James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1884

decisions on the various points of the game. This supposition has absolutely been blown to the winds, and umpires have continued to tread, under the new regime, the beaten track of their predecessors. I t is probable, as some excuse for them, that the fear of personal violence that “ no-balling ” a famous player might subject them to at the hands of an excited ring, has had a disturbing effect on their consciences; but whatever the cause, the idea that the umpires would solve the difficulty by discreetly carrying out the law, has collapsed. What, then, remains to be done ? There are two ways, in the present writer’s opinion, which new legislation ought to choose between. One is to appoint amateurs to stand umpire in all first-class matches; the other is to lay down some hard and fast rule to direct umpires, as plain and simple to understand as the rule is about the bowler’s foot being over the crease on delivering the ball. The first course lias many advantages, the difficulty being that in all probability n i sufficient number of experienced amateurs could be found to undertake the very thankless task of standing umpire to enforce the carrying out of one of the most important laws of the game. The other course is that which the writer has urged elsewhere, namely, to compel the umpires to “ no ba ll” every fast bowler delivering the ball with a bent arm. Such deliveries are always throws, for to bend the arm means to sacrifice its swing, and by swing is pace produced. The subject is purely a technical one, and as such is hardly to be discussed here, but the writer is inclined at the present time to appeal to one cricketer, who might, by one simple proceeding, do more to stop “ throw­ ing bowling” in one month than the M.C.C. Committee could in a whole season. The appeal I make is to Mr. A. N. H ornby , who is a thorough cricketer, and must know that he has in bis County Eleven two pro­ fessionals whose deliveries are generally stigmatised as unfair. Let him go to his County Committee and say, that if these two players continue to be played for the County he must decline to assist them. The Committee would have but one course open to them, and the death-blow might be given to unfair bowling, especially if other public-spirited amateurs would profess publicly—as Lord H arris lias already done— their determination to do the same, i f circumstances demand it. Few people have had a better opportunity of rendering a more useful service to our national game than Mr. H ornby has now; may it not be hoped that he will not throw the chance away ? III. B y H. H. STEPHENSON. m There has been much talk of late about the unfair style of bowling, and what would be the best way to stop it. My idea is that the difficulty is not so great as many think, and that the Marylebone Club have power to put a stop to the throwing that is becoming so common