It was the last round of cricket before Christmas...

It is the last round before Christmas for our fictional local cricket club. Many players have family and work commitments and have withdrawn from the final round. Being able to get the seven teams the seventy seven players required for the final round has become desperate. It is a race to find numbers. Past players are being contacted. Uncles, cousins and fathers who have not played since John Howard was Prime Minister are being asked, once more, to wear white this Saturday.

Has Mount Park forfeited yet?. It was posted on the clubs Facebook page by the club President. If that happened the seventh team would not play allowing players to go into other teams. It did not help that the new chairman of selectors had already left for a family Pacific cruise. The President, the coach and the team captains were finding it harder than usual.

This year was already at a historic high for player absences. Two weddings held in October and November should have decimated the fourths finals chances. Never has Melbourne’s fickle weather been loved more. The weddings had no effect due to unseasonal spring rains. Matches have been cancelled this season for rain and heat. Unfortunately, the final Saturday for 2019 was forecast to be under 30 degrees celsius.

The thirds had two injuries and fingers were crossed that no one would hurt themselves at work before Saturday. Last week two players got a bit too much Christmas cheer and called in ‘sick’ and ‘injured’ on the Saturday morning. Their facebook and instagram accounts were checked. The images showed that ‘sick’ meant very hung over due to the innovation of Vodka pong. While ‘injured’ occurred due to misadventures in pole dancing. We neither condone nor endorse these activities. It takes all sorts to make up a cricket club.

After the final round Rohan delivers Pizza to Danny

While the cricketers played Facebook was filled with work parties and family celebrations. At the same time there were past and current players who for different reasons were not available to play. The final evening at the club rooms were a bit sombre. Only the fifths and the sevens won. There were a few who could not stay that night. Due to the Christmas party that they could not avoid once cricket had finished. Others, like Rohan had to work. Parties need pizza and pizza’s need to be delivered.

Rohan ran into Danny delivering pizza to Danny’s house on the Saturday night. Rohan plays in the threes and aspires to play in the twos next year. Danny used to play in the fifths when Rohan was a junior who filled in occasionally.
“Roh-man!” greats Danny from the front door.
“Dan-man! Long time, no see.” replies Rohan. “One Large Meat Lovers and a Vegetarian.”
“One for me, one for the missus.” says Danny as he takes the two pizzas from Rohan.
There is a pause as the obvious is unsaid. Till Rohan says it. “You ever coming back mate?”

Danny’s head shakes a bit and he sucks in a short breath and looks over his shoulder.
“B’tween us….i’d love ta. But….house, mortgage, and Taylah has a big European trip still on the go for 2021.” Danny is smiling but talking softly. He then adds. “Great to catch up.”
“Yeah it was.” replies Rohan.

Danny is not a sad case. He has a great job making good money. His wife of three years also works. They have to to pay the mortgage and Taylah’s dream European holiday. After that is the kids, and like Taylah, they are going to the big private school up the road. Danny would love to play and he does dream of one day playing alongside his kids. Though that day is at least fifteen years away.

Aaron and Lachlan conspire to play in the Finals

At the club rooms as evening strolls into the night the BBQ is long cold. The fat congealing on the hot plate is being left for next year to be cleaned.

“The threes are looking good this year.” comments Aaron. Aaron has played his second game for this season. At fifteen he had been a regular in the seconds. However grades were everything for his parents. From year eleven onwards cricket only existed when school was over. He is in the middle of an engineering degree and will play till the end of February.
“Yeah. They are in a good place to make finals.” says Lachlan. “Are you available for finals? You should qualify. They need another bat.” Lachlan knows this is a long shot as Aaron still lives with his parents. Though Lachlan has heard a little rumour.
“Yeah that could happen. Mum is going back to Sri Lanka for a cousin’s wedding.” Aaron smiles knowing this is far from what his mother would want.

“While the cats away…?” alludes Lachlan.

“When’s the grand final?” inquires Aaron.
“21^st and 22^nd of March. I think.”
“Mum gets back on the 23^rd” adds Aaron. He bites his bottom lip. It is going to be a close thing if the thirds make it to the Grand Final.

Perhaps this is more than just a cricket problem?

While numbers are always an issue for sporting clubs the problem is harder in rural areas and in certain city suburbs. And on this I wonder why.

Is it possible that the pressures on local sporting clubs come from the changes in working hours and an inflated property market? The dream of house and home requires many to take on working hours that are well beyond the 40 hour week. Education is seen as one of the few ways to elevate yourself and your family. All create a strain on families where time is limited to a few hours each week for rest.

Eight hours of work, rest and sleep a day is a far cry for many who work two and three jobs. Sport becomes only possible for those who can afford it. Rest and sleep are sacrificed to enable something better than before.

However, money is a resource and everyone cannot be rich. Team sports acknowledge that everyone is needed to succeed. Though the winners take all the spoils. It is a dichotomy that irritates me, because in life, un-like sport the looser’s do all the work while the winners get time to rest and play.

Phillip Hall plays park cricket in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. If you recognise someone in this work of fiction it is a coincidence. This story began as a lament on people not being available to play due to Christmas celebrations and ended up somewhere else. The final question I believe is valid and theologically relevant. God rests after working six days. Why do we have a society where for many, sabbath is becoming impossible?