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346 — he may perhaps even do some "reading" as well—that he has but little time to devote to club and college cricket. If he does happen to read, as is sometimes the case, his spare time for such cricket will be very short, and it is, or was, the rule in most colleges that no "blue" can be captain of the College Club: he is the servant of the University for the time being, and the slave of the captain. "Blues," of course, play in some of the more important matches, especially when the stronger colleges—Trinity, Jesus, St John's, Caius, &c.—meet; but, as a rule, they are absent. Yet these college matches are very useful for unearthing fresh talent, or for showing if well-known men are in good form. Many a man has earned first a trial, and then his cap, by a series of notable successes in minor cricket. On the other hand, there have been men who could not fail in college matches, and could not score in 'Varsity matches, partly from nervousness, partly from the fact that they were not quite up to first-class form, though at the very top of the second rank. However, it is clearly the duty of the 'Varsity captain to keep his ears open, and when rumour of a good bat or a good bowler reaches him, to endeavour to get ocular demonstration of his merits. It is rarely, indeed, that a good, even a passable, performer does not get some form of trial, and it may be said generally that the 'Varsity Eleven represents as nearly as possible the best strength of Cambridge, especially as twelve, or even thirteen, men are often invited to be at Lord's, ready to play in case the wicket be fast or slow, and so be specially suited to some particular style. To these men, even if they do not play, the right of wearing light blue is sometimes accorded. In any case, the captain's task is no sinecure: he has advisers and would-be advisers by the score; yet in the multitude of counsellors is not always safety. How often, too, has it been the last choice who has won or saved the game! It has been practically a toss-up to whom the last place should be assigned; yet what would have happened to Oxford in 1896 if G. O. Smith had not received his colours? and what would have been the result of the match of 1887 had Lord George Scott (Oxford) and E. Crawley (Cambridge) been omitted? Both were "last choices," yet the former scored 100 and 66, the latter 35 and 103 not out! The truth is, there is always a plethora of batting at the Universities, and there are generally some half-dozen men to whom the last place as a batsman might be given, if only the captain could know whose day it would be when the 'Varsity match comes off. Unfortunately he cannot know: he must make his choice to the best of his ability, and