The Paul & Jenny Stories Pt. 17p: The Batting Order Ch. 16
Paul.
What was happening over there?
There was a lot of noise coming from the marquee. People were running inside it. I could see my parents.
"There's a fight in the marquee." The fielder nearest to it called.
He turned and talked to a couple of people for a few seconds. He came running into the middle and spoke briefly to his captain and Jerry.
"Which one is Steve?" Jerry asked me.
"He's just coming out now." I nodded to where he was making his way out to join me. "Why?"
"Right." He said and walked across towards him.
Steve stopped when he saw Jerry approaching. Then he turned and began to run back towards the pavilion. Jerry sprinted after him, catching him inside twenty yards. They fell to the ground together and rolled over with Jerry coming up on top. Jerry knelt astride him, raised his hand and struck him.
I wasn't having that and I broke into a run towards them. I could see Len coming out of the pavilion followed by Lynda and Sally. A lot of people were moving. Most heading towards Steve and Jerry. I heard a woman's shriek. There were people fighting outside the marquee.
The East Chipstable captain was the first to arrive and threw both his arms around Jerry's chest. They fell to the ground. Steve struggled to his knees and swung his cricket bat at Jerry. More people were arriving. Players from both teams and spectators were throwing themselves into the melee.
"Stop it everyone." I heard Jim Clarks voice.
"Calm down." Ron was saying. "Calm down."
Steve suddenly appeared by my side. One of his eyes was closing with a swelling. He was jumping up and down, waving his bat.
"I'll get the bastard." He shouted.
"Let me at him."
I could hear Jerry's voice but I couldn't hear him.
"Are you alright?"
Sally was standing next to Steve looking at his face. Her own face was flushed and her eyes were red. If I didn't know better I'd say she was drunk. She certainly staggered against him and he placed his arm around her waist to steady her.
"Let her alone."
Some sort of order had been restored in front of us. Len and two of the East Chipstable team were holding a struggling Jerry. There was blood on his face and the side of his jaw was swollen.
Sally turned a pair of bloodshot eyes in his direction.
"Jerry!" She exclaimed, as if surprised that he should be there.
She ran to him, placed her arms around his neck and pulled his face down to kiss.
I could hear the sound of an approaching police car.
Everything suddenly fell silent. There wasn't a sound from the marquee.
Just the sound of the police car getting louder.
"Where's Jenny?" I called to Lynda.
"In there."
She pointed towards the marquee.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jenny.
I ran back behind our tables beside Shirley and picked up some plates of sandwiches. We backed away towards the rear of the marquee.
People were rushing in from outside. Some to join in the fighting and others to see what was happening.
Beer was being thrown through the air and people were shouting. The noise was tremendous.
"Stop it. Stop it." I could hear Stephanie and her mother shouting.
With a crash on e of the trestle tables they were using as a bar collapsed and people were rolling on the floor.
"Are you alright?" David asked as he and Mary joined us.
I looked at him and nodded.
"Yes, I think we're fine." I replied.
"Better get this lot sorted out then." He said, heading towards the bar.
"Jack. Fred." He called to two men standing away from the trouble. "Give me a hand."
The two men placed their beer glasses on the floor and called upon some of the other onlookers to help before beginning to separate the fighting men. I think most of the men were quite happy to stop. They seemed to have no way out themselves and this was their opportunity to stop without loosing face. The noise began to drop. I could hear a police car in the distance, getting nearer.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Paul
The two team captains and the two umpires walked to the middle of the pitch and started talking. I could imagine what it would be about. Should the match finish there and then or should we go on. We needed forty runs and had nine and a half overs to get them in. It was all going to be so easy two balls ago.
The police car pulled up at the entrance to the field. The occupants of the car were talking to the couple that were taking the entrance money. They weren't going to get out of the car. They were driving off. Come to think of it, it was strange that they should have arrived here so quickly.
The police car pulled away, siren blaring.
Jim Clark walked over to where Steve and I were standing.
"I offered them a draw but they want to play the game to a finish." He said, looking closely at Steve. "Are you going to be alright to play on?"
Steve looked across to where Jerry and Sally were standing. Sally was crying. He nodded to Jim.
"I'll be alright." He replied.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"You had better ask Steve that." Jim replied. "Good luck."
He turned and started walking back to the pavilion. Lynda was leading Sally away. I could see Jenny. She waved. I waved back.
"Watch this kid." I said to Steve as we walked to the wicket. "He can spin the ball."
Steve looked at me with his good eye and smiled weakly.
"What did happen?" I had to ask.
"Nothing much." He replied. "I just fucked Sally. That's all."
I raised my eyebrows and looked at him.
"Len and Stephanie came into the changing room. She's a bit of a prude, that Stephanie."
I could agree with that. I'd taken her out a couple of times before I met Jenny and had got nowhere with her. She hadn't liked us watching her being fucked by Len on my stag night in the cellar of the pub. Or in the walled garden that morning come to think of it.