Page:Mr. Punch's Book of Sports.djvu/30

Mr. Punch's Book of Sports

["The growing favour with which athletic exercises are being regarded by those who are still 'the gentler sex,' is evidenced by the rapid adoption of cricket into the roll of those games which may be practised by ladies without the sober world being shocked. In the course of the past Summer there have been several matches."—Standard.]

You may play the game of Cricket, like the men well known to fame,

And be good "all round," like some folks at that fascinating game;

You may bowl like Mr. Spofforth at the Demon's deadly pace,

You may lead a team like Harris, and may bat like Doctor Grace;

But in vain your skill and prowess—can you dare to win the day,

Although hope may spring eternal, when the Ladies come to play?

They have conquered us at Croquet, though philosophers might scoff,

And the masculine intelligence was beaten by "two off."

As a vehicle for flirting we acknowledged all its charms,