🦆 The Duck Pond

A single fixture graced the calendar this week, and Horsmonden CC proved unkind hosts, our eleven leaving no fewer than four gentlemen to make the long walk back for a cipher. 1st XI W H Fryer, at the wicket in the number five position, was taken by A Napean off the bowling of Sir F S Marriott, and returns to the pavilion with his season's account opened at one, and his career log reading a first duck's egg in seven completed innings — a modest total that places him twenty-fifth of the sixty-one gentlemen who share this dubious distinction. He may take some comfort, if comfort be wanted, in the knowledge that he stands level on a single career cipher with a full company of members, among them Mr J Woollett, himself a bearer of the Duck of the Year honour for 1865. W Goad, sent in at six, fell to a smart catch by T Lambert, again off Sir F S Marriott's bowling, and thereby notches his third career duck in a dozen innings, and his first of the present season — a showing that carries him to fourth upon the all-time roll of honour, level in tally with Mr C Amies, second upon that same list, a fellow traveller in the art of not scoring. Following him to the crease and swiftly following him back was X Plomley, whose very first innings for the club ended leg-before to the bowling of G Sawyer without so much as a run to his name. A debut duck is a peculiar christening, but a christening nonetheless, and Mr Plomley now shares his solitary career cipher with a considerable fraternity, Mr Fryer among them. Last of the day's unfortunates was J Amies, bowled by A Napean at number nine, his second duck of the current season and his fourth for the career in nine innings — a record that stands, remarkably, at the very head of the club's all-time table, first of sixty-one. No comparison was drawn for Mr Amies this week, his eminence in this particular field being, it seems, beyond parallel. In summary Four gentlemen dismissed without troubling the scorer in the one match of the period, Horsmonden's bowlers Sir F S Marriott and A Napean each claiming two victims apiece, and G Sawyer accounting for a third. A tidy afternoon's work for the visitors' attack, and a chastening one for our lower order. Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard - W White — 2 innings, 2 ducks, 100% - C Amies — 3 innings, 2 ducks, 66.67% - J Amies — 4 innings, 2 ducks, 50% - E M Owens — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% - X Plomley — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100% The club awaits the next fixture with its customary mixture of dread and delight, confident that further candidates for the exclusive zero club shall not be long in presenting themselves.

A single fixture against Horsmonden CC furnished the Club with three additions to its roll of honour this week, the eleven's order finding the art of not scoring far from beyond its powers. The First Eleven - Mr C Amies, promoted to the crease at number two, was caught by W Sawyer off the bowling of R Wilson without troubling the scorer — his second cipher of the season and his third in a career of seven innings. This places him, with a certain grim distinction, at the very head of the Club's all-time table of ducks, first of seven-and-fifty names now inscribed there. He is joined, and not displaced, by Mr J Amies, whose own three ducks between 1867 and 1869 hold him steady in second place — two tallies alike, and neither gentleman about to yield the honour to the other. - Mr E M Owens, at first drop and at the very first asking of his career, was run out for nought. A debut of the most economical kind, it stands as his maiden innings and his maiden duck in the same stroke, and installs him tenth of seven-and-fifty in the Club's ledger. He finds companionship in Mr E Price, another single-duck man of the years 1860 to 1864, presently eleventh upon the same list. - Mr G Hodsoll, sent in at number ten, was caught by H Ford off the bowling of H Burr — his first duck of the season, and the first of his career in three innings attempted thus far, earning him thirteenth place of seven-and-fifty. He shares his solitary tally, curiously enough, with the very Mr Owens named above — two gentlemen, one duck apiece, standing tenth and thirteenth together upon the same roll this very afternoon. A Word on the Week Three ducks from a single match is no mean haul, and the innings ran the full width of the batting order, from number two to number ten, sparing nobody's blushes. No pair of ducks was recorded this week, and no family party presented itself for joint ignominy — a quieter week than some, but a productive one nonetheless. The Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard - W White — 2 innings, 2 ducks, 100 per cent - C Amies — 3 innings, 2 ducks, 66.67 per cent - E M Owens — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100 per cent - G Hodsoll — 1 innings, 1 duck, 100 per cent - H Kemp — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50 per cent Mr White retains his commanding, if unenviable, lead at the head of the season's table, having yet to trouble the scorer in either innings offered him this year. The Club looks forward, as ever, to the next fixture, confident that further names shall present themselves for inclusion in due course.

Our correspondent is pleased, in a manner appropriate to the sad business at hand, to report upon the eleven's visit to Hayle Place, where no fewer than nine of our men returned to the pavilion without so much as troubling the scorer. A rare and thorough afternoon's work for the opposing bowlers. 1st XI - J Amies, at number four, was caught by H Freed off the bowling of F Swift, and thereby notches his first duck's egg of the season, the third of a career now numbering seven innings. He joins T Tomson, of the years 1864 to 1868, upon an identical career tally of three — a fellowship separated by half a decade but united in the art of not scoring. - A Startup fell bowled by F Swift, his season's first, his career's second in a mere three innings, and a name already inscribed upon the honours board for the Duck of the Year 1868 and for Ducks in a Row, five consecutive. He draws level upon two career ciphers with C Amies, of whom more directly below. - H Kemp, at number eight, was bowled by F Swift and thereby opens his account with the club in the most inauspicious manner conceivable — his maiden first-class duck, the first of his career, in only his second innings. He stands presently level upon one career duck with E Price of the 1860s. - W White, first innings, was caught by L Barker off H Freed — his maiden duck, taken in only his second innings for the club, and inscribed already upon the honours roll for Duck of the Year 1869. Level for the moment upon one career cipher with E Price. - X Griffin, last man in, was run out without troubling the scorer — his maiden duck, his second innings, and level upon one career duck with E Price and companions. - C Amies was bowled by H Freed at the top of the order, his season's first, his career's second in six innings, level with A Startup upon that same tally of two. - M Barker, batting seventh, fell caught H Freed bowled A Tyrell, his maiden duck in his second innings, level upon one with the aforementioned E Price. - T Bonny, at nine, was likewise caught H Freed bowled A Tyrell, his maiden duck in his second innings, level upon one with E Price and the growing company thereabouts. - And W White again — stumped, this time, by George Marsham off A Tyrell in the same fixture, a second dismissal without score that completes what the club records term simply a pair. Two ducks in one afternoon's cricket is a distinction few young careers achieve so promptly, and W White has managed it in only his second innings, taking his season's tally to two and his career tally to two at a stroke. A remarkable beginning, if not quite the one a batsman hopes to relate to his grandchildren. The Week in Summary One match, nine ducks — a positively epidemic afternoon at Hayle Place, and the visiting eleven may reflect that Messrs Swift, Freed and Tyrell bowled with rather more success than our batting order cared to acknowledge. Four of our number recorded their maiden career ducks in this single fixture, a debut season already showing considerable early promise in the wrong direction entirely. Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard 1. W White — 2 innings, 2 ducks, 100% 2. A Startup — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% 3. C Amies — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% 4. H Kemp — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% 5. J Amies — 2 innings, 1 duck, 50% The season is yet young, and the club looks forward with its customary mixture of dread and delight to the next fixture, when further candidates shall no doubt present themselves for the honours board. Our men are cordially reminded that the willow is intended for striking the leather, not merely admiring it.