Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

39 The Bowler he bowled the latter also as Cowdrey remembered. Generally, however, wicketkeepers of Corrall’s and Dawkes’ skill found him ‘quite easy to pick’, as did a batsman of Wyatt’s experience. 78 His field-placing necessarily depended upon the usual factors, but was more varied than with most bowlers because of his ability to operate as primarily an off-break or a leg-break bowler. Thus one finds his fields varying from six/three off-side to six/three leg-side; and on one occasion at least (at Chelmsford in 1933) he had on the off only a cover-point and a deep mid off to enable him to employ no fewer than four short legs. On the leg side he always had a leg slip and took advantage of the possibility of positioning more than two fieldsmen behind the wicket on that side. His almost ever-present off-side men were slip, cover and mid off with often also a gully. On hard wickets, especially against batsmen on the rampage, wherever other men stood, fielders were to be found at long on and long off. From a very early age captains allowed him a large rôle in the placing of his field. The latest adverse criticism of him in this respect that I have noticed dates from May 1909 when he was still only just 21 and Brearley slogged him for 16 in an over: ‘Astill bowled too much to be hit without setting his field to the best advantage. Let it be a warning!’ Yet we may note that on this occasion Astill nonetheless ‘got his man’. Knight proclaims that ‘the first great aim of the bowler must be to secure command of the ball, so that he may bowl a “good length”’; 79 but in postponing this until after the subject of spin I have followed Astill’s own words to his young readers: Now for a bit of advice to young bowlers. It’s rather unusual advice, too, so I’m told. Most experienced men, I believe, tell youngsters to practise getting length first, and think about spin afterwards. Well, I don’t agree. I think you should practise getting spin first if it is your ambition to be a spinning bowler. Practise getting spin, and when you have got that keep on practising hard until you get length and spin combined. As the action for spinning a ball is different to the action for a straight ball, naturally practising straight bowling would not help you get a length for spin. 80 There is some sense in this unusual advice. A youngster who has trained himself to bowl a consistent length will be hesitant to attempt sharp spin when he sees how often this results in loose balls and, if he tries it in matches, how many runs he concedes – better to be safe and economical he concludes. But, if he can already spin the ball vigorously, he will never lose that skill, and all he then has to do is to practise controlling his length, a thing that should come in time if only he has the diligence to persevere undiscouraged in the nets. Astill was, however, if not quite a genius, something at least fairly close; since from the very beginning of his career he was noted for an ability 78 All three in private conversations. 79 The Complete Cricketer , p 99. 80 These are the final words in his article in The Boys’ Realm of Sport and Adventure’