©Brian Perren 1998

I stepped out to drive, but the ball wasn’t there;
The umpire said,“Out, Sir,” now that wasn’t fair.
Anyone could see that the ball took the pad,
but the captain said,“See the score before my lad:.
The scorebook read,“out caught behind,” if you please,
But I didn’t touch it.My anger didn’t ease
When my mate suggested the scorebook should read,
“Out, LBW”-it’s no use to plead.

I bowled him a beauty: it fizzed off the track.
Caught the edge of the bat and flew straight to Jack
Who grabbed it with glee, tossed it high in the air,
But the umpire’s “Not out” filled me with despair.
A no-ball I never have bowled in my life,
But the next few balls might cause the boy strife!

Our captain sat down with me after the game
To tell me our luck was not always the same.
Some decisions you just know were not so good
But you took the good with the bad as you should
For the game’s not in winning, but how it’s played.
In a sportsmanlike manner, they’ll make the grade
the umpires are human they all make mistakes,
But players accept it, and that’s what it takes.