorker that zoomed in at Glenn’s feet. But no matter what type of delivery Billy bowled, Glenn was on to it in a flash, smacking it into the netting on either side of the crease. He hooked, pulled, swept and drove Billy’s deliveries with ease while cameras clicked and whirred around them.

  ‘Righto, one more ball, young Billy, then we’ll change things up a bit,’ an official called.

  Billy nodded. Ignoring his aching and weary limbs, he ran to the crease with all the energy he could muster. Glenn was charging up the wicket. Billy bowled it short and Glenn swung at the ball with a cross-bat shot, sending it rifling back at Billy. Thrusting up a hand in front of his face, Billy managed to deflect the ball a nanosecond before it would have smashed into his nose.

  ‘Whoa, you okay, Billy?’ an official asked. Glenn and several others rushed in.

  ‘I’m all right, no worries,’ Billy said, looking at his hand. It was red and stinging. ‘My fingers are still there.’

  There were a few nervous laughs.

  ‘Mate, I’m sorry,’ Glenn said, removing his gloves. ‘You got me, that last delivery.’

  ‘Really?’ Billy said, thinking that was probably the most amazing thing anyone had ever said to him. He could feel goosebumps on his arms.

  ‘For sure. Another year or two of bowling and experience, and you would have caught that.’

  ‘Yeah, I guess,’ Billy said, brightening considerably. Then he grinned sheepishly. ‘Still, you did smack me around for about 40 runs before.’

  ‘True,’ Glenn agreed. ‘But listen, Billy, you’re good, you hear me? You can bowl fast.’ He held out his hand and Billy shook it. The cameras surrounding them continued to click and flash. ‘Look after your body, listen to your coaches, and don’t ever let the fire in your belly die out, okay? Here, take these,’ he added, holding out his gloves to Billy.

  ‘Wow, are you sure?’

  ‘Course I’m sure.’

  ‘Thanks, Glenn,’ Billy said, an idea suddenly occurring to him.

  Billy sat in the members’ stand, nursing his hand with a bag of ice and watching the others play a casual T20 match on the far side of the ground. He could see Wen-Lee dashing and darting on the huge expanse of green MCG turf. Billy could tell she was having the time of her life. Who wouldn’t, playing on one of the best cricket grounds in the world?

  The cricket camp hadn’t quite gone as Billy thought it would – he’d f
elt awkward introducing himself to the group, then bewildered by the excitement he’d created when people saw him bowl. Suddenly, he was playing alongside Glenn Maxwell! What next? Billy wondered, taking a peek at his hand.

  ‘How’s it going, Billy?’ Amanda, the official who’d spoken earlier in the day, asked as she approached him.

  ‘All good.’ Billy grinned.

  ‘Oh, that’s a relief. We’ve called home again just to let your parents know that you’ve got a bit of a sore hand.’

  ‘Again?’ Billy inquired.

  ‘Well, yes. We wanted to get in touch to let them know you’ll be starring in our Melbourne Stars promotion,’ Amanda explained. ‘Is that okay?’

  ‘Yeah, no worries. What did they say?’

  ‘Well, your dad was very excited about it all,’ Amanda answered.

  Billy smiled. ‘Ha, that figures.’

  ‘Anyway, you’ll be able to join the rest of the kids soon enough. They’re coming in for afternoon tea in about ten minutes.’

  Billy was looking forward to being part of the group again. While it was exciting to be chosen to bowl to Glenn Maxwell, he felt a bit uncomfortable being singled out.

  Billy found himself surrounded by kids asking about his time bowling to Glenn Maxwell. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the boy with the spiky hair slowly sidle up to them.

  ‘Heard you got smacked around a bit in the nets,’ the boy said to him. ‘You can be the fastest bowler in the country, but it means nothing if you’re not taking wickets.’

  Billy felt a tingle of irritation. He was tempted to snap back, but he paused, giving himself a moment. Everyone was staring at Billy, wondering how he’d reply.

  Then Billy grinned, took a swig from his water bottle and looked up. ‘Yup, you’re totally right,’ he said, stepping towards the boy. ‘Glenn Maxwell pummelled me into every corner of the nets. It didn’t matter if I bowled fast or slow; he belted me everywhere. I got smashed.’ Billy took another swig of water.

  The boy stared at him. It was the last thing he’d expected Billy to say. ‘So, um, what was it like bowling to him?’ the spiky-haired boy asked, finally.

  ‘Awesome and a bit scary. He nearly knocked me out.’ Billy held up his hand. His left palm now had a blue tinge to it.

  ‘Far out,’ the girl with the ponytail, who was next to the boy, blurted. ‘Glad it wasn’t me.’ Then the pair ambled away to the food table.

  Billy wasn’t sure if he’d just made two new friends, but he was hopeful he’d at least got some respect.

  The rest of the day was spent doing fielding drills on the oval. Wen-Lee’s dad took both Wen-Lee and Billy home. For Wen-Lee’s birthday, her parents had organised a party with some of the market stall holders. Wen-Lee had also invited her friends from school.

  ‘Mr Truong, can I please borrow some wrapping paper?’ Billy asked, ducking into the kitchen.

  Wen-Lee’s dad wiped his hands on a cloth draped over his shoulder and pointed to a tall cupboard by the door. ‘Help yourself.’

  Billy chose the green paper with white lanterns on it. (Perfect Melbourne Stars colours, he thought.) He quickly wrapped the present he’d managed to keep hidden from Wen-Lee for most of the day.

  Wen-Lee decided to open her gifts after tea, when everyone had settled in for the Big Bash League cricket match from Perth.

  Billy watched excitedly as Wen-Lee tore open the wrapping. ‘Do you like them?’ he asked.

  ‘Wow, they’re big,’ Wen-Lee said, turning the batting gloves over in her hand.

  ‘They’re Glenn Maxwell’s,’ Billy said proudly.

  ‘Really?’ Wen-Lee gasped. ‘He gave them to you?’

  ‘Yup, and now I’m giving them to you. I had got you something else but when Glenn gave me these gloves, I knew they were the perfect birthday present.’

  ‘But, Billy, he gave them to you.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. But since you like Glenn Maxwell so much, I thought you’d enjoy them more. Plus, you’re a way better batter than I am.’

  ‘Billy, that’s awesome – really. Thanks heaps!’ Wen-Lee was beaming. ‘And he’s signed them too.’

  ‘Yup, to you.’

  ‘To me?’ Wen-Lee looked closely at the gloves. ‘Oh, yes, he has!’ she cried.

  ‘Nice one, Billy.’ Mr Truong grinned, slapping him on the back.

  Saturday morning

  It was the following day and the Victorian representative side was about to take on a Queensland side in a T20 match on the famous MCG wicket.

  The sound of Carrie’s clapping echoed around the stadium. Billy glanced about nervously. Already there was a good smattering of spectators in the huge stands, enjoying the afternoon sunshine. Later in the evening, the Melbourne Stars would be playing against the Brisbane Heat.

  ‘Okay, Billy. Let’s do this!’ Carrie called, clapping her hands again.

  Billy had been one of the lucky ones chosen to play for the Victorian team. Wen-Lee was somewhere in the stands, watching, along with the rest of the cricket camp participants.

  ‘Let him have it, Billy!’ Faisal said, from his position alongside Billy at mid-off.

  Billy looked at the boy with the spiky hair. ‘You bet,’ he said. ‘No apples today.’

  The two boys grinned at each other.

  A slow handclap erupted as Billy began his run to the wicket. It had built to a crescendo by the time he’d reached the crease and delivered.

  It was the worst ball Billy had ever bowled. Aimed well outside off stump, the ball swung further away, passing wide of the stumps and the keeper’s outstretched hand. The ball raced down to the boundary.

  ‘That’s four wides,’ the umpire called, holding out both his arms.

  ‘Sorry,’ Billy said, waving his hand at his keeper.

  ‘Come on, Billy!’ Carrie shouted, encouragingly. ‘Next one.’

  Walking back to the top of his run, Billy stole a quick glance at the enormous Southern Stand. He stopped abruptly, peering more closely.

  ‘Northstage Market,’ Billy read out the green words on the enormous white banner held aloft by a large group of people. Colourful pictures of fruit and vegetables decorated either end of the sign. ‘Giorgio, you’re here,’ Billy breathed, seeing his old friend waving his arms frantically. He felt a surge of happiness overwhelm him. Then he saw the rest of them. The Karuzo twins, Damien, Olga, Big Kev, in his white butcher’s coat, Franky, Lucy, Nat, Janine, Marcus, Tamsyn, old Granny Romana and Wen-Lee’s parents – they were all here, waving and chanting his name.

  And on a Saturday, Billy thought. Today is market day. What are they doing here?

  ‘C’mon, Billy!’ Faisal called out. ‘You can do this.’

  Billy’s attention quickly returned to the game. He had to focus. ‘This one’s for you, Giorgio,’ Billy muttered, gripping the ball tightly.

  Once more, the clapping started as he stood at the top of his run-up, the chant ‘Bi-lly’ rising high above the din. By the time Billy delivered his second ball, his name was reverberating around the entire stadium.

  ‘Howzat!’ Billy and the other fielders yelled as the ball thudded into the batter’s pads. Billy spun round, looking hopefully at the umpire.

  Nodding, the umpire slowly raised his finger.

  The crowd erupted and their cheers echoed around the ground as the Victorian players rushed in from everywhere to congratulate their star bowler.

  ‘Sorry about that first one,’ Billy muttered, his teammates slapping him on the back.

  ‘You made up for it with the next one,’ Lauren, their opening batter remarked, handing Billy the ball. She tucked her ponytail under her cap and smiled.

  ‘Another one, Billy,’ Carrie said.

  ‘You bet,’ Billy replied.

  By the end of the Queensland innings, Billy had snared six wickets. Lissie, the other opening bowler, had picked up three wickets. A silly run-out finished off the innings leaving Queensland with a total of 39 runs. The Victorian team had only used the
two bowlers.

  Holding the match ball, Billy led the team off the field to a standing ovation from the crowd. He looked quickly at the big electronic scoreboard as he stepped over the boundary rope.

  While Billy watched his Victorian teammates Lauren and Jacob slowly and surely go about the task of securing the victory without losing a wicket, Melbourne Stars officials were frantically trying to organise another match. No one had considered the possibility of the game finishing so quickly.

  With only nine runs needed for the Victorian team to win, Amanda appeared at the dug out where the team was cheering on their openers.

  ‘We’re going again,’ she explained. ‘But we’ll use a different group of players. If you’ve got family here, you’re welcome to go and sit with them once this game’s over.’ A roar erupted from around the ground. Amanda turned in time to see another four runs scored. ‘Which won’t be long,’ she added.

  It happened the next ball, with Lauren belting a huge six over the mid-wicket rope.

  ‘Billy, that was magnificent,’ Giorgio said, reaching out a hand and shaking Billy’s vigorously.

  ‘Thanks, Giorgio,’ Billy replied, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He had a hundred questions to ask him. ‘Mum, Dad. You made it!’ Billy cried when he saw his parents approach.

  ‘Of course we did,’ Mrs Hunter said. ‘I had to cancel a few things, though. You won’t be making a habit of this, now, will you?’ she chided.

  ‘Mum … I love my cricket. I –’

  ‘She’s stirring you up, son,’ Mr Hunter said, giving Billy a hug.

  After plenty of pats on the back and handshakes from his friends from the market, Billy finally settled himself next to Giorgio.

  ‘Giorgio, how did it happen?’ Billy asked.

  ‘That’s how it happened.’ Giorgio smiled, pointing out at the ground.

  Confused, Billy looked over to see Wen-Lee who had just fielded the ball.