Sweef | Die krieketkolf – Erns Grundling | English Summary

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Die krieketkolf – Erns Grundling

A cricket match ensues at the B-Field of the Otto van Staden High School. Okkert tries to drive the incoming ball but it glides off his bat into his right knee – too close for comfort with the stumps right behind him. That’s the end of the over. Meeting up at the middle of the pitch, his friend Marius whispers to him that that was a very close call. Marius tells him that since they’re behind with their run rate, Okkert should send the ball to the boundary. Marius then tells Okkert that his father is there, which is surprising. His father was a local opening batsman in the ‘80s, known for being able to make quick work of some of the most intimidating bowling assaults and even managed to get over 100 runs on several different occasions in the Currie Cup. Currently, Okkert Senior frequently features as a guest on Supersport’s cricket programme. He was supposed to be catching a flight to Johannesburg to feature on Fanie de Villers’ KykNET talk show, BVP.

Cricket has been a part of Okkert’s life for as long as he can remember and as a child, his father would spend hours teaching him to bat, bowling a tennis ball for him to hit. Okkert Senior would’ve played for South Africa; however, during Apartheid, there was a boycotting of all South African sporting codes. When the country was reinstated into the international cricket fraternity, Okkert Senior was already past his prime. However, he didn’t give up on his career and played local cricket before being selected for a one-day international cup. He was chosen to play alongside legends like Hansie Cronjé, Jonty Rhodes and Kepler Wessels. However, a week before he was due to play, he got into a severe cycling accident which put an end to his cricketing forever.

His father kept drilling it into him that he has the same genes and the ability to play fantastic cricket – it’s all about his mentality. Okkert’s father promised him a new cricket bat if he managed to get over 50 runs in a match. An expensive Kookaburra worth
R50 000 – the same kind as the one used by his hero, AB de Villiers. In his room, Okkert has a big poster signed by AB himself – “Okkert, your dad was my hero when I was a child. Enjoy your cricket!”

However, high school adjustment has had Okkert fall into a bit of a rut, having had a terrible season. He has only managed to hit double figures in his run tally in three different matches; however, today he’s got 38, and the bowler doesn’t seem like too much to handle. When the bowler throws a vicious one, Okkert hits it sweetly with perfect timing and it lands at the pavilion – a massive six! With the adrenaline pumping through his veins, Okkert reaches 44 and needs just six more runs. With his birthday coming the very next day, this match seems like the best precursor. There is laughter at the pavilion as a girl tries to throw the ball back onto the field, but she hits one of the scorekeepers on the shoulder. It’s Bienkie. He now has the chance to achieve his milestone and impress the girl of his dreams.

Before the next ball is bowled, the wicket-keeper of the other team makes snide comments about his father’s cycling accident which infuriates Okkert, but he doesn’t respond, preparing to hit the next quick ball just like he did the previous. When the ball comes, everything feels like it’s in slow motion. Okkert swings his bat, almost like a golf club. However, the next ball comes in slow and low, Okkert misses it completely and he’s bowled out. He walks to the pavilion, trying not to look in the direction of his father’s grey Lexus but he still turns his head to see his father driving off. After the match, his team captain tells him he had a great game, but Okkert is still angry. When Bienkie comes to compliment him about the six, he storms off to the changerooms.

When he gets home, he finds that his father isn’t home, nor is he in Joburg, but at another function for a former cricketer. He sleeps early to forget the day. Despite their win, Okkert isn’t happy. He dreams that his father still got him the cricket bat. Waking up on his birthday, Okkert is surprised to see something bat-shaped in gift-wrap in his room. His dad isn’t in the house, just the helper. When Okkert opens up his gift, he realises his dad had him bamboozled – for his 14th birthday, Okkert gets a brand-new hockey stick.

SummariesKeroshan PillayComment