James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1879

30 ungrudgingly and unsparingly giveii, and desultory’ practice carefully avoided. First acquire a position that suits you and is at the same time not incorrect, and thtm by the aid of care and practice, preser\'c it until it becomes a con- firmed attitude. It is by‘ this means alone that am evil habit will be escnpctl anti much after-labour and pain be spared to the young beginner. My Own theory air the best positi0ii for a batsman I now propose to state, with the feeling that it has enjoyetl, at least in sonic degree, the benefit of success. Stand, then, I say' to the young student, with the riglit leg quite (run, the right foot just inside the ‘Cl’C , and the toes just elcai' of a line drawn from wicket tow ct. Tlie advisability of having the right foot just inside the crease is obvious, as thereby the length of i'eacli is greatly extended, but caution should none the I be exercised not to we ‘tep the limits, as in the, preseutdgu of etlicieiit wicket keepers, like the four I,’.'ri-l’ooley', Plumb, Finder, and Pliillips,— the end would sooii come; and Stuinpiit" is, at the best, an unsatisfactory death, Agiiiii, the adoption of a guai nearer the wicltet is inadvisable, as, though a better’ defence ma' be gained in some instances, yet this is more than counteracteil by the rut ue|ioii of the reach, the consequent impediment in the way of forward play, and, lastly', the greater facility‘ giveii to thc bowler to drive you back into your wicket. The riglit leg should be liept, as I have already stated, quite firm, as in delault of this provision it will readily be seen that the balance can hardly be maintained, or at least that the batsman can be so well prey nt'ctl for a forward or retrograde movement, oi‘ so ready [w an emergency. The riglit leg must of necessity form the “ pivot” to regulate the movement of the batsman as on it depends most of the offence and no small share of the defence. In the method of placing the left leg and foot there are innumerablevarieties and eccentricitics. For myself I prefer to place the latter about a foot in front of; and nearly at riglit a glcs to, the heel of the right foot. Thus, in the main, the ruling principle must be that the riglit leg should be firmly planted and represent a stout suiport for the batsman, and given this provision, the use ul' the other must e greatly subservient to the (lillbreiice of play, and be ruled cliielly' by the discretion of the playe The batsman in the diagram nearly realises my idea 01] the subject of p05. ion, with the reservations already mentioned. The young beginnei‘ will do well to frame his play according to this model. From my own experience I have always found it to my advantage to hold the bat half-way up the handle, and this happy medium Iti'ccummcud for adoption, as thereby you can control it as effectively as if held nearer to the blade, and the benefits incidental to the extra length are very important. To hold it higher in the handle iicutralises this advantage, as the bat is not so well nor so firmly g; «l, and the power of hitting at a ball with certaintvis considerably lessenctl. bland, then, in mi easy position, with the bat held as I have directetl, firmly, but not too stitily, to admit of facility' of motion, and await the attaclt of the bowler. Do not beat the air- with vour bat, as is the manner of some in unseemly flourishes, nor waive it high over your head aftei' the fashion of other still more pantoiniinically inclined performers. Refrain, toe, ifpossible, 1mm wasting your cnergv in wagging the but, i“ mav to run” the iriituting piaeti ~ ol’teii witne. N.“ dun’iipr the deliverv tiftlie ball. As a rule these eccentncities are the unmistakable higiis of nervousness or iii:- patienec, and these two defects will prove the ruin of the young icltctw. De- cision, abm'u all things i. a strong point in the armour of the batsman and one that may tend to under him shot-i ‘oof. To hold the hat iii wliat is termed the pendulum fashion, in my opinion gin cs the greatest Wipe rm. rm,“ dom ofplay, without in the slightest degree tllllllliishin" the pow s ol‘ du- fence. Idisclaiiii any notion of egotisiii in the stziteiiieiii, but mcr y cite it as a practical demonstration that I always staiid thus ol‘ gttni'tl myself, \\'ll|l