The Keeper of Wickets

A Moment In Time

••Kate••
T20 International
Against Australia
February 2012
-
Thankfully, after many arguments, police encounters, court cases and tears, the Aussie girl's are hopefully destined for justice in two days. A court case is scheduled and after discovering that Cassie, Molly, Lucy and Daisy all were sexually abused by Brian Wilson, there argument was stronger than ever.

I've been in for about 15 overs, Daisy has been keeping wicket for 17. She cracks her neck as the over changes, her gloves rest at her feet as she adjusts her baggy green.

'Are you sure you're ok without a helmet on?' I ask, Daisy looks up at me, a smile stretches across her lips and her eyes dance.

'Yeah Mate, I'll be right, c'mon face up!' She laughs, returning to her crouch. I chuckle a little at her absolute happiness, she is so confident, so excited, so content there is nothing getting in her way.

I turn to the bowler. Her squinting eyes didn't rattle me, "just hit the ball" I tell myself. Megan runs in, her feet pounding across the turf, her fury of a ball bouncing over my head, causing me to duck. I let it pass me and it cracks into Daisy gloves.

'BOWLING MEGAN!! SHE COULDN'T PLAY THAT!' Daisy applauds, tossing the ball to Cassie at mid wicket.

'Righto girls back on it!' She calls out, bobbing into her crouch, a little closer to the stumps. Maybe the ball is dying a little earlier than she thought? I shrug at my thought and position myself in my stance. Megan powers down again, this time the ball going perfectly down off, I stick my bat out and swing, only catching a nick on the edge of my bat, causing the ball, which is travelling at 140 kilometres an hour to speed up to about 145.

Then time slows down.
Blinking takes years as my body swivels into a run. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears.

'DAISY!' Someone bellows, their voice drowning in my swirling head. I stop and turn to face my friend. I watch as she rises to her feet, her slow moving fist sending a thumbs up to the change rooms.

Then she falls, her whole body just, drops.

'HOLY SHIT DOT!' An echoing voice rumbles as Lucy runs in from fine leg.
Then the world speeds up.

'She's bleeding oh my god!' Someone screams.

'WE NEED SOME HELP RIGHT NOW!' I hear Molly order, her hand beckoning towards the stands.

I feel my bat slip from my grasp, I fling my helmet off my head and rip off my gloves.

'Daisy! Oh god Daisy.' I fall beside her body, pushing past the other girls.

'She's not breathing Molly, she's not breathing!' Lucy steps back in distress, her hands covering her mouth.

'Talk to me Dot, c'mon now this isn't funny, Daisy Cook open your eyes!' I scream shaking her shoulders.

'Stop it Kate!' Clara yells, ripping me off her.

Daisy lies still, her lips a slight shade of grey and hands still in her gloves.

'MOVE! LET US IN!' The medics order.

One man starts chest compressions and the other holds an oxygen mask over her face. We all stand back, our faces deathly white and hearts racing. My hands shake, if I've killed her I will never forgive myself. Tears well in my eyes and trickle down my cheeks.

'No pulse.' The ambo says.

'Keep compressions up.' The other replies.

I think my heart stopped in those three minutes Daisy lies dead on the grass.

'Right she's breathing and hearts at a strong rate, lets get her out of here, defiantly not in a good way.' The medic says as they secure her on the stretcher.

'Gentle!' I call out.

'Always.' The two of them reply.

I feel my face screw up and my padded legs hit the ground.

'Don't worry Kate, it's alright.' Clara consoles.

'No! It's not alright! She could die Clara!' My desolate screams shattering my ears.

'GAMES ABANDONED GET OFF THE PITCH!' Our coach announces. I bolt, pads still on and gear still laying in the middle. I fly over the boundary rope and through the gate. I run down the stairs and into the ambulance bay. I rip off my pads and pound on the door.

'Let me in!' I order.

'Sorry Ms Squire that's not possible.' The man says pushing me back gently.

'Shes my best friend, I hit the ball, I have to go!' I cry.

'Maybe you should have been more careful!' He snarls. I fall silent, my jaw falls open and I fall to my knees.

'You purposely did what you did, you POM's are all the same!' He spits on the ground beside me and I feel my stomach rise into my throat. He gives me one last glare and steps into the ambulance.

'Kate!' I hear our captain Stacey and Australia's captain Molly tear around the corner. The two of them drop down beside me.

'Kate what'd he just say?' Molly asks softly. I shake my head.

'Tell us Kate.' Stacey orders.

'Apparently I did it on purpose, apparently I purposely injured my best friend! I didn't mean too, I didn't mean too!' I bawl, my forehead pressed against the burning bitumen as tears and saliva drip onto the ground.

'We know Kate, we know Squizz.'

I am absolutely distraught, inconsolable, the girls try their hardest to stop my crying and eventually they have me sitting in the change rooms with my feet in a bucket of ice and a beer in my hand. I haven't  touched the drink, i feel sick to the stomach.

'Dylan comes home today.' I mutter.

'Who?' Clara questions.

'Dylan Wright, bowler for Australia? He's Daisy's husband and he's coming home from South Africa today, Daisy was so excited.' I explain, pushing the lose strands of scraggly hair from my eyes.

I watch Clara's eyes widen, she bolts outside, stumbling over gear and bags. She returns maybe thirty seconds later with Molly.

'Bloody hell, do you remember what time they're coming in?!' Molly questions.

'Maybe 3-4 o'clock!' I reply quickly.

'That's when Dot said he was getting to the SCG.' I gulps

'They shouldn't be too long then, we'll wait, then you're telling him.' Molly grits her teeth to stop herself from crying.

And the waiting game begins.