1
Black cows graze at fence line
young bulls, watching me bowl.
Ball after ball after ball
to one batter, an Opener.
No one else arrived
to face as I hit my stride
bowling tall with movement
barely two wides in it.
Run-up timing perfect
working on his weak-spot
rib high, not quite leg.
Sweat of brow on ball, back
flexing and batsman crouched
and focused. Nor’west warm
as March took hold and raced
the last of the summer saved.
The Coast gurgling in flood.
The un-mown outfield slowing
the batsman’s solid drives,
keeping the bowling honest
and decent; cows flinching
as he pulled and nudged,
cut to point the banged up red
leather ball, rattling the wire-mesh
in the cubed deacon of practice nets.
2
It started with checking
to see if you would question
my having Beyonce
in the player
when you pressed play
and I noticed the first autumn
a few leaves
in the green/grey trees
then you asked who was singing
and I smiled for both reasons
as we speed through the last late days
and again when we found somewhere
to sleep
and along came a dog you wanted
to keep
so you went with him checking
the nearest houses
because he seemed so happy
to be looked at
lovingly and touched
with gentleness.
my kind of cricket commentary. used to love listening to it on the radio – not in recent times: i still remember jim laker’s commentary in england, which was magical. love the idea of bulls watching the cricket – you & the opener. a sort of loneliness for two. & the same in part 2
yes, mark, I didn’t notice that. the lone plus one participant.
Lovely, Dean.
Here comes English now. My word, he’s gathering pace –
There we are, straight through him, cleaned him out, neck and crop –
thanks john…still a plain steady pleasure taking a wicket
Thanks Emjay
Enjoyed this very much. Could hear the cage rattling. Enjoyed the warmth of imagining the dog scene and the playfulness of waiting for Beyoncé to be discovered. Oh, and ” autumn flags” – nice.