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The Spike or Victoria College Review, June 1908

[Review of the activities of the cricket club]

"A leather ball; a bat; a field whereon is laid a wicket;
With twenty-two poor flannelled fools—that's cricket."

Willis

WWe sometimes ponder with vague misgivings over the future of our Cricket Club. It differs so radically form the rest of our Clubs. One has somehow come to regard external failure as the necessary condition of internal prosperity in a College club —such is the result of oft-repeated experience. The Tennis Club loses every match in each of the four grades, yet its membership increases year by year, and the Students Association gives it £80 with its benediction and a cheering word to keep it up.; with the Football Club it is a recognized thing to lose matches and apparently the Club thrives on the experience—the Hockey club likewise.

The Cricket Club, with the usual presumptuousness of youth has broken the fetters of tradition. It wins matches. At the close of last season deputations from the other College Clubs, at least so we are given to understand, waited on the Committee of the offending Club and seriously counseled them to take heed of their goings-in and comings-out. The present state of things was preposterous—they were going to write to The Spike about it. The Chairman of Council also has his fling at us, when under cover of his position as a debate judge he lays particular emphasis on the wholesome conservatism of College institutions. We know he means us. Our vice-presidents have signalised their displeasure financially in true "yout the Twee" style. With exceptions more or less—two more and one less.

These attacks have been directed at our 1st XI. The 2nd XI. Has proved entirely amenable to the established tradition. The degree of enthusiasm which takes them out to Day's Bay, Petone, Johnsonville, Ngahauranga, Karroi, Taihape and some other places on successive Saturdays is worthy of commendation.

In the first XI Niven leads the batting averages with a creditable 17.07, and Miller the bowling with equally creditable figures. Amongst the Thirds Bogle leads in batting with 17.7 and F. A. Wilson has the gratifying record of one wicket for two runs. Many people would make a boast of such performances, but we are modest.

page 64

The first XI has been freely congratulated on its success. Dr. Findlay writes to say he is quite convinced that our defeats were not defeats, enclosing the arguments which have lead him to such an eminently reasonable conclusion. We have written to the Wellington Cricket Association requesting, courteously but firmly, that the Championship be awarded to us without delay.

Application was recently made to the City Council for the use of Kelburne Park as a practice ground, but the Council, we think, with good and sufficient cause, decided that our application was premature and advised us to renew it later on. We shall make over the right of application to our inheriting descendants aas an estate in futuro. Our legal adviser says we can do it. He further suggests that we supplement our finances by applying to the City Sinking Fund Commissioners for an advance on the security of it.