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UNIVERSITY MATCHES
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play, and others threw their captain over in a way that the modern Zingaro and Quidnunc has been known to do: even as late as 1850 did this take place. Since then things have altered; but though we are all proud of the history of the old University matches, there is little doubt that many of the earlier elevens, like those in the Eton and Harrow matches, were more or less scratch teams.

The rules which qualify a man to play for his University are somewhat elastic, and, I think, need revision. No man is allowed to play for more than four years; this has been the unwritten rule since 1865, when R. D. Walker had grown grey in the service for Oxford and played his fifth year. But within this four years' limit there is an elasticity that is as surprising as it is absurd. As far as I know, if a man resides one term at any college, and keeps his name on the books, but never sees his University except for that one term, he has, nevertheless, qualified himself to play for four years.