🦆 The Duck Pond

A quiet week at the wicket, gentle readers. Only one fixture graced the fine August calendar of 1889, and, remarkably, not a single one of our men troubled the exclusive zero club with a fresh entrant. Every batsman who took guard contrived, by hook, crook or simple watchfulness, to trouble the scorer at least once. The eleven, on this occasion, declined to add to the ledger. The Duck Club's committee records this with a measure of relief tempered by mild disappointment — for it is, after all, in the art of not scoring that our members find their truest glory, and a week without a nought is a week the honours board must go without fresh laurels. We are assured the ducks have merely gone to ground, and not retired from the field altogether. Duck Hunting Season Leaderboard The season standings are, alas, not to hand this week — no returns have been lodged. The committee trusts the usual suspects remain in good and scoreless health, and will publish the table the moment the figures are recovered from the pavilion ledger. A quiet week, then, but the season is young yet, and Linton Park's willows have shown before that a duck's egg is never more than one indiscreet stroke away. Members are cordially reminded that the next fixture offers every opportunity for redemption, or its opposite, and the committee awaits the results with its customary keen and slightly mischievous interest. Until then, we remain, as ever, watchful for the cipher.