Cricket 1908

A p r il 30, 1908. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. LAMBERT ’S CR I CKETERS ’ GUIDE. ( Continu'dfi om page 87.) WICKET-KEEPER. The Wicket-keeper in general is the most proper person to see that the different Fieldsmen are in their proper places, and any directions given by him should be done by the motion of the hand, without calling out their names, as this puts the Striker on his guard, and in windy weather it will be difficult for them [to] hear. The Wicket-keeper should pay great at­ tention to the Game, as much depends on him, not only in attending to the Wicket at which he is standing, but in placing the men in the Field, and should parti­ cularly endeavour to keep silence, as this will prevent confusion, and make it much more pleasant to themselves, as well as to the spectators. If the Striker should move off his ground, with an intention to run, the Wicket-keeper will then do his best, and endeavour to put down the wicket, which is called stumping out ; and if the Ball is thrown to him when the Strikers are running he must place himself in the most convenient situation for taking the Ball and for putting down the wicket the greatest swiftness and dexterity he pos­ sibly can. As the losing or gaining a Match de­ pends much on the Bowlers, the Wicket­ keeper shall toss the Ball up home to them, or as far as to come with a fair bound into their hands, so that they may not reach or stoop after it, as Bowling will be quite sufficient for them, without labouring after the Ball unnecessarily, particularly when it may with ease be prevented. “ FIRST SHORT SLIP. “ The first Short Slip being next to the Wicket-keeper, he must pay great atten­ tion, and should stand so as to reach with­ in about two feet of him. “ This situation being so near the Wicket, the Ball will go from the Bat to him generally very swift, giving him very little sight of it, therefore he must be very watchful in managing this part well. He must likewise exert himself by getting behind the Wicket-keeper, when the Ball is thrown in, which is called backing up ; and if the Wicket-keeper should go from the Wicket after the Ball, the first Short Slip should then take his place, until his return : no player should take the Ball before the Wicket-keeper, provided it is coming straight to him. “ SECOND SHORT SLIP. “ It has sometimes been found advan­ tageous to have four men placed near the Wicket, when the ground is hard, parti­ cularly at slow or middle-pace bowling. When this is the case whichever of the Eleven can best be spared is placed be­ tween the first Slip, and the man at the point. “ THE POINT. “ The person who stands at the point, should place himself in a line with the popping crease, about seven yards from the Striker, and by observing where the Ball will pitch, as it comes from the bowler, endeavour to judge whether the striker is about to hit hard, if so, he will do well to draw back a few steps, so as to have a clearer sight of the ball. “ If it should be a well pitched Ball, it is probable the Striker will not attempt to hit hard, he should then step forward a little, as his judgment may direct. In backing up he should give theman atthe slip, sufficient room, andnot crowd too close together. “ MIDDLE WICKET. “ This man should stand on the off side, not far from the Bowler’s wicket, and about 23 yards from the Striker’s wicket ; he must be active, andobserve at the moment of hitting where the Ball will come. As this situation is important, it should be kept well, and in throwing the Ball to the Wicket-keeper, he must observe not to do it harder than is necessary, and at about the height of the top of the Wickets. “ If the Bowler should find it necessary to leave his place, to run after the Ball, the Middle Wicket Man should take it until his return. “ LEG OR IIIP. “ The person who takes this place should stand a little back of the straight line of the popping crease, and if it should be thought adviseable for him to stand, to save a run, it should be within about 16 yards of the Wicket. “ Sometimes for hard strikers, it may be adviseable for him to stand so as to save a second run, and this man must also exert himself in backing up, and use his judgment according to the striking. “ LONG STOP. “ This man should stand at a proper distance behind the Wicket, to save a run, if the Ball should not be stopped by the Striker or Wicket-keeper. “ The person who is placed in this situa­ tion, should be one who is not afraid of the Ball, when bowled swift, and who can throw in well, as it is not only to the Balls which pass the Wicket-keeper, but to such as are just tipped with the edge of the Bat, both off and on, that he will have to attend. He must also be attentive in backing up. “ The LONG SLIP to cover the SHORT SLIP. “ This man must stand to save a run, about the same distance from the Wicket as the Long Stop, in a line with the Striker, between the Point and the Short Slip. A Ball being hit to the long slip, after grounding generally twists towards the long slip. When four men are placed near the Wicket, this man should stand the same distance, playing between the man at the point and second slip. “ To cover the POINT and MIDDLE WICKET. “ This man’s place is on the off side to cover the point and middle wicket men ; if the Ball should be hit to either of these and missed, then he will be in readiness to receive it. “ LONG FIELD, OFF SIDE. “ This Man should stand on the off side between the middle-wicket man and bowler, at a considerable distance deeper in the Field, so as to cover them. “ In throwing the Ball to the wicket­ keeper, he must endeavour to throw it home to his hands. “ It is desirable to appoint a person to this situation, who can throw well, and he must be careful to throw with judgment. “ It sometimes happens that the Ball is struck to so great a distance, or in such a manner, that a second man is necessary to throw it to the Wicket-keeper, by re­ ceiving the Ball from the first by a catch ; this may be done quicker than by one long throw, provided the second man should catch the Ball. “ LONG FIELD, ON SIDE. “ This man’s place is some distance wide of the Bowler’s wicket, and at a dis­ tance, so as to prevent a second run ; he should observe to return the Ball as early as possible, which must be done with judgment. “ If the Striker should hit mostly on the near side, then the man who covers the point and middle wicket-man, should come over and cover the middle wicket on this side, and the middle wicket man, off side, will then stand wider from the bowler, to assist in filling his place, who is gone over on the other side, and will play between the Long Field and the Point, at a distance, to save a run. “ T he ICnlus o f (ff/nckct. “ THE BALL, MUST not weigh less than five ounces and a half, and not more than five ounces and three-quarters. At the beginning of each innings either party may call for a new ball. “ THE BAT, must not exceed four inches and one- quarter in the widest part.* “ THE STUMPS, w h ich are three, must be tw en ty fou r inches ou t o f the g rou n d , the bail , seven inches in length. “ THE BOWLING CREASE, must be in a line with the stumps, three feet in length, with a return crease. “ THE POPPING CREASE, must be three feet ten inches from the wicket, and parallel to it. “ THE WICKET-KEEPER, shall stand at a reasonable distance behind the Wicket, and shall not move till the Ball is out of the bowler’s hand ; and shall not by any noise incommode the striker; and, if his hands, knees, feet, or head, be over or before the wicket, though the ball hit it, it shall not be out. “ THE WICKETS, must be opposite to each other, all the dis­ tance of twenty-two yards. The umpires in all matches to pitch fair wickets, and the parties to toss for the choice of inn­ ings. f “ It shall not be lawful for either party, during a match, without the consent of the other, to alter the ground by rolling, watering, covering, mowing, or beating. This rule is not meant to prevent the striker from beating the ground with his bat, near where he stands, during the inn­ ings, or to prevent the bowler from filling up the holes, watering his ground, or using sawdust, &c., when the ground is wet. * There is no particular height for a bat, but it is adviseable not to have it higher than 21 inches in the pod, and as much narrower and shorter as may be thought proper. t It lias been a custom when two matches are played by the same paritcs, that the one that goes from home should have the choice of innings and pitching the orst wicket, which must be within 30 yards of a centre fixed on by the Adversaries, but this must be agreed, on at the time of making the match, but if only one match is played, or two on the same ground, the umpires must pitch the wickets.