Part 44 (1/2)

”That's the sort of cricket I like,” said Gordon; ”a splendid contempt for all laws and regulations. Heavens! there he goes again!”

A lucky snick flew over the slips to the boundary.

”This is something like,” said Foster, and prepared to enjoy himself.

And certainly Bray's cricket was entertaining. He treated every ball the same; he stepped straight down the pitch with his left foot, raised his bat in the direction of point and then, as the ball was bowled, he pivoted himself violently on his left foot and, going through a complete half-circle, finished, facing the wicket-keeper, with both feet outside the crease, but his bat well over the line. The chief attraction of this gymnastic feat was the unexpectedness of it all. No one knew where the ball would go if it was. .h.i.t. Once when he timed his shot a little late he caught the ball just as it was pa.s.sing him and drove it flying past the wicket-keeper's head to where long-stop would have been. The fielding side was always glad to see Bray's back, and it usually did not have to wait long. But to-day he bore a charmed life. He was missed at point once, twice he gave a chance of being stumped, the ball shaved his wickets times innumerable. But nearly every other ball he managed to hit somewhere. In the pavilion the School House rocked with laughter.

At the other end Davenham poked about scoring singles here and there.

The score crept up. Amid cheers in which laughter was blended, the fifty went up. Then Bray, in a particularly gallant effort to steer a ball well outside the off stump round to short-leg, hit, all three wickets flying out of the ground. It was a suitable end to an unusual innings.

He received a royal welcome in the pavilion.

”Bray, my son,” said Gordon, ”you are a sportsman. Come to the tuck-shop and have a drink. Nellie, mix this gentleman an ice and a lemonade, and put it down to my account. Thank you. Ah, there's Collins. Good luck, Collins; keep your head.”

Two minutes later Collins returned to the pavilion with a downcast face.

”The d.a.m.ned thing broke,” he said, as if he considered breaks illegal in House matches.

The rest of the side played in the usual light-hearted School House spirit. There were some fine hits made, and some scandalous ones, too.

It was like a cinematograph show. Everyone slammed about; the Buller's men missed catches galore. Davenport was missed four times in making fourteen. Somehow the score reached respectable heights. Byes helped considerably. The final score was one hundred and twenty.

”And now,” said Collins, ”we have got to field for two hours to-day.

To-morrow is not a half, so we shall have to field all the time; we sha'n't get a knock till after roll on Sat.u.r.day. Five hours' fielding.

d.a.m.n!”

”And it will do you a lot of good, too,” said Foster. ”Are you all ready, House? Come on then.”

A-K Senior filed out into the field. A loud cheer rose from the crowd.

The House was amazingly partisan. Whether a House side is losing by an innings or winning by two hundred runs, it is always sure of the same reception when it goes on to the field from its own men. The light had grown rather bad and Foster began bowling with the trees at his back, so as to hide his delivery. At the other end Bradford was to bowl.

The start was sensational.

Buller's sent in Crampin and Mitch.e.l.l first, two hefty footballers, with strong wrists and no science, who had run up some big scores in the preliminary rounds.

Foster ran up to bowl. Crampin had a terrific swipe. The ball turned from the bat. The bat only just touched it.

”How's that?” roared Gordon.

The finger went up. A ripple of clapping ran along the side of the ground.

”You stick to that,” said Collins, ”and we shall get them out by to-morrow night.”

”Dry up,” said Gordon ironically. ”Can't you see we are going to win?...

Man in!”

Jack Whitaker came in. He was far and away the most stylish bat in the school, and had scored a lot of runs during the season. He faced the bowling confidently; he had played Foster a hundred times at the nets, and knew his tricks well. He played through the over with ease. The last ball he placed in front of short-leg for a single.

Bradford went on to bowl. He was a House match cla.s.s of bowler. No idea of length, or direction, only an indefatigable energy and considerable pace. His first ball was a long hop wide on the off. Whitaker banged it past point for four.