Page:Jubilee Book of Cricket (Second edition, 1897).djvu/369

Rh after that the matter rests on the knees of the gods. With bowlers and wicket-keepers the question is seldom so knotty: their form is naturally more consistent, and they cannot in their own department be—so to speak—"bowled out first ball." Hence the captain has only to use his judgment on the eventful day—judgment founded on the state of the wicket—whether he will play Noakes for his slow bowling or Stokes for his "expresses."

Of college cricket pure and simple there is not a great deal to be written. It is full of amusement and interest to the participators—what game of cricket is not?—but there is an absolute dearth of any element corresponding to "house feeling" at schools. Nor is there any form of competition on the League system or any other system: colleges are too many, and term is too short. To the outsider a match between two colleges has no possible interest save that of watching cricket, and this he can do as well, or better, at Fenner's, if his standard of cricket from a spectacular point of view is high. Occasionally, if it happens to be known that two colleges of high repute are to meet, and that their "blues" are playing, the outside world is moved to come and inspect; but in most cases even members of the contesting colleges themselves have their own amusements to attend to—rowing, lawn-tennis, polo, or what not—and very meagre is the fringe of spectators, as a rule. Still, for the contestants there is plenty of fun; grounds are charmingly good, bowling delightfully bad, hospitality unlimited, and cricket rather free-and-easy. Most of the matches last for a day only, so that the "closure" rule was a boon and a blessing. Better fun and more excitement are caused when an Oxford college comes over to play a sister-college at Cambridge. Then real interest is aroused, war to the knife is declared, and the game is fought out with plenty of spirit. No doubt this lack of enthusiasm is partly caused by the unequal size and varying popularity of different colleges. Trinity is so huge, and attracts so many cricketing men, that she can practically swamp any other college; while other colleges which have a name for being sporting attract so many cricketers, that less fortunate rivals are very weak. Still, as in schoolhouses, so in colleges—the strength varies considerably from year to year. It should also be added that it is an understood principle that a strong college does not put its whole strength into the field to oppose one which is known to be weak, and that second elevens either oppose each other or play the full strength of a less powerful foundation. When to this the various club matches are added, and it is remembered that nets are going