Works in the Herald 1937
SUN AND RAIN

In his speech at the end of the fifth Test match, the Australian captain, Don Bradman, very rightly sympathised with the English side over their ill-luck regarding the weather conditions during this match.

STUMPS. . . And the shoutings wane.
   Honor to those who tried,
But the sun and the rain
Have triumphed again;
   And a valiant side --
   Old England's pride --
Have fought to a finish in vain,
Suffered the stress and the strain,
   Struggled with hope denied
By the luck of the sun and the rain.

LUCK . . . But they never complain.
   Since ever the coin was spun
Luck, in disdain,
Brought sun and rain --
   A match begun
   With the blistering sun
Beating on body and brain,
All to the batsmen's gain;
   Then, with the innings done,
Comes the unkindly rain.

THUS do the Fates ordain;
   So have the fortunes swung.
But the sun and the rain --
That ruthless twain
   That poets have sung
   Since the world was young --
Here have they been a bane,
Bringing defeat in their train --
   A toss; a call that was vain;
And the rest with the sun and the rain.

ASHES . . . For both . . . But the pain
   Of defeat has left no blight,
No sullying stain;
And cricket again --
   As they praise aright 
   The victor's might --
Is king; and the way is plain,
When he comes once more to reign,
   To wish them a valiant fight
And the luck of that fickle twain,
The sun and the rain.

"Den"
Herald, 4 March 1937, p6

Copyright © Perry Middlemiss 2003-07