James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1882

3 0 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERSA N N U A L. the long run than impatience or desire for fast scoring . Remember, more- over, that it is not bad bowling that wants the least caution , anddo not despise it , as some batsmen are too prone to do. To underrate a foe is weakness , and should always be avoided. One last hint to the young beginner and I have done.--Do not play with a bat too heavy for your strength . I think a bat should not exceed for any young batsman 2lbs . 3oz ., or even 2lbs . 22oz . It is the overweight that cripples m a n ya promising player, and prevents him not only from doing himself justice in the present , but mars his utility in the future . C H A P T E R V. O nFielding . WRITERSon cricket never tire of insisting upon the fact that , in the department of fielding , much remains to be done, before the " all round " interests of the game are really looked after . It cannot be denied that fielding has not improved in nearly the same proportion that batting and bowling have , and the reasons are not far to seek . To most persons bent upon their own personal ends, who are unable to sacrifice self for the commongood, batting must evidently be muchmore inviting than fielding and bowling . Acustom has therefore sprung up of practising batting at nets for hours, of occasionally " trundling ," and of leaving the third im- portant element of cricket to chance and general aptitude for the g a m e - the majority of players quietly assuring themselves that not muchpractice is needed to pick up a ball cleanly , to return it quickly and accurately to the wickets , and to bring off a catch . But experience has shown us all that this happy -go-lucky principle is radically dangerous : manytimes during important matches of the last few years have balls been wildly returned a n dcritical catches missed. If the interest of real cricket is to befurthered, we must look closely into the matter of fielding , which is universally allowed to be one of the chief attractions of the game. One of the main reasons why the Australian elevens have left such an impression uponthe English cricketing world is undoubtedly to be found in the fact that they were so wonderfully energetic and clever in the field , and worked conjointly " as a man. " It is , indeed , hardly necessary to argue for the importance of fielding ; and yet few will deny that we have scarcely a dozen "first -class " fields in England . Whyis this ? Principally , because fielding is so seldom practised ;d though in no portion of our national game is practice so im- peratively necessary . Good" fields ," unlike eminent poets , are the outcome of conscientious and prolonged practice . Considering the national im- portance of cricket as a game, and the huge number of clubs , colleges , and schools which undertake to advance its interests , it is quite startling to