Lives in Cricket No 37 - William Clarke

the wickets and staring at each other, not knowing which way to go for want of decision and speaking out. If a man stands fast to his ground and seems to have no care about the runs, he deadens the play; the Fielders care nothing about him; what puts Fielders about more than when two determined runners get in and take every advantage? I am not an advocate for overrunning , for I think men may lose more than they gain by being out of wind, and therefore not so well prepared to play the next ball. Now you will see some, the harder they hit the more certain they are to run, though the ball be going straight to a man, when if it were hit very slowly they would not attempt it; that speaks badly for their judgment. It should be quite the reverse. The ball hit slowly may be a certain run, while the ball hit with greater force to the same place is not half one; as it gets to the Fielder so much quicker. There are many little advantages to be taken of Fielders, such as the ball going to a man’s left or wrong hand, or a man not being able to shy but always jerking in. These points want judgment: they made be done, and often are done by two decided men, who understand each other, but they will not answer with vacillating men. It is never right to risk your innings for the sake of a run. If your innings is only valued at a run, it is not worth much. IV On Matchmaking, Managing and Umpiring When playing a match it is not always right to keep on the same bowling, though the bowlers be bowling ever so well. Suppose you have a fast bowler on, a batsman comes in that don’t like slow; or the contrary; why, I say give him what he don’t like, never mind persons saying you dare not do this or you dare not do that, if you gain your object by getting the batter out, you may win the match through it. There are plenty of Gentlemen as well as Players, who cannot play both fast and slow. Some would shut their eyes at a fast one, but might perchance swipe away a slow one for four. It’s bad judgment to put a fast bowler at a man, who can’t hit. Why? He may stick his bat down, the ball may hit it and glide away for three or four runs without his having anything to do with it. Such a man with a slow bowler is probably a certainty. In choosing your side don’t choose all batters. In the first place make sure of your bowlers (that’s the principal matter), your wicket keeper, your long stop. Then come the batters: five or six there will be no question about. Now as to the one or two last; if you have a middling bat and no fielder; if he gets ten and loses fifteen in the field, he is five worse than nothing : a bad bat and good field saves fifteen in the match, his side have that fifteen less to get; so give me the good field. Umpiring is a very arduous and often unthankful office, especially in country places, where a jealousy exists on each side, and a doubt of his doing his duty fairly and impartially. That is sure to be the case, when he belongs to one of the parties and is not sufficiently acquainted with the game. It is better to choose men connected with neither party. If you have anything against a man object to him at once, but not on suspicion; with 130 Practical Hints on Cricket