chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

THE DEBUT

It was lovely sunny Monday evening in early June and Clinton was with his Grandfather in the nets at the Wanderers Cricket Club, His Grandfather had asked him to come down and see if he liked it and if he did, persuade him to play.

“Clinton get your front foot forward and bend that front knee in to the ball and get the bat and pad together" a voice said from behind the net it was Clinton's mother Chelsea with her coaching head on.

With that the next ball that Granddad bowled to Clinton came whistling off the middle of the bat and as straight as a die back past his Granddad....

"Bleeding hell Clinton that was sweet" Granddad replied with a look at shock on his face.....................

"OI big boy" A voice said it was John Gill the Wanderers 1st XI opening fast bowler......

"It’s my turn and good to see you got a helmet on, I will be gentle with you but let’s see if you are as good as your old man was" John Gill said with a frown on his face.

John Gill proceeded to run in very fast and bowled a fast short ball at Clinton, with Clinton rocking back onto his back foot and pulling the ball with a roll of the wrists and it rocketing in to the net.

" Fare enough Radford good shot but get ready for some more I'm just warming up" John Gill said to Clinton with some glee and joy in his voice................

"Gillis please, do not be too hard on him it is his first time" Granddad replied....................

"It's OK Granddad if I have got an ounce of my father’s talent I can handle anything he throws at me" replied Clinton

"If you’re sure my boy" Granddad shouted..................... Clinton just looked at his granddad and nodded his head, grinning Clinton then started to shake his head muttering "This game is bloody easy if you ask me"

John Gill then came running in, bowled a ball some ten yards quicker and straighter than the  one before, but this time instead of rocking on the back foot and pulling the ball, Clinton just ducked his head out of the way...........

With that John Gill stared straight at Clinton and said "not so cocky now are we, its red, its round and it's fucking very fast or do you need glasses and a bell in it”

"Hay John boy, you picking on my boy" Clinton's mother asked...............

"Yep I am and what you going to do about it" John Gill replied with anger in his voice at the accusation aimed at him by Clinton’s mother

"Mum shut up I can handle this, idiot" replied Clinton looking into his mothers’ eyes and shaking his head in disbelief at what she had just said

Chelsea looked at Clinton and all she could see was Clinton’s father James Radford, some sixteen plus years ago doing the same thing to the same bowler and she just looked at Clinton and nodded and had a laugh to herself.......

"OI Gillis you idiot where you going to bowl it now, I know perfectly well what it looks like do you and my eyesight and hearing is very well thank you for asking" Clinton shouted back to John Gill..............

With that the rest of the nets nearby stopped what they were doing all started to look at what was going on, one voice shouting out "you just do not know what you have just done newbie, you don’t want to wind Gillis up"

John Gill came charging in and bowled a fast short pitched ball the third he had bowled to Clinton, this one was about ninety five mph, Clinton rocked onto his back foot, hooked the ball high, wide and handsome out of the ground, a hit of some one hundred and ten yards there was a look of shock on the faces of his mother, granddad and the rest of the players watching from the distance.

 

He looked at John Gill and said "Gillis you know what it looks like, it has gone along way, now go and fetch it as you can see I don’t need glasses my eyes are fine but thank you for asking" Clinton replied, with a big round of applause coming from the players gathered around the net watching this tussle.

John Gill then walked up to Clinton and shook him by the hand and said "Boy for a sixteen year old kid you got some balls, saying that to me and doing that, the last person to do it was your father, if your anything like him you will go a long way in this game" nodding his head as he did so

Clinton looked at John Gill with a tear in his eye "Thanks Mr. Gill, that means a lot to me, so once again thank you"...

John Gill then put his arm around Clinton's shoulder and Said "you’re welcome"

All the while Clinton's mother Chelsea was watching this going with tears of joy in her eyes nodding her head in appreciation, she looked at her father Reginald, who just smiled, nodded his head, then walked away chuckling to himself and muttered "this boy can play and is going far"...........

As Clinton, his mother and Granddad were sat in the bar in the Clubhouse, the Club Chairman and chief selector Nathaniel Thomas turned up, he looked at Reginald and smiled before saying ….

"Hi Reginald who do we have here with you tonight"….
"Well this Grandson Clinton James-Rowe" Reginald replied............................
"Ah this is the lad causing a bit of a storm in the nets tonight hay, I heard all about it a few of the boys were saying he gave John Gill a bit of a slap tonight" Nathaniel Thomas replied laughing out loud
"Yep he did Nathaniel, he gave Gillis a slap, just like his father did all those years ago, in his first net session" Reginald replied with some glee.
"What it's not is it”? Nathaniel Thomas replied with a shocked face..............................

"It is, it is really James Radford's boy, don't you see the resemblance in Clinton, and he is the spitting image of Him" Reginald said with some joy and a chuckle in his voice.
"Well Clinton after what I have heard about tonight you are going to go along way, are available Saturday as we are one short" Nathaniel Thomas asked.
"Well go on then I'll have a game for you, what is the team, may I ask" Clinton replied.
"Well the side is Luke Thomas Captain, Trevor Haynes, Jason Jones, John Gill, Juan Ramirez, Trent Collins, Ian Jones-Jenkins, Robert Kent, Mathew Lewis, Henry Langer and you" replied Nathaniel Thomas
"So Granddad how strong a side is that" Clinton asked his Granddad.
"Well with you a very strong side, a very strong side indeed" Granddad replied.

So Clinton can you be here for warm up at twelve midday for a one pm start" Nathaniel Thomas replied...............

Nathaniel Thomas then left to go the chairman's office, then in walked a six foot two inch, long dark haired girl with legs up to her arm pits, a fantastic figure, wearing a short skirt with knee high boots, looking very sexy.
Clinton's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of her, he was like a panting dog, with his tong hanging out.
"Clinton behave yourself" Chelsea said with a joking tap on his arm
"Who is that, she is very beautiful, gorgeous and need I say very sexy" Clinton asked with a with some surprise in his voice , but he did not have to wait long to find out who she was
This sexy young woman walked straight over to Clinton and held out her hand and said” Hi there Clinton isn't it, my name is Isabella Thomas, you were just talking to my father Nathaniel Thomas the Chairman"
Clinton then took the young woman's hand and the gentleman that he is gave the back of her hand a kiss.

"Yes Miss Thomas that's my name and it is my pleasure to meet you" Clinton replied with a look of surprise on his face at the fact she knew his name
“Call me Isabella, no Clinton it's my pleasure to meet you" Isabella replied........................ They both sat down and started to talk, Isabella was Nathaniel Thomas’ seventeen year old daughter who was a double on her mother Sandra Thomas the Club Secretary and brother to twenty year old Luke Thomas The Club Captain.

Clinton spent the rest of the night sat talking to Isabella Thomas, laughing, joking and at the end of the night he gave her a kiss on the cheek and took her telephone number and said to her "I'll phone you tomorrow, so will speak then Bye"
Isabella looked at Clinton smiled and replied “I look forward to hearing from you, until we speak bye”

Clinton, Chelsea and Reginald left the club to go home, on the way home Clinton asked his Granddad "were you nervous in your first game"
"nervous I was crapping myself boy, I was like a jack rabbit I could not keep still, just could not wait for the game to start and then I was out for a big fat zero" Granddad replied with a smile on his face laughing.............
Clinton looked at Granddad and said” You numptie" with a big laugh....................
Granddad then said "hope you’re going to ring Issue, she is a lovely girl"
Clinton replied "Yes I am and I think I will take her out to the pictures and then some fish and chips"
"Proper romantic this kid" Chelsea said.......
"Well Chelsea isn't that what James did on your first date" asked Granddad........
"True yes he did Dad, yes he did and it was a great night to" replied Chelsea.............................................

They strolled home with the sun setting in the sky for supper laughing and joking all the way home, with Clinton thinking to himself he had not seen his mother this happy for a long while and she was to be even happier in a short time as A tall dark handsome man would walk into her life and the whole situation of the family would change.....................

The following morning Clinton came down the stairs at his grandparents’ house with a smile beaming all over his face, his mother looked at him and said "What's that smile for son, is someone in love"
"Nothing and no" Said Clinton .......................
"So then are you going to phone Isabella?" Chelsea asked
"I'm not sure yet mom, maybe" Clinton replied with a blushing face and red cheeks......
"Ah is my lovely boy embarrassed" Chelsea replied laughing with a big smile on her face..........
"Yep Clinton I know that feeling" Granddad said..........................
"What dad you embarrassed, never" Chelsea replied with a chuckle and a laugh..............

"You Granddad, you were embarrassed WHEN?" Clinton asked................................
"Yeah dad when?" Chelsea asked.....................................
"Well when I asked your mother Georgia out on our first date some forty years ago" Granddad replied with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.......................
"Look you two I am going to ring her and ask her out on a date" Clinton said smiling from ear to ear with red cheeks through blushing......................
With that Clinton sat down to eat his breakfast, before going into the living room to use the telephone to phone Isabella ...........
"Ring, Ring"
"Hello Isabella Thomas who's speaking" Isabella answered................
"Hi Isabella its Clinton James-Rowe, I did tell you I would phone you, how are you today" Clinton said with some trepidation and nervousness in his voice.
"I'm fine thanks for asking, how are you" Isabella replied
"I'm OK thanks, I was wondering if you are free tomorrow night and if you would like to go to the pictures" Clinton replied...................
"Yeah that would be nice what time and where" Isabella replied with some joy in her voice..........
"Seven thirty pm and I'll pick you up from your house my granddad, has you address" Clinton replied..............................
"OK I will see you then Clinton bye" Isabella replied....................
"Bye" replied Clinton.............................
With that Clinton put the telephone down and sat in the chair by the telephone with a great big smile on his face and thinking that all his dreams had come true, to be going out with the most beautiful girl in the world.........................................

As Clinton started to get comfortable in the armchair by the telephone thinking of his date with Isabella the telephone rang..................
"Ring, Ring"
Clinton answered it "Hello Clinton speaking"
"Hi this is Sandra Thomas The Club Secretary, Luke my son the club captain has asked me to call you and ask you can you bowl"
"m, yes why" Clinton replied ............................
"Well one of the bowlers Trent Collins has pulled out injured so we need a bowler and I was asked to ask you, so that is a yes then" Sandra replied ....................... ...............

“OK I'll see you Saturday" Clinton replied......................
"OK bye" Sandra replied..............................
"Bye" Clinton replied.................................
Clinton put the telephone down and then walked into the Kitchen to see his Granddad and mother.
"So then" Asked granddad.....................
"Yeah so when you going out then" Chelsea asked...........................
"Tomorrow night and I'm picking her up at Seven thirty pm from her house" Clinton replied.............
"OOOK" Replied Chelsea....................
"I guess I will take you as you can't drive yet son" Chelsea said..................................
"OK Thanks mum" Clinton replied....................
"You’re welcome son" Chelsea replied..........................

“Who was on the phone then” asked Granddad

“Sandra Thomas to see if I could bowl on Saturday as Trent Collins is injured, so I’m bowling as well” Replied Clinton
Clinton then Left the room to go to his room thinking to himself what a luck young man he is to have such a great mother and granddad parents and a great date for the next night in Isabella...
 The following night Clinton turned up at the Thomas House and Knocked the large oak door with the gold dragon knocker
The door opened and there was a five foot nine inch, blonde, graying, 45 year old woman, with bright white teeth and a big smile.......................
"Hi is Isabella there please" Clinton asked with a nice bunch of roses in his hand............
"Yes she is and you must be Clinton, I spoke to you earlier on the telephone" Sandra replied...

"O yes you must be Isabella's mother Sandra, I'm very pleased to meet you " Clinton said with a smile on his face taking Sandra’s hand and kissing the back of it
Sandra shouted out "ISABELLA YOUR DATE IS HERE"
Isabella walk to the door wearing a White tight short skirt, with white stockings, a low cut white top with a bright gold necklace around her neck with knee high white high heel boots, Clinton could not keep his eyes off her........
Clinton said to Isabella “These are for you" as he handed her the roses....................
"Why thank you kind sir" Isabella replied with a smiling and bending at the knee in appreciation
They then both walked to Chelsea's car and Clinton held open the door for Isabella,  walked around the other side and got in...............................
“Hello Mrs. James-Rowe, how are you doing” asked Isabella as she got in the car........................
"I'm fine Isabella Thanks, ever the gentleman my son roses and open’s the car door for you, make some luck girl a nice husband one day” replied Chelsea....................
"Yep he is and a handsome gentleman at that to" replied Isabella Clinton then started to blush at what his mother had just said."

To the pictures then is it" asked Chelsea..................
"No the fish n chip shop please mum we going there first and then to the pictures, we can walk from there and I will be walking Isabella home as well to mum so no need to pick us up thanks" Clinton replied ....................
"OK son, you are more like your father than you think you are" Chelsea replied with joy in her voice and a tear in her eye
Clinton just sat there looking through the window thinking, I have got a fantastic mother, I am being told my father was the same and the sexiest young woman in the world...............

Clinton and Isabella had had a fantastic night at the pictures and Clinton had walked her to her front door just like any gentleman would do...
Clinton turned and looked Isabella in the eyes and said to her “Thank you for tonight I had a great time" smiling all the time ...................
"Well Clinton it was my pleasure and the company made it all worthwhile" Isabella replied with a smile on her face..................................
"Thanks Isabella" replied Clinton and with that he leaned forward to Isabella to give her a kiss on the cheek but, Isabella had other Ideas and kissed Clinton on the lips ..........................
"Isabella that was a bit sly" Clinton said.............................
Isabella looked at him and said " Come over here handsome and let’s do it properly" and with that they wrapped their arms around each other and started to kiss passionately, with arms caressing each other all the while.......
"Clinton would you like a cupper before you go home we can sit and have a chat, I want to get to know more about you" Isabella asked...........................
"Sorry Isabella not tonight got a big game tomorrow and I need to get some sleep maybe next time" Clinton replied.......................................

"OK I understand and I'll be there to watch you" Isabella replied and gave Clinton a kiss for good luck.................................
"Bye, see you tomorrow" Isabella said..............................
"Night sees you tomorrow" replied Clinton with some joy in his voice................................

As Clinton was walking home to his grandparents, he was thinking to himself had all his egg come in one basket, Tomorrow he was making his first appearance for The Wanderers 1st XI and his mother, brother, sister and Grandparents were going to be there to watch him, along with the most sexiest woman in the world in Isabella and what a first appearance he was to have for The Wanders and a long friendship would be formed that would come to a sad and tragic end.