James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1878

4 by this time worn threadbare, but good cloth will bear much pate Sung, and I would fain hope that in my hands the garment will at least he treated P o e t i­ cally, if not skilfully. On the proper position to be maintained at the wncket by the batsman, the doctors who have already been engaged m.the: case, dis­ agree. On the one hand, Mr. Felix, of whose t^atise on the bat I think no ipehed on this pohrt respectfully to disagree with that ancient autho- e author of “ The Cricket F ield ,” on the other hand, advises the one can speak except in terms of the highest praise, re c om m en d s^ attitude, “ to stand with your knees slightly bent, just enoug 1 4 ,) -o , spring immediately into whatever attitude ni I am com adoption of^an*entirely different plan, and his recommendations my own expe­ rience induces me cordially to endorse. Indeed, the latter wri er .s . poweriul case to support his side of the question. He maintains that the knees should be kept firm and rigid, as it is only then that the muscles can be re­ laxed and ready for sudden action. In this respect, however, much may be learnt by watching the attitude of a good batsman. ^ To my mind the ^faci y of acquiring a good position is a valuable gift, to which I cannot but think too slight importance is accorded. . . Take up a good position on guard after the style of the batsman m the dia­ gram. Be careful to study what is easy and natural, rather than aim at neat­ ness and elegance, as without thought, the latter is very often the consequence of the former. It is in this craving for effect that so many batsmen do them­ selves, in my opinion) so much injustice. \ ou cannot take the art of batting by storm, nor master it in a single lesson. Hence application must be un­ grudgingly and unsparingly given, and desolutory practice carefully avoided. First acquire a position that suits you and is at the same time not incorrect, and then by the aid of care and practice, preserve it until it becomes a con­ firmed attitude. It is by this means alone that an evil habit will be escaped and much after-labour and pain be spared to the young beginner. My own theory on the best position for a batsman I now propose to state, with the feeling that it has enjoyed, at least in some degree, the benefit of success. Stand, then, I say to the young student, with the right leg quite firm, the right foot just inside the crease, and the toes just clear of a line drawn from wicket to wicket. The advisability of having the right foot just inside the crease is obvious, as there­ by the length of reach is greatly extended, but caution should none the less be * 1 m m . 1 1 • • . • . 'n « ^ « « J ~ --------- ------------------------ ------- ------- ------— - L AWA A V . A A V . A O W V, exercised not to overstep the limits, as in the present age of efficient wicket keepers, like the four P . ’s— Pooley, Plumb, Pinder, and Phillips,— the end would soon come; and stumping is, at the best, an unsatisfactory death. A f f a i r ) , f h p n r l nn t i nn n f n aniarrl npnrAr wrin I t -o f ic ^ A O j U L d l l L I 11 o c l L l o l c l l ^ L U I V v l C T c l L H # Again, the adoption of a guard nearer the wicket is inadvisable, as, though a better defence may be gained in some instances, yet this is more than counter- r m f ^ H 4 - ^ ^ - v - C* 1 L ^ ^ j ^ . i • i • ♦ . « ^ -------------- -----------------v . ~ a x a j AAA owaaav . A u o L a u v . v . o , ) X L L1 I 13 l b 1 I 1 U I C L i l c l i J C U U I l L C r - acted by the reduction of the reach, the consequent impediment in the way o f forward play, and, lastly, the greater facility given to the bowler to drive vou ’ ,u jrAcv> <*aava; Aa3u; j s iC£tLC1 ici^inL in D i y back into youi wicket. The right leg should be kept, as I have already stated, quite firm, as in default of this provision it will readily be seen that the balance ^ \ 7 . waaao uvioiua xl n ic uii u m n can hardly be maintained, or at least that the batsman can be so well prepared for a forward or retrogade movement, or so ready for an emergency. The •V I ! V * . IIIUVC1UCUI, 01 s r a t r r c . j ”1? 1 eS must of necessity form the “ pivot” to regulate the movement o f the batsman, as on it depends most of the offence and no small share of the de- l e n c e . In f hp n i p t l m f l »-vl ~ l„.fY i . 1 r- . n ......— *> MV*'-VI uie onence ana no small sh j le me*o.d Of piacing the left leg and foot theie are innumerable f o i f fi-rn f ,,rCC™,tnC f S' . Fo,r m-’s! f 1 prefer to place the latter about a in the m i l rh and, .nearI>; af. rlSht » " g l« to, the heel o f the right foot. Thus, be inled c h ^ L h i k mUdSf be g f e a t >y ^ e r v i e n t to the difference o f play, and y y e lscietion o f the player. The batsman in the diagram