PART 2 OF: THE SIX: SUPPORTING TONY AND 'M'

The Six are now 12 years old. It’s their last year at Primary School.

Tony had a successful debut season for the Otago Primary School 1st XI, they were now talking about him for the South Island Primary School 1st XI.

'M' was being talked about as a prospect for the Otago Primary Schools Wrestling Team. That would be a stepping stone to something bigger.

Tony made the South Island XI as a middle order batsman who could bowl medium pacers.


The first game against the North Island XI was in Auckland. The North Island XI batted first, and when Tony came on to bowl, it was already 110 for 0.

The Captain Freddie Sam spoke to him at his run up.

FREDDIE: “I know what we’ve thrown at them hasn’t worked so far, you bowl the best you can and see if we slow them down.”

TONY: “Okay.”

For Tony’s first few overs, Tony’s medium pace deliveries deceived the openers but couldn’t make any difference, but like Freddie had asked for, he did slow the scoring down.


When he came back on for a second spell, the score was 156 for 1.

FREDDIE: “See if you can at least get a couple out this time.”

TONY: “I'll try.”

With his 3rd delivery of his new spell he managed to bowl the 2nd Opener who was doing all the damage out.

Freddy spoke to Tony during the mid pitch celebration.

FREDDIE: “Nicely done, the damaged may have been done, but now we know what that guys weakness is for the rest of the series.”

TONY: “I’m sure if they can make 156 so can we.”

FREDDIE: “Sure, but they have more time to go on with it.”

Tony picked up his second wicket three overs later to have the North Island XI at 165 for 3.

But when Tony went off for a rest, the scoring rate picked back up. And by the end of Stumps the North Island XI had made 256 for 5 to end their innings.

That night Tony was on the phone to Jack, 'M', and Wendy.

JACK: “Do you think 256 is too hard to chase down in one day?”

TONY: “The lads seem to think so, If we do manage to chase it down it’ll go in the record books.”

WENDY: “Just bat your natural game,"

Tony laughed.

TONY: “If I get to bat, I’m around number 6, that means we are in serious trouble.”

WENDY: "Well I believe in you,"

TONY: “Thanks,I better go and get some rest, talk to you after the game tomorrow.”

Jack, 'M' and Wendy all together "Good Luck"


The next day it didn’t start too well for the South Island Primary XI, with 3 wickets falling within the first 20 runs, Tony had to pad up, as when the next wicket fell he was on.

He wasn’t required for the next two hours, as captain Freddie Sam, and Vice Captain Alistair Quilks tried to stage a face saving fight back. They put on 100 runs for the 4th wicket before an hour before afternoon tea, before Quilks was dismissed.

Tony joined his captain at the crease with the score at 120 for 4.

FREDDIE: “We’ve got an hour before tea, and two hours after that to chase another 147, I feel good, I need you to stay with me can you do that?”

TONY: “Yes I think so.”

FREDDIE: “It’s easier when you manage to get in. So play yourself in, and let’s go for the win.”

TONY: “Okay.”

Tony felt he was playing himself in, when disaster struck when he was on 10. He mistimed a shot, and had his wickets up ended. He looked back up the wicket at Freddie.

FREDDIE: “It’s okay,” said Freddie “You’ll get them next time.”

Tony felt bad, as he felt he had just gotten in, he was now walking off the park.

The damage was done, and within the next ten runs they were all out, and the North Island XI went 1 nil up in the series.

Freddie walked up to Tony in the dressing room, he was the last one out.

FREDDIE: “Don’t let this loss get to you Tony, I saw enough in you during this game, to say that you are going to make an impact later in the series.”

He was recounting the conversation later to Jack, 'M', Wendy, Sam, and Alice, as he was back home in Dunedin.

TONY: "He had to say that, Just to lift my spirits.”

JACK: ““Tony he didn’t have to, He knows as well as we do that you have what it takes to make it big.”

TONY: "They’ve got our number, They’re going to exploit our weaknesses and it’s going to be a 5 nil white wash.”

SAMANTHA: “Where’s the positive Tony that we all know? Not in this room.”

TONY: "My bowling wasn’t helping.”

'M': "Yes it did, It slowed their scoring down, and you picked up two wickets.”

TONY: "Maybe.”

'M': "Just stay positive, and things will turn around.”


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The camera fades in to the Roosevelt Hotel, in New York City, where Mastermind had booked himself into. He was there to participate in the King Of the Ring on Monday Night Madness, but he also had a match on Wednesday Night Warfare in Beijing China, where he was to face Monolith for the first time.

Mastermind was sitting on his bed, as he was looking at the cameras.

"Come Wednesday Night, I will be meeting a very special person for the first time, he is a lookalike of Vader, except it's not Vader, it's Monolith.

"I'm looking forward to this match up, as I get to see how Monolith is. But no doubt I will be too just too much for him. I've seen a few of your matches, nothing to write home about to be frank, but at least you can work on that."

Mastermind gets up and walks over to the window.

"Our first meeting means a clash of our personalities, Everyone knows my personality, when my personality clashes with yours, then it'll be like chemicals coming together and reacting, and exploding. Our match will be an explosion. There will be a reaction, an explosion, and the outcome? A victory to me.

"So Monolith, I hope you are ready. Because you wouldn't have come up against anyone like myself in your short career so far in the XWF. I am ready, are you. I am that dam good."

Mastermind smiles, and continues to look out of the window. The camera fades out.