The Cricket Bachelor

By Phumlani Handile

 

The cricket bachelor book will teach you to believe in true love. In this book, the cricket bachelor is from the dusty rural village of Lady Frère few kilometers from Queenstown. He is from a much respected family, but not a wealthy family, a family that offered the basic needs and few luxury lifestyles which is only a car, nothing major. The cricket bachelor has a humbling background. His grandfather was a cricket player and rugby player back in the days. People should learn how humble was cricket bachelor to move from one relationship to another to find true love, but dating in a Christian way, the principle of no sex before marriage until he received the love of his life in Cape Town. Finally, he got married and has two kids, a boy, and a girl. The cricket bachelor (mark chase) loved cricket very much, just like his grandfather. He even got his wife when he was watching cricket in Cape town in Newland cricket ground.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Helpmyworld Publishing
• Release date: Sep 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201771836

Book preview

Acknowledgements

My thanks to all the gentlemen and ladies, as well as the exemplary mother- and father figures who are a great inspiration to all the up-and-coming young men and women, who choose to be bachelors and bachelorettes by their actions and by having a positive attitude towards the situations in which they live. Life is all about choices; when you choose to be the best man or woman in the world that will produce a positive outcome. Great blessings and a prosperous future await the individuals who hold fast to the right path and follow the rules and instructions of life as a gentleman.

Dedication

This book is dedicated with love, hope and best wishes to my fellow bachelors, friends, family and enemies. The books I have read and the experiences I’ve had, have taught me a lot about the term bachelor. Essentially it’s up to each man whether he wishes to be a bachelor or not. One has to choose to be a bachelor and can do so even if you’re married, but it’s not always necessary for a married man to act like a bachelor when he’s engaged or married to a lady who knows how to cook very well and do housework – much like all real men wish to experience in their married lives.

This book is also dedicated to the women out there who have good taste in men and who are prepared to suffer and sacrifice alongside their men on the way to achieving success.

Here’s to all the cricket players – whether they’re still in development or are playing professionally – as well as cricket fans, lovers and supporters who will enjoy reading the story of the cricket bachelor and who are interested in finding out how the cricket bachelor will end up in life. It is not his will alone that determines that outcome, but rather the spirit of the game that lives within him. I hope he will be an exceptional example to the current generation and the generations to come.

The book is also dedicated to kids at all levels in school, but especially in high school, who love the game of cricket. I trust that the sport has had a tremendous impact on their lives and that it will be a help to them in the long run.

And finally, here’s to all of you who did not give up, no matter how hard things were in your lives. Life is not easy, but it’s also not as tough as we think; you just have to make the best of it and be the best bachelor in cricket fun as well.

Book Characters

Grandpa: Gerald Chase 

(A very intelligent and wise man, a man of principles with a great love for his family)

Grandma: Victoria Chase

(A very loud and rough woman, but soft-hearted; she loves her husband and her only child, Nancy)

Grandson (cricket bachelor): Mark Chase

(Gerald’s favourite grandson; Mark always tries to impress his grandpa and live by his honour; he believes his grandpa is always right)

Mark’s father: Lennon Wilson

(Irresponsible father to Mark, but still respected by all the Chase family)

Mark’s mother: Nancy Chase

(A loving mother with a great sense of humour)

Mark’s sisters: Jennifer Chase, Laura Chase, Antoinette Chase and Mary Chase

(All Mark’s sisters are taught to love one another)

Mark’s brother: George Chase

(Mark’s brother, irresponsible like their father)

Mark’s cousin (father’s side): Lucas Wilson

(Mark’s cousin from his father’s side)

Nanny and maid: Gloria

(The Chase family nanny and maid, well respected by the family and the Chase kids)

Mark’s uncle (mother’s side): Craig Chase

(He likes rugby – both to coach it and play it)

Mark’s uncle (father’s side): Alex Wilson

Mark’s classmate in junior school: Zakes

(Mark’s rude desk mate; he gave Mark hell all through junior school)

Mark’s friend at junior school: Dale White

(Mark’s favourite friend and a real charmer; he was a ladies’ man and got good grades at school, but not better than Mark; they respected each other)

Afrikaans teacher: Mrs Zillie

(Afrikaans teacher who was rude to Mark; Mark had no clue how to treat her and she made Mark hate school sometimes)

Mark’s friends at varsity: James Snow and Bobbie Bell

(He would have a very short time with them and then felt lonely again)

Mark’s first girlfriend: Carol Black

(They dated at varsity level; a born-again Christian who attends church)

Mark’s second girlfriend: Nelly Gray

(Mark’s second option)

Mark’s cricket friend: Joseph Flemming

(They’re both crazy about the game of cricket; Joseph was a respected bachelor and, worse still, a cricket bachelor; cooking was not a habit for him, but he had no choice)

Mark’s third girlfriend: Olga Mills

Mark’s varsity classmate (girl): Angela Watson

(A very beautiful girl; Mark was scared to make a move on her, but the girl was onto him)

Doctor: Mr Phillips

(Gynaecologist when Mark was born; very well respected and loved in the local town)

English teacher: Peter Jakes

Mark’s cousin (mother’s side): Luke Chase

(Mark’s cousin was very worried about Mark, but sometimes also jealous of him)

Mark’s Afrikaans friend in Vista Clinic: Grant van Tonder

(Mark’s Afrikaans friends tried to teach him Afrikaans; he absolutely had no clue of how to speak it, but still respected the culture)

Mark’s fiancée and wife: Jessica Role

I believe this book will surprise and impact many people who are interested in having a positive, successful career life regardless of which fields of study they’re involved in or what talents they have. I hope the book will motivate and encourage passionate people who have been negatively affected by circumstances in their lives; it may look like they have mountains to climb, but those challenges can indeed be conquered.

Inevitably, there are sad parts and horrible scenes that are followed by happy moments. The sad parts are due to evil spirits that actually live within people and bring out the cruel parts of human nature, making people sometimes more dangerous than animals.

This story is about a boy who seems to grow up in a good environment, but who chooses to live his life in bad, disadvantageous situations. This amazed many people who thought they knew him. His relatives began to doubt whether he actually belonged to their clan and was really part of the family. Were his troubles caused by genetic problems?

In actual fact it, had to do with his blood and had nothing to do with his clan, nation or genetics.

This challenge has affected him for years, but during that time he became one of the greats – a gentleman who fitted in with the gentleman’s sport, and became a gentleman, as well as a successful cricket bachelor. He had great dreams and a desire to see the African nations change their lifestyle by tapping into their positive ancient roots, wealth of knowledge and great honour –respected nations with a proud lifestyle to the point that they changed the way of living in the other nations surrounding them.

The cricket bachelor has travelled all over the country – from the countryside to the promised land, and now I invite you to dive in and enjoy the story of the cricket bachelor ...

When they woke up early that morning the birds were flying and singing, and the weather was cool, despite the bright sunshine. It was Sunday, 10 August 1980, a date that would turn out to be very significant.

The Chase family lived in the village of Zwartwater in Lady Frere few kilometres away from Queenstown, in the Eastern Cape. They were a respected and educated family, and had many people staying in their house. Their daughter, Nancy, had married into the Wilson family, but she’d moved back home to her parents due to unresolved issues with her husband. Nancy’s husband was not around much; he stayed in the Wilson village which is more than 60km from town.

On this sunny Sunday morning, Nancy Chase was in pain. She was heavily pregnant, and she had never had this kind of pain before. It started at 11 p.m. the previous night, and something about her contractions made the family more worried than they’d been about her previous pregnancies. By 7 a.m. everybody was awake and Gerald Chase was warming the engine of the bakkie, ready to take his daughter to the nearest hospital – Frontier Hospital in Queenstown.

Everybody knew that Nancy’s sixth child was coming. Mrs Chase was very worried about her daughter; she was walking up and down the passage, while Nancy was in unbearable pain. The younger woman called softly to her mother, Mom, could you please come here.

What’s wrong my child?

Her daughter was sitting uncomfortably, turning and tossing on her bed. Nancy’s face had turned red, and her feet were swollen. Can you support me with a pillow in the right position for my neck? I’m so uncomfortable.

Mrs Chase followed her daughter’s instructions, still mentally running through her list of what they would need to take to the hospital. She shouted at one of her helpers who was also hanging around nervously. Maggie, can you please prepare a towel, blankets and the other necessary stuff for the hospital! The girl immediately spun around and got busy with the task, glad to have something to do.

Mr Chase was still waiting outside; he was also worried, but he did not show anyone – he acted strong. It was the first time he’d seen his daughter in such pain; there must be a problem with the child. He was worried there might be some complications and he knew the hospital was the only option for professional help. Impatient, he shouted at the women: "Finish up, the clock is ticking, let’s get going

Reviews for The Cricket Bachelor

[Kristen Luckay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Cricket Bachelor takes you on twists and turns trying to find out what will happen to Mark and if he will stick to his Christian principles. An interesting read!