Cricket 1891

4 CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME; JAN. 27,1891 AN OLD WORK ON CRICKET. Perhaps the most rare and coveted of the very few contributions to the liter­ ature of Cricket in its early days, and certainly the first practical treatise on the game, is the little book of “ Rules and Instructions ” written by Thomas Boxall, and published about 1800, which we give below. This “ Tract ” (for the author lays claim to no higher title) was the modest work of a man of much prac­ tical but no literary ability, and bears strong internal evidence of having been written without the outside help of a “ compiler.” It probably had but a limited circulation, and sixteen years ater, Lambert, one of the most promin­ ent players of that day, gave it forth to the world again under his own name, disguised only by the polish conferred upon it by the pen of a professional journalist—one of the most unscrupulous and flagrant piracies in the history of our literature. A few words as to Boxall may not be out of place. The date and place of his birth are alike unknown" His first recorded match was for Colts of Surrey v. Colts of Hampshire, at Moulsey Hurst, June 1st, 1789—the earliest colts’ match of which any notice is preserved. We find him in the Kent eleven ofthesame year, and two years later he was twice chosen for England against Hampshire— the highest compliment a player of that time could receive. About 1795 he appears to have been at his best, and in that year represented England on no less than six important occasions, v iz.: against M.C.C., Surrey (3 matches) and Hamp­ shire (2 matches), and we find him in the best eleven of England down to 1802. Boxall was at one time engaged by Mr. Stephen Amherst, to whom he used to bowl all the year round, a covered pitch being prepared in a bam for winter prac­ tice. Later in life Mr. Amherst obtained for him a place as tide-waiter at Purfleet, and from this time all trace of him is lost. His contribution to the literature of the game was evidently unknown to Mr. Haygarth, or would have been noticed by that gentleman in Boxall’s Biography. RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLAYING AT THE SAME OP CRICKET, AS PRACTISED BY THE MOST EMINENT PLAYER3. To w h ic h is S u bjoined THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF CRICKETTERS, Revised by the Cricket Club at Mary-le bone By T. BOXALL. L ondon . Printed by Harri'd and Billing, at the Blue Coat Boy, Printing Office, Russell St„ Bermondsey. And sold by all Booksellers in Town and Country. DEDICATED TO THE MARY-LE-BONE CLUB. M y L o r d s a n d G e n t l e m e n , Duly impressed with frequent Repetition of your Goodness, I have, with the most pro­ found Deference, presumed to offer this small, but, I flatter myself, useful Tract, of the most important Article of performing that useful and noble Game of Cricket: Concious of your Kindness I thus fearless, approach you, being fully convinced that, however trifling the Subject, when due Exertions have been attempted you will not cast, hurtfully, to the performer, the futile attempt; under such impressions, My Lords and Gentlemen, I have devoted a Portion of Time to penning those Articles which may guide the inex­ perienced to the full Attainment of that Knowledge which may be conducive to their Satisfaction while it advances their Health, which, that you may ever enjoy, is the earnest wish of, M y L o r d s an d G e n t l e m e n , Your devoted and abedient Servant, T. BOXALL. PREFACE. Having the Pleasure of being Player in most of the great Matches at Cricket, that has been played in this kingdom for theseFourteenYears past,and in theCourse of which Time have had the Honor of practising the Noblemen and Gentlemen belonging to the Mary-le-bone Club ; I flatter myself to be fully perfect therein: and conceiving that young Players must, in some Measure, be ignorant of per­ forming the aforesaid noble Game of Cricket right, I have, for their Use, published the following Rules and In­ structions for Playing, which are arranged under their proper Heads. P a r t of T h e SUBSCRIBERS. Earl Winchelsea, Lord F. Beauclerk, Honbl. Major-General Lennox, The above Subscribers have seen this Work and have kindly patronized it. His Grace the Duke of St. Alban’s. Honbl. A. Upton. Sir B. Martin. Colonel Lambert. Ashton Smith, Esq. G. Leycester, Esq. J. G. Cooper, Jun., Esq. T. T. Clarke, Esq. Richard Blair, Esq. T. J. Burgoyne, Esq. W. Barton, Esq. N.B —The above Noblemen and Gentlemen are selected Subscribers who are competent in the Game. G. Bich, Esq. Mr. T. Lord. Mr. J. Wells. Mr. W . Beldham. Mr. J. Hammond. Mr. J. Ward. Mr. Graham. Mr. T. Woodgate. Mr. J. Nightingale. Mr. J. Parker, Mr. R. Turner. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CRICKETING, &c. B ow lin g . L e t the ground be measured exactly twenty-two yards between the stumps, which is always the proper distance, the game at four-corners, and some other games have different lengths, but cricket has only one, therefore the practising different lengths is quite un­ necessary ; but, however, always measure the ground, which will be of great service; particularly when bowling in a match. Bowling the right length is more to be depended on if not streight to the stumps then bowling streight to the stumps and not a good length. Be sure to practise with a ball that is the right weight; for which see the laws of cricket. H oldin g th e B a l l . Let the bowler hold the ball with the seam across, not too near the top of the fingers, nor yet too high in the hand, but so as the top of the fingers may just reach over the seam; it will hold so better and go with more ease. I n R unn ing to B o w l . The bowler may stand any distance he pleases behind the bowling crease; but I would recommend all young players to start about seven paces behind the bowling crease; and if the bowler is right-handed, start with the left foot first, and he will perform it in six steps ; for the right foot to come close behind the bowling crease, the last step of the six, as he must not step over the bowling crease with only one foot before he delivers the ball. The bowler to measure the distance before he runs to bowl, and make a mark, that he may always run the same distance, otherways he will be liable to step over the bowling crease with his right foot before he delivers the ball, in this 'case the umpire (unasked) cries ‘ no b a l l t h i s circumstance may interrupt him when bowling well, and cause him to take his eye from where he should pitch the ball to look at the bowling crease to see that he does not run over it. A bowler has some advantage of a hitter, as he can practise very well by himself. A bowler can measure his ground, put up the stumps, and stick up a feather where he intends to pitch his ball, always toss the ball at the feather, which must be in a straight lino to the stumps, unless he can twist the ball, then he must stick the feather as far out of the line as he thinks the ball will twist between the feather and the stumps; he should remember that the ground is not always level when the stumps are placed across a hill, the ball will naturally twist very often, should he have no art in doing i t ; this is the method which I have practised myself, and find it a very good one, especially for young players; as for instance, a hitter would not like to stand to hit when there is a mark for the bowler to pitch his ball. The above is most certainly the quickest way to get the length. Bowlers differ generally in their paces, just the same they differ in their lengths, (I mean the I distance a ball should pitch from the stumps') a ball should hit the ground but once between the bowler and the stumps. I shall state it in three different lengths ; as I think nearly right. Slow Bowling, 3 yds. and 3 qrs. Middling Ditto 4 Ditto and a Half Fast Ditto 5 Ditto Ditto NEXT ISSUE, FEBRUARY 26.