Alice Henderson On Debut

Forty

Despite Hannah trying to convince me otherwise, I decide to skip the games night after dinner and go to the indoor nets and have a hit against the bowling machine instead. I've been waiting all week to have a go at it, and tonight, when everyone's excited about the camp finishing tomorrow and not thinking about training anymore, I'm hoping that no-one will have booked the machine out. Besides, Charlie's off to the hospital to see Ethan again, and I'd really love to practice more of the batting technique I did today against Paris. It'll come in handy in tomorrow's game, especially if I do get to play with the Brisbane squad and bat against Paris again. I'd love to wipe the smile off her face a second time.

I double-check with Karen that I can use the bowling machine and she gives me a rundown on how to set it. As I turn to leave her room she says, "You don't need any more training, Alice. We're not playing for sheep stations tomorrow."

"Thanks," I reply. "I just wanted to try a couple of things, that's all."

"Okay," Karen replies. "Just drop the key back when you're done."

I nod and head off with my kit bag to the indoor centre.

It's eerily quiet when I get there, just like the indoor centre back home when it's closed. It's my favourite time because I can practice without any distractions. I've only got an hour before the centre is locked up for the night, but that should be plenty of time to get in some big hits.

I dump my bag on the floor near a bench and put on my gear. I shove my gloves into my helmet and push through the netting onto the court. I turn on the machine and set it, just like Karen told me. I leave it at a medium pace with no swing or spin, just to warm up, and fill the feeder with practice balls. I take the little key fob controller off the hook on the side and head down to the batting end.

When I get down to the stumps, I put on my helmet and pull on my gloves. I take a deep breath, loosen up my shoulders and press the key fob to start the machine. I face up, and wait for the ball to arrive. There's a beep and then another beep and the ball shoots out of the machine and bounces up nicely for me to play a straight drive. All of the balls should land at exactly the same spot at exactly the same pace, which is exactly what I need to warm up.

I face up for the next ball when the machine beeps and set myself for another straight drive. I remember what Jules was doing when I saw her practicing the other day, and do the same thing. I play the drive and leave my bat out straight, just to get the feel of the position I should be in at the end of the shot. It feels good. I hit the next one, and the next one, and then, with a couple of balls to go, I put some more power into it. I increase my back lift slightly and shift my weight forward as I play the shot. I can feel the power flowing from my shoulders, down through my core and out through my bat. The balls are flying off my bat into the back netting and it takes me a moment to realise the feeder has run out. I pull off my gloves and helmet and start collecting them to put them back in, ready for my hit out.

The centre door squeaks open and when I look up, I'm surprised to see Jules. Almost as surprised as I think she is to see me.

"You're an over-achiever too, huh?" she says, dropping her bag onto the floor beside mine.

"I wanted to work on some stuff," I reply, dropping balls into the feeder. "Karen said the machine wasn't booked tonight. Sorry if I'm taking up your time."

Jules laughs. "It's okay. I was hoping it wasn't booked either."

"You need more practice?" I ask.

"You always need more practice," Jules says with a smile.

I put the last of the balls into the feeder and step out from the net and sit down on the bench. I take my water bottle from my bag and take a drink.

"So what are you doing in here?" Jules asks. I watch as she pulls her equipment out of her bag and lays it down methodically on the floor in front of her.

"I wanted to practice clearing my leg."

Jules smiles at me like it's exactly the answer she was expecting. She stands up. "Mind if I jump in for a warm-up? Then we can practice your big hitting."

"Sure," I shrug.

"Let me know if you spot any flaws."

"Okay," I reply but I doubt she's got any.

She does basically the same thing as I did - she sets herself, stretches out her neck, loosens her shoulders and then faces up. I watch with interest as she flexes her knees a little just before the ball is bowled, and then how she follows through with the shot. It's one smooth, flowing motion. Jazz would be impressed. As I watch her hit ball after ball, I realise I'm not actually watching her bat, but the way the muscles on her forearms tighten and flex as she plays through the shot. If you looked up the dictionary for the definition of a straight drive, I'm sure a video of Jules' shot would be there.

Jules finishes her session and calls me in to the net.

I grab my protective gear and my bat and push my way through the net and meet her at the machine. "Let's have a bit of fun," she says.