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IF........ |
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With apologies to Kipling, an ode to Harry Forman's debut at 13 vs the Mandarins. |
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If you can keep your head when all about you |
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Are losing theirs and blaming it on dodgy pitches, |
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If you can trust your defence when all men doubt you can stay with Vijay, |
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But make allowance for their getting out too; |
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If you can meet with the Triumph of an opening partnership and the Disaster of a middle order collapse |
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And treat those two impostors just the same; |
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If you can wait for the bad ball and not be tired by waiting, |
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Or your team mates chucking pies about, (don't deal in pies), |
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And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise (you don't want to make the rest of us look too bad). |
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If you can hear the talk of the crowds close around your bat and keep your virtue, |
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Or walk with Mandarins - nor lose the common touch to third man, |
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If neither foes nor loving fathers skippering the oppo can hurt you, |
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If all men count the runs with you, but none score too much; |
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If you can fill the unforgiving last wicket |
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With six runs worth of distance run, |
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Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, |
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And - which is more - you'll be a Superstar, my son! |
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Team: Harry Forman and nine other fellas. |
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1 / 2
1st Innings
2 / 2
2nd Innings
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