Perhaps your cricket club started out this way ?
The Mayor of Kilgore
In the bygone era of shire horse and steam
when erstwhile men still followed the plough,
for working class folk, life was no idyllic dream
hard labour or starve, in contrast to the here and the now
The town of Kilgore an industrious place
linen and turf, the main produce and trade,
its workforce toiled daily at an unyielding pace,
united in pride by their skill with shuttle and spade
The Mayor of the town an affable peer
valued greatly, the effort his citizens gave,
he encouraged them all with relevant cheer
as the annual town taxes, he'd gratefully waive
But work without play, makes Jack and Jill rather dull
so this innovative man, requisitioned some land,
realising, that to maximise productivity and avoid lull
recreation lifts morale, which indirectly helps business expand
So hence the inception of Kilgore Cricket Club
a venue where townspeople would meet after work,
to play, spectate and fraternise at this new social hub,
even the Mayor a regular patron, chaperoned by his clerk
They entered a first eleven into the county league
hardy men from the community united in cause,
and despite some initial derision and combat fatigue,
Kilgore soon became proficient at the game, it's spirit and laws
By the following summer like cream, they'd reached the top
admired the county over, filling grounds home or away,
in each discipline, their players the pick of the crop
capturing the league title, such was their fine style of play
But jealously distinguishes not, betwixt commoner or lord
so when Kilgore made the final of the Varsity cup,
Upton Old Boys the opposition, aware of potential discord
hired a few professional players, to avoid any embarrassing slip up
Crowds thronged to the stadium, gentlemen and dames
as the sun chased the clouds like an observant sentry,
and though certain chaps were playing under stage names
who would suspect misdemeanour, from respected gentry?
Upton chose to bat first, their skipper called the toss
having scant regard of Kilgore's ability to inflict a rout,
what could possibly go wrong, against lower class dross?
But those of arrogant disposition, often acquire a bloody snout
It started well for their batsmen, Upton's two skilful ringers
nonchalantly striking the ball to applause and cheers of approval,
but a change to a bowler, more adept at in and out swingers,
dismissed both, then what followed was sheer wholesale removal
After a calamitous collapse, tea, though Upton still optimistic
as chasing such a paltry total, would be no stroll in the park,
for within their ranks, a charlatan who bowled ballistic
and with victory secured, none would suspect duplicity or pass remark
Just as Kilgore's one and two, strolled out to the middle
in a nearby cottier's cottage lay dying, Patsy McSwiggan,
an old turf cutter and character, who enjoyed playing the fiddle,
his heart now weary from long years, spent lifting and digging
As a good pastor and family circle, solemnly stood by his bed
outdoors a paperboy yelled, " read all about an unlikely upset,"
then instantly up jumped the old navvy and exuberantly said,
"Please excuse me, I'm off to the bookmakers to place a bet
By now Kilgore's brave batsmen had their teeth firmly sunk in
like tenacious bullterriers, whose bloodlines are meticulously bred,
they countered the onslaught, ball after ball rearing up at their chin
by ruthlessly dispatching it, back over the bowler's head!
As the bowlers and fielders capitulated and crumbled in tow
Upton's chairman and committee panel, sat by the pavilion,
tendered their resignations, coinciding with the final, victorious blow
and Kilgore's proud Mayor raised the cup, attired in official vermillion
Despite Upton prevarication, speculation and rumour ran rife
the vanquished finalists had dug deep at immense financial cost,
by recruiting outside assistance, then fell on their own knife
as their mercenary players could not compete and so they lost
The victory celebrations lasted long into the wee small hours
many more joined the party, including a healthier, wealthier Patsy McSwiggan
for the spirit of working folk, knocked the toffs from their ivory towers
and to Patsy's fine fiddling they brought the cup to Kilgore, still singin'and jiggin'!
