The Keeper of Wickets

The Argument That Started It All

•Kate•
I step out. My heart pounds in my head, my lips purse together as I attempt to swallow the nerves that are arising from my stomach.
"In through your nose out through your mouth."
I tell myself, steadying my breathing before I throw up. I know what I have to do and I know how to do it.
I rub my gloves together before turning to the equally as nervous Clara who stands behind me. She swallow hard before giving me the most nervous of eyes. I smirk and wink reassuring her before skipping up to the stumps.
'Lets go England!' I call out clapping my gloves together as the Australian batswomen asked for centre. I watch as my team took their positions, Clara beside me in slips.
'I feel like I gotta vomit.' Clara says, fretting.
'Right look at me,' she turns to me slowly. 'How many games of cricket have you played?'
'A lot.' She replies.
'Exactly, you know how to do it, you're a brilliant cricketer Clara, you don't need to worry about a thing, you're going to bowl your overs like you've been playing for England forever.' I pat her shoulder as she smiles, her confidence levels sky rocketing.
'Right last thing before we start, we need your talk okay, it's important.' Charlotte says, her eyes seem worried but I can tell she has faith in us all as she strolls over to gully.

I let out a deep breath and the world falls quiet. Suddenly, all I can hear is my heart beating and my breathing. As if in slow motion, I squat in my keepers stance, ready to face my first ball for England. My shielded eyes focus on the bowlers hand, her hand rolls over and before I know it the ball is lodged in my gloves.
"Great take Squiz!"
"Thats the way Katie!"
"Good one Kate!"
I feel the world return to normal and I am totally engulfed in the perfect experience.

When Clara bowls her first over, she almost vomits. Her shaking hand takes the ball from my glove, her pale face and nervous eyes are shaded by the baggy blue. It's around about the 20th over and so far only two wickets have fallen.
'Right now, I've seen you take wickets, lets get a one on the bat and it'll fall into my gloves, we've done this before.' I pat her back and she nods.
The batsmen has sandy blonde hair, it is closer to brown than blonde but her eyes are definitely the wildest shade of blue and green I've ever seen. She taps her bat down twice before stepping away from the stumps, and taking centre for the second time. I see Clara throw her arms up and trek back to her mark.
'C'mon Clara, down it comes!' I call.
The ball soars down the pitch and onto the edge of the bat, I spring up into the air, snagging the ball and bringing it to my chest.
'YES!' I appeal as loud as I can. I watch as the umpire raises his finger, signalling an out.
'WHOO!' England cheer as we raced into Clara. I ruffle her hair and hug her tight.
'See? Look what you can do!' I tell her.
'I know!' Clara hugs me back, a smile lodged on her face.
I turn back to the stumps and see the batswomen hasn't walked.
'Excuse me?' I gain her attention gently.
'What?' She replies in a smug tone.
'You're out, why haven't you walked?'
'I didn't hit it, I'm not out.' She responds.
'They could've heard the nick in the change rooms, you're definitely out.' I explain.
'No, there was no connection.' She rebuts.
'Just walk, the umpire has given you out, the polite thing to do is walk.' I tell her.
'So, now you're calling me rude, gee thanks.' She snarls.
'No, that's not what I said!' At this stage, I am quite offended.
'Just walk Dot! Do not make a thing of it!' The other Australian batswomen calls out.
'Please make your way back to the rooms thanks Ms Cook.' The umpire instructs.
I watch this Dot, hang her head and secure her bat under her arm. She makes her way back to the rooms, her eyes on her feet.
'It was our wasn't it?' Clara clarifies.
'Yes Clara, one of the clearest outs I've ever seen.' I reassure.

At change of innings, we all venture into the Australian dining room for lunch. I sneak around the table, picking at food and chatting to players. I'm tapped on the shoulder just before we are about to go out to get ready.
I turn to the girl from before, she looks different from when she is batting. Her eyes are still wild but she is a lot smaller and a lot calmer.
'Kate Squire? I would just like to apologise for before, I'm never like that, I know it's no excuse but I'm a little bit shaky, debut you see.' She explains, her eyes never quite reaching mine. I smile;
'It's mine too, and don't worry I'm just as shaky as you, what's your name?' I ask. She looks up at me and smiles.
'Daisy Cook, but everyone calls me Dot.' She puts out her hand.
'Pleasure to meet you.' I grin noticing the ring on her finger. Daisy must have noticed mine because she said;
'You're engaged? Me too!'
'Yes certainly am, Lou is in Perth as we speak.' I bite into the bun in my hand.
Daisy furrows her eyebrows; 'Perth? What for?'
'Playing cricket for England.' I respond proudly.
Daisy stop, a look of astonishment falls over her face.
'Stuff like this only happens in movies.' She states with a slight chuckle.
'What stuff?' I ask.
'My fiancé, Dylan, plays for Australia and is also in Perth as we speak.' Daisy explains.
It is my turn to be astonished,
'You're kidding?!'
'Fair dinkum.' She replies.
We study each other for a few moments, taking in each freckle, crack on our lips or discolouring of our eyes.

It was odd, I'd only just met Daisy, I'd argued with her but I felt like she'd been by my side my whole life.

'Well, I'll see you out there yeah?' Daisy clarifies.
'Course you will.' I reply, she smiles and skips over to her team.
'Nice isn't she?' Mary-Ann says.
'What's that movie line? I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.' I grin, as I stroll out of the lunch room and back into the change rooms, my heart full.