James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1884

7 executive body o f lii.s County, and to that of specially-appointed arbiters j fair and unfair play. At the meeting of County representatives, held at Lord ’s on December 11th, the question of unfair bowling was very fully discussed, ffith the result that it was decided to request the M arylebone C lub to cive orders to all umpires employed in County matches to carrv out Paw X. strictly, and that a resolution proposed by Mr. I. D. W alker that Counties agree among themselves not to employ any bowler with a doubtful action Avas signed by the representatives of Y orkshire , K ent , D erbyshire , M iddlesex , N otts , and S urrey , L ancashire , S ussex , and G loucestershire standing aloof. I t seemed to be the general opinion that umpires had failed to do their duty, but it is at least doubtful whether a special enjoinder from the M aryleboxe C lub w ill bring about any alteration for the better. W e are not, moreover, very sanguine as to Mr. W alker ’ s resolution effecting much good, for we have the fact before us that one o f the County Committees considers certain of its b0AArlers to be fa ir bowlers, and so Avill naturally employ them ' though the Committees of other Counties may hold the opposite view. Mi ! There Avas no throwing in the old days Avhen the arm might not be raised above the level of the opposite shoulder, and Ave have always ♦ y 1 •* *- . regretted the alteration made in LaAv X. in this respect. Under the circumstances that now exist Ave are of opinion that the matter should still be left to be dealt w ith by the umpires, controlled with a firm hand by the Committee of the M aryleboxe C lub , and aided by the Clubs declining to employ any boAvler Avhose delivery is not absolutely unimpeachable, the M arylebone Committee having the power of | suspending an inefficient umpire or an unfair boAvler for such period as they may deem advisable. Some such rule as that embodied in Mr. Y . E. W alker ’ s notes in subsequent pages Avould, Are think, prove effectual, though Ave doubt whether the difficulty can possibly be got over unless A'hat action of the arm is alone fair, or what actions are unfair, are strictly defined. Surely the Avisest cricket heads can frame some •'■atis- factory definition. We entirely fail to see I ioav the appointment of amateur umpires w’ould meet the case. Lord H arris has done good service to cricket by calling attention to fhe unlawful breadth of many of the bats noAV in use. I t is leported that one of our leading amateurs made a large proportion of bis runs fast season Avith a bat exceeding the legitimate breadth by neatly ha lf an inch. Captains and umpires should look to this.