John and James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1882

16 oil flatting. B y AN OLD UNIVERSITY CAPTAIN. T WOULD BE VERY EASY to write a great deal about Batting, Doubtless there are people—ignorant, half-educated folk—who have never held a bat in their hands, and who might imagine that the ' subject presents few features of interest, and is a simple matter. Possibly there are many such people, and yet how very wide of the mark such aii opinion would be. Batting is‘so far from being a simple matter that its intricacies demand years o f practical study to be fairly understood. It is so far from being uninteresting, that “ men of light and leading” all over the country constantly devote hours to the discussion of the subject, keenly comparing its greatest practical exponents, and recapitulating the salient points in its history. The subject, in short, is deeply complicated, deeply scientific, and of national importance. But though this makes it easy to talk about Batting, there are other facts connected with it which make it very difficult to say anything practical about it, that is, to give any hints which can be followed at all, or which, if followed, are likely to be really useful. Batting depends so; much on natural gifts of eye and hand, that anyone who lacks these gifts will never be helped by rules, however precise, and any one who possesses these gifts is almost independent of rules. When a man is bowled out, the main reason is and must be, that his eye and hand did not work together. It is said, perhaps with reason, that batsmen are prone to make excuses on arriving at the pavilion; but the kind of excuse that is generally made only represents the fatal ball as a very difficult one: “ I never saw such a ball in my l i fe : it curled in the air, broke back, and shot dead.” Such things are often said, even when the ball was a half- stump-liigh long hop; but even if they were always true, they are only tantamount to saying that the ball was too difficult for the eye : if the eya had been clearer all would have been well. In the same way, as regards coaching : the teacher can, no doubt, do a good dea l; but when lie^bowls the batsman out, he can only say, “ You missed the ba ll ; you played outside it, or inside it, or over it.” All very true, but that will not" prevent the pupil doing it again ; and nothing will, except an im­ provement in his eyesight. I hope, then, that it will be recognised that precepts and rules can only help a man who is to some extent born to be a batsman. I f his eye is naturally clear, he may learn from other people how to keep it clear. I f he is strong and loosely built, and willing to take pains, he may l>e taught certain strokes which hitherto lie has not acquired. Therefore