James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1883

1 8 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERS' A N N U A L. checked,hurtthemselves bybowling beyond their strength , it is nowunconsciously assumed that boys at school should not become inured to the protracted exertion of fast bowling . The only remark that need be passed upon this faulty and discouraging assumption is the undoubted one that, if boys do not learn and practice fast bowling at school , they will have neither the time nor the anxiety to practice it when their school days are over . The grown man (and how soon does the youth become one now-a-days !) is not the proper stuff to work upon ; with setting of bones go often the setting of habits , and the avoidance of anything that implies an almost Spartan training . Assumingthen, that a school is provided with cricketing paraphernalia , and anexperienced , or willing professional , it is impossible to see why those boys whoevince a clearly marked aptitude for fast bowling , should not be systemati- cally and carefully taught howto keep their pace well within their strength , to gradually increase the pace when length and direction have been provided for, andhow, generally , to use their heads as muchas their arms, or wrists . All that seems needed in our schools to produce a goodly crop of promising fast bowlers , is an abiding recognition of the law, that practice is an indispensable condition of progress and improvement in everything that refers to cricket . Whatteam practised more earnestly and more constantly than the Australians ? what team consequently scored so many successes in every department of the game-bril- liant scores , magnificent catches , and deadly bowling ? As time goes on, it will be found that here and there throughout the country the names of promising youngcricketers will be cropping up, and after a careful sifting of those who will be qualified to do battle for their county or country , let us confidently hope that amongst these " immortals " will be found a goodly array of fast-bowlers , but the numberwill depend upon the degree of thoroughness with which the coaching of promising young bowlers has been conducted . B yadopting the remedy suggested above, it surely is no exaggeration to say that good first -class bowlers-veritable " demons "-will be fairly numerous ; that there will be amongstour athletes a sufficient numberof those w h ocan vindicate to their native country that prerogative which she has ever claimed of being the mother and fond supporter of every branch of the noble game of cricket . That this desirable end maybe realised , is the sincere wish of himwho has penned these well -meaning, if somewhat petulant lines .