Hutton, my American friends, was not Barbara or Betty but Len, an English batter of my youth.
Downsizing
When Mr Grubb, our teacher, who was strict
But fairly fair, announced that I was picked
Scorer and Twelfth Man in Fat Colin's team,
It changed my life. My life became a dream,
A dream of flashing drives that take me towards
My undefeated century at Lords,
Of Aussies routed with my double hat-trick -
The new Master of the ball-trick and the bat-trick?
Well no! I must be truthful: at the wicket,
On Fortune's cap I was not the very button.
This was real. This was earnest. This was cricket'
And I had no thoughts of being a second Hutton.
But to be young was (sometimes) very heaven,
In Colin's Second Junior Eleven.
|