PERSONAL EFFECTS

Personal effects

Her heart set on St Pat’s winning, Norma refocused on the game. Gordon continued walking around the perimeter until he reached the fig tree under which Sam Eastaugh sat. Sam got to his feet and dusted the dirt off his bottom.

‘Sorry, brother, I can’t take it anymore.’

Gordon grimaced. ‘You’ve stuck it out all day but can’t stay for the most exciting bit?’

‘The boredom’s not the problem,’ Sam said. ‘It’s the nerves.’

‘Do you care that much?’ Gordon scanned the field to see if he had missed anything. ‘From what I can see it’s still eleven pimply boys on eleven.’

‘It’s an affliction,’ Sam confessed. ‘I start watching and soon I’m caring too much.’

‘I’m not sure about all this either,’ Gordon said. ‘You’re nervous, I’m nervous.’

Sam gave him a wretched look. ‘You’re getting cold feet.’

Another jubilant cheer came from the field, where St Pat’s were on the way to losing the game without Ron’s assistance. Zane Dwyer was walking out to bat, wearing board shorts instead of cricket whites, nothing matching except his attitude. They needed thirty runs to win. Umpire Stoyle shoved his hands in his pockets and scratched the turf with his toe.

‘I don’t know if what we agreed on is the way to go,’ Gordon said.

Sam let his eyes fall on the field, where Zane hit the ball in the air. The Cobcroft fielder dropped it, amid groans from one side and impolite laughter from the other.

‘This is killing me,’ Sam said. ‘I knew if I waited too long it’d go pear-shaped.’ He climbed up the grass mound like a capital offender who was ready for the gallows but wasn’t sure if his resolve would last. Over his shoulder, he called, ‘It’ll work out, brother. You just gotta give it time.’

‘Brother?’ Gordon said, but his voice was too faint to carry.

The ninth wicket fell with St Pat’s still needing twenty-three runs to win. Ben, who had been padded up with box, thigh pad and gloves since the fall of Daniel, did some knee bends and touched his toes to limber up. This was his test match. He was playing for Australia. He unzipped his kit bag, took out his magic bat and walked onto the field to join Zane.