James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1875

180 vru. After rain the wickets maybe changed with the consent of both parties . A ve1·y necessary provision, especially if tho gi·ound is much cut up. IX. The BOWLER shall deliver the ball with one foot on the ground behind the bowling c1·ease, and within the 1·eturn crease, and shall bowl one ove1� before he change wickets, which he shall be permitted to do twice in the same innings, and no bowler shall bowl more than two overs in succession. Notice that tho law reads '' behind the bowling crease;'' hence it follo,vs that if the bowler's foot touches any part of the line, it is a no ball. By ·' changing wicketR twice,'' it is understood that a bowler, after changing ends, may rettun to his original end On1J·• · • X. The ball must be bowled.. Il thrown·or jm ..ked the umpire shall call ,, No Ball.'' A distinct a.ction of the elbow distinguishes a throw, and a jerk would clearly be show n bv the arm stJ.iking the bowler's side before delivery of the ball. , • XI. He may require the striker at the wicket from which he is bowling to stand on that side of it which he may direct. So as to give him ample room for bowling. XII. If the Bowler shall toss the ba.11 over the St1·iker's head, or bowl it so \vide that, in the opinion of the Umpire, it shall not be faii·ly within the t·eaeh of the batsman, he shall adjudge one run to the party receiving the innings, either with or without an appeal, which shall be put do\vn to the sco1·e of Wide Balls ; such ball shall not be 1"eckoned as one of the four balls ; but if the Batsman shall by any means bring himself within reach of the ball, the 1·1in shall not be adjudged. Eithe1· 1v'itk or without appeal," This shows that it is lawful to enquire of the Umpire if a ball, which he has not called, is wide or not. The appeal, however, is seldom made. Umph·es should notice that the sole requisite for a wide is that it should not be '' within the reach o1 the batsman.'' Hence a wide to a short batsman (Jupp) might not be so t-0 a. tall one (W. G. Grace). XIII. If the bowler shall deliver a '' No Ball'' or a · '' Wide Ball,'' the Striker shall be S:llowed as many runs as he can get, and he shall not be put out except by running out. In the event of no run being obtained by any othe1' means, then one run shall be added to score of '' No Balls,'' or '' Wide Balls,'' as the case may be. All 1·uns obtained for '' Wide Balls'' to be seo1·ed · to '' Wide Balls.'' The names of the Bowlers who bowl '' Wide Balls,'' or '' No Balls,'' in future to be placed on the score, to show the parties by whom either score is ma.de. If the ball shall first touch any part of the Strike1"'s dress or person (except his hands), the Umpire shall call '' Leg Bye.'' The only runs, of cour se, that can be obtained from a '' wide '' are from the long-stop missing the ball, a.nd should, it follows, be scored to '' wides, 1 ' and not to '' byes.'' If the batsman get to t he ball it is no longer wide, and any runs made by him from it must be credited to hiro in the ordinary way. Althongh the last sentence of the law is worded carelessly, custom says that a run must be made before the Umpire calls '' leg­ bye ''; and, moreover, that when he has called one it should be counted on the score-sheet for as many .tnns as are obtained fJ:om it. Singularly enough the rule altogether omits to state this. XIV. At the beginni ng of each innings the Umpire shall call" Play." From that time to the end of e a.oh innings no trial ball shall be allowed to any Bowler. That is no trial ball on the wicket. A · bowler is g�nerally allowed to '' open his shoulders,'' by sending one down at the �ide or elsewhere ; but, of course, this concession mt1st not be nllo,red to impede the game.