By Justin Naicker
One bright morning Ricardo woke up and took the bin when he saw Rajen walking down the road. Rajen was the best cricket player. Rajen played for the Newlands Cricket Club. Rajen asked Ricardo if he could come to the Newlands Cricket Oval on Saturday at 8 o’clock to learn how to play cricket.
“Don’t worry I will pick you up.” So in the morning Ricardo woke up, had a bath and put on his shorts and a T-shirt. While he was having his breakfast his mum asked him where he was going.
He said “To learn how to play cricket.” Then Rajen came to pick Ricardo. Ricardo ran off and they went. When they reached the Newlands Oval Rajen introduced him to everyone. The coach was looking for someone to bat.
He said, “Ricardo go and bat.” When Ricardo went into the nets everyone started to laugh at Ricardo because he did not know how to hold a bat. He was very sad. So the coach said, “Ricardo I can see that you are going to go far in life. Take this number down 084 515 8178. This is Clinton’s number. Clinton is a cricket coach. He does special training for R75 a day.”
So the next day Ricardo’s father telephoned Clinton and asked him if he could train his son. Clinton said, “Alright he can train on Mondays and Thursdays.” So on Thursday Ricardo’s father took him to the Oval. Clinton was waiting for them. Clinton told Ricardo to get two balls.
“Today we are going to learn how to bowl.” Ricardo tried and tried for four weeks and by the fifth week he knew how to spin and bowl straight fast. Then for the next seven weeks Clinton taught Ricardo how to bat and for the next three weeks how to field.
Today Ricardo is the second best cricketer. In Ricardo’s first match he made 46, he caught two balls and bowled three wickets. Ricardo was very proud of himself. Seven years later Rajen and Ricardo are playing for South Africa. Ricardo learnt that if you try and never give up you can succeed.