The two of them stared at each other for a while. Suddenly Adam laughed hard "Haha! You do know me pretty well! I am so happy!" he hugged him. Alan smiling patted his back, "Glad to see you so happy."
"What the hell is he doing?!" Azazel and Noah freaked out from different sides of the stadium gazing at the two of them. Isa smiled heartily, "They seem happy."
Seraph sighed hard hiding his face, "This was the thing I was worried about…" "Hehe… let him be. Isn't that how he really is like?" Helios chuckled as Poseidon nodded.
However Adam's eyes instantly glinted mischievously, he whispered, "Just because you read a little about me, doesn't mean that you know me well, platinum king… let me show you who I truly am! Get ready!" Patting Alan's back he stood straight tossing his bat behind his shoulder and making his way towards the pitch's batting side.
Alan hearing his words smirked turning around. "Don't you need a gear? A helmet, gloves or pads?" he asked.
Adam glancing claimed confident, "Don't need it! Ever seen a wild lion hiding behind his claws?" "Now that's more how I like it!" Alan whispered grinning.
Kenzo smiling eyed the two of them, "Finally claimed it hun… took you long enough brat!" "Claimed what?" asked Mikael from above. "The beginning of war…" Xavier grinned.
Alan twirling the ball in his fingers walked away from the pitch.
Nagi eyeing them spoke up, "Adam Elamin, a 1st year middle schooler and a daring cricket rookie. He is a right handed batsman who excels in frivolous yet alarming batting, countering any fast ball, in turn making him earn the title of the Pitch's Wild Card. From the records he seemed to have returned balls with the speed up to 170.8km/h. Those middle schoolers have played a rather detestable card against Alan right from the very beginning."
Isa upon his words glanced the others who sat unfazed. "So the king moves the knight first hun? Then, I'll start with…" he whispered tapping his finger, his sight constantly set on Kenzo.
Zach and Orion looked at each other silently. "Is that so? Then let's see what he shows us." replied Evandor.
"Countering fast balls hun… goes against me right from the beginning. Well then, let's begin with…" Alan thought running along the pitch. The moment he stepped over the popping crease he bowled towards Adam.
"A powerful fast delivery." pointed Poseidon as Gabriel stared silent. "But it's still not good enough to daunt our Adam." Cassiel replied confident.
Adam gazing at the ball pulled his bat hopping on his toes he grinned wildly slamming it with might. He cheered, "Super-fast tornado smash!!" The ball flying towards the boundary claimed a four in a blink of a second.
"Yahoo! A boundary!" he hailed joyfully. "How was it Seraph? The best right?" he asked waving towards Seraph who nodded. "A low boundary towards the off-side, nice." Xavier commented.
Alan grabbing the ball went back. The high schoolers smiled. "One…" counted Senri, his eyes closed. Alan once more rushing towards the wicket line threw a fast ball towards Adam with the same speed as before. Adam once again hopping on his toes flunged his bat towards the off side cheering, "Super! Doper! Wild! Tornado smash!!"
The ball flying high into the air, landed on the audience seat. Alan eyeing the ball smiled. "A six!!" Adam cheered once more. The middle schoolers gazed at Alan silent.
"Say… I think I have quite a bad feeling about it…" Zac gulped.
"Yeah, seeing those sixes one after another makes me feels as if something big is about to happen next." continued Luka.
"Yeah, me too." endorsed Heber.
Seraph and Kenzo stared at the pitch seriously. "Two…" whispered Senri as Orion smiled. Rauf gazed at the pitch with Nidou silent. Alan once more aiming his ball rushed towards Adam balling again.
The ball, a third time with the same speed went towards Adam as he stayed on his feet this time. "Again… the same thing again and again hun…" whispered Adam sighing as if uninterested he returned the ball expressionless claiming a dot return.
Alan smiled back at him unfazed. Adam stared grave. "I don't like it… I don't like it at all… is this all a platinum's got?" he asked annoyed. "I only get to play a single over with you unlike Ryan who gets two and that makes me mad, while here you are, who has already wasted three balls amongst them balling me a useless same fast delivery again and again, so I can easily aim for a six once more. Only thinking about returning it the next time pisses me off!" he angered.
"Finally snapped didn't he? Haha!!" laughed Orion and Ren naughtily. "Three…" Senri whispered. Alan picking the ball up. "Alright… as you wish for." He smirked making his way back.
Alan twirling the ball ran once more. Adam eyeing him seriously started hopping over his toes. "Playing with me… taking me as a pushover aren't you Alan? Just brace yourself!" he thought annoyed. Xavier and Seraph stared at Adam worried. "It's here." Gabriel deduced.
"Yeah. Adam must be careful." endorsed Helios. Stepping on the crease Alan twirled his wrist leaving the ball which headed to Adam. However, before he could even react the ball had already crossed past him. Wheezing with pressure it hit the trainee's glove behind the wicket with a slam.
For a moment, the whole stadium went silent. Gazing at the ball behind Adam stood stunned. Alan taking a deep breath stood up moving his right hand around.
"So how was it Adam? What's with that surprised look? Asked for it but couldn't even return it? You should be thankful that it didn't blew away the wickets" Alan sneered sarcastically walking back.
"What in the world was that…?" asked Ezekiel and Christopher together. Ryan, Feng, Poseidon, Cassiel and Helios with Seraph too stood stunned. "A sliced fast ball…" whispered Xavier surprised, "Or in other words, it's a cutter delivery in which the ball breaks from the leg side to the off side of the batsman. It instantly changes position once it bounces of the pitch."
"Really… I couldn't even see it." said Mikael and Hadi as the others beside him hummed in agreement. "There it is! Alan's super speedy slice fast ball!!" cheered Aigou as Noah gleamed. Kazuna upon the sight smiled, "Finally…" "Looks like he has opened his wings." said Elias.
"Four…" whispered Senri while Isa smiled at Zach. Rauf eyeing him sighed as Haruf and Evan glancing at each other nodded. Nidou clicking his tongue pointed out, "Tch! Showing me such a boring view! That rascal is wasting my time."
"Ah~ I feel refreshed!" Alan stretched his arms relaxed. "Now shall we go once more, before the moment dies?" he asked spinning the ball over his index finger.
Adam grinning enthusiastically called, "How cool!! Bring it on! I'll make sure to return it!" "That Alan's super speed slice delivery! I'll make sure I return it with my Ultra-fast tornado smash!" he declared.
"Alright… however, only two balls are left. Make sure not go back to the pavilion in the meantime." Alan warned winking his eye. "That brat!" Kenzo gritted annoyed. "He's so full of himself!" Azazel uttered cross.
"But… he has the right to be full of himself. Since, he's so strong. Who knows what kind of tricks he has up his sleeve." said Theo looking down at the twelve of them.
Alan twirling the ball rushed towards Adam balling it. With the same super speed it traveled right towards the center of the wicket. Adam jumping higher twirled his bat around hitting it. "Grk…" he struggled. "So strong!!" he thought. Hopping on his feet he slammed it towards the boundary with full force. "Cool drive Z!" he called panting.
The ball in a Z movement made its way towards the boundary. Alan eyed movement of the ball surprised. "Heeh… not bad." he commented, "But it won't be enough." "There it is cool drive Z! He returned it!! Only on the second try!" Feng remarked while the rest gazed at the ball curiously. "Heeh…" he really did return it. "However… it won't reach the boundary." Haruf stated.
"Five…" whispered Senri. Alan smiled as wind blew past by. "Is that a four?" asked Poseidon curiously. "No… it won't be." replied Xavier. "Indeed, the power of the ball was strong and tricky to comprehend as well. For Adam to have even hit it back, is already a miracle." continued Seraph.
Eyeing Alan, Adam smirked wildly sweat dripped his forehead.