Goodbye George

Goodbye George

We were all in shock.  One of our team had died suddenly.  It was one of those moments when you were knocked for six (definitely no pun intended).  George had gone into hospital without any fuss and we just expected him to come through his operation without any problems.  But it wasn't to be.  We all knew that Hambledown Cricket Club would never be the same.
What could you say about George?  He would never score a stack of runs or take a load of wickets, but he played the game with a smile on his face and would always be there with a word of consolation or encouragement for his team mates. 
Just a bread and butter player I suppose you could say.  Never the star but a much valued colleague.  Right now we were realising how big his contribution was.  He was happy when those around him were getting the applause. 
Without players like George, local cricket teams couldn't survive.  Big hitters and accurate bowlers move on, but plodders like George stay loyal.  Just to be in the team was reward enough for him.  Hardly ever did he hear any praise; it was more likely to be groans when he dropped a catch or wasn't quick enough to stop a boundary.  Right now I wished he could have had one moment of glory.
As I gazed out on to the pitch and imagined George standing there, I realised there is no such thing as ordinary.  We all have something extraordinary about us.  It's just that we don't realise it sometimes till it's too late.  George may not have been a great cricketer but he was a great sport and would be sadly missed.