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The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, June 1916

Cricket Club

page 67

Cricket Club.

The club has just passed through the most difficult season of its existence. Those stalwarts, who had built up the club to such a position that, a season ago, it could place in the field a team likely to extend any other one in Wellington, were away, many of them fighting for their country; and the new player at Victoria University Collage seemed indeed rare avis. Two teams were entered, but the juniors after two matches, one of which was won by default and the other lost after a days leather-hunting on the Wellington College ground died a premature death. The senior did famously. Our numbers were desperately small, some of us were away during Vacation, and more than once we were forced to take the field in a maimed condition, lacking some of our members, but the survivors, together with some other University men, who hurried up most opportunely. Struggled on so gallantly that last the satisfaction of gaining a tie and a win in our last two matches. We finished just below the penultimate team on the table, but we guarantee that we got a much fun and enjoyment from our cricket s any other club in Wellington, and good deal more than some, if one may judge from the nature of the remarks one has sometimes heard hurled by an opponent at a fellow-player. The match with Hutt was interesting. The result was a tie in each innings. In the second we needed 84 runs to win, and had 27 minutes wherein to get them. Fanning tried to put the last ball on to Somes Island: Smith did famously.

The team was not a brilliant one. The mainstays of the batting were brilliant one. The mainstays of the batting were Birch and Smith. The former came nearer the century, reaching the exalted height of 97 one day at the Basin Reserve. Towards the end of the season Smith was very consistent. The bowling was not so good as in other years, but mention must be made of Fenton's splendid work. He carried the team on his shoulders, obtained 66 wickets at 10 runs a piece, and with a little less bad luck (for instance he had seven chances from one batsman in one innings refused) he would have obtained more wickets than any other bowler in Wellington. In our opinion he is the best slow bowler here. The fielding page 68 was specially noteworthy. In is rumoured that in one match a catch was held, but this lacks confirmation. What is beyond dispute is, that time after time, with the utmost regularity, even the simplest of chances were dropped. This is rather remarkable as our ground fielding was by no means bad. One offender excused himself by saying that a team in which chances were accepted would not seem like a University team, but he was frowned upon. Our other stock bowler—A. W. Duncan—was most unlucky, bowling far better than his figures would show. We have been lucky in our Presidents. In happier times Professor Marsden would have played for us. We hope one day he will be able to do so. He was succeeded by Professor McKenzie who helped us generously. Our thanks are due also to the students' Association, who have given us considerable financial aid. The Committee hopes that any student, who knows one end of a bat from the other will communicate as soon as possible with a member of the Committee. We wish, if possible, to enter a junior team once more.