this tun of treasure

Sport, sport, masculine sport
Equips a young man for society
Yes, sport turns out a jolly good sort
It's an odd boy who doesn't like sport

The Bonzos there, spoofing that 'redemptive power of sport' thing. I'm very much with the Bonzos on that one, in case there was any doubt on the matter. Though Richard has persuaded me that it is possible to like and play sport without being a boorish thug (although of course those qualities would not necessarily disqualify one...).

Speaking of Richard, he has posted up the thing he wrote about hiking through the Holy Land, so here is a link to it in case you missed it.

The French do not play cricket, which is probably why they lose wars (except for the ones they've won, which don't count). So I have to buy cricket balls from a Very Nice Cricket Shop in Bristol, and send them to him. And cricket balls are very photogenic, aren't they?

Here's a timely piece from the Rover and Wizard, about the exploits of Bill Samson, the Wolf of Kabul, and his trusty sidekick Chung, whose weapon of choice is a cricket bat, or clicky-ba, as he calls it. Enjoy.

Not for nothing was Bill Samson known as the Wolf of Kabul, and his gleaming knives as his fangs. Finally the Afghans turned and fled, terror-stricken, clicky-ba chopping down any who were a little late in turning. Even then the hillman was not satisfied, and made to go after them, roaring like a mad beast. Bill Samson caught him by the arm and heaved him back, knocking some of the fight out of him. “My lord,” said Chung, looking at the heaps of dead and dying, “this is a very terrible thing. I am all sadness. Truly clicky-ba turned in my hand, and I knew not what it did. I swear I did not intend to kill. My lord, I killed at least fifteen, and I am humbly sorry!”