1453: Seven Overs

For Tony Rees

Scuttled and wind-licked
we hunkered with beers
under the Shane Warne Stand

as scurried rainclouds toyed
with our long-hatched scheme
for a day of World Cup Cricket

under an English summer –
but no plan was framed for stacks
of latin-named dark formations

And a record was set at that game –
the 2nd shortest world cup match –
ever – and we were there to see it