James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1875

I • . • ,_ . • 9 . . ' \ . . f 1 l • • ,.. • played · with · a b1:oomstiok. As · l - 0ng as yot1. h&ve the privilege ; of bow�ng do not despair. In proof of this ad,ice, l have sometimes, . afte � . trying every -dovice l knew of making a ball bre&k . from otl to on, and on to off 1 and fo1tnd that l was fai�ly mastered, I . have gone to , the bo": ling e ! : ea,se, with the same action, the same µ:1ovement of OJ.tm , �d .the same mt-ent1on as befor� 1 a11d pitched o. ball, devoicl ot screw, s*raight to the centre. �1?-ce . (1!1 . the mo.toh for Lockyer's 4benefit} I took Dr, Grace t smiddle at�mp in this 1?-ent1- oal way at the commen-cement of. the match. I can recall, as . well ,as 1£ the re.mark were at this mom�nt ne,v, , his . surprise and his ejaculation of disgust: ''Why, it never broke at all!'' Thn,t was juet thereason whylh&dbim� Ile _ was then at , his best, ainl equal to the Wk · of cotnba . ting any bowling, but h& �ever expected that his end could have been compassed by . s-o simple a ba�l. · It is this same deceptive attack that is the most suooessful, a,nd . the ocular . delusion therefram that r11ins the batsm_an. It often surpriaes me that there are not more bowlers of . merit, as I am qttlte sure that a large majo r �ty . of criokete:rs, b�th gentlemen and pla,yers, could bowl well enough t? � of 1�e in a match if they would only try. . Of course, to become a skilful bowler req11ires muoh study, and I can safely say from experience tha� it i_s an art : that must be ou_ltivated for many a long day. Any cricketer possessed ot a hand and eye q_uiok enoughfor fielding, as well as , a sufficiency o� _ intelligence to bat well, cannot fail to _ bowl if he will only give the art of bowling some time and patience. Let m�" for the . benefit of those who desir� bowling · fame, proffer a ·few hints- gathered from · a personal observation o_f many � years. As far as I know the art lies _ in wanaging the body in s�ch a, mSitJn,ar l ' I ' l l I I ' I . I as to walk or run a few paces to the crease, and then, having the pody and arm w e ll - balanced, to let _ the ball leave the hand n,:t the p;ropermoment - . . The actual movement is pttrely meohanjcal, dependent on · precision, an� the great secret o-f success is- first, a true love of the sport, and secondly t great patience a.nd pra c tice. The spin of the ball and . the judginent requisite to puzzle a batsman �re matters . entirely of experien�e, ·and can only be _ Ie.arned .. alter the bowler has �cquired the art of hitting the _ siuro , ps with cert�ty as nearly . as possi}?le-. I do not think · the exceptions prove the rule, 1 that the very fast or tear-away bowling is calculated to finish the . mateh on . very good gi·o11nd, _ l1oless the l;)owler is very superior, ,11.1lesa he ean µi.ake the ball cut , across the wicket, , or unless fr-0µ1. wet, or . other causes, the ball shoots .. · Fast bowling is very expensive at · tilll:eS, ip by� and ,- snicks,'' through the s , lipa, and a lncky player, by just turning the ball, may score five runs) withoi1t any skill on hia part. , My idea is that the Jl, owl�r .. sJ?.oU:ld bowl well within hi a . strength, and should have as his main aim the �ttempt to weary the batsman's patience by a . well sustained steady attack. · He · must ex p ect to be , punished occasionally, bu� it is often the first sign of hitt4lg in the play of a batsman that serves - �o e�courage the bowler. It is t4en, as I have already stated, that he is on the · feed. . Obviously, th,e fir$t t .wo pQipts to be studied are preeision . and a certain oo -mm�nd Qver the balllt The first desiderat11m of all is to be able to hit the :wicket, and . to do �his · with - any degree oi accura�y i , s at , first by no me . an · s easy. _ . · �o�� at s-0in.e �f th� m,<rst doodly lx>wlers of the North, and eone�der . how some - . of them have reached distinction. Why, I believe that the sole supremacy of the North · over th& t · South in the matt-er of bowling, is , dt1e to the pex-sistent _ studythe Northemets. give . to the oultivation of the ar:t. ln the - South, it o�en strike_s me that ari . Eleven relies solely on � two or · three · bowlers ,: an4 when ., a, pla y e� t m l'US position in a c�'.lllltY t�am, either b y . re as on - of his batting or fi�ldin ' g, , it nev-0r , • . , . I . . ' , , ... ' • •