Comments on: Lord’s Reflections – Field of Play http://www.ashespoetry.net/2009/07/28/lords-field-of-play/ poetry about Australia v England cricket test matches Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:52:14 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Nick Flittner http://www.ashespoetry.net/2009/07/28/lords-field-of-play/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Nick Flittner Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:52:14 +0000 http://www.ashespoetry.net/?p=457#comment-21 Hello David - being both English and Australian makes for interesting times during the Ashes! I'm enjoying the poems and the observations. I feel the 'greatness' has gone from this campaign, particularly as Australia begins to rebuild after so many enormous players have retired. You never quite knew what was going to happen with a Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, McGrath, Warne in the side. Always exciting. There is, however, one character of note in this series - Freddie! Whether you are a Pom or an Oz, you can't but help enjoy the theatre of it all. So here's my ode to Freddie and that sensational end to the Lords test. Freddie At Lords 2009 You stand there midwicket still as a statue arms outstretched alpha male magnificence. Come to me you say. I’m the man. And they come and they hug and they pat and they tousle your hair as they have come to you so many times before when England needed you most. You are the rescue plan you are the stimulus package you are the turn-to-man the inspiration for a country more comfortable swallowing the honour of defeat than tasting the sweet fruits of victory. Your official figures don’t tell the story. You never quite made it they say. Not quite great not quite the best not so much an all rounder as an almost rounder. Let others pile on the runs occupy the crease take a screamer in the slips have their names writ large on the Long Room boards for centuries, 5-fors, and the 10 wicket haul. We may not find you in the record books but you have found your place in the heart of the nation where dreams are born and hopes grow strong. You are a soul-filler a spirit-lifter a heart-pumper. I fancy Old Father Time has seen a thing or two. I saw him up there smiling as you walked off clutching a ball and a stump booty from your final triumph at Lords. England 1 Australia 0. Nick Flittner Hello David – being both English and Australian makes for interesting times during the Ashes! I’m enjoying the poems and the observations. I feel the ‘greatness’ has gone from this campaign, particularly as Australia begins to rebuild after so many enormous players have retired. You never quite knew what was going to happen with a Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, McGrath, Warne in the side. Always exciting.
There is, however, one character of note in this series – Freddie! Whether you are a Pom or an Oz, you can’t but help enjoy the theatre of it all. So here’s my ode to Freddie and that sensational end to the Lords test.

Freddie At Lords 2009

You stand there midwicket
still as a statue
arms outstretched
alpha male magnificence.
Come to me you say. I’m the man.
And they come
and they hug and they pat
and they tousle your hair
as they have come to you
so many times before
when England needed you most.
You are the rescue plan
you are the stimulus package
you are the turn-to-man
the inspiration for a country
more comfortable
swallowing the honour of defeat
than tasting the sweet fruits of victory.

Your official figures don’t tell the story.
You never quite made it they say.
Not quite great
not quite the best
not so much an all rounder
as an almost rounder.

Let others pile on the runs
occupy the crease
take a screamer in the slips
have their names writ large
on the Long Room boards
for centuries, 5-fors, and the 10 wicket haul.
We may not find you in the record books
but you have found your place
in the heart of the nation
where dreams are born
and hopes grow strong.
You are a soul-filler
a spirit-lifter
a heart-pumper.

I fancy Old Father Time has seen
a thing or two.
I saw him up there smiling
as you walked off
clutching a ball and a stump
booty from your final triumph at Lords.
England 1 Australia 0.

Nick Flittner

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