LANCE KLUSENER OF ZULULAND
11-Jun-99
Sports report: Lance Klusener, mercurial batsman for the South African and Natal cricket teams, and renowned big hitter, always has the crowd on its toes in anticipation of yet another thrilling innings.
Sometimes he doesn't get so lucky...........
Lance Klusener of Zululand By the nine gods he swore That off the Kiwi bowlers He'd smash a healthy score Unbeaten in the series At least, until this day He'd wielded his mighty bat And smote the ball away. So feeling pretty sharp he was On the day the match was played But sitting in the clubhouse His appearance was delayed The openers, Gibbs and Kirsten Were nicely on the ball It seemed our famous batsman Might not bat at all. Then halfway through the innings Kirsten was dismissed And Hansie turned to Klusener And said, Lance I must insist The crowd have come to see you You're the star of our eleven So you go in at number three Instead of number seven So Lance took up his mighty club And strode out to the wicket And there he faced first ball of all And frankly failed to pick it. No matter, for it missed the stumps So he could face another And he coolly smashed a boundary Right over extra cover. He's off, the commentator cried Expecting more of same When Lance has got his eye in You know you've got a game And so the next delivery Came flying down the track And castled mighty Klusener And sent him walking back! Well, in the end we won the match So we haven't to complain And those who came to watch our boy - Well, at least it didn't rain. But yes, the mighty sometimes fall And barely make a score And that's how Lance's innings went Howzat! Clean bowled, for four! With apologies to McCauley, and congratulations to Klusener on a brilliant run, from which today's unfortunate dismissal takes nothing away.