
    ,,XXV

,! ,CRICKET ,MAT*

  ,I ?9K "! HAS N BE5 S M* ON A CRICKET
MAT* S9CE ! "D :5 ,SIR ,HORACE ,MANN
WALK$ AB ,BROAD ,HA'P5NY AGITAT$LY CUTT+
D[N ! DAISIES ) 8 /ICK4 ,&1 2 X
REMEMB]$1 ! H]OES ( ,HAM#DON PLAY$ =
M"OY & REN[N ONLY1 :ILE ,DAVID 0 *AMPION
(A LADY4 ,A LADY6 ,MAY WE N PRETTILY SAY
( TWO LADIES8 ,"! 7 NO SPECTATORS ( \R
3TE/ EXCEPT N[ & AG "S LOIT]] 9 ! ,G>D5S
:O LL ?"\ :AT 0 ! /AKE = : WE PLAY$1 B
_C WE 3CV ,B>B>A /&+ AT ! ROPES &
AGITAT$LY CUTT+ D[N ! DAISIES E "T
,DAVID MISS$ ! BALL8 ,I TELL Y1 ? 0 !
HI/ORIC MAT* (! ,G>D5S4
  ,DAVID WANT$ 6PLAY ON A PIT* NE> !
,R.D ,POND ) : HE IS FAMILI>1 B ? WD H
PLAC$ ME AT A 4ADVANTAGE1 S ,I 9SI/$ ON
UNA3U/OM$ GR.D1 & WE F9,Y PIT*$ /UMPS 9
! ,FIGS4 ,WE CD N EXACTLY PIT* /UMPS1 =
!Y >E =BI45 9 ! ,G>D5S1 B "! >E TREES "H
& "! : H *ALK-M>KS ON !M "?\T ! SUMM]1 &
:5 Y TAKE UP YR POSI;N )A BAT NE> "O (
^! Y H RE,Y PIT*$ /UMPS4 ,! TREE WE
SELECT$ IS A RA7$ YEW : 3SI/S (A BROK5
TRUNK & "O BRAN*1 & ,I VIEW$ ! GR.D )
SECRET SATISFAC;N1 = X FALLS SLI<TLY AT
AB F\R Y>DS' 4T.E F ! TREE1 & ? EXACTLY
SUITS MY /YLE ( B[L+4
  ,I WON ! TOSS & AF EXAM9+ ! WICKET
DECID$ 6TAKE F/ KNOCK4 ,Z A RULE :5 WE
PLAY ! WIT AT F/ FL[S FREE1 B ON ? O3A.N
,I /RODE 6! CR1SE 9 AN ALM E]IE SIL;E4
,DAVID _H TAK5 (F 8 BL\SE & ROLL$ UP 8
%IRT-SLEEVES1 & 8 TEE? 7 SET1 S ,I KNEW
HE WD 2G9 0S5D+ ME D[N "S FA/ "OS4
  ,8 DELIV]Y IS "U>M & N 9ELEGANT1 B HE
"S"TS TRIES A R.D->M BALL1 : ,I H SE5
D\# UP ! FIELD] AT SQU>E LEG4 ,HE HAS N
A GD L5G?1 B HE V>IES 8 AC;N 2WILD]+LY1
& HAS "O ESPECI,Y T1S+ BALL : FALLS F !
BRAN*ES J Z Y H /EPP$ \ ( YR GR.D 6LOOK
= X4 ,X 0 N1 H["E1 ) 8 T1S] T HE B[L$ ME
T "D4 ,I _H NOT*$ A ?REE & TWO S+LES1 :5
HE S5T ME D[N A M$IUM 6FA/ : GOT ME 9
TWO M9DS & ,I PLAY$ BACK 6X TOO LATE4
,N[1 ,I AM SELDOM \ ON A RE,Y GRASSY
WICKET = S* A M1GRE SCORE1 & Z ,DAVID &
,I *ANG$ PLACES )\T A ^W1 "! 0 A *E]Y
LOOK ON 8 FACE T ,I F.D V GALL+4 ,HE RAN
9 6MY SECOND BALL & CUT X N1TLY 6! ON =A
S+LE1 & (F MY FIF? & SIX? HE _H TWO
PRETTY DRIVES = ?REE1 BO? 2H ! WICKET4
,?1 H["E1 Z ,I HOP$1 PROV$ ! UNDO+ ( HM1
= HE N[ HIT \ 3FID5TLY AT "EY?+1 &) 8
SCORE AT N9E ,I B1T HM ) MY %OOT]4
  ,! LOOK 0 N[ ON MY FACE4
  ,I OP5$ MY SECOND 9N+S 0TR1T+ HM )
UNCOMMON RESPECT1 = ,I KNEW T 8 LL >M
SOON TIR$ IF HE 0 UNSU3ESS;L1 & !N :5 HE
S5T ME LOOSE "OS ,I BANG$ HM 6! RAIL+S4
,:AT C>$ ,I ?\< ,DAVID'S LIPS 7 TWIT*+4
  ,:5 HE ULTIMATELY GOT PA/ MY DEF;E1 )A
JUMPY "O : BROKE AWKW>DLY F ! (F1 ,I _H
FET*$ TW5TY-?REE S T HE NE$$ TW5TY 6W91
A L;G] H& ?AN HE _H "E YET MADE4 ,Z ,I
GAVE HM ! BAT HE LOOK$ BRAVE1 B "S?+ WET
FELL ON MY H&1 & !N A SU45 FE> SEIZ$ ME
LE/ ,DAVID %D N W94
  ,AT ! V \TSET1 H["E1 HE SEEM$ 6MA/] !
B[L+1 & SOON FET*$ AB T5 RUNS 9 A
CLASSIC MANN]4 ,!N ,I TOSS$ HM A ,YORK]
: HE MISS$ & X W5T (F AT A TANG5T Z SOON
Z X _H R1*$ ! TREE4 8,N \10 ,I CRI$
HA/ILY1 =! FACE HE TURN$ 6ME 0 T]RI#4
  ,SOON "!AF ANO!R 9CID5T HAPP5$1 : ,I %
ALW RECALL ) PL1SURE4 ,HE _H CAU<T !
BALL TOO HI< ON ! BAT1 & ,I J MISS$ !
CAT*4 8,DA% X ALL60 SD ,I IRRITABLY1 & 0
AB 6RESUME B[L+1 :5 ,I NOTIC$ T HE 0
UNHAPPY4 ,HE HESITAT$1 TOOK UP 8 POSI;N
AT ! WICKET1 & !N CAME 6ME MAN;LLY4 8,I
AM A CAD10 HE SD 9 4TRESS1 8= :5 ! BALL
0 9 ! AIR ,I PRAY$40 ,HE _H PRAY$ T ,I
%D MISS ! CAT*1 & Z ,I ?9K ,I H ALR TOLD
Y1 X IS 3SID]$ UNFAIR 9 ! ,G>D5S 6PRAY =
VICTORY4
  ,MY SPL5DID ,DAVID6 ,HE HAS ! FAULTS (
O!R LL BOYS1 B HE HAS A NO# S5SE (
FAIR;S4 8,WE % CALL X A NO-BALL1
,DAVID10 ,I SD GRAVELY4
  ,I SUPPOSE ! SUSP5SE (! R1D] IS N[
PA9;L1 & "!=E ,I % SAY AT ONCE T ,DAVID
WON ! MAT* ) TWO LOVELY F\RS1 ! "O OV]
MY H1D &! O!R 6LEG ALL AL;G ! GR.D4 ,:5
,I CAME BACK F FIELD+ ? LA/ BALL ,I F.D
HM EMBRAC+ 8 BAT1 & 6MY S\R 3GRATUL,NS
HE CD AT F/ REPLY ONLY ) HY/]ICAL S.DS4
,B SOON HE 0 PELT+ HOME 6HIS "M )!
GLORI\S NEWS4
  ,& T IS H[ WE LET ,B>B>A IN4




















