🦆 The Duck Pond

A Chronicle of the Fixture of the 9th of June, 1864 Our First Eleven met Collier Street Cricket Club on the 9th instant, and in the course of a single innings contrived to send no fewer than five of its number to the pavilion for a cipher — a showing of most uncommon consistency, which the Recording Secretary sets down below with the solemnity it deserves. The First Eleven - Mr E Price, opening the innings, was adjudged leg-before to the bowling of Mr T Startup. It is his first duck's egg in three innings at the wicket, placing him third of nineteen upon the club's roll of the dismissed — level with Mr F May, his fellow traveller on a tally of one. - Mr W Goad, at first wicket down, was bowled by Mr G Hodges. As this was his maiden appearance for the club, his very first innings has ended without score — a debut duck, and a sombre christening indeed. He stands seventh of nineteen, drawing level with Mr E Price on career noughts. - Mr C French Snr fell to Mr T Startup for his second career duck in three innings, and by this the paper's records confirm him first of nineteen upon the all-time table, presently holding the honour of Duck of the Year for 1864 — a distinction he may wear, this season, with some ceremony. He sits level with a Mr F Daniels of an earlier generation, who himself claimed the same honour in 1860. - Mr F May likewise fell to Mr T Startup, his first duck in three innings, ranking him fourth of nineteen and, as with Mr Price above, keeping close company on a career tally of one. - Mr T M Dann, last man in, was bowled by Mr T Startup for nought upon his very first innings for the club — another debut duck, and sixth of nineteen upon the roll, level once more with Mr E Price. A Word on the Afternoon Five ducks from a single innings is no small return, and the bowling of Mr T Startup deserves particular mention, having accounted for four of the five himself — a spell of quite remarkable persistence against our order top to tail. Messrs Goad and Dann may take what comfort they can in having begun their careers as they mean to go on, while Mr French Snr now leads the club's roll of dishonour outright. Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard The season being but freshly begun, our five afflicted gentlemen stand shoulder to shoulder atop the table, each having faced one innings and returned one duck, a perfect century of failure: 1. C French Snr — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 2. E Price — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 3. F May — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 4. T M Dann — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% 5. W Goad — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% The Club awaits the next fixture with due anticipation, confident that further candidates shall present themselves for the exclusive zero club before the season is much older.