Cricket

by Daniel Kelly - 2023

G
Now let me tell a story,
           C          G
Of the bat and of the ball,
     C               G
Of twenty thousand hours,
     C                 D
Hitting up against the wall.

     C                    G
Of faith and truth and courage,
     C                    G
Played against the hardest odds,
           Em              G
in the local park on a Saturday,
     C    D      G
by some animated dogs.

Now Rusty is a Kelpie,
Named for his hair of red,
And he was mad for cricket,
At least that’s what was said.

He was up against some adults,
Who didn’t understand,
Rusty would grow up to be,
The best batsman in the land.

     C               G
Cause Rusty hits the bouncers,
     C               G
And Rusty copes with spin,
           Em              G
There’s not a paceman in your team,
     C               D
Can best the likes of him.
     C               G
Cause courage and persistence,
     Em                   D
Is what fuels the sportsman’s dream,
     C               G
What started in the backyard,
     C          D    G
Will end up on your screen.

With young Rusty at the crease,
The brothers Heeler did attack,
One with swing and one with spin,
But Rusty knocked ‘em flat,

They even tried a paceman,
But not could slow him down,
Rusty had learned the lessons,
From every bowler in town.