James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1876

14 played with a broomstick. As long as you have the privilege of bowliag ao not despair. In proof of this advice, I have sometimes, after trying every device I knew of making a ball break from off to on, and on to off, and found that I was fairly mastered, 1 have gone to the bowling crease, with the same action, the same movement of arm, and the same intention as before, and pitched a ball, devoid of screw, straight to the centre. Once (in the match for Lockyer’s benefit) I took Dr. Grace’smiddle stump in this identi­ cal way at the commencement of the match. I can recall, as well as if the remark were at this moment new, his surprise and his ejaculation of disgust: “ Why, it never broke at a l l ! ” That was just the reason why I had him. He was then at his best, and equal to the task of combating any bowling, but he never expected that his end could have been compassed by so simple a ball. It is this same deceptive attack that is the most successful, and the ocular delusion therefrom that ruins the batsman. It often surprises me that there are not more bowlers of merit, as I am quite sure that a large majority of cricketers, both gentlemen and players, could bowl well enough to be of use in a match if they would only try. Of course, to become a skilful bowler requires much study, and I can safely say from exjierience that it is an art that must be cultivated for many a long day. Any cricketer possessed of a hand and eye quick enough for fielding, as well as a sufficiency of intelligence to bat well, cannot fail to bowl if he will only give the art of bowling some time and patience. Let me, for the benefit of those who desire bowling fame, proffer a few hints gathered from a personal observation of many years. As far as I know the art lies in managing the body in such a manner as to walk or run a few paces to the crease, and then, having the body and arm well balanced, to let the ball leave the hand at the proper moment. The actual movement is purely mechanical, dependent on precision, and the great secret of success is first, a true love of the sport, and, secondly, great patience and prac ice. The spin of the ball and the judgment requisite to jnizzle a batsman are matters entirely of experience, and can only be learned after the bowler lias acquired the art of hitting the stumps with certainty as nearly as possible. I do not think—the exceptions prove the rule—that the very fast or tear-away bowling is calculated to finish the match on very f ood ground, unless the bowler is very superior, unless he can make the all cut across the wicket, or unless from wet, or other causes, the ball shoots. Fast bowling is very expensive at times, in byes and “ snicks/’ through the slips, and a lucky player, by just turning the ball, may score live runs without any skill on his part. My idea is that the bowler should bowl well within his strength, and should have as his main aim the attempt to we *ry the batsmen’s patience by a well sustained steady attack. He must expect to be punished occasionally, hut it is often the first sign of hitting in the [day of a batsman that serves to encourage the bowler It is then, as I have already stated, that he is on the feed. Obviously, the first two points to be studied are precision and a certain command over the ball. The first desideratum of all is to be able to hit the wicket, and to do this with any degree of accuracy is at first by no means easy. Look at some of the most deadly bowlers of the North, and consider how some of them have reached distinction. Why, I believe that the sole supremacy of the North over the South in the matter of bowling, is due to the persistent study the Northerners give to the cultivation of the art. In the South, it often strikes me that an Eleven relies solely on two or three bowlers, and when a player earns a position in a county team, either by reason of his batting or fielding, it never