James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1876

12 “ blind-swiping” tlmt inevitably denotes a certain recklessness, or on the other hand, desire or fear for the safety of their limbs. Here, again, in playing balls on the leg-stuiup a firm position must be maintained, and by practice the art of making runs from them be acquired. For it is an art, believe me, and one that is not sufficiently studied. In this case keep the bat persistently straight as before, paying due attention to the penalty incurred by the infringement of the law of leg-before-wicket, and by playing forward or back hard on the hall you will find runs come freely. With fast bowlers especially, this hit, or “ shove,” as it may perhaps he more aptly termed, tells at times with signal effect, and constant practice to secure its achievement will he not uselessly employed. Above all things be careful not to move out of your ground to hit at a ball on the log-side, as this is a Host hazardous experi­ ment, and should be studiously avoided. In leg-hitting, the right leg must be kept firm, and in all respects the hall treated as in the mam principle of butting above described, the policy of reaching the ball as near as possible to the pitch, when a good length, being most to be recommended. I would, too, impress forcibly on the minds of young players the lieeessshy of making their practice consonant with their play during a match. Nothing can be more baneful than the reckless style of batting so often prevalent during the hours of practice. It is this unwise relapse into had habits that seals the fate of many a promising cricketer. What is virtually the object of practice hut to accustom a player to the more important necessities of a match? What is practically the result of this foolish custom of reckless and unnatural batting but to irreconcile the batsman to his own genuine style, and substitute habits which unlit him for higher duties? Young cricketers will do well to avoid these suicidal tactics. There are many other sins of omission and commission into which it would be possible to enter were the present volume as capacious as the Koran, or the present writer as industrious as one of its expositors. On the minor topics incidental to the game there is much to be said that has been unsaid. On the various appliances of the game there is much to he written, if only to satisfy anxious enquirers. I shall, however, merely bring to an end this my first rough article on cricket with a few brief words of advice on subjects which are not sufficiently attended to. I allude first to the necessity of good running as one of the brightest feathers in the cap of any one who claims to he an effective batsman. It is by the neglect of this essential that many runs are lost, and many a “ notch ” indirectly given to the otner side. To see two good runners at the wickets is a treat to those who understand genuine cricket. There is no slovenly dallying, no indecision, no call for a run and after recall. In this respect alone a bats­ man of mediocrity muy be of as much real value as one of far superior powers, lh ready to back up immediately the ball leaves the hand of the bowler, and be careful to act decisively, as on this depends greatly the fate of your opposite neighbour. If you feel inclined to run do not hesitate, hut call, and on no account reduce your partner to the necessity of retracing ids steps, a- from the fact of your backing up, you can get tu the opposite wicket with greater ease than he can return and recover his ground. This last caution should not be overlooked. A stolen run, if the batsmen act well in concert i.s by no means difficult of achievement—though care should be taken against any really impracticable attempt—and a succession of stolen runs lias the effect of not only irritating the howler, but of demoralising and detracting from the efficacy of the field. Again, to bat with strict care at tlm coim menc* uient of your innings, trusting to time and the gradual diminution of