Poem on Sunday: Andrew Holden

Andrew Holden’s found poem finds inspiration in listening to the live commentary of one long innings of a T20 IPL match.

Back over his head
Easy as, for six
Flick of the fingers was met with a flick off the wrist
Doesn’t want to give width
Double blow here
Just a little tickle there
He has to go for 17
The skipper comes out to the middle
What a way to start
Two is the call and they’ll get it easy
Tight on the off stump
They can ill afford this
Sometimes a gully
When you’re on top
When you’re on a roll
Not only a slip
The captain gets everybody else
Maybe a slip
Oh, well struck
After six it’s six
Also in red hot form
Somebody who’s got a bit of a golden arm
They just need something
And against Sunrisers
You see the grip
To try to pick it up
You can’t really see the fingers
And then transfers it very late
He’s comfortable with his grip
That’s what they’ve done well in the chase
And he covers it with the left hand
Down the track, that’s huge
This was a massive hit
This one was too full
Good placement again
It’s his job now and his maturity
It hit the glove
Putting one down
Trial by spin
Going around the globe
This is proving expensive
It’s a cruel game
Things just don’t get it from here
Where do they get it from
Get down. Boom Boom
What’s going to give here
Just waiting, just checking
Ooh that tells you the story
Looking for inspiration
It’s not easy for him
Let’s finish this and get it over the line
There’s another boundary
They just look a little flat to me
Hard for the spinners
The Kings are 130 for 2 now.
This has been excellent again so far
To this excellent pair
Time to play fearlessly
He’s too good not to
He is magnificent
Finding the boundary so easily at the moment
Just skidding off
They follow the team
And it’s brought smiles to many faces
Created belief
What a beautiful shot but it’s right in the slot
There’s a long way to go
Look at their performers
Another example of it
High, long, handsome
Searching for a breakthrough
But it’s the timing again
This is a hard place to be
Smile my friend
Such a good season
The clean hitting
You’ve got to find those boundaries when you need ‘em.
Seeing them home
I am him, he says
Despondent and looking for some magic
Set the tone
Ooh, just short
Another wonderful knock
Here he is on this big stage
It looks like just a bit of a flick
Gave his team a chance
That is a beauty
Drops a sitter
Takes a hanger
Finish things off
We’re down to single figures
They sit at eight, nine and ten.
He’s ready to jump off his seat
Not out of the middle, but he’ll take it
Looking to win on a canter here
It’s only natural they’ll clap and dance
The dancing has started
In the gap
A very, very good chase.