The Ladies' Guide to Cricket

21 M ips L iston : “ Thru, may any ono of tlio out-aido bowl ?” L over : “ Yes! certainly, if tlio Captain tolls him to do so ; but the change can only he made at tho end, and notin tho middle of an over, but; look! (50—(5*—0 on the telegraph, and Brunner has skied (hit in the air) ono of Trunipor’s curler/ (balls which twist) ones to long-on (9), which that fieldsman has muffed (missed, also called , and du(Fared , and dropped). You see mid-on has now become long-on, being ordered by his Captain to stand further out. But lie is a bufferfingers to have missed such an easy chance , and Brunner has had what is called a ‘ life’ or a ‘ let-off.’ Two runs for that lofty hit. See though! Brunner has knocked his own wicket down in playing back to an over-pitched ball.” Miss L iston : “ That puts him out, I suppose, but what is an over-pitched ball ?” L over : “ Yorkers, full-pitchers and half-volleys (see p. 19-20.) are all over-pitched balls, as indeed, all are termed which drop within the batsman’s forward reach. Such should all be f playedforward, that is by advancing the left leg and bat, while short pitched, i.e., balls which pitch nearer the bowler, and o of the batsman’s forward reach, should be played by drawing back the right foot and stopping the ball with the bat near the wicket. This is called playing back or hack-play M rs . C hester : “ Then the pitch of the ball affects the batsman’s play ?” L over : “ Decidedly, and most players get out through mis­ judging the pitch of the ball, and playing under-pitched balls, forward, and over-pitched balls, back, instead of the exact reverse. The ball that is neither under-pitched nor over- pitched is a yood length hal ,and becomes the (see p —IT) according to its behaviour after pitching on the ground. It may be played either forward or hack , but the choice must be made instantaneously, and the slightest hesita­ tion generally proves fatal. Such a ball is very puzzling, and the bowler tries to bowl as many as lie can. But observe the telegraph—63—7—3. Unless our tail comes out strong wo shall not get many more; but the unexpected frequently happens in cricket,” M rs C hester : “ Your tail ?” L over : “ We call the weaker batsmen who go in towards the end of the innings ‘ the tail.’ ” Mjus L iston : “ You spoke just now of Orumper bowling a curling or twisting ball, llow is that done?” L j \ er : A skilful bowler, by holding the ball in a peculiar wuj, an unwrapping his lingers as he delivers it with a turn of he #mt, I'ames Ilie bull to spin or revolve rupidlv while in * wr. <in touching the ground it receives u fresh impetus from the ' pm, and according to Ilie way it falls may alter its ih -lion ■ it lit r from lull to right, or riot 1 versdt or shoot