Tina was officially disappointed. When she heard they were doing sports in Muggle Studies, she thought it would be something nice and simple like football or tennis or pétanque… you know, normal sports that people had actually heard of. She listened closely to Mr. Atreyu-Rehman's explanation, trying to get a mental picture of how the game was played, but it was as if everything went in one ear and out the other. Bowling? Was that like the sport bowling where you roll a ball at a group of pins… or in this case that “wicket” thing? No? So bowling was basically throwing. Then why didn't they just call it that in the first place? And come to think of it, why weren't overs called sets if that's what they were? Honestly, this game had the most nonsensical terminology… and considering that Tina had been playing quidditch since she could hold a broom, that was really saying something! The more Tina heard, the more confused she became. A Yorker? Really? Different throws had different names? She was beginning to think these bats and balls were just for show and the real object of the game was to make up the most confusing rules possible; whoever understood the rules was the winner.

With an inward groan, Tina moved to the nearest open wicket. Unfamiliar sport, unfamiliar equipment… this could only end badly! She didn't care about being liked, but that didn't mean she wanted to make a fool of herself. She picked up a ball, trying to hold it the same way Mr. Atreyu-Rehman did. Merlin, this felt weird! Not at all like holding a quaffle… She threw the ball, but it missed by several inches. Darn! She tried again, still emulating the Yorker technique… that was what it was called, right? This time the ball sailed over the top of the wicket.

Tina was starting to get really frustrated, especially as she looked around and saw some of her classmates hitting their wickets. Ugh, everyone was better than her! Could she just give up and call it a day now? She didn't like failing, especially failing in front of other people. She was supposed to have all the answers and get it right on the first try! In her rising anger, her mind wandered back to the first time she tried quidditch. She wanted to quit when she couldn't get the quaffle through the hoop on her first few tries, but M. Evremonde pushed her to keep at it, said it would help her channel her anger… and it did.

That was it! Maybe she’d have better luck if she approached cricket the same way she did quidditch. This time Tina didn’t bother with the Yorker technique; she held the ball the same way she would a quaffle. Her eyes locked with the wicket. She was knocking that thing down if it was the last thing she ever did! She allowed her mounting anger to flow through her, swung her arm back, and - WHACK! Her ball toppled the wicket; it may not be pretty but at least she hit the stupid thing… and just in time. Most everybody was moving on to batting practice.

Tina picked up some pads and a helmet that looked about her size and put them on. Thank Merlin the equipment wasn’t as complicated as the rest of this game! She was feeling much more confident about batting. After all, she had years of experience as a beater behind her, and this was basically the same concept, right? Maybe not… The dark-haired Ravenclaw eagerly grabbed a bat, giving it a couple of practice swings to get a feel for it, but she soon learned that swinging a bat while standing on the ground was different from swinging a bat seated on a broom. She spread her feet apart just as a ball came toward her. She swung, and… the ball sailed right past her. She swung too high. Well, that was discouraging! Tina started to reposition herself when she overheard Professor Noble talking to the Gryffindor prefect. She’d try it that way next time!

But before Tina got the chance to try again, the class was moving on - literally! She followed the rest of the class to the area where the cricket pitch was set up. She’d only just got a good look at the layout when Mr. Atreyu-Rehman started speaking again. Were they going to play an actual game now or-? Oh, great. More ridiculous names and confusing rules to remember… Well, let’s get this fielding practice over with, she thought, taking her place behind one of the plates. There was no way she was going to be the wicket keeper! She didn’t feel like embarrassing herself any more than she already had, thank you very much! So now what? Was she allowed to run for a ball if it came toward her or did she have to stay behind the plate at all times?