A Horse Tale

A scout for a county cricket team is watching a local match, looking for potential talent.He arrives towards the end of the match and is astonished to see a horse at the crease, batting!

However, he is still more astonished when the horse hits 3 sixes from consecutive balls, winning the match for his team.

Without further hesitation, the scout informs the captain that he wants to sign the animal for the County side. The deal is done, and the horse joins the team.

Their opponents have been bowled out for a very good score, and the horse's team have made a fairly good start, but lose valuable wickets for too few runs. The horse comes out to bat at number 5, and his team really need a big score from him.

However, the bowler is beginning to get the measure of the horse, and changes his bowling style. Two further team mates are bowled out, and the horse is still in but is not scoring runs. His team mates are frantic, as is the scout. His team require 8 runs from 2 balls to win the match.

The horse faces the bowler once more. The bowler changes his style, and the horse swings at the ball, but only just connects with it. A boundary is not possible, but 2 or 3 runs may be. The horse's team mate runs, but the horse remains where he is. The crowd urges him to run, but he remains at his crease and his team mate is run out. The match is lost by 2 runs.

"Run?" replies the horse. "Run?. If I could run, I'd be at Aintree!" *

Thrilled at his potential discovery, the scout rushes to the pavilion and asks to speak to the winning team's captain.

He is delighted to discover that the horse regularly plays for the team and is equally consistent at scoring sixes. In fact, he only ever seems to get boundaries ( fours or sixes).

The horse's debut match arrives, and there is a huge crowd to watch the spectacle.

The first ball bowled to him results in a six. The tension mounts, and hopes are raised that the team can win this. The second ball results in a four.

The horse faces the bowler. The bowler delivers, and the horse swings out his bat and scores a 6! There is delight for his team and supporters. 2 runs from one ball from a horse that scores sixes and fours.... They sense victory.

There is stunned silence. The scout runs onto the pitch and yells at the horse "What did you do that for? We could have won. Why didn't you run?"