Unsighted
To be. Of the greyhound; to lose sight of the hare, either when slipped, or at any part of the course.
Waiting. Of the greyhound; lying behind an opponent, and never making an effort to get near the hare; in other words, waiting a chance to kill.
Wrench.-A change of less than a right angle in a hare's course when pressed. or Bibliography. -Angling, Shooting, and Coursing, Robert Lascelles (London), 1815; The Courser's Manual, Thos. Goodlake (Liverpool), 1828; Continuation of Same (Simpkin), 1833; On Coursing, W. Dansey (Bohn), 1831; The Courser's Companion, Thos. Thacker (Bohn), 1834-5; Rules for the Decision of Courses, Thos. Thacker (Longmans), 1843; Thacker's Courser's Annual Remembrancer and Stud Book (Longmans), 1842-58; The Courser's Calendar, edited by "Stonehenge," now Allandale ("Field" Office), 1857 to date; Sports and Pursuits of the English, Earl of Wilton (Harrison), 1868; An Encyclopædia of Rural Sports, Part 5. edited by D. P. Blaine (Longmans), 1870; The Coursing Guide or the Waterloo Cup Made Easy, W. J. Bullock (Simpkin), 1873-4; Country Sports-Coursing (Ward and Lock), 1882; British Rural Sports, J. H. Walsh (Warne), 1886; The "County Gentleman" Coursing Guide ("C.G." Office), 1887; National Coursing Rules ("Courier and Herald" Herald" Office, Dumfries), 1894-5; The Hare, H. A. Macpherson-Coursing the Hare, by Chas. Richardson (Longmans), 1896; Coursing and Falconry, H. Cox and G. Lascelles, Badminton Library (Longmans), 1899; Arrian's Coursing" (Arriani Cynegetica), with Notes of Hugh H. Johnson (Dent), 1900; The Greyhound, H. Dalziel, J. Maxtie, and T. B. Rixon (Upcott Gill), 1907; The Greyhound Stud Book, David Brown, now W. F. Lamonby, note Volume III., pp. XXV-LXIV., Historical Sketch of Coursing, 1882, in progress; The Greyhound Record, J. W. Bourne (A. Chilver), 1900, in progress; The Coursing Calendar, edited by B. C. Evelegh (Cox), annual. “ CRICKET - Wherever Englishmen plant the Union Jack they are sure to set up the wickets as well. Other European nations have never taken kindly to the game, but the natives of many of the lands we have occupied have soon learned to appreciate its merits. In Samoa legislation has interfered to limit the pursuit of the game; in Fiji it is thoroughly acclimatised; many years ago a team of Australian aborigines-not in any way to be confounded with the crack Colonial elevens-visited England; the Parsees of India have sent and that portion of the Empire is eager to send once more-a team to try conclusions with us; and, finally, the crack bat of 1896, in 1900, and again in 1904, was an Indian prince. It is needless to add that Englishmen settled abroad have in no way shown themselves more English than in their enthusiasm for the national game, and the Australians in particular have proved that they are well able to meet and beat the best English sides.
The original popularity of the game was no doubt due to the amateurs who devoted themselves to its practice and extension; but it was only natural in the process of events that another class should spring up, consisting of men who have great ability for the game, but neither the spare time nor the spare money necessary for its cultivation; and, as the keenness between counties and clubs increased, the paid services of this class were enlisted, till professional cricketers became the backbone of the game; and it is not too much to say that thousands of men are now earning a livelihood by means of cricket. The Origin of the Game-Like many another branch of sport, the origin of cricket may be said to be wrapped in mystery. One can easily imagine the pleasure derived by the youth of the Early Ages in striking some round substance, possibly hurled by a comrade, the introduction of a more carefully prepared weapon and projectile, the choice of an object to be defended, and the arrangement of some system, crude enough in its way, by which the relative merits of the defenders might be determined. As far back as the twelfth century we have mention of cricks," and earlier still of the "club ball" of the Norman era, whilst Chaucer mentions cricket in his "Canterbury Tales." There are drawings of the game of bat and ball in the thirteenth century, and, without diving deeply into a subject to which many pages might be devoted, there are frequent references prior to the beginning of the eighteenth century when reliable records of the pastime are to be found. 66 One of the earliest references to a match was to a contest between West Kent and Chatham in 1705, and it is set forth in "The History of Kent Cricket" how in 1719 a [CRICKET of contest between that county and London led to a trial at law, and a Rule of the Court for the match to be played out on the White Conduit Fields, Kent losing by 21 runs. Mr. F. S. Ashley-Cooper contributes to the volume in question a complete list of results of the games played by the county-now the Champions-from that date onward, but the earliest rules are of rather later date. His Royal Highness Frederick, Prince of Wales, son George II., took an active part in the game, and much money generally depended on the results. The earliest fully recorded score of a match was that decided on the Artillery ground at Finsbury in June, 1744, when Kent proved successful by one wicket.
Surrey, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Hampshire were also among the earliest nurseries of the game, and in the latter portion of the eighteenth century the Hambledon Club was able to hold its own against All England. It has been popularly supposed that the death of Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1751 was due to a blow received from a cricket ball, but of late years research has cast doubts on this, though examination after death proved that an abscess on the lungs had burst.
Until the eighteenth century was well advanced, the stumps were only two in number, with a bail across. Beneath them was a hole, into which in running the striker had to put his bat, the wicket-keeper the ball in order to run out the striker. Then came the introduction of a popping-crease and the addition of a third stump, and in 1817 the wicket had a second bail added, and the dimensions were increased to their present proportions, namely, 27 inches high and 8 inches in width.
The Laws of Cricket. - The Marylebone Cricket Club, with its headquarters at Lord's Ground, St. John's Wood, is the supreme legislative assembly as regards Cricket, and it is to the M.C.C. that cricketers look for the revision and alteration of the laws when necessary. Those laws, as revised, are as follows:- THE LAWS OF CRICKET.
As Amended by the Marylebone Club, 1884, 1889, 1894, 1899, 1900, 1902, and 1906. 1. A match is played between two sides of eleven players each, unless otherwise agreed to; each side has two innings, taken alternately, except in the case provided for in Law 53. The choice of innings shall be decided by tossing. 2. The score shall be reckoned by runs. A run is scored:- Ist. So often as the batsmen after a hit, or at any time while the ball is in play, shall have crossed, and made good their ground, from end to end. 2nd. For penalties under Laws 16, 34, 41, and allowances under 44.
From an old print.
A MATCH AT HAMBLEDON, 1777.
From an old print.
THE TATE CENTRAL LIBRARY BRIXTON, CRICKET] Any run or runs so scored shall be duly recorded by scorers appointed for the purpose. The side which scores the greatest number of runs wins the match. No match is won unless played out or given up, except in the case provided in Law 45. 3. Before the commencement of the match two Umpires shall be appointed; one for each end. 4. The Ball shall weigh not less than five ounces and a half, nor more than five ounces and threequarters. It shall measure not less than nine inches nor more than nine inches and one-quarter in circumference. At the beginning of each innings either side may demand a new ball. 5. The Bat shall not exceed four inches and one-quarter in the widest part; it shall not be more than thirty-eight inches in length. 6. The Wickets shall be pitched opposite and parallel to each other at a distance of twenty-two yards. Each wicket shall be eight inches in width batsmen nor bowlers from using sawdust to obtain a proper foothold. 10. The Ball must be bowled; if thrown or jerked, either Umpire shall call "No Ball."
II. The Bowler shall deliver the Ball with one foot on the ground behind the bowling crease, and within the return crease, otherwise the Umpire shall call "No Ball." 12. If the Bowler shall bowl the Ball so high over or so wide of the wicket that, in the opinion of the Umpire, it is not within reach of the striker, the Umpire shall call "Wide Ball." 13. The Ball shall be bowled in Overs of six balls from each wicket alternately. When six balls have been bowled, and the ball is finally settled in the Bowler's or Wicket-keeper's hands, the Umpire shall call "Over." Neither a "No Ball" nor a "Wide Ball" shall be reckoned as one of the "Over." i THE 'VARSITY MATCH AT LORD'S, 1910. and consist of three stumps, with two bails upon the top. The stumps shall be of equal and sufficient size to prevent the ball from passing through, twenty-seven inches out of the ground.
The bails shall be each four inches in length, and when in position, on the tops of the stumps, shall not project more than half an inch above them.
The wickets shall not be changed during a match, unless the ground between them become unfit for play, and then only by consent of both sides. 7. The Bowling Crease shall be in a line with the stumps: eight feet eight inches in length; the stumps in the centre; with a Return Crease at each end, at right angles behind the wicket. 8. The Popping Crease shall be marked four feet from the wicket, parallel to it, and be deemed unlimited in length. 9. The Ground shall not be rolled, watered, covered, mown, or beaten during a match, except before the commencement of each innings and of each day's play, when, unless the In-side object, the ground shall be swept and rolled for not more than ten minutes. [A proposal is under consideration to allow the ground to be rolled five minutes over night and five minutes before play is resumed.] This shall not prevent the batsman from beating the ground with his bat, nor the 14. The Bowler shall be allowed to change ends as often as he pleases, provided only that he does not bowl two Overs consecutively in one innings. 15. The Bowler may require the Batsman at the wicket from which he is bowling to stand on that side of it which he may direct. 16. The Striker may hit a "No Ball," and whatever runs result shall be added to his score; but he shall not be out from a "No ball" unless he be run out or break Laws 26, 27, 29, 30. All runs made from a "No Ball," otherwise than from the bat, shall be scored "No Balls," and if no run be made one run shall be added to that score. From a "Wide Ball" as many runs as are run shall be added to the score as "Wide Balls," and if no run be otherwise obtained one run shall be so added. 17. If the ball, not having been called "Wide" or "No Ball," pass the Striker without touching his bat or person, and any runs be obtained, the Umpire shall call "Bye"; but if the ball touch any part of the Striker's person (hand excepted) and any run be obtained, the Umpire shall call "Leg Bye," such runs to be scored "Byes" and "Leg Byes" respectively. 18. At the beginning of the match, and of each innings, the Umpire at the Bowler's wicket shall call "Play"; from that time no trial ball shall be allowed to any bowler on the ground between the wickets, and when one of the batsmen is out the use of the bat shall not be allowed to any person until the next batsman shall come in. 19. A Batsman shall be held to be "out of his ground" unless his bat in hand or some part of his person be grounded within the line of the Popping Crease. 20. The Wicket shall be held to be "down" when either of the bails is struck off, or, if both bails be off, when a stump is struck out of the ground.
The STRIKER is out- 21. If the wicket be bowled down, even if the ball first touch the Striker's bat or person :- "Bowled." 22. Or, if the ball, from a stroke of the bat or hand, but not the wrist, be held before it touch the ground, although it be hugged to the body of the catcher:-" Caught." 23. Or, if in playing at the ball, provided it be not touched by the bat or hand, the Striker be out of his ground, and the wicket be put down by the wicket-keeper with the ball, or with hand or arm with ball in hand :-" Stumped." 24. Or, if with any part of his person he stops the ball, which in the opinion of the Umpire at the bowler's wicket shall have been pitched in straight line from it to the Striker's wicket and would have hit it :- "Leg before wicket." a 25. Or, if playing at the ball he hit down his wicket with his bat or any part of his person or dress:"Hit wicket." 26. Or, if under pretence of running, or otherwisę, either of the batsmen wilfully prevent a ball from being caught :-" Obstructing the field." 27. Or, if the ball be struck or be stopped by any part of his person, and he wilfully strike it again, except it be done for the purpose of guarding his wicket, which he may do with his bat, or any part of his person, except his hands :-" Hit the ball twice."
Either BATSMAN is out- 28. If in running, or at any other time, when the ball is in play, he be out of his ground, and his wicket be struck down by the ball after touching any fieldsman, or by the hand or arm, with ball in hand, of any fieldsman :-" Run out. 29. Or, if he touch with his hands or take up the ball while in play, unless at the request of the opposite side :- " Handled the ball." ،، 30. Or, if he wilfully obstruct any Fieldsman :- Obstructing the field." 31. If the batsmen have crossed each other, he that runs for the wicket which is put down is out; if they have not crossed, he that has left the wicket which is put down is out. 32. The Striker being caught no run shall be scored. A Batsman being run out, that run which was being attempted shall not be scored. 33A. A Batsman being out from any cause, the ball shall be "Dead." 33B. If the ball. whether struck with the bat or not, lodges in a Batsman's clothing, the ball shall become "Dead." 34. If a ball in play cannot be found or recovered, any fieldsman may call "Lost Ball," when the ball shall be "Dead"; six runs shall be added to the score; but if more than six runs have been run before "Lost Ball" has been called, as many runs as have been run shall be scored. 35. After the ball shall have been finally settled in the Wicket-keeper's or Bowler's hand, it shall be "Dead"; but when the Bowler is about to deliver the ball, if the Batsman at his wicket be out of his ground before actual delivery, the said [CRICKET Bowler may run him out; but if the Bowler throw at that wicket and any run result, it shall be scored "No Ball." 36. A Batsman shall not retire from his wicket and return to it to complete his innings after another has been in, without the consent of the opposite side. 37. A substitute shall be allowed to field or run between wickets for any player who may during the match be incapacitated from illness or injury, but for no other reason, except with the consent of the opposite side. 38. In all cases where a substitute shall be allowed, the consent of the opposite side shall be obtained as to the person to act as substitute, and the place in the field which he shall take. 39. In case any substitute shall be allowed to run between wickets, the Striker may be run out if either he or his substitute be out of his ground. If the Striker be out of his ground while the ball is in play, that wicket which he has left may be put down and the Striker given out, although the other batsman may have made good his ground at that end, and the Striker and his substitute at the other end. 40. A Batsman is liable to be out for any infringement of the laws by his substitute. 41. The Fieldsman may stop the ball with any part of his person, but if he wilfully stop it otherwise, the ball shall be" Dead," and five runs added to the score; whatever runs may have been made, five only shall be added. 42. The Wicket-keeper shall stand behind the wicket. If he shall take the ball for the purpose of stumping before it has passed the wicket, or, if he shall incommode the Striker by any noise, or motion, or if any part of his person be over or before the wicket, the Striker shall not be out, excepting under Laws 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30. 43. The Umpires are the sole judges of fair or unfair play, of the fitness of the ground, the weather, and the light for play; all disputes shall be determined by them, and if they disagree the actual state of things shall continue. 44. They shall pitch fair wickets, arrange boundaries where necessary, and the allowances to be made for them, and change ends after each side has had one innings. 45. They shall allow two minutes for each striker to come in, and ten minutes between each innings. When they shall call "Play," the side refusing to play shall lose the match. 46. They shall not order a batsman out unless appealed to by the other side.
N.B. An appeal "How's that?" covers all ways of being out (within the jurisdiction of the Umpire appealed to), unless a specific way of getting out is stated by the person asking. 47. The Umpire at the bowler's wicket shall be appealed to before the other Umpire in all cases except those of stumping, hit wicket, run out at the Striker's wicket, or arising out of Law 42, but in any case in which an Umpire is unable to give a decision, he shall appeal to the other Umpire, whose decision shall be final. 48. If either Umpire be not satisfied of the absolute fairness of the delivery of any ball, he shall call "No Ball.' 48A. The Umpires shall take especial care to call "No Ball" instantly upon delivery: "Wide Ball" as soon as it shall have passed the striker. 49. If either batsman run a short run, the Umpire shall call "One short," and the run shall not be scored. 50. After the Umpire has called "Over" the ball is "Dead," but an appeal may be made as to whether either batsman is out; such appeal, how- CRICKET] ever, shall not be made after the delivery of the next ball, nor after any cessation of play. 51. No Umpire shall be allowed to bet. 52. No Umpire shall be changed during a match, unless with the consent of both sides, except in case of violation of Law 51; then either side may dismiss him. 53. The side which bats first and leads by 150 runs in a three days' match, or by 100 runs in a two days' match, shall have the option of requiring the other side to follow their innings. 54. The In-side may declare their innings at an end in a three days' match at any time on the second day; in a two days' match, the Captain of the batting side has power to declare his innings at a close at any time, but such declaration may not be made on the first day later than one hour and forty minutes before the time agreed on for drawing stumps; in a one day match at any time. crease in a line with his bat, or some part of his person, or go beyond them, and return to the popping crease. 4. When the Striker shall hit the ball, one of his feet must be on the ground behind the popping creasę, otherwise the Umpire shall call "No hit," and no run shall be scored. 5. When there shall be less than five players on a side, neither Byes, Leg Byes, nor Overthrows shall be allowed, nor shall the Striker be caught out behind the wicket, nor stumped. 6. The fieldsman must return the ball so that it shall cross the ground between the wicket and the bowling stump, or between the bowling stump and the bounds; the striker may run till the ball be so returned. 7.. After the Striker shall have made one run, if he start again he must touch the bowling stump or crease, and turn before the ball cross the ground to entitle him to another.
LUNCHEON 16 ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1909. A GOOD CATCH. ONE DAY MATCHES. 1. The side which bats first and leads by 75 runs shall have the option of requiring the other side to follow their innings. 2. The match, unless played out, shall be decided by the first innings. Prior to the commencement of a match it may be agreed: that the Over consist of 5 or 6 balls.
N.B.-A Tie is included in the words "Played out."
SINGLE WICKET.
The Laws are, where they apply, the same as the above, with the following alterations and additions. 1. One Wicket shall be pitched, as in Law 6, with a Bowling Stump opposite to it at a distance of twenty-two yards. The Bowling crease shall be in a line with the bowling stump, and drawn according to Law 7. 2. When there shall be less than five players on a side, Bounds shall be placed twenty-two yards each in a line from the off and leg stump. 3. The ball must be hit before the Bounds to entitle the Striker to a run, which run cannot be obtained unless he touch the bowling stump or 8. The Striker shall be entitled to three runs for lost ball, and the same number for ball wilfully stopped by a fieldsman otherwise than with any part of his person. 9. When there shall be more than four players on a side there shall be no bounds. All Hits, Byes, Leg Byes, and Overthrows shall then be allowed. 10. There shall be no restriction as to the ball being bowled in Overs, but no more than one minute shall be allowed between each ball.
INSTRUCTIONS TO UMPIRES. [THESE Instructions are intended as an appendix to the Laws of the Game, and were first drawn up in 1892 by the Committee of the M.C.C., being added to or amended in 1902, 1906, and 1907.
FITNESS OF GROUND.
Law 43. At the commencement of a match, the Umpires may be appealed to by either side as to the fitness of the ground for play.
Should they not agree, play will not commence until they are agreed.
In case of interruption from rain, as soon as the rain has ceased, the Umpires shall, immediately, without further instruction, inspect the wicket, unaccompanied by any of the players, and decide upon its fitness. Should it prove unfit, they shall continue to inspect at intervals, until they decide that it is fit for play, when they shall call upon the players to resume the game.
The ground is unfit for play-when water stands on the surface, or when it is so wet, muddy, or slippery as to deprive the bowlers of a reasonable foothold, or the fieldsmen of the power of free movement.
The Umpires are not to be biassed by the opinions of either side, still less are they to allow themselves to be influenced by the impatience of the spectators for a resumption of the game, and are not to be induced, by the public interest in a particular match, to declare the ground fit for play, unless they would consider that ground fit under any circumstances. • Umpires are not justified in deciding the ground unfit for play merely because the grass is wet and the ball would, in consequence, be slippery.
In order to facilitate play at the earliest possible moment in wet weather the Umpires shall see that the foot holes made by the bowlers and batsmen are cleaned out, dried, and filled up with sawdust at any time during the match, although the game is not actually in progress.
FITNESS OF LIGHT FOR PLAY.
The Umpires may decide, on appeal from the Captains, should the latter disagree, that there is not sufficient light for play. Should the light improve before the time for drawing stumps, they shall, without waiting for instructions, call upon the players to resume the game.
In the event of the Captains agreeing as to the condition of the ground or light, the Umpires will, so far, be relieved of their responsibility.
LAW 47.-An Umpire is only justified in appealing to the other Umpire when he is unable to decide, owing to his having been prevented from seeing the occurrence on which the appeal is based. He is not to appeal to the other Umpire in cases on which he could give a decision, merely because he is unwilling to give that decision. If he be in any doubt, the principle laid down in Law 43, "That the existing state of things shall continue," shall be followed, and, in consequence, the decision should be in favour of the batsman.
LAW 48. The special attention of Umpires is called to this Law, which directs them to call "No Ball," unless absolutely satisfied of the fairness of the delivery. Umpires should not allow themselves to be unduly influenced by appeals from such of the field who were not in a position to form a judgment on the point appealed upon, or by tricks-such as throwing up the ball, on appealing for a catch at the wicket, without waiting for the decision.
Umpires, being the sole judges of fair or unfair play, should remember that such devices are obviously unfair, and are not in accordance with the spirit in which cricket should be played.
DECLARING-(LAW 54.) (a) If a side declare its innings during the luncheon interval, it must do so within fifteen minutes after the commencement of such interval, otherwise an extra ten minutes will be allowed for rolling. (b) If a side declare its innings closed in the morning before play commences, it must do so in sufficient time to enable the other side to choose the roller it prefers, otherwise an extra ten minutes will be allowed for rolling.
NEW BALL RULE. [CRICKET (Approved by the M.C.C. Committee, June 20th, 1907.) After 200 runs have been made with a ball the fielding side can demand a new one.
CODE OF SIGNALLING.
Boundaries shall be signalled by waving the hand from side to side.
Byes shall be signalled by raising the open hand above the head.
Leg-byes shall be signalled by raising the leg and touching it with the hand.
Wides shall be signalled by extending both arms horizontally.
No-Balls shall be signalled by extending one arm horizontally.
The decision "Out" shall be signalled by raising the index finger above the head. Umpires should wait until a signal has been answered by the scorer before allowing the game to proceed.
Besides signalling, the Umpire should "call" distinctly for the information of the players.
On giving a decision the Umpire should make sure that the batsman understands what the decision is. RULES OF COUNTY CRICKET.
The Rules now governing county cricket are as follows, Rules 6, 7, and 8 having, in order to meet the wishes of the counties, been revised by the M.C.C. Committee, in October, 1906:-Rule 1 was, on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, extended by the M.C.C. in February, 1908, the immediate cause being the fact of Tarrant playing against the England Eleven in Australia. 1. A cricketer may not play for more than one County within the calendar year; the penalty for an infringement of this rule to be disqualification for two years. A British Colony, Dependency, or State shall, for the purposes of this rule, be regarded as a County. 2. QUALIFICATION BY BIRTH.-A cricketer is always eligible to play for the county of his birth. 3. QUALIFICATION BY RESIDENCE. - A cricketer is qualified to play for any county in which he has resided for the previous 24 months and is residing but :- (a) The mere acquirement or hiring of a tenement, unless used as a bona fide home, does not constitute "residence." (b) The occupation of a tenement during the cricket season only does not constitute " residence." 4. Where a cricketer uses as residences in the course of the year, tenements in more than one county, or where he leaves the country for the winter months, and in all other cases where his qualification is in any doubt, it is obligatory on the county for which he wishes to play to prove his qualification to the satisfaction of the M.C.C. 5. A cricketer who has played for a county for five successive years is qualified to play for that county for the rest of his cricket career, or until he plays for some other county. 6. A cricketer may play for any county for which he has acquired a residential qualification, for two successive years immediately after he has ceased to reside in such county. 7. Transfers. A cricketer, already qualified for or engaged by a county, but wishing to qualify by residence for another county, must give notice in writing to the Cricket Club Committee of the CRICKET] a a former county before he commences such residence; and a County Cricket Club wishing to engage, under residential qualification, cricketer who is already qualified for, or engaged by, another County Club, must inform the Committee of the latter before commencing negotiations with the cricketer. 8. Appeal. Should any question arise, under these Rules, it shall be left to the decision of the M.C.C. Committee, which shall be final; and in the event of an infringement of Rule 7 the M.C.C.
Committee shall have special authority to fix the date when the cricketer shall become qualified by residence or even to permanently bar his so qualifying. On April 25th, 1910, the M.C.C. accepted the following recommendation :-"That any person on the Active list of the Army or Navy who has played for a county under the residential qualification for two or more seasons and is abroad on service shall retain his qualification on his return from abroad as if he had never been abroad."
Resolution approved by the MC.C. Committee, April 25th, 1910. "That the M.C.C. suggests to the executive of each county ground to adopt any covering to protect the ground against rain at any time after seven o'clock a.m. on the morning of the first day of a match. After the actual commencement of play the ground may again be protected when necessary, and shall be protected every night during the continuation of a match, but the covering shall be removed each morning, if fine, at seven o'clock. The covering must not protect a larger area than 18 ft. by 12 ft. at each end, and must not protect more than 3 ft. 6 in. in front of the popping creases.
CLASSIFICATION OF COUNTIES.
Cricketing counties shall be considered as belonging to first class or second class First-class counties are those whose matches with one another, with M.C.C. and Ground, with the Universities, with the Australians, and such other elevens as shall be adjudged "first-class matches" by the M.C.C. Committee, are used in the compilation of first-class batting and bowling averages.
Second-class counties are those not included in the first-class, and second elevens of first-class counties.
There shall be no limit to the number of firstor second-class counties. The M.C.C. Committee may bring new counties into the list, may remove existing ones from it, or do both.
THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP (FIRST CLASS).
After the close of each cricket season the Committee of the M.C.C. shall decide the county championship.
It shall be competed for by first-class counties.
No county shall be eligible unless it shall have played at least eight out and home matches with other counties, provided that if no play can take place owing to weather or other unavoidable cause such match shall be reckoned as unfinished.* One point shall be reckoned for each win; one deducted for each loss; unfinished games shall not be reckoned.
The county which during the season shall have, in finished matches, obtained the greatest proportionate number of points shall be reckoned champion county. * This number has been reduced by the M.C.C on the occasion of visits from an Australian XI.
The First-Class Counties are:- Derbyshire Essex Gloucestershire Hampshire.
Kent Lancashire Leicestershire Middlesex Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Somerset Surrey Sussex Warwickshire Worcestershire Yorkshire Derbyshire, Essex, Hampshire, Leicestershire, and Warwickshire, were admitted to the Championship Competition in 1895, Worcestershire in 1899, and Northamptonshire in 1905. recom- At a meeting of the Advisory Board on March 21, 1910, the following alteration was mended to the M.C.C., who agreed to give it a trial for the season of 1910:- "That in scoring points in the County Championship draws and losses be ignored, only matches won to count in the percentage of matches played."
THE SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP.
This Championship, promoted by the Minor Counties Association, and now officially recognised, has been frequently altered in its conditions. It is open to all counties not in the first class, and second elevens of first-class counties.
Instead of four groups the number was, in September, 1909, reduced to two, each consisting of eleven competitors, viz. :- NORTH AND EAST: Cheshire, Durham, Northumberland, Yorkshire (2nd XI.), Staffordshire, Notts (2nd XI.), Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire.
SOUTH AND WEST: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey (2nd XI.), Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall, Monmouthshire, Glamorgan, and Carmarthenshire. Each county must play home and home two-day matches, with at least four other counties in its division, and the two group winners meet in a three-days' final match.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE COUNTIES.
This body was, with the approval of the Counties, formed by the M.C.C. in 1904, to consider cases arising out of County Cricket, and consists of a representative of each First-Class County, appointed by his Committee, and three members representing and appointed by the Minor Counties Cricket Association, and at least one member of the M.C.C The Chairman to be the President of the M.C.C., or some other member of the Committee of the M.C.C. nominated by him, or, in default, by the Committee of the M.C.C., to which body all resolutions passed shall be submitted for confirmation. A meeting may be convened by five, or more, First-Class Counties; or by the Minor Counties Cricket Association and two, or more, First-Class Counties; or by the M.C.C.
Notes on the Laws. This code, even as revised, is not perfect, but the interpretation of any law and the settlement of any question for which the laws do not provide, are left to the umpires, whose ruling is (or ought to be) cheerfully accepted by both sides. A few notes, explanatory of points in the laws, follow.
Law 3. [See UMPIRES, p. 480.] In ordinary games, each side provides an umpire and scorer, but only men of strict integrity and impartiality should be allowed to stand. The umpires are "one for each end," not " each side."
Law 4. The foundation of the ball is a cube of solid cork, wrapped round with layers of cork-shavings and very fine twine; over all is a tightly-sewn skin of reddish leather. A good ball will stand a great deal of knocking about, but bad ones soon lose their shape, in which case it is customary to allow a new one to be used, even in the middle of an innings.
Law 5. In the bat there is no relation required between the length of blade and handle; the blade is generally about 22 in. long, and the handle about 14 in., the full legal size being found inconvenient even for tall men. The blade is made of carefullyseasoned and selected willow, and the handle of numerous slips of cane glued together, with various patent additions to combine elasticity with strength.
Laws 6, 7, and 8. The following diagram will best explain how to "mark out the crease" (Fig. 1).
Popping-crease of unlimited length. 66 [CRICKET now of an umpire calling-wrongly- Wide," before the ball has passed the batsman; of the batsman hitting the ball, and being caught. Is he out"? The equitable decision is that he is out: the ball was proved, by the fact that the batsman hit it, not to be " wide," whatever the umpire thought, erroneously, that it was going to be. In other words, the umpire's opinion was confuted by the batsman's action, and if the latter had hit the ball for six he would be very dissatisfied if the runs were disallowed. A batsman cannot be stumped off a "no-ball."
Law 22. A fieldsman's hand may touch the ground; a fieldsman may touch or lean against a boundary to effect a catch.
Law 23. "With ball in hand" means "with the ball in the hand of the arm that knocks off the bail." If the wicket-keeper P' o' Bowling-crease.
Bowling-crease. abc P Return crease.
Q' Ω Return crease.
The The distance between O and P, O' and P' is 4 ft. PQ and P'Q' are the "return creases," and are of unlimited length; they are at right angles to Pc and Pa. stumps are represented by a, b, and c; from a to cis 8 in., outside measurement of the wicket. Pa and Pc are 4 ft. long. The popping crease is so called because the bat is "popped over it when the batsmen are completing a run; it should be made about IO ft. long; the return crease should be about 18 in. long, as some bowlers are apt to get the hinder foot very wide. 66 دو دو Law II. The umpire should call "No ball" directly the ball, wrongly delivered, has left the bowler's hand. [See Law 48A.] A bowler may bowl with both feet behind the bowling crease so long as one foot is within the return crease. A bowler knocking down the wicket in delivering the ball does not create a No-ball.
Law 12. The umpire must call the wide"; some men only signal to the scorers with the hand [see p. 481], thereby confusing the batsmen. [See Law 48A.] Law 16. The case has occurred before ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA AT THE OVAL, 1909. MR. C. B. FRY RUN OUT. 66 - -or bowler, in the case of a run out "takes the ball in his right hand, and knocks down the wicket with his left hand or arm, or vice versa, the batsman is "not out." To remove one bail is sufficient.
Law 24. It is quite possible for a batsman to be out "leg before" to a bowler bowling round the wicket. The stoppage must not be with the hand; the ball must pitch in the space within parallel lines drawn from wicket to wicket, and would have hit the wicket.
Law 27. "Wilfully strike" is interpreted to mean "strike with the intention of running," and hence if a batsman, having struck the ball a second time, with whatever motive, starts to run, it is usually assumed that he struck the ball "wilfully" a second time, and he is given out. He might, too, be caught under Law 22.
CRICKET] Law 30. The point of the rule is the word wilfully"; the umpire alone can decide from the batsman's behaviour whether the obstruction was wilful, or accidental, or a legal effort to save his wicket, as provided by Law 27.
Law 33. A ball ceases to be dead when the bowler prepares to deliver a ball; nor is it "dead" through striking an umpire.
Single Wicket. - This form of the game, at one time very popular and often played for large stakes, has now practically disappeared. It need only be remarked that if five men, or more, play against less than five antagonists, the numerically weaker side has all the privileges conferred by Law 9, while the other party is bound by the special restrictions of Laws 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.
Rules of County Cricket. These rules, together with the "Classification of Counties," and the regulations for "The County Championship," are subject to alteration from time to time, as necessity arises, especially with regard to the calculation of points. The system as printed has been in use since the year 1896, but a new method of scoring points has been tried this season (1910), the old system not being entirely satisfactory.
How a Match is Played.-Having discussed and commented on the rules, the next point is their practical application to the game, as played by experienced cricketers, and the most convenient method will be to describe, as briefly as possible, the ordinary procedure. When both sides have mustered on the ground, each will be under the charge of a captain, who will manage the side, arrange the order in which his batsmen are to go in, and the place each man is to occupy in the field. The captains must also arrange at what time lunch is to be taken, and at what time " stumps are drawn," i.e., at what time play stops for the day. If the match-inclosure is restricted by the presence of a ring of spectators or is limited in size, hits to the ring or to the boundary might not get their full value, and hence a nominal value is assigned to them by arrangement between the umpires [see Law 44], this value being accredited to the batsman if he hits the ball to the boundary, or to the score if the ball travels there in the way of "byes," "leg byes," " wides," or 66 no balls," under Laws 16 and 17. It is the business of the umpire at the bowler's end to decide whether the ball has actually reached the boundary. The usual allowance for such strokes is four runs, but if the ball is hit clean out of the ground, or in some cases pitches outside the ring of spectators, six runs are awarded, and this is now ordered by the M.C.C. on the motion of Kent County C.C. Three runs should never be recognised for a boundary hit, for the following reason: it may happen that towards the close of a game, when time is precious, a good batsman may be partnered by a bad one; the bowler will naturally be anxious to bowl to the inferior player, and if he finds the superior player opposed to him, he can deliberately sacrifice three runs by sending a ball to the boundary, and as after a hit or bye for an odd number of runs the batsmen "change ends "-this will be explained hereafter-the inferior player will have to [Photo. by G. W. Beldam.
DR. W. G. GRACE. receive the next ball bowled. This is also the reason why the batsmen do not change ends after a "wide" or "no ball" has been delivered.
The boundaries and the times for stopping having been arranged, the captains then but not before-toss for the choice of innings, the successful captain having the privilege of taking the first innings for his side, or of ordering the others to bat first.
As a rule, it is wise to go in first [see p. 478]. The other side-the "fielding" side-then goes out to the ground; its captain appoints two men to bowl alternately from either end, and directs the others to take their proper places in the field, the umpires having preceded them to the ground. When all is ready, the two selected batsmen go to the wickets, having settled between themselves which is to receive the first ball. And here a digression is necessary to explain the positions of the fieldsmen: their individual duties are explained later on, but it may be premised for the information of those who are not acquainted with the game, but who wish to become initiated into its mysteries, that the bowler is armed with the ball, and that his business is to try to get the batsman out in one of the various ways for which provision is made by the rules (Laws 21-30); that the fieldsmen endeavour to give him their best support, and that the batsmen, each in his turn, try with the aid of the bat to baffle their assaults, and increase their side's total. The a [CRICKET side) with a view to getting him out. With this preface a couple of diagrams are here submitted, giving the usual positions of the fieldsmen, first for a fast bowler, and secondly for a slow bowler, it being assumed in each case that the batsman plays a free and sound game, hitting bad balls severely and playing the good ones with a fair amount of freedom. It may also be premised that to hit a ball from eighty to ninety yards before it reaches the ground is a good free stroke, but not at all beyond the power of an average hitter. In Fig. 2, then, the ground is supposed to be fast and in good order; the bowling is fast too, but not ab- Third man 3rd slip 2nd 1st slip slip • Cover point Long leg Wicket keeper Batsman Umpire Point Mid on Batsman Mid off Bowler Umpire duties of the umpires and scorers are explained on pp. 480 and 481. [Photo. by G. W. Beldam."
DR. W. G. GRACE, normally so; the batsman is supposed to be a free, clean hitter, but not of a phenomenal type; the fieldsmen are all supposed to be first-class. The side of the wicket on which the batsman stands is known as the 66 on- or leg-side"; the other as the "offside." One umpire will be observed standing near the wicket at the bowler's end, the other in a line with the "popping crease," and about eighteen yards from it at the other end.
It is impossible to lay down any final statement as to the positions taken up by the different fieldsmen, many circumstances combining to influence the judgment of the captain and bowler-who should always work in concert on this point-as to the best arrangement of their forces; the most important of these circumstances are the pace of the bowling; the condition of the ground, whether fast or slow; the ability of the fieldsmen, and the character, known or to be discovered, of the striker, who may be a consistent hard-hitter, an occasional hardhitter-perhaps in a particular direction only-or a quiet and steady batsman.ceeded to their respective wickets. Bats- Nothing except experience can guide the authorities on this point, but it is the duty of captain and bowler to watch the style of every new batsman as he comes in, to see whether any special alterations should be made in the field (i.e., in the fielding After this long, but most necessary digression, we pick up the thread of our story from the point at which the fieldsmen and umpires were imagined to be ready in their places, and the batsmen, having settled which was to receive the first ball, had proman A, on going to his wicket, begins by asking the umpire at the other end to give him "Guard"; in other words, he holds up his bat in front of his wicket, the face towards the umpire, to ascertain whether his bat, as he holds it, is protecting CRICKET] 66 his wicket from the bowler's attack. As the bowler may be either right-handed or left-handed, and may elect to bowl from either side of the wicket, this "guard" is somewhat important, for the batsman may be "out" (under Law 24) if he prevent with his leg the passage of the ball to the wicket, and the position of his bat, relative to the position of the bowler, will help him to stand so as to keep his legs clear. The three stumps are known as the leg," "middle," and "off" stumps; the one nearest to the batsman being the "legstump." The umpire, placing himself as nearly as possible where the bowler's arm will probably come, or in such a place as the fancy of the batsman may suggest, looks at the bat, held upright about a foot behind the popping crease, and informs the batsman what stump or stumps are hidden from view by the bat; the batsman, when he has found the desired place, either makes a scratch with a bail or his spikes, or hammers a small hole in the ground with the point of the bat, and the ceremony is complete.
The batsman now knows what position he occupies relative to the bowler's arm; the umpire looks to see if every one is ready, calls Play!" and the game begins in earnest. If the batsman hits the ball past one of the fieldsmen, and he and his partner run across from wicket to wicket, each getting inside the popping crease without being run out" (Law 28), one run is scored; if the process can be repeated, two runs, and so on. It may be observed that if an odd number of runs is made for a hit, batsman B will have to receive the next ball.
When six balls have been delivered the umpire calls "Over!" A fresh bowler is deputed to bowl this time from the other end-and the fieldsmen take up fresh places, but bearing the same relation to the position of the striker as before; but as we will suppose that the second bowler is a slow bowler, the position of the fieldsmen must be to some extent altered, somewhat as shown in Fig. 3. 66 66 Having dealt with the generalities of the game, the time has arrived to discuss its several points in detail the batting, bowling, and fielding, and the best and recognised methods for acquiring proficiency in them; but first it must be premised that a first-class cricketer, or he who would be a first-class cricketer, must not devote his attention to one of these three sciences to the exclusion of the other two. The bowler, if anyone, is allowed to specialise, but even the best bowler's value is largely discounted if he is unable to catch and field.
In first-class cricket, as played nowadays, CENTRAL LIBRAR PRILITON, 3.W. “all-round mediocrity," is not valued very highly, but a man who is a first-class bowler and fieldsman, or a first-class batsman and fieldsman, will always find a place in a firstclass side, and, to become either of these, careful, patient, and whole-hearted practice is the only royal road. There are no "short cuts" to good cricket, though on a few fortunate individuals the science of the game seems to have descended like a revelation; their probation has been comparatively short, and their ultimate success unbounded.
These, however, are the "lucky millionaires" of the game; the ordinary mortal can only win his way forward by determination, patience, and practice. With this short preface, to which, short as it is, too much attention cannot be paid, the discussion of Third man Cover point Deep extra cover Short Slip.
Point • Wicket keeper M Batsman Umpire • Square leg Mid on Mid oft Batsman Bowler Umpire Deep mid off the best methods of attaining comparative perfection-absolute perfection is impossible-may now logically follow, and the first paragraph shall, as is usual in works on cricket, be devoted to the batsman, for batting possesses a fascination of its own, which appeals with especial vehemence to ninety-nine out of every hundred cricketers. 66 The Batsman. - First of all, a word of advice on the indispensable outfit of a batsman: Never, under any conditions, go in to bat without pads or gloves; the slowest and easiest ball may hit one on the knuckle and carry away a piece of skin, or may glance off the bat on to shin or ankle." Yet there is one exception in first-class cricket, for Captain H. S. Bush, of Surrey, scorns the HH a use of a glove against the fastest bowling.
A word may be useful as to the selection of a bat, but every batsman must find out what kind of bat suits him best, and choose accordingly. The weight varies from 2 lb. to 2 lb. 10 oz., but only man of special strength can use the latter weight, and the former is exceedingly light, so that the average weight varies from about 2 lb. 3 oz. to 2 lb. 6 oz., and it is worth while remembering that, as a bat should be rubbed fairly frequently with unboiled linseed-oil to keep it from getting dry, it always increases in weight. Weight, however, is hardly so important as balance, a well-balanced bat, though heavy, being far more easy to wield than a light, but ill-balanced weapon. All the makers of the present day turn out excellent bats, of well-seasoned willow, so that a good bat is easily procured, of a clean straight grain, free from knots and blemishes. Every man must find out the kind of handle that suits him best; indeed, the patent handles are innumerable, but the larger the handle the greater is the leverage, and, consequently, the greater the ease in handling the bat. If on grasping the ping handle with the right hand, the end of the middle finger reaches the ball of the thumb, and does not overlap it, the handle will be of the right size; but on this point, as in the matter of weight, every man has his idiosyncrasy. The bottom of the bat should not be too thin, as when a ball is struck with the end of such a bat, the fingers are apt to be unpleasantly jarred; nor should the handle be too stiff. As a firm grip of the handle is essential, an indiarubber casing is useful if the palm of the hand perspires. One further word of advice is necessary-choose a bat which is too light, rather than one which is too heavy.
Everything depends upon quickness, and while it is easy to move a light bat slowly, it is impossible to move a heavy bat (i.e., a bat too heavy for one's strength) quickly.
It is no bad practice to go through the motions of the various strokes in one's own room, a sort of drill routine, in which hand, leg, and eye take part.
Practice should always be carried out as far as possible under match conditions; the popping crease should be marked, and the batsman should be careful to take "guard" at the distance from the wicket which he finds most suitable to his style. As a rule the mark should be made about 3 ft., a bat's length, from the wicket; some men like to take it nearer to the crease, but the distance mentioned is long enough to obviate any danger of hitting the wicket, while the nearer one gets to the crease the greater is [CRICKET the danger of shifting the foot over it, and so running a risk of being stumped. But what one's custom is in a match, that must it be in practice.
Position. A correct position is very important, even though some men who are really fine batsmen adopt a very unorthodox pose. It must be firm, yet easy. The following instructions may help the beginner. Take "middle-and-leg" guard [see GLOS- SARY] about twelve inches behind the popping crease. Set the bat lightly on the mark where the "block" is, the face towards the bowler. Place the toe of the right foot so as just not to touch the inner edge of the bat, and parallel to the crease; the foot will then be just clear of the wicket.
Set the left leg about fifteen inches in front of the right, the toe pointing slightly towards the bowler, the two heels being in a line at right angles to the crease. The weight of the body should rest entirely on the right leg, not on the bat or the left foot; indeed, only the left toe need touch the ground, and that lightly. The right knee should be straight-this is most important - and the right leg as rigid as a bar of iron. The left shoulder should be brought well across the body in the direction of the bowler. The correctness of the attitude may be tested by lifting the bat and the left leg off the ground together; if the batsman can stand still without swaying, his CRICKET] balance is correct. The body must naturally bend over the bat, but from the waist, and not the knees, and none of its weight must rest upon the bat. On the immobility of the right foot and the freedom with which the left moves, the batsman's success largely depends.
Even so simple a thing as holding the bat can be done in a wrong way. Grip the handle of the bat with the right hand about the middle; the grasp must be as tight as possible, and must never be relaxed. All four fingers must clutch the bat, the thumb [Photo. by G. W. Beldam.
MR. V. TRUMPER. FINISH OF DRIVE, resting just below them, the knuckles of the clenched fist being towards the bowler. The grip of the left hand must not be too tight; the knuckles are towards the batsman and the back of the hand towards the bowler, while the end of the handle rests in the palm, against the ball of the thumb, the handle being practically a prolongation of the left arm. Both the grip of the bat and the pose of the batsman should be carefully noted and practised in private, the bat being swung about in the direction of an imaginary ball. The various strokes mentioned hereafter may also be tried when the wrist and arm are familiar with the feeling of the bat, and it will soon be found that the right hand is the executive hand, and gives force to the stroke, while the left guides the bat, and may be called the "directive" hand, the importance of which will be seen in the next paragraph. "How beautifully straight his bat is!" “ is a remark often made about a good batsman. As a matter of fact "upright" would a more correct term that "straight"; but straight" is the almost invariable epithet, and this "straight bat" is the first thing to be mastered by the novice, as it is the primary essential for sound cricket, offensive and defensive. Only batsmen of special natural advantages can afford to play with a horizontal bat, and even they often lose their wickets in consequence.
The bat, then, except for certain strokes which will be described, must be kept absolutely perpendicular, and it will be found by practice that the left hand is called upon to do this part of the work and to correct the vigour of the right hand. More will be said on this subject when "back-play" and "forward-play" are being dealt with, but for the present, attention may be called to Fig. 4, in which the batsman is standing in position ready to receive the ball. No criticism of his pose is necessary, except that his weight appears to be equally distributed on either leg, whereas the left should bear none of it. If a left-handed bowler is bowling round the wicket, the left foot may be brought further across the wicket, and the left shoulder may follow it. The shoulder should always be over the foot.
Tabulating these remarks for convenience of reference, we may lay down the following rules :- I. Grip firmly with the right hand, less firmly with the left.
II. The right toe should be just clear of the wicket.
III. All the weight of the body should be on the right foot, none on the left foot or bat.
IV. Both knees should be kept straight.
V. The left shoulder should be brought well across the wicket.
VI. The bat must be kept perfectly upright for nearly all balls, always for those which are straight or nearly straight.
No spare moments will be wasted that are spent in lunging about with the bat, hitting at imaginary balls, straight and crooked; by this means the wrists will become supple and will learn to work together, a most important point. Two things, however, will be noticed-or should be noticed-first, that it is not easy to keep the bat upright even when the imaginary ball is straight; second, that the point of the bat naturally flies up, so that the ball, if struck, would be hit into the air, and the batsman run a risk of being caught out. With regard to the first point, the question of balancing the body on the right leg is all-important, as the left leg is then free to move in any HH2 direction, and it will be found that by advancing it in the direction of the supposed ball, the body going with it, the bat can be kept perfectly straight, and will meet the ball flush with its face. Further, by transferring the whole weight of the body from the right to the left leg at the moment when the ball and bat meet, the bat will receive a considerable share of that weight and impart it to the ball, the result being a much more vigorous stroke. But it must be especially remembered that under no circumstances (except as detailed on pp. 454 and 455) must the right toe be allowed to leave the ground; as, if the toe is in the air, however little above the turf, the batsman is out of his ground, provided no other part of his body, or his bat, is properly grounded. By shifting the left foot, as described, it will be found that not only can the bat be kept "straight" for balls a foot or more outside the off-stump, but also that additional power can be put into the stroke.
To deal with the second point. It is difficult at first to reach far forward without raising the point of the bat and hitting the ball into the air. Some men, when playing forward, avoid this by turning the left wrist outwards as they lunge forwards, and bringing the back of that hand against the wrist of the right hand. The movement is very simple, and soon becomes mechanical, but more will be said of this under "Forward-Play" (p. 453). The second and greatest aid towards "keeping the ball down," i.e., preventing it from going in the air, is to thrust the left shoulder towards the direction of the ball as the left foot goes out, almost pointing the shoulder at the ball itself. This is not very easily described, but any good cricketer can make the matter clear, practically, in a moment, and even the novice may teach himself by following the instructions given.
Thus far it has been assumed that practice has taken the form of a sort of drill; now we may pass on to the moment of encounter, describing and explaining the various recognised strokes and the methods of making them. It may be premised that the bat should in all cases strike the ball and not be struck by it, and that the ball should be met, if possible, with the lower part of the blade, as thereby the "driving," i.e., the propelling, power of the bat is utilised to the best advantage. As it will be necessary to use several technical terms connected with bowling, it will be convenient to explain them here, reminding the reader that the "off-side" is on the opposite side to that on which the batsman stands at the wicket, usually on the left of the to 66 وو ،، [CRICKET bowler, and the on-side," or "leg-side," therefore as a rule on the bowler's right.
When (in the case of a right-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman) the ball breaks (i.e (i.e., twists) from the off-side towards the wicket, it is said to "break back," when from the leg-side, to "break from leg." A " full pitch" is a ball which the bat meets before it touches the ground.
A "yorker" (or "tice") pitches on, or within six inches of, the popping crease; a "half volley" from one to two yards in front of it; a "length-ball" from one to two yards further back still; and a "longhop" pitches yet nearer the bowler. In the case of an exceptionally tall batsman with a long reach, a ball is a half-volley even if it drops somewhat shorter than the distance given, and this is one of the advantages which height bestows. Each different class of ball, it will be observed, has a fairly large range, depending on the reach of the batsman. More accurate definition is impossible, especially as a ball may be a halfvolley on a fast wicket, which is a good length-ball on a slow one. Experience will be the batsman's best instructor on these points, and he should also study the article on Bowling." 66 Most strokes are in the main either defensive or offensive, though many combine both qualities. It is clearly the batsman's first object to prevent the bowler from getting him out, but there is no better way of doing this than by hitting the ball to the furthest possible distance. But as there are certain balls, which from their "length" (i.e., the distance at which they pitch from the batsman) it is difficult, or impossible, to hit away, and as defence is paramount, they shall be dealt with from this point of view first. There are two classes of strokes, known as forward-play and back-play, the original object of which is to stop the ball from hitting the wicket. Many fine cricketers hold that back-play is the foundation of good defence; others are equally vehement in their support of forward-play.
The temperament and physique of the individual alone can decide which he will, as a rule, adopt; but the taller the man is, the better is he adapted for forward-play, as his reach gives him an immense advantage over a shorter player.
Back-Play. Fig. 5 gives an excellent illustration of the position for back-play.
The ball has pitched rather short of a "good length," just outside the off-stump; the batsman has met it correctly, by drawing back his right foot, which his left foot follows, and by keeping a perfectly upright bat for the ball to encounter. The errors of the position are (1) that the bat does not appear CRICKET] to be quite straight, and (2) that if the left foot were more in front of the right, the batsman would run less risk of being "cut over" (i.e., hit in the groin) if the [Photo. by G. W. Beldam. ball broke back suddenly. It may be observed that this is one of the cases in which the right foot is moved, but it must be specially noted that it is still kept behind the popping crease. The illustration shows what may be called quiescent back-play, the pitch and rise of the ball not allowing the batsman to try to score off it, but a taller and more commanding man would have waited till he felt the ball touch the bat, and would then, by an instantaneousalmost electrical-movement of his wrists, have forced the ball away in front of him to some distance, instead of merely allowing it to drop against the bat, as in the plate. The position of the left elbow, cocked up in the air so as to keep the bat upright, should be noted; some batsmen exaggerate this position in their determination to play straight, and raise the elbow till it almost conceals the face; this, if a fault, is a fault on the right side.