Authors Note: This story is set in Australia and involves sportspeople who play cricket. The reader does not have to know about the game of cricket to follow the story. It just happens to be the sport in Australia at present where both male and female professionals can earn a full time living.
Thank you very much to eclecticwoman818 for her editing and constant encouragement with my stories.
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2nd February 2018- Adelaide Oval, Australia
The sound of the bat hitting the leather ball reverberated throughout the stadium. The free flowing swing of the willow had sent the cricket ball scorching across the outfield, piercing the gap between the two fielders patrolling the boundary. The ball thudded into the advertising hoardings and the packed house cheered with delight.
Matt Larkham moved down the pitch and flicked an errant piece of grass away. His captain Simon Buford was the other batsman out there with him. They had a brief word together, before Matt returned to face the next ball. At the rate they were travelling it looked like the Australian team would win this final game of the home season quickly. Matt had already scored 42 runs and was looking in imperious touch.
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Even to the casual observer it was clear to see that Matt Larkham's career was going from strength to strength. The 28 year old was in his third season with the Australian team and it had been a breakout one for Matt. He had a slightly shaky hold on his position in the team at the end of the previous Australian summer. However Matt gained maturity playing in the IPL for Delhi, and in county cricket for Hampshire during the off season. He successfully transferred this across to his form for Australia.
Matt had the kind of natural talent for the game that cannot be taught. He always seemed to be one step ahead of the action. When he batted, he appeared to have so much time to react to what was being bowled to him that he could play any number of shots to each particular ball. His natural talent has never been in question.
His progression through the various levels of the sport to reach the Australian team seemed preordained. Matt was a good if not outstanding under-age player. His talents really came to notice upon reaching state level competition and first class cricket, before making the Australian team at 26. Once there he began a little slowly, mostly due to his making mistakes through over confidence. However as Matt gained experience, he was making fewer mistakes in his game.
While Matt was undoubtedly talented on the field, off the field things were also looking good. He was 5'10" tall, dark hair which was always immaculately styled, blue eyes and naturally fit. He wasn't hugely muscular like some of his team mates but was fit enough for his role in the team.
With his prodigious talent and 'boy next door' good looks, Matt was in high demand for endorsements and he represented a number of companies. He also had the obligatory celebrity girlfriend. He was going out with high profile actress Alannah Devery, from the popular soap opera 'Lives and Loves'. She was 26 years old, tall, blonde, brown eyes. She too was very popular, with tens of thousands of Instagram followers all seemingly glued to every detail of her life. They had met at a movie premiere in Sydney and had been going out for about 4 months. They were always being seen out at the right places and with the right people. They were seemingly made for each other.
With the progress Matt was showing in his game, he could become not just a reliable player, but possibly one of the great players Australia has produced.
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Taking strike to the next ball, Matt knew as soon as the ball left the bowlers hand that he was going to be able to smash it through the on side. He cleared his front leg and began to swing. The ball then began to dip in flight and in that split second Matt knew he was going to miss it, but he was committed to the shot.
His swing of the bat kept going, as the spikes on the boot of his back foot dug into the turf. His back foot should have pivoted with the swing, but it couldn't, as his boot was gripping firmly into the ground. The momentum of the swing kept going and his left leg pivoted at his knee. The sound of his ACL rupturing could be heard by the players close by. The distinct 'popping' sound was then accompanied by a loud groan from Matt, as the pain of the injury rushed through his body.
His boot finally released from the turf and Matt fell to the ground, writhing in agony from the pain. Opposition players and his batting partner came rushing over to help him. The Australian team physio and doctor came rushing out onto the field. Matt was clutching his left leg, the pain greater than he had felt before. He immediately knew the injury was serious and when the doctor got to him he was immediately diagnosed with a ligament rupture.
Matt was taken off the field in the Medi-Cart, to go straight to the hospital...
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Matt caught the elevator down from his 19th floor luxury apartment in Milsons Point, Sydney. He hobbled out of the elevator and across to his Porsche 911. As he struggled lowering himself into the low line sports car, taking care not to bump his still tender left knee, he smiled to himself. Matt felt thankful that he had gotten the paddle shift gearbox version of the car and not the regular manual transmission.
It had been six weeks since he had injured his knee and he was keen to start getting his knee back to working order. Matt was heading out the short distance to Chatswood to see his Physiotherapist for the first time. Progress with his injury after his surgery had been slowed due to a post-operative infection that took a while to clear up. He knew the process would be long and apparently painful, but he had been told the physio he was going to see was the best around. They had been recommended to him by Cricket Australia, and many other sporting teams also used this practice.
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Jenna Murphy sat in her office and looked down her list of appointments for the day. She was the head Physiotherapist and part owner of the practice. She was 28 years old, 5'6" tall, long brunette hair, with some lighter highlights, that reached her shoulder blades. While still quite shapely, Jenna was very athletically fit.
Jenna too was an elite sportsperson. She played cricket for the NSW Breakers and Sydney Sixers, the same franchise that Matt played for when his international commitments allowed. While she hadn't reached playing for Australia yet, Jenna was part of the wave of female cricketers who were now professional or semi-professional and could make a living playing their chosen sport. Jenna had begun playing in her home state of Queensland, reaching the state team there when she was 21. She still enjoyed playing at a high level, and really liked her work.
It was her work which had brought her to Sydney two years earlier. A colleague she went to University with had taken over a practice and asked if she wanted to join. Jenna jumped at the opportunity and moved down. She soon received an invitation to train for the NSW team, eventually forced her way into the side. Even though the NSW team was filled with players who played for Australia, she fitted into the team and performed very well. Her teammates all noted her positive work ethic, and the very hard work she put into her sport to play the best she could.
Perusing the list she saw Matt Larkham's name. Jenna knew of his injury and the difficulties he had experienced afterwards from the notes she had received. She was also a little wary about Matt wondering if he was as arrogant as he seemed to be when she had met him previously. He didn't even speak to her at a photoshoot and press conference with the Sixers at the beginning of last season...
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Matt hobbled his way out of his car and into the reception area. After a few moments he was shown to the treatment room where Jenna was waiting for him. She was dressed in her dark green polo shirt with the practice emblem on the left side, black pants and black shoes. Her hair was back in a ponytail.
As they greeted each other Matt shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Jenna." He said quietly, barely looking at her.
"Nice to meet you too Matt" Jenna replied with a smile, realising he didn't recognise her. She didn't want to make a big deal out of this so she didn't mention that they had met before.
Their first appointment was to assess the movement available in Matt's injured knee, as compared with his good leg. Jenna would then custom design his rehab program to best get him fully functioning and back on the field again.
As Jenna did her assessments, she and Matt made a little small talk mostly about his injury. Matt, as was his way, was a little guarded with his answers. Jenna could barely get more than two words out of Matt. She felt that he was almost going out of his way to not speak to her.
"I'm not going to sugar coat this Matt. The process to get your knee back to functioning properly is going to be painful. You are going to have to learn how to use your knee again. Building the strength and flexibility will take time as well. Usually it is a 10-12 month program."
Matt thought Jenna was being a bit serious, so he decided to make a little joke, just to lighten the mood.
"Oh that's no problem. I will be finished in 9. I heal pretty quick you know." Matt said.
He immediately regretted saying this as Jenna just looked at him, not even cracking a smile.
They went through to the gym and pool area. It was here where Matt would spend most of his time, exercising to get the strength and flexibility back to his knee. Jenna introduced him to Exercise Physiologist Adam Cowans, who would be Matt's trainer throughout his rehab process. She watched for a while as Adam started Matt's training program, before going to see another patient.
As Jenna left she caught Adam and whispered to him "Good luck with this one."
She walked off and shook her head. "I'll be finished in 9 months! Can he get any more arrogant?" Jenna thought as she walked away.
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Over the next few weeks Matt did his exercise program at the Physio Centre gym as best as he thought he could, believing he was following the guidelines his trainer had set out for him. He did tend to get distracted at the gym though, with his phone being a source of interruption. As he followed Alannah's Instagram feed there seemed to be always something popping up grabbing his attention. Matt felt that he was doing enough at the gym, so he didn't do the further exercises he was recommended to do at home.
Jenna had also noticed Matt was distracted when working out. She saw that he was doing only the bare minimum required. He barely spoke to anyone in the centre and isolated himself with headphones while he exercised.
