The next week passed by in a blur with preparations for the Adelbart Clash. As soon as Tommy finished school he was off to cricket practice, or interviews and photo shoots.

While it was good to not have to face up to Ralph, Tommy worried he would be planning some sort of revenge on his return. But there was nothing he could do about that so instead of worrying, he spent the next few days focusing on getting his parents, along with Ali and her mum and dad, to organise the delivery of 15 wheelchairs to Mount Lofty next Tuesday for a game of wheelchair cricket. It would be a surprise for Lazarus and his family. Mr Price and Miss Byrne were keen to help too.

With the Adelbart Clash taking place next Wednesday afternoon, a number of children had already indicated that they wouldn’t be attending school that day. Mrs Lehmann became the most popular principal in Mount Lofty history when she decided to make school optional for students from 12 pm onwards that day, though parents had to write a letter to let the school know.

The Hobart press were promoting the day as the first triple-header in the history of Big Bash League cricket. Almost nine hours of non-stop cricket action, starting with the first ever Adelbart Clash, featuring some of the most amazing young cricket talent from Tasmania and South Australia.

Tuesday morning

‘Tommy, this is amazing,’ Lazarus said, wheeling himself into position near the back of the gym.

Lazarus had been giving the other kids, and even some of the teachers, plenty of tips about getting around in the most efficient manner in their wheelchairs. It was proving a challenge for most.

Bowling could be an overarm delivery or a throw. Mr Price had found some lighter bats which made it a little easier to swing. To score a run, you had to hit the ball then drop the bat and wheel yourself up to the other end of the pitch. Fielding was the hardest for many as it took such a long time to wheel yourself to the ball then pick it up and throw it back to the bowler.

‘So, where’s Ralph?’ Tommy asked, looking around. Ralph had been keeping a very low profile since his suspension last week, but he’d suddenly vanished from the gym.

‘Don’t worry, Tommy,’ Ali said. ‘We’ve got things covered.’

‘What do you mean, covered?’ Tommy asked, just as a ball was smashed in his direction. He almost fell out of his chair as he tried to swing around to chase it. He never heard Ali’s answer.

Ralph didn’t appear for the rest of the afternoon.

‘Maybe he just didn’t like wheelchair cricket,’ Ali said, standing up and stretching.

‘Well, I don’t like this,’ Tommy grumbled. ‘I know Ralph.’ Without waiting for a reply, Tommy ducked out of the gym. He knew, without even quite knowing why, that his bag with his precious bat in it would be gone from the spot he’d left it behind the office door.

‘Mrs Craig? My cricket bag?’ Tommy cried at the school receptionist, glancing around the office.

‘Hello Tommy. Yes, I thought you must have grabbed it. You know, for the photo shoot coming up.’ She noticed the grimace of anguish on Tommy’s face. ‘Oh don’t worry, pet. It’ll turn up. Things always do.’

But Tommy wasn’t listening. He burst out of the office, looking left, then right, before barging through the main glass door. A row of wheelie bins stood lined up on the pavement outside the front of the school.

‘I like watching the garbage truck crush and smash all the stuff that gets dumped,’ a voice said. Tommy spun around. Ralph was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree.

‘Ralph? Where’s my bat?’ Tommy shouted, rushing over to him, his fists clenched.

‘Right now, I’d say it –’

‘Is right here,’ another voice said. It was Ali. Tommy couldn’t believe his eyes. In her hands was his precious, magical bat.

Taking a deep breath, Tommy said, ‘Sorry, you were saying?’

For a moment Ralph appeared completely bewildered, but he recovered quickly. Shrugging, he said, ‘Well, you got your answer.’

‘Thing is,’ Ali continued, turning on Ralph. ‘Where’s your bat?’

Ralph went pale as the blood drained from his face.

‘No way. M-my bat’s at home.’ But Ralph’s voice wasn’t sounding confident.

‘Well, that’s okay then. Nothing to worry about,’ Ali said breezily, turning away.

‘Ali, what’s going on?’ Tommy asked, catching up to her.

‘We were all a bit worried, to be honest. We knew Ralph would try something again and let’s face it, he’s not the brightest bulb in the box. It was obvious he’d go after your bat again. So we did a little switcharoo.’

‘You swapped my bat for Ralph’s?’ Tommy asked with surprise.

‘Well, actually no. We swapped it for an old, decrepit bat that we found at the back of the storeroom, but we don’t need to tell Ralph that. Let him have another hour of worry before he gets home to find out that his bat hasn’t been crushed by the dump truck, yeah?’

Tommy nodded, a grin spreading across his face.

Wednesday afternoon

It was a beautiful sunny day with a sell-out crowd for the triple-header at Bellerive. Tommy arrived at the ground a few hours before the start of the Adelbart Clash and there were already plenty of people sitting in the stands and on the grassy banks.

‘Good luck, Tommy,’ his dad said, shaking his hand.

‘We’re so proud of you, dear,’ his mum added, giving him a hug.

‘Yeah, thanks for the half day off school, bro,’ Mel said, giving him a friendly punch.

The next few hours were a blurry haze of warm-ups, throw downs in the nets, signing a whole stack of mini cricket bats and finally a pre-game meeting with Coach Malcolm.

‘We’re going to go onto the ground now for a final warm-up,’ Coach Malcolm said.

The team was welcomed by a loud roar of approval as they jogged onto the ground.

Will, the Hobart captain, had lost the toss so the locals would be fielding first.

‘Can I take slips?’ Tommy asked Will as they lined up for a fielding drill.

‘Yeah, no worries, Tommy. That’s a good plan.’

After a ten minute warm-up, the players jogged off the ground again.

‘Righto, people. This is the big one,’ Coach Malcolm said, rubbing his hands together. ‘I just want to hear lots of talk and see lots of backing up. Take control of the game right from the get-go, okay? And no backchat to the umpires or the opposition, got it?’

‘Got it,’ the players replied.

Each player was individually introduced over the loudspeaker as they entered the arena and Tommy noticed that they were also appearing on the big screens.

Tommy walked to his position at first slip. He knew that as long as the bowling was on top, Will would keep a slip in place. Having a slip fielder sent a message to the opposition that the fielding team was in charge, and they didn’t need the extra player out in the deep somewhere, protecting the boundaries.

It didn’t take long for Tommy to realise that his time in slips wouldn’t last long. The blue-shirted Adelaide batters were thrashing the ball to all parts of the ground, and sometimes clearing it. After four overs, they had raced along to 43 runs without looking like losing a wicket.

‘Tommy, in close on the off side,’ Will called.

At least it’s not the outfield, Tommy thought, crouching in his new position, although now he was right in the firing line of a full-blooded off drive.

For a moment, it looked like the change had worked for the Hobart team. The Adelaide opener nudged the first two balls back down the pitch. But he strode down the wicket to meet the next delivery on the full, blasting it in Tommy’s direction.

Tommy barely had time to turn before the ball cannoned into his shoulder, ballooning into the air.

‘Tommy!’ Amber shrieked. ‘Catch it!’

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Tommy glanced left, then right and stumbled almost tripping, before catching sight of the ball slowly falling to the ground. Lunging forwards, Tommy reached out a hand, grazing his arm as it brushed against the dry, cracked surface of the pitch.

‘Yes!’ Will cried, rushing in to hug Tommy.

‘Wow, great catch, Tommy,’ Amber said, laughing and slapping him on the back.

‘Not there.’ Tommy groaned, wincing.

His back ached and his arm felt bruised but he’d taken the catch. The players turned to the scoreboard to watch the replay.

Tommy walked off to get his shoulder checked and his arm bandaged, missing the next three overs of the game. Although the wicket had slowed the Adelaide team’s momentum, they still managed to knock up 153 runs.

‘Tommy, you’re opening,’ Will said, as the team walked off the field. ‘Might as well put our best batter in first.’

Tommy felt the familiar flurry of nerves and excitement as the news sunk in.