Cricket 1883

MAYS, 1883. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 67 A. F E W H IN T S ON C R IC K E T 1 By R. A. H. M it c h e l l . I . — B attin g . 1. Plant the right foot just inside the crease, the toe barely clear of the leg-stump, and keep it firmly fixed there. It is better for a young player never to move the right leg. The left leg should be placed in the same line, just clear of the leg stump. The position of the left leg mugt be changed so as to throw the batsman in­ to the attitude best adapted for the particular ball. Never draw away from your wicket. This is fatal to all good play. 2. Grasp the bat tightly—in playing back, more tightly with the right than the left hand ; in hitting and playing forward equally tight with both. In playing back the bat should lie easily in the hands, being tightly grasped as you come down on to the ball. Back play should be the work of the wrist. 3. Watch the ball. After taking up your position, fix your eye on the bowler’s arm, and watch the ball from the time he delivers it to the time it reaches you. Think only of the ball, not of youi bat or your position. 4. Meet every ball whether you are playing back or forward. Do not let it hit the bat, but make the bat hit it. Never intentionally play a straight ball to point or in the slips. Be careful to play your bat on to the ground whether you are playing forward or back, and if a ball shoots, meet it quickly ; if you try to go back you will lose time. If a ball bumps, and you cannot get away from it, play it as full as you can, so as to prevent a catch in the slips. In playing forward throw your weight on to the left leg, in playing back, on to the right. In playing forward the left leg ought to be put forward at the same time as the bat. If the left leg is set before the ball comes, there is a great loss of power, and the ball cannot be played hard. In playing forward if the ball is on the leg or middle stump, the left leg should be put straight out in a line with the right. If the ball is on the off-stump the left leg should be put an inch or two across the wicket. Keep the left shoulder well over, so that it points towards mid-off. 5. Try your utmost to correct faults in prac­ tice, but in a match take up your position, and think only of watching the ball. 6. Remember that there are two distinct styles of bowling, fast and slow, and many variations of those styles, to which you must learn to adapt your play. (a) Fast bowling must be played forward un­ less it is very short-pitched, especially when on the leg-stump. It is better with fast bowling to play forward at a short one than back at a pitched-up one, so if in doubt play forward. Do not swipe at straight balls, but drive them hard if over-pitched. Do not think that you can hit every ball off the wicket with all your force. A good length ball outside the off-stump should be driven, not swiped, the left leg being put across, so as to get over the ball. In hitting a long-hop on the off-side wait till the ball is nearly opposite your right leg, at the same time putting the left out, but not across, so as to be astride. Some put the right leg across, but this is fatal if done to the wrong ball, and it is better to avoid it until you have become tolerably proficient in other respects. ( b ) Slow bowling can be played back unless it is well pitched up. Avoid feeling for the ball, i.e ., getting for ward before the ball comes. Remember that the higher the ball is in the air, the slower it is. Very slow lobs, and yery slow round arm should never be played forward, they can either be played back or hit. When they are some­ what faster, it will be found necessary to play some of the best lengths forward, but under no circumstances reach out beyond your toes, and do not try to play as hard as you would a fast ball of the same length. Never cut a lob, and avoid cutting slow bov/l­ ing, unless you happen to be a very good cutter; even then it is dangerous. Do not run out of your ground to anything but “ lobs,” and very slow round arm. Run out only to straight balls or balls on your legs, and try to give them full pitch ; if you fail in this you will still be there for a full half-volley. Always hit the ball along the ground, never lift it pur­ posely. Beware of high or blind hits to square leg, or the long-fields. Get the leg-bail as sharp as you can, where there is no man. Remember that you can often get a run on the off- or on-side by playing a ball very gently. Beware of being driven back by a faster ball on the leg stump—a favourite dodge of the slow bowler. Do not be in a hurry to run out to slow bowl­ ing when you first go in, and do not run out until you see that the ball is so far up that you cannot play it back. When you are well set you will be able to play with more freedom. (c) In playing left-handed bowling, face well round towards the left hand bowler, putting tho left leg a few inches across,if he is bowling round the wicket. 7. Leg-hitting. Put the left leg well out to­ wards the ball, and hit quickly at the pitch. If the ball is far up you will hit it square; if short and wide of the legs, you can hit it sharper. If short and straight on the legs, it must be played, not hit, except in the case of a very slow ball, which may be hit. II.— R u n n in g . 1. The striker must call if the ball is hit in front of the wicket: the non-striker if it goes behind. When the ball is played to cover- point behind the wicket, or third man, the run is difficult to judge, and there is no recognised rule as to whose call it is, but it seems best to let the striker call. 2. “ Yes,” or “ no ” should be called when­ ever the ball is played. 3. If you are not ready to run it is allowable to call “ no,” even though it is not your call, but this must be done at once, so as not to endanger your partner’s wicket. It is never allowable to call “ yes,” unless it is your call. 4. The above rules apply only to the first run 5. After the first run it is impossible to lay down any absolute rule, but if there is a chance of a second run, the batsman who can see best should speak to his partner in passing, saying “ another easily,” or “ look out for another ” as the case may be. This will avoid the necessity of making a dead stop when the crease is reached at the end of the first run ; the batsman should turn quiokly and get three or four yards start, even if he is eventually unable to t-y for a second run. The same rule applies where there is a chance of more than two runs. 6.1n running a sharp run,run if possible between the wicket you are running to and the ball, and ground your bat two or three yards before you come to the crease. In running a bye run straight down to the wicket, unless your partner has told you that it is an easy run. If it is a hard run, it is his duty to tell you at once. 7. If you are in with a slower man than your­ self, you must make allowance for him, but quick­ ness between the wickets depends more on back­ ing up than on anything else. If you are in with a notoriously hard runner yon must be careful. 8. Whenever the ball is away from the wicket leave your ground, so as to be ready if the chance of a run occurs. If you hit a ball to cover-point or mid-off and say “ no,” always leave yo ir ground three or four yards. You can walk back again if there is no chance of a run; if there is a chance you have got a good start. 9. Do not think that your partner means run because he backs up well. Do not run unles he calls. 10. It is better to start from behind the wicket, walking up as the bowler delivers the ball. This avoids the danger of getting off your ground, before the bowler delivers the ball, aud at tho same time it gets you on your logs for a start. 11. Watch the field. If any of the men get out too deep to save one, be sure to run or you loss an advantage, and your hard hit will be more easily stopped. 12. It is always a run to the left-hand of long-slip, and generally to the left-hand of cover- point aud mid-off, unless they are exceptionally good. 13. Many good runs are lost by want of deci­ sion. If you cannot make up your mind at once, you must often be prepared to sacrifice a run rather than risk a wicket. 14. Be careful about short-leg—it is a difficult place to judge a run. 15. Whenever a ball hits the batsman's leg, or the wicket-keeper, and goes to the left of tho long-stop, it is an easy run, call at once. 16. Always run your first run hard, and be ready for a second. 17. Look out for bad throwers in the long- field or at long leg, and get a second run when­ ever the ball goes to them. (To be Continued.) A n article on “ Suggestions for the Reform of our Yeomanry Cavalry,” in the National Review for May, is from the pen of Mr. W. A. Baillie- Hamilton. A p b il 21, at St. Margaret’s, the wife of F. W. Bush, of a daughter. A p r i l 22, at 44, Clarges Street, the Lady Con­ stance Hadow, of a son. M e . S. Chapman (who played for the Middle­ sex Colts last year) on Saturday last at theNew- lands.Nunhead, against the St. Alban’s C.C., had the following analysis 8 overs, 6 maidens, 3 runs, 8 wickets. Am ong Cricketers who took their degrees at Oxford and Cambridge last week, were at Ox­ ford—Master of Arts : J. F. Hare, Exeter ; Bachelor of Arts: C. Darley, Christ Chure’.; E. Gosling, Christ Church; E. Mackenzie, Keble. Cambridge—M.D. : N. Pares, W.R.Richaidson, T. G. Styan, Trinity ; H. G. Fuller, Peterhouse; G. A. Stocks, Pembroke; W. B. Allcock, Em­ manuel. LL.M. : T. K. Tapling, Trinity. L aw C lub .— A large and distinguished com­ pany assembled on Friday evening last, at Ken­ sington Town Hall, ou the occasion of the Law Cricket Club Ball. The guests numbered about 350; amongst those present being the Hon. Baron and LadyPollock, LadyMontague Pollock, the Hon. Mr. Justice and Lady Cave, Mr. J. C. Lawrence, Q.C., M.P., Mr. E. W. Williamson, Mr. R. Romer, Q.C., Mr. Philipson Beale, Mr. W. D. Freshfield, Mr. F. Lockwood, Q.C., Lord and Lady Graves, Mr. H. F. Pollock, Mr. W. O. Hewlett, Mr. H. Markby, Mr. W. H. Hum­ phreys, Mr. W. Baker, Mr. W. Hayes, Mr. R. M. Beachcroft, Mr. E. T. Gurdon, Mr. H. T. Twynam, Mr. G. E. Lake, Mr. E. V. Long- staffe, Mr. T. Micklem, Mr. J. A . Iliffe, Mr. W. Jones, Mr. G. E. Shand, Mr. J. A . C. Tanner. The ball room was tastefully decorated, and all the arrangements most complete. Prout’s I and discoursed excellent music and the dancing was kept up to a late (or rather earty) hour. rJhe Club opened the season on the following clay with a scratch match on the ground at Willesdtn Green.