You are on page 1of 112

The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Cricket Field, by James Pycroft

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.

Title: The Cricket Field


Or, the History and Science of the Game of Cricket
Author: James Pycroft

Release Date: May 7, 2016 [eBook #52022]


Language: English
Character set encoding: UTF-8
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRICKET FIELD***
E-text prepared by MWS and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by
Internet Archive (https://archive.org)

Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this


file which includes the original illustrations.
See 52022-h.htm or 52022-h.zip:
(http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52022/52022-h/52022-h.htm)
or
(http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52022/52022-h.zip)
Images of the original pages are available through
Internet Archive. See
https://archive.org/details/cricketfieldorhi00pycr

[Illustration: H. Adlard sc.


THE BOWLER.
_William Clarke. The Slow Bowler & Secy to the All England Eleven._
London. Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans.]

THE CRICKET FIELD:


Or,
The History and the Science of the Game of Cricket.
by
The Author of The Principles of Scientific Batting,
Recollections of College Days,
etc. etc.
Gaudet aprici gramine campi.
Pila velox,
Molliter austerum studio fallente laborem.--HOR.
Second Edition.

London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans 1854.

Twas in the prime of summer time,


An evening calm and cool,
And five and twenty happy boys
Came bounding out of school.
Away they sped with gamesome minds
And souls untouched with sin;
To a level mead they came, and there
They drove the wickets in.
HOOD.
LONDON: A. and G. A. SPOTTISWOODE, New-street-Square.
DEDICATED TO J. A. B. MARSHALL, ESQ., AND THE MEMBERS OF THE
LANSDOWN CRICKET CLUB, BY ONE OF THEIR OLDEST MEMBERS AND
SINCERE FRIEND, THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.


This Edition is greatly improved by various additions and corrections,
for which we gratefully acknowledge our obligations to the Rev. R. T.
King and Mr. A. Haygarth, as also once more to Mr. A. Bass and Mr.

Whateley of Burton. For our practical instructions on Bowling, Batting,


and Fielding, the first players of the day have been consulted, each on
the point in which he respectively excelled. More discoveries have also
been made illustrative of the origin and early history of Cricket; and
we trust nothing is wanting to maintain the high character now accorded
to the Cricket Field, as the Standard Authority on every part of our
National Game.
J. P.
_May, 18. 1854._

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.


The following pages are devoted to the history and the science of our
National Game. Isaac Walton has added a charm to the Rod and Line;
Col. Hawker to the Dog and the Gun; and Nimrod and Harry Hieover to
the Hunting Field: but, the Cricket Field is to this day untrodden
ground. We have been long expecting to hear of some chronicler aided
and abetted by the noblemen and gentlemen of the Marylebone Club,--one
who should combine, with all the resources of a ready writer,
traditionary lore and practical experience. But, time is fast thinning
the ranks of the veterans. Lord Frederick Beauclerk and the once
celebrated player, the Hon. Henry Tufton, afterwards Earl of Thanet,
have passed away; and probably Sparkes, of the Edinburgh Ground, and
Mr. John Goldham, hereinafter mentioned, are the only surviving
players who have witnessed both the formation and the jubilee of the
Marylebone Club--following, as it has, the fortunes of the Pavilion and
of the enterprising Thomas Lord, literally through three removes and
one fire, from White Conduit Fields to the present Lords.
How, then, it will be asked, do _we_ presume to save from oblivion the
records of Cricket?
As regards the Antiquities of the game, our history is the result of
patient researches in old English literature. As regards its changes
and chances and the players of olden time, it fortunately happens
that, some fifteen years ago, we furnished ourselves with old Nyrens
account of the Cricketers of his time and the Hambledon Club, and,
using Bentleys Book of Matches from 1786 to 1825 to suggest questions
and test the truth of answers, we passed many an interesting hour
in Hampshire and Surrey, by the peat fires of those villages which
reared the Walkers, David Harris, Beldham, Wells, and some others of
the All England players of fifty years since. Bennett, Harry Hampton,
Beldham, and Sparkes, who first taught us to play,--all men of the
last century,--have at various times contributed to our earlier
annals; while Thomas Beagley, for some days our landlord, the late Mr.
Ward, and especially Mr. E. H. Budd, often our antagonist in Lansdown
matches, have respectively assisted in the first twenty years of the
present century.
But, distinct mention must we make of one most important Chronicler,
whose recollections were coextensive with the whole history of the
game in its matured and perfect form--WILLIAM FENNEX. And here we
must thank our kind friend the Rev. John Mitford, of Benhall, for his
memoranda of many a winters evening with that fine old player,--papers

especially valuable because Fennexs impressions were so distinct, and


his observation so correct, that, added to his practical illustrations
with bat and ball, no other man could enable us so truthfully to
compare ancient with modern times. Old Fennex, in his declining years,
was hospitably appointed by Mr. Mitford to a sinecure office, created
expressly in his honour, in the beautiful gardens of Benhall; and
Pilch, and Box, and Bayley, and all his old acquaintance, will not be
surprised to hear that the old man would carefully water and roll his
little cricket-ground on summer mornings, and on wet and wintry days
would sit in the chimney-corner, dealing over and over again by the
hour, to an imaginary partner, a very dark and dingy pack of cards,
and would then sally forth to teach a long remembered lesson to some
hob-nailed frequenter of the village ale-house.
So much for the History: but why should we venture on the Science of
the game?
Many may be excellently qualified, and have a fund of anecdote and
illustration, still not one of the many will venture on a book.
Hundreds play without knowing principles; many know what they cannot
explain; and some could explain, but fear the certain labour and cost,
with the most uncertain return, of authorship. For our own part, we
have felt our way. The wide circulation of our Recollections of
College Days and Course of English Reading promises a patient
hearing on subjects within our proper sphere; and that in this sphere
lies Cricket, we may without vanity presume to assert. For in August
last, at Mr. Darks Repository at Lords, our little treatise on the
Principles of Scientific Batting (Slatter: Oxford, 1835) was singled
out as the book which contained as much on Cricket as all that had
ever been written, and more besides. That same day did we proceed to
arrange with Messrs. Longman, naturally desirous to lead a second
advance movement, as we led the first, and to break the spell which, we
had thus been assured, had for fifteen years chained down the invention
of literary cricketers at the identical point where we left off; for,
not a single rule or principle has yet been published in advance of
our own; though more than one author has been kind enough to adopt
(thinking, no doubt, the parents were dead) our ideas, and language too!
Shall we ever make new books, asks Tristram Shandy, as apothecaries
make new mixtures, by pouring only out of one vessel into another? No.
But so common is the failing, that actually even this illustration of
plagiarism Sterne stole from Burton!
Like solitary travellers from unknown lands, we are naturally desirous
to offer some confirmation of statements, depending otherwise too
much on our literary honour. We, happily, have received the following
from--we believe the oldest player of the day who can be pronounced a
good player still--Mr. E. H. Budd:-I return the proof-sheets of the History of my Contemporaries, and
can truly say that they do indeed remind me of old times. I find one
thing only to correct, which I hope you will be in time to alter, for
your accuracy will then, to the best of my belief, be wholly without
exception:--write _twenty_ guineas, and not _twenty-five_, as the sum
offered, by old Thomas Lord, if any one should hit out of his ground
where now is Dorset Square.
You invite me to note further particulars for your second edition: the
only omission I can at present detect is this,--the name of Lord George
Kerr, son of the Marquis of Lothian, should be added to your list of

the Patrons of the Old Surrey Players; for, his lordship lived in the
midst of them at Farnham; and, I have often heard Beldham say, used to
provide bread and cheese and beer for as many as would come out and
practise on a summers evening: this is too _substantial_ a supporter
of the Noble Game to be forgotten.
We must not conclude without grateful acknowledgments to some
distinguished amateurs representing the science both of the northern
and the southern counties, who have kindly allowed us to compare notes
on various points of play. In all of our instructions in Batting, we
have greatly benefited by the assistance, in the first instance, of
Mr. A. Bass of Burton, and his friend Mr. Whateley, a gentleman who
truly understands Philosophy in Sport. Then, the Hon. Robert Grimston
judiciously suggested some modification of our plan. We agreed with
him that, for a popular work, and one for play hours, the lighter
parts should prevail over the heavier; for, with most persons, a little
science goes a long way, and our winged words, if made too weighty,
might not fly far; seeing, as said Thucydides[1], men do find it such
a bore to learn any thing that gives them trouble. For these reasons
we drew more largely on our funds of anecdote and illustration, which
had been greatly enriched by the contributions of a highly valued
correspondent--Mr. E. S. E. Hartopp. When thus the science of batting
had been reduced to its fair proportions, it was happily undertaken by
the Hon. Frederick Ponsonby, not only through kindness to ourselves
personally, but also, we feel assured, because he takes a pleasure in
protecting the interests of the rising generation. By his advice, we
became more distinct in our explanations, and particularly careful of
venturing on such refinements of science as, though sound in theory,
may possibly produce errors in practice.
_Tant molis erat CRICETANUM condere CAMPUM._
For our artist we have one word to say: not indeed for the engravings
in our frontispiece,--these having received unqualified approbation;
but, we allude to the illustrations of attitudes. In vain did our
artist assure us that a foreshortened position would defy every attempt
at ease, energy, or elegance; we felt bound to insist on sacrificing
the effect of the picture to its utility as an illustration. Our
principal design is to show the position of the feet and bat with
regard to the wicket, and how every hit, with one exception, the Cut,
is made by no other change of attitude than results from the movement
of the left foot alone.
J. P.
_Barnstaple,
April 15th, 1851._
[1] B. i. c. 20.

CONTENTS.
Page
CHAP. I.
Origin of the Game of Cricket

CHAP. II.
The general Character of Cricket

16

CHAP. III.
The Hambledon Club and the Old Players

40

CHAP. IV.
Cricket generally established as a National Game
by the End of the last Century

56

CHAP. V.
The First Twenty Years of the present Century

82

CHAP. VI.
A dark Chapter in the History of Cricket

99

CHAP. VII.
The Science and Art of Batting

110

CHAP. VIII.
Hints against Slow Bowling

176

CHAP. IX.
Bowling.--An Hour with Old Clarke

187

CHAP. X.
Hints on Fielding

204

CHAP. XI.
Chapter of Accidents.--Miscellaneous

234

[Illustration: H. Adlard sc.


THE BATSMAN.
_Fuller Pilch._
London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans.]

THE CRICKET FIELD.

CHAPTER I.
ORIGIN OF THE GAME OF CRICKET.
The Game of Cricket, in some rude form, is undoubtedly as old as the
thirteenth century. But whether at that early date Cricket was the name
it generally bore is quite another question. For Club-Ball we believe
to be the name which usually stood for Cricket in the thirteenth
century; though, at the same time, we have some curious evidence that

the term Cricket at that early period was also known. But the identity
of the game with that now in use is the chief point; the name is of
secondary consideration. Games commonly change their names, as every
school-boy knows, and bear different appellations in different places.
Nevertheless, all previous writers acquiescing quietly in the opinion
of Strutt, expressed in his Sports and Pastimes, not only forget
that Cricket may be older than its name, but erroneously suppose
that the name of Cricket occurs in no author in the English language
of an earlier date than Thomas DUrfey, who, in his Pills to purge
Melancholy, writes thus:-Herr was the prettiest fellow
At foot-ball and at _Cricket_;
At hunting chase or nimble race
_How featly_ Herr could prick it.
The words How featly Strutt properly writes in place of a revolting
old-fashioned oath in the original.
Strutt, therefore, in these lines quotes the word Cricket as first
occurring in 1710.
About the same date Pope wrote,-The Judge to dance his brother Sergeants call,
The Senators at _Cricket_ urge the ball.
And Duncome, curious to observe, laying the scene of a match near
Canterbury, wrote,-An ill-timed _Cricket Match_ there did
At Bishops-bourne befal.
Soame Jenyns, also, early in the same century, wrote in lines that
showed that cricket was very much of a sporting amusement:-England, when once of peace and wealth possessed,
Began to think frugality a jest;
So grew polite: hence all her well-bred heirs
Gamesters and jockeys turned, and _cricket_-players.
Ep. I. b. ii., _init._
However, we are happy to say that even among comparatively modern
authors we have beaten Strutt in his researches by twenty-five years;
for Edward Phillips, John Miltons nephew, in his Mysteries of Love
and Eloquence (8vo. 1685), writes thus:-Will you not, when you have me, throw stocks at my head and
cry, Would my eyes had been beaten out of my head with a
_cricket-ball_ the day before I saw thee?
We shall presently show the word Cricket, in Richelet, as early as the
year 1680.
A late author has very sensibly remarked that Cricket could not have
been popular in the days of Elizabeth, or we should expect to find
allusions to that game, as to tennis, foot-ball, and other sports, in
the early poets; but Shakspeare and the dramatists who followed, he

observes, are silent on the subject.


As to the silence of the early poets and dramatists on the game of
cricket--and no one conversant with English literature would expect
to find it except in some casual allusion or illustration in an old
play--this silence we can confirm on the best authority. What if we
presumed to advance that the early dramatists, one and all, ignore
the very name of cricket. How bold a negative! So rare are certain old
plays that a hundred pounds have been paid by the Duke of Devonshire
for a single copy of a few loose and soiled leaves; and shall we
pretend to have dived among such hidden stores? We are so fortunate as
to be favoured with the assistance of the Rev. John Mitford and our
loving cousin John Payne Collier, two English scholars, most deeply
versed in early literature, and no bad judges of cricket; and since
these two scholars have never met with any mention of cricket in the
early dramatists, nor in any author earlier than 1685, there is,
indeed, much reason to believe that Cricket is a word that does not
occur in any English author before the year 1685.
But though it occurs not in any English author, is it found in no rare
manuscript yet unpublished? We shall see.
Now as regards the silence of the early poets, a game like cricket
might certainly exist without falling in with the allusions or topics
of poetical writers. Still, if we actually find distinct catalogues and
enumerations of English games before the date of 1685, and Cricket is
omitted, the suspicion that Cricket was not then the popular name of
one of the many games of ball (not that the game itself was positively
unknown) is strongly confirmed.
Six such catalogues are preserved; one in the Anatomy of Melancholy,
a second in a well-known treatise of James I., and a third in the
Cotswold Games, with three others.
I. For the first catalogue, Strutt reminds us of the set of rules from
the hand of James I. for the nurture and conduct of an heir-apparent
to the throne, addressed to his eldest son, Henry Prince of Wales,
called the , or a inges Christian Dutie towards God.
Herein the king forbids gaming and rough play: s to diceing,  think
it becometh best deboshed souldiers to play on the heads of their
drums. s to the foote-ball, it is meeter for laming, than making able,
the users thereof. ut a special commendation is given to certain
games of ball; playing at the catch or tennis, palle-malle, and _such
like other_ fair and pleasant _field-games_. Certainly cricket may
have been included under the last general expression, though by no
means a fashionable game in Jamess reign.

. For the second catalogue of games, urton in his natomy of


Melancholy, the only book, said Dr. Johnson, that ever took me out
of bed two hours sooner than  wished to rise,--gives a view of the
sports most prevalent in the seventeenth century. Here we have a very
full enumeration: it specifies the pastimes of great men, and those
of base inferior persons; it mentions the rocks on which men lose
themselves by gambling; how wealth runs away with their hounds, and
their fortunes fly away with their hawks. Then follow the sights and
shows of the ondoners, and the May-games and recreations of the
country-folk. More minutely still, urton speaks of rope dancers,
cockfights, and other sports common both to town and country; still,
though urton is so exact as to specify all winter recreations
separately, and mentions even foot-balls and ballowns, saying et

the common people play at ball and barley-brakes, there is in all this
catalogue no mention whatever of Cricket.

. s a third catalogue, we have the Cotswold Games, but cricket is


not among them. This was an annual celebration which one Captain Dover,
by express permission and command of James ., held on the Cotswold
Hills, in Gloucestershire.
V. Fourthly: cricket is not mentioned in The compleat Gamester,
published by Charles rowne, in 1709.
V.  have many editions of Chamberlaynes tate of England, kindly
writes Mr. T. . Macaulay, published between 1670 and 1700, and 
observe he never mentions cricket among the national games, of which he
gives a long list.
V. The great John ocke wrote in 1679, The sports of England for
a curious stranger to see, are horse-racing, hawking, hunting, and
owling: at Marebone and Putney he may see several persons of quality
bowling two or three times a week: also, wrestling in incolns nn
Fields every evening; bear and bull-baiting at the bear garden;
shooting with the long bow, and stob-ball, in Tothill Fields; and
cudgel playing in the country, and hurling in Cornwall. Here again we
have no Cricket. tob-ball is a different game.

evertheless we have a catalogue of games of about 1700, in tows


urvey of ondon, and there Cricket is mentioned; but, remarkably
enough, it is particularised as one of the amusements of the lower
classes. The whole passage is curious:-The modern sports of the citizens, _besides drinking_(!), are
cock-fighting, bowling upon greens, backgammon, cards, dice, billiards,
also musical entertainments, dancing, masks, balls, stage-plays, and
club-meetings in the evening; they sometimes ride out on horseback, and
hunt with the lord mayors pack of dogs, when the common hunt goes on.
The _lower classes_ divert themselves at foot-ball, wrestling, cudgels,
nine-pins, shovel-board, _cricket_, stow-ball, ringing of bells,
quoits, pitching the bar, bull and bear baitings, throwing at cocks,
and lying at ale-houses.(!)
The lawyers have a rule that to specify one thing is to ignore the
other; and this rule of evidence can never be more applicable than
where a sport is omitted from six distinct catalogues; therefore,
the conclusion that Cricket was unknown when those lists were made
would indeed appear utterly irresistible, only--_audi semper alteram
partem_--in this case the argument would prove too much; for it would
equally prove that Club-ball and Trap-ball were undiscovered too,
whereas both these games are confessedly as old as the thirteenth
century!
The conclusion of all this is, that the oft-repeated assertions that
Cricket is a game no older than the eighteenth century is erroneous:
for, first, the thing itself may be much older than its name; and,
secondly, the silence of antiquity is no conclusive evidence that
even the name of Cricket was really unknown.
Thus do we refute those who assert a negative as to the antiquity of
cricket: and now for our affirmative; and we are prepared to show-First, that a single-wicket game was played as early as the thirteenth

century, under the name of Club-ball.

econdly, that it might have been identical with a sport of the same
date called Handyn and Handoute.
Thirdly, that a genuine double-wicket game was played in cotland
about 1700, under the name of Cat and Dog.
Fourthly, that Creag,--very near Cricce, the axon term for
the crooked stick, or bandy, which we see in the old pictures of
cricket,--was the name of a game played in the year 1300.
First, as to a single-wicket game in the thirteenth century, whatever
the name of the said game might have been, we are quite satisfied with
the following proof:-n the odleian ibrary at xford, says trutt, is a M. (o. 264.)
dated 1344, which represents a figure, a female, in the act of bowling
a ball (of the size of a modern cricket-ball) to a man who elevates
a straight bat to strike it; behind the bowler are several figures,
male and female, waiting to stop or catch the ball, their attitudes
grotesquely eager for a chance. The game is called Club-ball, but the
score is made by hitting and running, as in cricket.

econdly, arrington, in his emarks on the More ncient tatutes,


comments on 17 Edw. V. .D. 1477, thus:-The disciplined soldiers were not only guilty of pilfering on their
return, but also of the vice of gaming. The third chapter therefore
forbids playing at cloish, ragle, half-bowle, quekeborde, _handyn and
handoute_. Whosoever shall permit these games to be played in their
house or yard is punishable with three years imprisonment; those who
play at any of the said games are to be fined 10_l._, or lie in jail
two years.
This, says arrington, is the most severe law ever made in any
country against gaming; and, some of those forbidden seem to have
been manly exercises, particularly the handyn and handoute, which 
should suppose to be a kind of _cricket_, as the term _hands_ is still
(writing in 1740) retained in that game.
Thirdly, as to the double-wicket game, Dr. Jamieson, in his Dictionary,
published in 1722, gives the following account of a game played in
ngus and othian:-This is a game for three players at least, who are furnished with
clubs. They cut out two holes, each about a foot in diameter and seven
inches in depth, and twenty-six feet apart; one man guards each hole
with his club; these clubs are called Dogs.  piece of wood, about four
inches long and one inch in diameter, called a Cat, is pitched, by a
third person, from one hole towards the player at the other, who is to
prevent the cat from getting into the hole. f it pitches in the hole,
the party who threw it takes his turn with the club. f the cat be
struck, the club-bearers change places, and each change of place counts
one to the score, _like club-ball_.
The last observation shows that in the game of Club-ball
above-mentioned, the score was made by runs, as in cricket.

n what respect, then, do these games differ from cricket as played

now? The only exception that can be taken is to the absence of any
wicket. ut every one familiar with a paper given by Mr. Ward, and
published in ld yren, by the talented Mr. C. Cowden Clarke, will
remember that the traditionary blockhole was a veritable hole in
former times, and that the batsman was made ut in running, not, as
now, by putting down a wicket, but by popping the ball into the hole
before the bat was grounded in it. The same paper represents that the
wicket was two feet wide,--a width which is only rendered credible
by the fact that the said hole was not like our mark for guard, four
feet distant from the stumps, but cut like a basin in the turf between
the stumps; an arrangement which would require space for the frequent
struggle of the batsman and wicket-keeper, as to whether the bat of the
one, or the hand of the other, should reach the blockhole first.
The conclusion of all is, that Cricket is identical with Club-ball,--a
game played in the thirteenth century as single-wicket, and played, if
not then, somewhat later as a double-wicket game; that where balls were
scarce, a Cat, or bit of wood, as seen in many a village, supplied its
place; also that handyn and handoute was probably only another name.
Fosbroke, in his Dictionary of ntiquities, said, club-ball was the
ancestor of cricket: he might have said, club-ball was the old name
for cricket, the games being the same.
The points of difference are not greater than every cricketer can show
between the game as now played and that of the last century.

ut, lastly, as to the name of Cricket. The bat, which is now straight,
is represented in old pictures as crooked, and cricce is the simple
axon word for a crooked stick. The derivation of illiards from the
orman _billart_, a cue, or from _ball-yard_, according to Johnson,
also ine-pins and Trap-ball, are obvious instances of games which
derived their names from the implements with which they are played. ow
it appears highly probable that the crooked stick used in the game of
andy might have been gradually adopted, especially when a wicket to be
bowled down by a rolling ball superseded the blockhole to be pitched
into. n that case the club having given way to the bandy or crooked
bat of the last century, the game, which first was named from the club
club-ball, might afterwards have been named from the bandy or crooked
stick cricket.
dd to which, the game might have been played in two ways,--sometimes
more in the form of Club-ball, sometimes more like Cricket; and the
following remarkable passage proves that a term very similar to Cricket
was applied to some game as far back as the thirteenth century, the
identical date to which we have traced that form of cricket called
club-ball and the game of handyn and handoute.
From the Gentlemans Magazine, vol. lviii. p. 1., .D. 1788, we extract
the following:-n the wardrobe account of the 28th year of ing Edward the First,
.D. 1300, published in 1787 by the ociety of ntiquaries, among the
entries of money paid one Mr. John eek, his chaplain, for the use of
his son Prince Edward in playing at different games, is the following:-Domino Johanni de eek, capellano Domini Edwardi fil ad _Creag_ et
alios ludos per vices, per manus proprias, 100 s. pud Westm. 10 die
prilis, 1305.
The writer observes, that the glossaries have been searched in vain

for any other name of a pastime but cricket to which the term Creag
can apply. nd why should it not be Cricket? for, we have a singular
evidence that, at the same date, Merlin the Magician was a cricketer!

n the romance of Merlin, a book in very old French, written about


the time of Edward ., is the following:-Two of his (Vortigers) emissaries fell in with certain children who
were playing at _cricket_.--Quoted in Dunlops History of Fiction.
The word here rendered _cricket_ is _la crosse_; and in ichelets
Dict. of nt. 1680, are these words:
_Crosse_, Crosier. ton de bois courb par le bout den haut, dont
on se sert pour jouer ou pousser quelque balle.
_Crosseur_, qui pousse--_Cricketer_.
Creag and Cricket, therefore, being presumed identical, the cricketers
of Warwick and of Gloucester may be reminded that they are playing
the same game as was played by the dauntless enemy of obert ruce,
afterwards the prisoner at enilworth, and eventually the victim of
Mortimers ruffians in the dark tragedy of erkeley Castle.
To advert to a former observation that cricket was originally confined
to the lower orders, obert outhey notes, C. P. ook. iv. 201., that
cricket was not deemed a game for gentlemen in the middle of the last
century. Tracing this allusion to The Connoisseur, o. 132. dated
1756, we are introduced to one Mr. Toby umper, whose vulgarities are,
drinking purl in the morning, eating black-puddings at artholomew
Fair, boxing with uckhorse, and also that he is frequently engaged
at the rtillery Ground with Faukner and Dingate _at cricket_, and
is esteemed as good a bat as either of the ennets. Dingate will be
mentioned as an ll-England player in our third chapter.

nd here we must observe that at the very date that a cricket-ground
was thought as low as a modern skittle-alley, we read that even
ome Dukes at Marybone _bowled_ time away;
and also that a Duchess of Devonshire could be actually watching the
play of her guests in the skittle-alley till nine oclock in the
evening.

ur game in later times, we know, has constituted the pastime and
discipline of many an English soldier. ur barracks are now provided
with cricket grounds; every regiment and every man-of-war has its club;
and our soldiers and sailors astonish the natives of every clime, both
inland and maritime, with a specimen of a ritish game: and it deserves
to be better known that it was at a cricket match that some of our
officers were amusing themselves on the 12th June, 1815, says Captain
Gordon, in company with that devoted cricketer the Duke of ichmond,
when the Duke of Wellington arrived, and shortly after came the Prince
of range, which of course put a stop to our game. Though the hero
of the Peninsula was not apt to let his movements be known, on this
occasion he made no secret that, if he were attacked from the south,
Halle would be his position, and, if on the amur side, WTE.

CHP .
THE GEE CHCTE F CC ET.
The game of cricket, philosophically considered, is a standing
panegyric on the English character: none but an orderly and sensible
race of people would so amuse themselves. t calls into requisition
all the cardinal virtues, some moralist would say. s with the Grecian
games of old, the player must be sober and temperate. Patience,
fortitude, and self-denial, the various bumps of order, obedience,
and good-humour, with an unruffled temper, are indispensable. For
intellectual virtues we want judgment, decision, and the organ of
concentrativeness--every faculty in the free use of all its limbs--and
every idea in constant air and exercise. Poor, rickety, and stunted
wits will never serve: the widest shoulders are of little use without
a head upon them: the cricketer wants wits down to his fingers ends.
s to physical qualifications, we require not only the volatile spirits
of the rishman _ampant_, nor the phlegmatic caution of the cotchman
_Couchant_, but we want the English combination of the two; though,
with good generalship, cricket is a game for ritons generally: the
three nations would mix not better in a regiment than in an eleven;
especially if the Hibernian were trained in ondon, and taught to enjoy
something better than what Father Prout terms his supreme felicity,
tium cum dig-_gin-taties_.

t was from the southern and south-eastern counties of England that the
game of Cricket spread--not a little owing to the Propaganda of the
metropolitan clubs, which played chiefly first at the rtillery Ground,
then at White Conduit Fields, and thirdly at Thomas ords Grounds, (of
which there were two before the present ords,) as well as latterly
at the val, ennington, and on all sides of ondon--through all the
southern half of England; and during these last twenty years the
northern counties, and even Edinburgh, have sent forth distinguished
players. ut considering that the complement of the game is twenty-two
men, besides two Umpires and two corers; and considering also that
cricket, unlike every other manly contest, by flood or field, occupies
commonly more than one day; the railways, as might be expected, have
tended wonderfully to the diffusion of cricket,--giving rise to clubs
depending on a circle of some thirty or forty miles, as also to that
club in particular under the canonised saint, John Zingari, into whom
are supposed to have migrated all the erratic spirits of the gipsy
tribe. The Zingari are a race of ubiquitous cricketers, exclusively
gentlemen-players; for cricket affords to a race of professionals a
merry and abundant, though rather a laborious livelihood, from the
time the first May-fly is up to the time the first pheasant is down.
either must we forget the ll England and United Elevens, who,
under the generalship of Clarke or Wisden, play numbers varying from
fourteen to twenty-two in almost every county in England. o proud
are provincial clubs of this honour that, besides a subscription of
some 70_l._, and part or all of the money at the field-gate being
willingly accorded for their services, much hospitality is exercised
wherever they go. This tends to a healthy circulation of the lifes
blood of cricket, vaccinating and inoculating every wondering rustic
with the principles of the national game. ur soldiers, we said, by
order of the Horse Guards, are provided with cricket-grounds adjoining
their barracks; and all of her Majestys ships have bats and balls to
astonish the cockroaches at sea, and the crabs and turtles ashore.
Hence it has come to pass that, wherever her Majestys servants have

carried their victorious arms and legs, wind and weather permitting,
cricket has been played. till the game is essentially nglo-axon.
Foreigners have rarely, very rarely, imitated us. The English settlers
and residents everywhere play; but of no single cricket club have we
ever heard dieted either with frogs, sour crout, or macaroni. ut how
remarkable that cricket is not naturalised in reland! the fact is
very striking that it follows the course rather of ale than whiskey.
Witness ent, the land of hops, and the annual antagonists of ll
England. econdly, Farnham, which, as we shall presently show, with
its adjoining parishes, nurtured the finest of the old players, as
well as the finest hops,--_cunabula Troj_, the infant school of
cricketers. Witness also the urton Clubs, assisted by our excellent
friend next akin to bitter ale. Witness again lton ale, on which old
eagley throve so well, and the cotch ale of Edinburgh, on which
John parkes, though commencing with the last generation, has carried
on his instructions, in which we ourselves once rejoiced, into the
middle of the present century. The mountain mists and mountain dew
suit better with deer-stalking than with cricket: our game disdains
the Dutch courage of ardent spirits. The brain must glow with atures
fire, and not depend upon a spirit lamp. _Mens sana in corpore sano_:
feed the body, but do not cloud the mind. You, sir, with the hectic
flush, the fire of your eyes burnt low in their sockets, with beak as
sharp as a woodcocks from living upon suction, with pallid face and
shaky hand,--our game disdains such ghostlike votaries. ise with the
lark and scent the morning air, and drink from the bubbling rill, and
then, when your veins are no longer fevered with alcohol, nor puffed
with tobacco smoke,--when you have rectified your illicit spirits
and clarified your unsettled judgment,--come again and devour up my
discourse. nd you, sir, with the figure of Falstaff and the nose
of ardolph,--not Christianly eating that you may live, but living
that you may eat,--one of the _nati consumere fruges_, the devouring
caterpillar and grub of human kind--our noble game has no sympathy with
gluttony, still less with the habitual diner out, on whom outraged
nature has taken vengeance, by emblazoning what was his face (_nimium
ne crede colori_), encasing each limb in fat, and condemning him to
be his own porter to the end of his days. Then  am your man--and
--and , cry a crowd of self-satisfied youths: sound are we in wind
and limb, and none have quicker hand or eye. Gently, my friends, so
far well; good hands and eyes are instruments indispensable, but only
instruments. There is a wide difference between a good workman and a
bag of tools, however sharp. We must have heads as well as hands. You
may be big enough and strong enough, but the question is whether, as
Virgil says,
_piritus intus alit, totamque infusa per artus_
_Mens agitat molem, et magno se corpore miscet._

nd, in these lines, Virgil truly describes the right sort of man for
a cricketer: plenty of life in him: not barely soul enough, as obert
outh said, to keep his body from putrefaction; but, however large his
stature, though he weigh twenty stone, like (we will not say Mr. Mynn),
but an olden wicket-keeper, named urt, or a certain _infant_ genius in
the same line, of good Cambridge town,--he must, like these worthies
aforesaid, have i perfecti
, a d be i sti ct with se se all

ver. The , says irgil, _ig e s est


llis vig
r_: they m st always
have the steam p,
therwise the bard w
ld have agreed with s, they
are
g

d i a Eleve , beca se-_N


xia c
rp
ra tarda t,_
_Terre iq e hebeta t art s, m
rib daq e membra;_

that is, y
m st s spe d the laws
f gravitati
bef
re they ca
stir,--d ll cl
ds
f the valley, a d s
ma y st
e
f carri
; a d
the irgil pr
ceeds t
describe what discipli e will re der th
se,
wh
s ffer the pe alties
f idle ess
r i tempera ce, fit t
j
i the
ch
se _few_ i the cricket-field:
_Exi de per ampl m_
_Mittim r Elysi m et pa ci lta arva te em s._
Of c
rse _Elysi m_ mea s L
rds, a d _lta arva_, the sh

ti g
fields. We make
ap
l
gy f
r classical q
tati
s. At the
U iversities, cricket a d sch
larship very ge erally g
t
gether.
Whe , i 1836, we played vict
ri
sly
the side
f Oxf
rd agai st
Cambridge, seve
t
f
r eleve were classme ; a d, it is d
btless

ly t
av
id a i vidi
s disti cti
that Heads _v._ Heels, as was

ce s ggested, has failed t


be a a al U iversity match; th
gh the
_seri st di
r m_--th
se p t t
sch

l late--w
ld
t have a cha ce. We
extract the f
ll
wi g:-I a late C
v
cati
h
lde at Oxf
rd, May 30, 1851, it was
agreed t
affix the U iversity seal t
a p
wer
f att
r ey
a th
risi g the sale
f 2000_l._ three per ce t. c
s
ls, f
r
the p rp
se
f payi g f
r a d e cl
si g certai all
tme ts
f
la d i C
wley C
mm
, sed as cricket gr
ds by members
f
the U iversity, i
rder t
their bei g preserved f
r that
p rp
se, a d let t
the several U iversity cricket cl bs i
s ch ma er as may hereafter appear expedie t.
Fr
m all this we arg e that,
the a th
rity
f a cie t a d the
experie ce
f m
der times, cricket wa ts mi d as well as matter,
a d, i every se se
f the w
rd, a g

d dersta di g. H
w is it that
Clarkes sl
w b
wli g is s
s ccessf l? ask Bayley
r Caldec
rt;
r
say Bayleys
w b
wli g,
r that
f Lillywhite,
r
thers
t m ch
i debted t
pace. Y
see, sir, they b
wl with their heads. The

ly is the game w
rthy the
tice
f f ll-gr
w me . A r bber
f
whist, says the a th
r
f the Diary
f a late Physicia , i his Law
St dies, calls i t
req isiti
all th
se p
wers
f mi d that a
barrister m
st eeds; a d early as m ch may be said
f a scie tific
game
f cricket. Mark that first-rate b
wler: the batsma is ha keri g
f
r his fav
rite c t--
--leg st mp is attacked agai --extra ma

leg side--right--thats the sp
t--leg st mp, a d
t t

ear him.
He is screwed p, a d ca
t c t away; P
i t has it--persevere--try
agai --his patie ce s

will fail. Ah! l

k at that ball;--the bat was


m
re
t
f the perpe dic lar--
w the b
wler alters his pace--g

d. A
dr
ppi g ball--
ver-reached a d all b t a mistake;--
w a sl
wer pace
still, with extra twist--hits f ri
sly t
leg, t

. Leg-st mp is
grazed, a d bail
ff. Y
see, sir, says the vetera , t r i g r
d,
a
ld player, wh
k
ws what is, a d what is
t,
the ball, al
e
ca resist all the temptati
s that leg-balls i v
lve. Y
g players
are g
i g their r
d
f experime ts, a d are t

f
d
f admirati

a d brillia t hits; whereas it is y
r pright straight players that
w
rry a b
wler--twe ty-tw
i ches
f w

d, by f
r a d a q arter--every
i ch
f them bef
re the st mps, hitti g
r bl
cki g, is rather
dishearte i g; b t the m
me t a ma makes ready f
r a leg hit,
ly
ab
t five i ches by f
r
f w

d ca c
ver the wicket; s
leg-hitti g
is the b
wlers cha ce: c tti g als
f
r a similar reas
. If there
were
s ch thi g as leg-hitti g, we sh
ld see a f ll bat every time,
the ma steady
his legs, a d
ly
e thi g t
thi k
f; a d what a
task a b
wler w
ld have. That was Mr. Wards play--g

d f
r s
methi g

t
the last. First-rate straight play a d free leg-hitti g seld
m last
l
g t
gether: whe
ce ex lti g i the l x ri
s exciteme t
f a leg
v
lley, the m scles are always
the q iver t
swipe r
d, a d the
b
wler sees the bat raised m
re a d m
re acr
ss wicket. S
, als
, it is
with me wh
are year i g f
r a c t: f
rmi g f
r the c t, like f
rmi g
f
r leg-hit--aye, a d alm
st the idea
f th
se hits c
mi g acr
ss the
mi d--set the m scles
ff straight play, a d give the b
wler a cha ce.
There is a deal
f head-w
rk i b
wli g:
ce make y
r batsma set his
mi d

e hit, a d give him a ball req iri g the c
trary, a d he is

ff his g ard i a m
me t.
Certai ly, there is s
methi g highly i tellect al i
r
ble a d
ati
al pastime. B t the cricketer m st p
ssess
ther q alificati
s;

t
ly physical a d i tellect al, b t m
ral q alificati
s als
.
Of what avail is the head t
pla a d ha d t
exec te, if a s lky
temper paralyses exerti
, a d thr
ws a damp p
the field;
r if
impatie ce dethr
es j dgme t, a d the ma hits acr
ss at g

d balls,
beca se l

se balls are l
g i c
mi g;
r, agai , if a c
te ti
s a d
imperi
s disp
siti
leaves the cricketer all al
e i his gl
ry,
v
ted the pest
f every eleve ?
The pest
f the h ti g-field is the ma always thi ki g
f his
w
h
rse a d
w ridi g, gall
pi g agai st MEN a d
t after HOUNDS.
The pest
f the cricket-field is the ma wh
b
res y
ab
t his
average--his wickets--his catches; a d l

ks bl e eve at the s ccess

f his
w party. If s ccessf l i batti g
r fieldi g, he gives
p all--the wretch c
ce tred all i self. N
! Give me the ma wh

f
rgets himself i the game, a d, missi g a ball, d
es
t st
p t

exc lpate himself by d mb sh


w, b t rattles away after it--wh
d
es

t blame his part er whe he is r
t--wh
plays like play a d

t like a pai f l
perati
. S ch a chilly, bleak,
rthwest aspect
s
me me d
p t
--it is abs rd t
say they are e j
yi g themselves.
We all k
w it is tryi g t
be
t first ball. Oh! that first l

k
back at rattli g st mps--why, I c
ld t have had right g ard!--that
c
victi
that the ball t r ed,
r b t f
r s
me acc
table
s spe si

f the laws
f m
ti
(the earth perhaps c
mi g t
a
hitch p
its greased axis) it had
t happe ed! The theres the
sp
ili g
f y
r average, (th
gh s
me begi agai a d reck
a ew!)
a d a sad c
sci
s ess that every critic i the three tiers
f the
Pavili
, as he c

lly spec lates _q is c iq e d


l
r vict
, q
gl
ria palm_, k
ws y
r m
rtificati
. Oh! that sad walk back, a
ret r ed c
vict; we m st all pace it, _calca da semel via leti_.
A ma is s re ever t
take his eyes
ff the gr
d, a d if theres
a bit
f stick i the way he kicks it i sti ctively with the side
f
his sh
e. Add, that cr el _p
st m
rtem_ exami ati
i t
y
r case,
a d havi g t
a swer the
ld q esti
, H
w was it?
r perhaps f
rced
t
arg e with s
me vexati
s fell
w wh
imp tes it t
the very fa lt

which y
are s
s
re a d se sitive. All this is tryi g; b t si ce
it is always happe i g, a i separable accide t
f the game, it is
time that a r ffled temper sh
ld be held the differe tia
f the
tr e cricketer a d bad temper v
ted bad play. Eleve g

d-tempered
me ,
ther p
i ts eq al, w
ld beat eleve s lky
r eleve irritable
ge tleme
t
f the field. The h rli g
f bats a d a gry eb lliti
s
sh
w i experie ce i the game a d its cha ces; as if a y ma i E gla d
c
ld always catch,
r st
p,
r sc
re. This very certai ty gives the
game its i terest. If Pilch
r Parr were s re
f r s, wh
w
ld care
t
play? B t as they make s
metimes five a d s
metimes fifty, we still
c
te d with flesh a d bl

d. Eve Achilles was v l erable at the heel;

r, myth
l
gically, he c
ld
t st
p a sh

ter t
the leg st mp. S

ever let the Sata icage cy


f the gami g-table br

d
th
se happy

fields where, _stre a


s exercet i ertia_, there is a e ergy i

r idle h
rs,
t killi g time b t e j
yi g it. L

k at g

d h
est
James Dea ; his patie t merit ever g
es O t sighi g
r I ,
either-- ever i a m mbli g, th
gh a melti g m

d. Perspirati
may
r
ll
ff him, like b bbles fr
m a d cks back, b t its all d
w t
the
days w
rk. He l

ks, as every cricketer sh


ld l

k, like a ma
t
f
r a h
liday, sh t p i meas reless c
te t. It is delightf l t

see s ch a ma make a sc
re.
Add t
all this, persevera ce a d self-de ial, a d a s
l ab
ve
vai -gl
ry a d the appla se
f the v lgar. Aye, persevera ce i
well-d
i g--persevera ce i a straightf
rward, pright, a d c
siste t
c
rse
f acti
.--See that player practisi g apart fr
m the rest. What
a prete di g style
f play--a h dred p
ds appear t
depe d

every ball--
t a hit f
r these five mi tes--see, he has a shilli g

his st mps, a d Hillyer is d
i g his best t
k
ck it
ff. A q esti

asked after every ball, the b
wler bei g c
sta tly i vited t
remi d
him
f the least i acc racy i hitti g
r da ger i defe ce. The

ther players are hitti g all


ver the field, maki g every
e (b t
a g

d j dge) marvel. O r frie ds reward is that i the first g

d
match, whe s
me s pp
sed brillia t Mr. Dashw

d has bee st mped fr


m
leg ball--(he ca
t make his fi e hits i his gr
d)--b
wled by a
sh

ter
r ca ght by that sharpest
f all P
i ts , the ou
pe seve i g f ie --bll fte bll  oppi g h mless f om his bt,
till eve    o  si gle o  ouble  e sfely plye y--hs
to figu es ppe e to his me;   he is g eete i the Pvilio s
hvi g tu e the ch ces of the gme i fvou of his sie.
Co ceit i  c ickete , s i othe thi gs, is  b to ll
imp oveme t--the vi -glo ious is lys thi ki g of the looke s-o ,
i ste of the gme,   ge e lly is co em e to live o the
eputtio of o e skyi g leg-hit, o some te ty u s off th ee o fou
ove s (his me iest life is  sho t o e) fo hlf  seso .
I o e o , the e is o gme i hich mibility    u uffle
tempe is so esse til to success, o i hich vi tue is e e,
hlf s much s i the gme of c icket. Disho est o shuffli g ys
c ot p ospe ; the umpi es ill foil eve y such ttempt--those t uly
co stitutio l juges, bou  by  coe of  itte ls--  the
public opi io of  c icket club, milittes gi st his p efe me t.
Fo c icket is  socil gme. Coul  c ickete ply  solo, o ith
 ummy (othe th the ctpult), he might ply i humou o out of
humou ; but  Eleve is of the tu e of those commo elths of hich
Cice o si tht, ithout some eg  to the c i l vi tues, they
coul ot possibly hol togethe .
Such  tio l gme s c icket ill both hum ise   h mo ise the
people. It teches  love of o e , iscipli e,   fi ply fo
the pu e ho ou   glo y of victo y. The c ickete is  membe of 
ie f te ity: if he is the best m i his club,   tht club is
the best club i the cou ty, he hs the stisfctio of k oi g his
high positio ,   my spi e to ep ese t some l ge   poe ful
co stitue cy t Lo s. Ho spi it-sti i g  e the gthe i gs of ivl
cou ties! A  I e vy ot the he t tht glos ot ith elight t
eliciti g the sympthies of eulti g thous s, he ll the cou t y is
th o gi g to its bttle-fiel stue ith flgs   te ts. Its ve y
look mkes the he t bet fo the fo tu e of the ply;   fo miles
 ou  the ol cochm ves his hip bove his he ith  i of
i fi ite impo t ce if he c o ly be the he l of the joyous tii gs,
Weve o the y.

Gmes of some ki  me must hve,   it is o smll p ise of c icket


tht it occupies the plce of less i oce t spo ts. D i ki g, gmbli g,
  cugel-plyi g, i se sibly isppe s you e cou ge  m ly
ec etio hich  s the lbou e f om the  k hu ts of vice  
mise y to the ope commo , he e
The squi e o p so o the p ish,
O the tto ey,
my ise him, ithout loe i g themselves, by tki g  i te est,
if ot  p t, i his spo ts. Ntu e bho s  vcuum, especilly of
mi th   me ime t, ese ti g the folly of those ho oul isi
he bou ties by tht i iffe e ce   pthy hich m k  ve y ull
boy i ee. Ntu e esig e us to spo t   ply t c icket s t uly
s to et    i k. Without spo t you hve o helthful ee cise: to
ef esh the boy you must el the mi . Obse ve the ple yspeptic
stue t umi ti g o his logic, lgeb , o politicl eco omy hile
esc ibi g his pe ioicl evolutio s  ou  his college g e o o
Co stitutio Hill: the tu sie   gle you eyes   e s ith
the buoy t spi its   eulti g e e gies of Bulli go o Lo s. See
ho tu e ebels gi st  i i g, o  milesto e-mesu e lk!
While folloi g up  covey, o the i i gs of  t out-st em, e c oss
fiel fte fiel u co scious of ftigue,   eti so plesi g 
ecollectio of the toil, tht ye s fte , mist the i   hum of
me , e b ighte t the thought,   ye s i the poet e to
thous  ye s go, i the o s,-_O us, qu o te spicim, qu oque licebit,_
_Duce e sollicit jucu  oblivi vit._
Tht  i tellige t   espo sible bei g shoul live o ly fo
museme t, is  e o i ee,   o e hich b i gs its o pu ishme t
i tht si ki g of the he t he the cup is  i e to the  egs,  
plesu es cese to plese.
_Nec lusisse puet se o i cie e luum._
Still fiel-spo ts, i thei p ope seso ,  e Ntu es ki  p ovisio
to smooth the f o f om the b o, to lly lifes fitful feve , to-Rze out the  itte t oubles of the b i ,
A  by some seet oblivious  tiote
Cle se the stuffe bosom f om tht pe ilous stuff,
Which eighs upo the he t.
A  o s  e these, ot  hit too st o g fo those ho live lbo ious
ys, i this high-p essu e ge e tio . A , ho oes ot feel his
ily bu the lighte e, hile e joyi g, _p to um viv volupts_, the
joyous spi its   goo felloship of the c icket-fiel, those su y
hou s he the vlleys lugh   si g,  , betee the g ee s 
be eth   the blue sky bove, you he  hum of hppy my is
e joyi g thei b ief sp too!
Who c esc ibe tht tumult of the b est, esc ibe by schylus,
----
--

ho y i g   gi hich fi d i hi po  hi g i x ci!

Ho g  o   d oci i o  joym ! Ev y hppy mom ,--h


bi p i gi g f om h b, h h p cch o di g i h pm,
o g ch o  dd p i g  d q ick  , h x i g h o, o
bi  d ick fyi g,--h    joy  h cd by ymphy,
p y fcd f om ch oh  y. I h c ick-fid,  by
h cov  id, h po  i i h f   d op i  d igh of
hv . No i co g iy of  o d coiio i  f . No 
mi d h  oh , ho m  y ov , ho d p bix h
i d  d hi obiiy. O  commo i   mk commo fi g,
f i g h  ih h , hi g h f oo k of iq ,  d
  gh i g ho ik i hich bi d m o m .
Sociy h i  k  d c. Th dii cio   biv o b
o  ifici, b   , v  h v y co   d   of h
 h if. Li  h   , icy g d d, o di d o p ,
h B  c, h  opic of obiiy  d ff  c, f om h
mp  zo  of  comfo b i dp d c,  d h A cic ci c
of pov y: b  h i    oh   m kd, bc  oh 
  d, h i h c ick-fid. Th   c iv fo hi
h p cd c of bi h,-Co  d ih h  k h m i giv.
A d m y  h mb pi i, f om hi mpo  y p f m ,  i g
h p  of  p io iy  d - d pp , c i h m
ho  m io i o hi diy d i. Th c ick-fid  gg 
 v io of h o d
_q   _
_P p i c di _
_Rg mq  p  i._
A fi g  d o fvo . K ym  didi  o co d oy, o
fi  coh f i . Th cog  mp o  hi  do d; cho 
d  o b hi m ;  d o  cch o  ho fh  ho o
of _cch o _ hm. Wiim Bdhm  m y ho  i h dy 
good  m  v Lo d F d ick B c k;  d h g  D k of
Richmo d o d dc d f om hi high  o co  h pm of
m y p o ih hi h mb    y, o f ck odgi g ih
Rob  B ,-Th  k i b  h g i  mp.
Th m  h god fo  h.
C ick fo m o dbi g hbi: ik h b -figh of Spi ,  d
h  i po  of E g d, i i  id o h of fi g of
 fi d g. No ivi g c    ff  fo o po : o f og o
mi o impd, o o m  ihi g po fih-hook,-- o h  c mi g
bfo  h ho d,-- o o dd p  idg co i g i i go y, h 
h imgi io o q ify o p .
C ick i ihi h ch of v g po . A good hd i
comp  fo h d  d h. I i o mo opoy fo  gifd f, o
   oo  p  d. I ffo d cop fo  g  div iy
of  . Boi g, fidi g, ick-kpi g, f  hii g, f  d
j dicio  py,  d good g  hip--i o  of h poi  m y  m
h  d  m, ho gh i f io i h . Th    good bm
 d h b of fid mo g  -ighd m ,  d h d hi  mo g
k  d c ippd m ; i igh, i  o  h p ovd o oo i

fo  fi - , o igh o  oo m ch;  d,  o g, M . W d


 ixy, M . E. H. B dd  ixy-fiv,  d od Joh Sm  v y
y  of g,   f  m i good v .
C ick i  gm vib o poo    ich; i h o
p ivigd c. U ik hooi g, h i g, o ychi g, h  i o
v o k, ic c o b y, o coy bihm  o  ppo :
h gm i f   d commo  h igh  d i i hich i i
pyd,--h poo m  po io : ih h poo  c i o igi d,
pyd f ho  o vig g  ,  d h c   p d o
p ici  .
W x c h fooi g:-Th j dg of h B  fo d Co y Co  h dcidd h
c ick i  g gm, o  o  d h khod ib
i  cio fo h cov y of h k, i  c h 
o  of h p i hd f d o py.
C ick i o oy  gm of ki--ch c h y  o gh o v
h v q ihd  _if_  d  _b _. A o g i i g bpk good py;
b  o  h fi  b i o dig c. A gm, o b y  gm,
y pyf , ho d dmi of ch c    ki. I i h b 
of ch h i ch c i oo v --o o i gm i o o
yo ch c ;  d mo pi f  of , o b o id i  fi  d
d ib co  of o g-hdd , c, m v i g,  d commo
 --q ii i hich o m ik o com off co d b. H c
h  igh  d fo givi g  of mi d h of foo 
chckm. H c h go y of g  d dippoi m  f om hich,
id Syd y Smih, h Bihop of ---- b ok my hd ih  ch-bo d
fify y  go  cog.
B  did  y h di, fmd  om hv b i h h i g
fid, k o  yhi g of c ick oo? No of ; ho gh I co d hv
m io d o,--h if  d d gh of h  Wiim W d, 
h  o o mo , ho co d  yo --h d gh pciy--h
fo   d h fii g of v y py  Lo d. I ccomp id hm
hom o  v i g, o  om co d of h gm, o hi h mb
bod i Co  gh T c, h  m y  o m  mi dd m of h
fo m mg ific c of h Mmb fo h Ciy, h B k Di co ,
 d h g  R i m ch ;  d I ho gh of hi m io i h
o c o fhio b Boomb y Sq  , h b q i g oom of
hich m y  Wykhmi h c  o mmb ; fo h fmd, 
h Wykhmi  , fo h q ick  d b of fidi g, hy
hd o hi   mch  Lo d ( d  y y  i c hy
 y o), M . W d o d b y  i mph y h i   o
 d h dy ih him. B , ki g of h di, o y ohi g of
Mi Wi, ho vivd ov h d boi g, hi   po  of
c iicim, if ho y co  d, o d,  hi k,  om hom
 h o  c i c of py  ho m o fo g h, o b 
C ick o  m  i b  m ;  d h  m y, g cf  y
of py i o h omhi g i dp d y of i ffc o h co .
Tk h c of h Ski g C b. Wi hy c  m bc , i
pi of  m  d g c  if gy fyi g, h c do om  ick of
 po -m , hov o d f ? No! g c i imp movm 
i h fi  hi g: iho  g c ohi g co . A d o ho d
i b ih c ick. I hv  m , cco d py , q i 
bd  om of h c ick  i M . Pip di y. P y, Lov,
I o c h d, hv I h igh g  d? G  d i dd! Y! kp o
ooki g  gy  d  k d  yo   o,  d o m i E g d

c bo fo f igh! _Ap opo_, o  of h fi  hi  i  ch y


i, do  mk fc h yo p  yo bo. No  do  io y
   ho yo g di, i o ho h d hi book my f, o
p of, o o  ho iy, h hy   j dg of h gm  f 
pp  c go;  d o h hy i q iz, b  , , c ,
v -v-o ,  d oh i pg   d o y   ch b oh  o
h b d  hy h   ci g ho  omic co o io , hich
oo of dig c h gm of c ick.
C ick,  id, i  gm chify of ki, b  p y of ch c.
Ski vi  o gh fo i  ,  d o oo m ch fo f i dy
fi g. No gm i pyd i b h mo -- v o i o --h
gm iv i h  b. Fo h mo p , h  i o i
o ff h mp , o o c  p  coiio , h h  i
o pc o f  f om mpio -- o  ch hppy pi  o  d of
i oc c-- o c ick-fid. W giv bi fo o good bhvio
f om h mom  h    hm. Si,  c ick-fid i  ph 
of hoom dicipi  i obdi c  d good o d ; o o m io
h m y pi i hich fc d g iho  h i ki g,  d b 
dippoi m  ih good  . Dippoi m !  d y h  i h 
mo  poig   dippoi m , hi i , h , f  yo
p cic fo  mch,  d  xio  ho gh  d o io o void v y
ch c,  d co  off v y poib b, o b bkd  d o ,
c gh  h ip, o  mpd v off  hoo . Th co  of  
ov (v fo c ick) v did mooh. Od Robi o , o  of
h fi  bm of hi dy, hd ix  cky i i g i  ccio :
o c c gh by Hmmo d, f om  d ; h bod ih hoo , o
pickd p  ho  ip: h poo fo id h hd o  hi py,
hi ki g h f  i i o v,  d o o  ;  d  ih
diffic y p  dd o py o  mch mo , i hich--ho h  do
o joic o h ?--h md o  h d d  d hi y !
B ,  o i i g xcim ,  i  f i d, h c  p
 h dy-co d mch, h yo hv b m f y pyi g 
phi gm,  d g d y h fig  o h g ph kp i g
 b  d  b , i   h co    d p  d
p ocim  i,  d yo i h gm by  i g  d h   vo 
ick, o by fiv o  ! If i h fid ih  mch of hi
o ,  d  yi g h d o p v  h f  bi g k ockd off by
h  ick, I k o of o xcim  o i   fo h im, o
hich  o o g f  d. Th cocio of h c iic
mom  i mk h h  j mp fo y   d y  o com;  d i
i x o di  y o  h digh ih hich m c p h g  d
mom  o mmo y;  d o b   ho hy i k  d ch , hi
y gi i g  d p  gi g q ick ,  if hy   gi
fi ihi g h i g good mch. Pop k of h xcim  of
 good ih h Q o o Bvoi h . I hv o  d h  mbd
i fo h good hi g;  d,  f  my o fi g go, I c
fy y h  fi  i o o b comp d o  good mch;  d
h xcim  of h k  po m i ohi g ih i i  iy
o d io o h c d by   hi g  c ick. Th x
good k h pc of h oh ; h  h d mch, ik h
 o-b, gh  hy go. Thi i my dcidd opi io ;  d h
f chi g  d ighi g h  bjc fo om y . I hv  m
 mb  d  p    mch,
_Q m p  c j v m x  iq  h i_
_Co d pvo p  _--

hi, h o gh h fid, h dp  d mo f  i c ig ,

b ok b  by om  vo  fidm h mmi g    o  ppi g hi


fi g  o hid hi giio .
Wh  go io   io i i,  i Mi Mifo d, i O
ig, o b i i g, i i g, i i g! Who o d hi k h 
i bi of h  d o pic of ood hd  ch  dighf   d
dighi g po ?

CHAP. III.
THE HAMBLEDON CLUB AND THE OLD PLAYERS.
Wh hv bcom of h od co   d h  i co d of h gm
of c ick? B y Book of Mch giv h p i cip gm f om
h y 1786; b  h    h  i co d of mch md by
Dh y, P ,  d Si Ho c M ? A b !
Wh h d cio of Rom  d i co d by h G   o
Nib h ,--h h fi  of Lo do  o h  iq  y i hi k
f om P ddi g L  o Pi Co  ,  ch  h b i g of h Pviio
 Lo d,  d  h od co  book--i i  m cy h h od
pi i g of h M.C.C.  vd--o h  i of c ick. Wh
   b i o  by Do  Sq  , y M . E. H. B dd,  pyd
fo h  y  h  h Rg  C  h i c b c ,  d i
cd o g o d Lo d,  d o di i g- oom h Pviio .
H  m y  im hv I ookd ov h od pp  of Dh y  d
Si H. M ; b  h oom  b ,  d h od co  p ihd
i h fm. Th fooi g   c io   h o od co 
p  vd,--o  of h No h, h oh of h So h:-NAMES OF THE PERSONS WHO PLAYED AGAINST SHEFFIELD.
I 1771  NOTTINGHAM,  d 1772  SHEFFIELD.
Noi ghm, A g. 26, 1771.
H hy
T 
Lo ghm
Com
Ro
Sp
Sock
Coih
T oop
M
Ro .
Shffid.
1 i . 81
2 d
62
3 d
105
---248

| Noi ghm.
| 1 i . 76
| 2 d
112
|
|
---|
188

T dy, 9 ocock, .m. comm cd, 8h m 0, 9h 5, 1 o com i ,

 d o y 60 hd, h h Shffid f h fid.


Shffid, J  1, 1772.
Com
T 
Lo ghm
Ro
Sp 
Sock
Coih
T oop
M
Bmfo d
Gdi .
Noi ghm. | Shffid.
1 i . 14 | N 70
Noi ghm gv i .
KENT AGAINST ALL ENGLAND.
_Pyd i h A i y-G o d, Lo do , 1746._
ENGLAND.
_1 I i g._ _2 d I i g._
H i
Di g
N d
C ddy
G 
Wym k
B y
N d
H i
Smih
N d
By

RUNS.
0 b by
3 b
0 b
0 b
0 b
7 b
12 
18 -0 b
0 c
0 b
0
-40

Hd
Dio
Mi
Hd
Mi
Dio
Kip
o o 
Hd
B  m
Mi
By

RUNS.
4 b by
11 b
3 b
2 b
5 b
9 b
7 c
15 c
1 b
8 b
5 -0
-70

Mi.
Hd.
Dio.
D .
Mi.
Hd.
Kip.
Ld. J. Sckvi.
Hd.
Mi.
o o .

KENT.
_1 I i g._ _2 d I i g._
RUNS.
Lo d Sckvi 5 c by
Lo g Robi
7 b
Mi
0 b
Hd
0 b
C b h
3 c
B  m
2 b
D 
6 b
Sy
0 c
Kip
12 b
Mi
7 --

RUNS.
Wym k 3 b by
N d 9 b
H i
6 c
Dio
5 -G 
7 -N d 0 b
Dio
0 c
Wym k 5 b
H i 10 b
o o  2 b

H i.
N d.
Dio.
o o .
o o .
N d.
Smih.
N d.
H i.
N d.

Rom y
By

11 b
0
-53

H i
By

8 c
3
-58

H i.

C ick  i  od cd i o Eo  y i h  c  y. Ho c


Wpo    o Eo i h y 1726. Pyi g c ick,   
h hi g b gm ,  commo  h im. Fo i Wpo L ,
vo. i. p. 4., h y,-I c  y I m o y I  v q i  choo-boy;  xpdiio
gi  b gm , o _ mch  c ick_, my b v y p y hi g
o coc; b , h k my  , I c mmb hi g h   v y
  p y.
Th fo h E  of C i   c ick  Eo  h m im.
Th E   i o Go g Sy , v f om M him, h h  p,
pyi g  c ick, bfo  Sy  o  of hi bd.
A d o, h od ch o ic i Od Ny  , ho  o  cco  of
h c ick  of hi im. Th id Od Ny  bo od h p of
o ki d f i d Ch  Cod C k, o hom Joh K ddicd
 pi,  d ho joicd i h f i dhip of Ch  Lmb;  d
o  b   pi i ki o Ei co d hv  i ik Od Ny  .
Ny    fi  od E gih yom , ho chiv y  c ick;  d
M . C k h fihf y co dd hi vivid dc ipio   d  imd
cocio . A d, ih hi ch mi g i vo m i h d,  d
i kho  my b o , i 1837 I md  o mo g h cog of
Wiim Bdhm,  d h f  vivi g o hi of h m g  io ;
 d, hvi g o h dv g of  MS. by h Rv. Joh Mifo d,
k f om m y  i   v i g ih Od F x, I m hppy o
mp h b cco  h h p of im dmi, of c ick i
h od im.
F om  MS. my f i d civd f om h  M . Wiim W d, i
pp  h h ick   pcd  y-o y d p   o g
i c  h y 1700; h  mp   h o y o  foo high, b 
o f id. Th idh om p o  hv do bd; b  i i  d d
c dib by h  xii y vid c h h  , i ho dy,
idh  o gh b h o  mp fo c i g h id bockho
 dy m io d,  d o bc --h  o  h of  mp  d
bi-- d fo m y of o  mp ih o   mp id c o.
W   i fo md, o, h p i g do h ick o mk  m o 
i i g, i d of h od c om of poppi g h b i o h
ho,  dopd o cco  of v  i j i o h h d,  d h
h ick  ch gd  h m im--1779-1780--o h dim io 
of  y-o i ch by ix, ih  hi d  mp ddd.
Bfo  hi  io h   of df c  mo k o : b
of pd ov h ick,  d of pd h o gh. A h im of
h  io Od Ny   y p dicd h h i i g o d o b
ho  d b  b pyd. Th o g pod  d c vd fo m of h b,
  i h od pi i g,  md o y fo hii g,  d fo g o d
b oo. L gh b   h by o m  commo ; ih o d
o  mp  co g hm:  d v p igh py  h p cid by
v y f. Od Ny   h o  H y H,  gi g b d bk
of F hm, gv p ipic c  o yo g py ,  d y
i id o kpi g h f bo  p; i oh o d, o  igh
py. No--dy, id Bdhm,  h o d k o h; b  h I

bg h   v y i  gh boi g, v y i  igh py,


 d i df c ih . F x, id h,  h fi  ho pyd
o   b; bfo  hi dy, bi g  oo m ch bo  h c .
Bdhm id h hi o  ppod mpi g of P ovid c co id
i i g i o hi. Yo do f igh m h  j mpi g o  of yo
g o d, id o Sq i  P :  d F x d o o  ho,
h h pyd fo  d o h pich of h b, hi fh hd v
 h ik i  hi dy; h id dy x di g  o g y
bck o d h bgi i g of h c  y. Whi pki g of goi g i
o hi, Bdhm id, My opi io h y b h oo i
i mpd i h di cio . J dg yo b,  d, h h 
ov -pichd, go i  d hi h y. I hi opi io M . C. Tyo 
p cic o d hv bo  Bdhm o :  d  fi  dhi g gm hi
mk; o y, i i  gm fo o  b  p cid py . Wh yo  
p fc i pyi g i yo g o d, h ,  d h o y,  y ho yo c
py o  of i,  h b m  o c h  my  d op h
fid.
A o boi g, co i d Bdhm, h I   boy (bo  1780),
 y  boi g  f,  d  o g h g o d. I ho dy
h Hmbdo C b co d b  E g d; b  o h  p ih
 o d F hm   b Hmbdo .
I i q i vid  h F hm  h c d of c ick .
S y, i h od co , m  ohi g mo  h h F hm
p ih. Thi co  of S y, i v y mch gi  A E g d,
 cko d  p  of Hmphi ;  d, Bdhm  y id yo fi d 
g  y o h Hmphi  id i B y Book.
I od yo , i , id Bdhm, h i my  y dy  boi g
 h  cd f, o    mod  pc. Th fi  obbi g
o bo I v   Tom Wk . Wh , i 1792, E g d pyd
K , I did f o hmd of  ch bby boi g; b , f , h
did mo  h v Dvid H i himf. To y  f , i 1794,
 D fo d B  , Tom Wk , ih hi o boi g, hdd  id
gi  Dvid H i,  d b him iy.
K , i  y im,  o q  o o co i. Thi g  m
 C ,  d h  k y f om o p ih of A fo d by
M . Amh , h g m ho md h K  mch. I ho dy,
xcp  o d o p , F hm  d h S y id of Hmphi , 
i py    o g y. Why, o m d o b mo  kd of h
Yd ;  d, h h cm mo g ,  oo md p o mi d h h
 of hm m  b. If yo   o k o, i , h im h Hmbdo
C b  fo md, I c  yo by hi;--h  b hm i 1780, I
h d M . P  y, H  hv I b hi y y  ii g o c b,
 d    o b b by  m  p ih? o, h  m  hv b 
c ick c b, h pyd v y k g  y,  o g go  1750.
W d o go  g y o  mch  if i   o  mi fighi g;
 ood  ohi g if    od h im. F om o p ih o
Hmbdo i  y-v mi,  d  d o id boh y h m
dy,  y  d . A , I  d Joh W   bo  b idi g 
c : yo hv h d of x c , i ; , h x  p  o h ,
 d h oppd . Th mmb  of h Hmbdo C b hd  c v o
k hi v bo ; hy d o c o py y i vv cp.
Lo d Wi ch v d o py i iv cd h;  d y
h d   k -b ch  d ocki g. W v ho gh of k ock;
 d, mmb , I pyd gi  B o  of B igho oo. C i y, yo
o d   b mp hv d h ocki g,  d v h bood com
h o gh; b  I v k   m kid, o yo k h q io ,  d I

v   y ccid  of m ch co q  c, ho gh m y  _ b _,


i my o g xp i c. F cy h od fhio bfo  c ick ho, h
I  Joh W   fi g i off gi  hi ho-b ck i
picki g p  b!
Yo book, i , y m ch bo  od Ny  . Thi Ny   fify y 
od h I bg o py; h  o g   i h Hmbdo mch;
b  o hf  py ,   cko o. H hd  m f m  d i
 Hmbdo ,  d ook c  of h g o d.
I mmb h m y hi g fi  cm i o h gm hich   commo
o. Th  fo Lg-bfo -ick  o pd, o m ch  d,
i Ri g, o  of o b hi ,  hbby  o gh o g hi g
i h y,  d k dv g of h bo ;  d, h Tom Tyo ,
 oh of o b hi , did h m, h bo  fo d hmv
b ,  d h   pd o mk g-bfo -ick O . Th 
gi  j ki g  oi g o h f ighf  pc Tom Wk p  o ,
 d I biv h h f  d  id omhi g mo  ik h mod
h oi g-boi g,  d o c d h o d gi  h oi g o. Wi
 o h i v o of h ki d of o d boi g; h o y vivd
h  fo go o  o h yo g fok.
Th mpi  did o fo m y pich h ick. Dvid H i d o
hi k  g  d of pichi g himf  good-ick,  d ook m ch
pi  i  ii g himf v y mch dy.
Lo d So  fo d of c ick. H mpoyd m o mk  g o d fo
him  Ho Po d.
I h  c  y, h h ggo  d h pckho   ppid h
pc of h p y  i , h   i oppo  iy fo ho
f q   mi g of m f om di  co i h o p zz  o
mmb ho i No h  d ho i So h, ho i S y o ho i K .
Th mch h    y co y mch,  d hd mo  of h pi i
of hoi  ib  d iv c . Th   o miki g h K 
boy, id Bdhm, h hy cm  i g i o h G  M . A
f of  hd g o d o Lo do , b  K   d Hmphi  m hd b 
o pk, o v ho hmv,  d yo d o k hm hich
id hy   o . So h mch md ik Si Ho c M  d Lo d
Wi ch  d hi pciv    y--fo h i h f d
ym b q i xi c?  d h   o i p id  d ho o i
h p ih h   hm p,  d m y  fgo of  dp di g i
h f m o h hop g o d hy v y p  d,  o hh
hy ho d,  h pi i-i i g yi g , p ov hmv h
b m . I mmb i o  mch, id Bdhm, i K , Ri g
 pyi g gi  Dvid H i. Th gm  m ch gi  him. Si
Ho c M  c i g bo  ih hi ick mo g h dii,  d
ch i g v y ,--yo o d hv ho gh hi ho fo   ( d h
o d of b om h d d)  kd po h gm;  d,   
m  goi g i , h   c o o Ri g,  d id, Ri g, c y yo
b h o gh  d mk p  h ,  d I giv yo 10_._ -y
fo if. W, Ri g  o  fo ixy ,  d o y h  o i,
 d fo o b,  d h  m md hm. I  Si Ho c ho
ook Ay d y ih him o  of Hmphi , b  h b b md b 
 poo biiff,  h d.
C ick  pyd i S x v y  y, bfo  my dy  ; b ,
h h   o good py I k o by hi, h Rich d N d, of
Si d i S x,  yo y, i ,  gh od Rich d Ny  ,  d h
o S x m co d b fo d o py him. No,  co d-  py

of o p ih b N d iy; o yo my j dg h h  of


S x h  . B  bfo  1780 h    om good py  bo 
Hmbdo  d h S y id of Hmphi . C , h b of h
K  m ,  o y f om ; o yo i o b  o g, i , i
 ii g do h F hm,  d hi y mi o d,  d  h b
py  p o my dy, bo  1780.
Th    om ho   h cd h od py ,-- d h 
F x cco  q i g d ih Bdhm,--i c di g F m  d od
Sm. A d  o od Sm, i i o hy of ob vio , h B 
dc d i  p  of h c d of h  c  y, h Sm 
h m ho fo d o  c ick, o b o gh py o  y dg  of
p fcio . Of h m choo  S  , h ick-kp , ho i
ho dy hd v y i  mpi g o do,  d Mi h   d Coho ,
 m io d i Ny  . Th m pyd p ddi g bo  hi c 
 d hd o f dom. I ik o   py p igh  d  fo  d, o
fc h b ik  m . Th D k of Do  md  mch  D fo d
B   b h Od Py   d h N.--Yo  gh, i , id
hi o i g iv -hi d od m , b      N o c;--,
I pyd ih h Wk , Joh W,  d h  of o m ,  d
b h Od o  v y iy.
Od Joh Sm did, h , if o h fi  of h Hmbdo i ,
i 1826. Ic Wo , h fh of A g , ivd o h g of
i y-h . Thi fh of C ick   i hi i ih y . Joh
Sm pyd i  h g  mch i h   d of v y. A
fi  k  d  good m ici . B , ho h D k of Do  ook g 
i   i Joh Sm,  d ho hi G c gv him  fidd,  d ho
Joh , ik  mod O ph , bg id  id b  of i f y i h
midd of  pddock, i i o  i i h book of h ch o ic
of h pym of Od Ny  ?--I  mch of Hmbdo gi  A
E g d, Sm kp p hi ick fo h  dy,  d  o o  f
. A piy hi co  i k o . W ho d ik o comp  i ih M .
W d.
Tom Wk  h mo dio  fo o bo o,  d h o
 b ick I v . H y  h hi ,--H y
hf-ho   good  Tom f oo . I hv  Noh M , ho
  f  Tom  o, i i g  fo , ov k him, p him
o h bck,  d y, Good m fo yo i _Wk _, fo yo v 
  . I d o b id h Dvid H i hd o c bod him
170 b fo o  ! Dvid   po by  d,  d i  ki d of
ki y md b h d, h d o p ci boi g fo
diff   b f om o   d,  d h picki g hm p h o d bo
hm bck gi . Hi boi g co him  g  d of p cic; b  i
p ovd  o h hi hi, fo o m v bod ik him,  d h
 y fi  cho of  h m i E g d.--_Ni i  bo _,
mmb , yo g c ick  .--Lmb  ( o h g  py
of h m), id Ny  , hd  mo dcif   d i g y of
div i g h b; h  mbd o  h K   d S y m , o  f
 oh ,  if pickd off by  if co p. Hi p fcio i cco d
fo by h ci c m c h h h   di g hi fh  hp, h
o d  p  h d o o,  d bo y fo ho  ogh .
Th   om good hii g i ho dy, ho gh oo i df c.
Tom Tyo o d c  y i fi  y, mo f h m  of
M . B dd. Od Sm  mo g h fi  mmb  of h Hmbdo C b.
H bg o py bo  1750,  d L mpy Sv   h m im. I
c giv yo om oio , i , of h c ick  i ho dy, fo
L mpy,  v y bd b,  h    , o c id o m, Bdhm,

h do yo hi k c ick m  hv b i ho dy h I 


ho gh  good bm ? B  fidi g  v y good  f bck  I
c mmb .--No, h Bdhm cd good fidi g m  hv b
good  o gh. H  himf o  of h f h d   cch. M .
B dd, h p fo y,  i o  of h q ick m I v pyd
ih, ki g y midd ick,  d of , by if i g, doi g
p  of o g fid o k. Sp k, F x, B ,  d yo g Sm,
 d M . P y,   fi  , o o m io Bgy, ho y of
o g oppi g i h No h  d So h Mch of 1836, md Lo d F d ick
 d M . W d j y p o d of o good  p  iv of h gm i
hi yo g dy. Abi,  od py of v y, dc ibi g h
m i of  h m , id, p  M . Ki g  poi , M . C. Riddi g
o g-op,  d M . W. Pick i g cov ,  d I v  h m h
co d b ih of hm.
Joh W   mo d g o  m i  i g ick mch, bi g o
dd  ho   ick. I o  cb d mch, Lo d F d ick  d
h Ho o b H. T fo o b  of Joh ; b  Joh W fo d 
oppo  iy of mi i i g hi ch c by hyi g do , f om h id,
i mo  h h i g  mp. Tom Sh id joi d om of o
mch, b  h  o good b  o mk pop  gh. I o dy h 
  o pddd gov. I hv  Tom Wk b hi bdi g fi g 
i h d ! Dvid d o y h ikd o _ i d_ him.
Th mch gi   y-o   o commo i h  c  y.
I 1788 h Hmbdo C b pyd o- d- y  Cod Ah Hi.
D i g b g  d ick i o   i v io . Od Sm,
(b. 1737, d. 1826,)  fmo  fo h d ,  d, o i c  hi
fciiy h ch gd h c ookd b of hi dy fo   igh b.
Th   om fi  c i g bfo  S d  dy. H y Wk  h
fi , I biv, ho b o gh c i g o p fcio . Th x g i 
c  --fo hy   v y c c (I v cd mi  c i g, o
ik h of S d   )-- Robi o . Wk  d Robi o
o d i fo h b i  b  p h ick,  d h c  ih
g  fo c. Oh  md good Off-hi, b  did o hi   o gh
fo  good C . I o d v c  ih o boi g. I biv h
Wk , F x,  d myf, fi  op d h od py  y o h
co d b do  ih h b; Wk by c i g,  d F x  d I by
fo  d py: b   imp ovm   oi g o Dvid H i boi g.
Hi boi g o mo p p dic  : i  o c p o o cd  j k;
i  ogh mo x o di  y.--Fo hi  y  I v gd
fo y-h   mch, ho gh f q  y I hd o y o  i i g; b  I
v co d hf py     y  d.

CHAP. I .
CRICKET GENERALLY ESTABLISHED AS A NATIONAL GAME BY THE END OF THE LAST
CENTURY.
Li i co dd of h Hmbdo C b f h y 1786. I b ok
p h Od Ny  f i, i 1791; ho gh, i hi  y , h  
od Hmbdo Ev  b  b  y-o of Middx  Lo d.
Thi c ick-g o d o B odhfp y Do , i Hmphi ,  o f
movd f om h m y obm  d g m ho hd   d dmi d
h v  boi g of Dvid H i, h b ii  hii g of Bdhm,
 d h i  mi b df c of h Wk , h h o hi

oo fo d  mo  g i ph  fo hi   gi o h g o d of


K , S y,  d Middx. Si, ho gh h  d  d d, h
m  vivd;  d imp d  k odg of hi c f o g   d
imp f  d  .
Mo gdy o d  ch o ic h h good m  d    
c d by  g   d  p ioic pi i, o diff   id
o civiiio --fo  ch o gm cim o b--mo g hi
o d - ick fo-co  ym ; b , i  h,  co f h
pi g god opi io   d coi , f om  ki d of m ,  
 h i dc ibb  m   d ho joyo  moio  hich  d h
b, vigo o y p opd o h oicy oppd, hi h d d of
voic ho  pp ,--h  ch i i g moiv, mo  po f  f
ih vi -go io  m h  y diovi g vi of b c vi  ,
 dd o h mig io of h p id of Hmbdo . Si, do bf 
ho gh h moiv, c i i h fc, h h od Hmbdo py 
did c y hi b  d  mp o  of Hmphi  i o h djoi i g
co i,  d g d y, ik  g  comm d ,  gh hi
dv  i o co q  oo. I om i  c,  ih Lo d Wi ch,
M . Amh ,  d oh , obm combi d h _ i d ci_, p 
 d b i ,  d i d  g  py   kp o  biiff, 
M i g o c   ggd by E  D ci. I oh i  c, h py
of h  mm d o mpoym  h o gh h i  ; o  h b y
b ivd o h  of hi  hi  oi,  joyi g _oi m c m
dig i_--h i, ivi g ik g m , ih ohi g o do.
Thi cco  fo o fi di g h Hmphi  m pyi g K 
mch; bi g, ik   d Lo d i P ch pic ,  id
v yh , o ciiz  of h o d.
L   c h Hmbdo i  i  hi co , f om h d
m io d (1786 o 1800), h v f  p iod of h F  ch Rvo io
 d No  vico i;  d    ho h B k oppi g pym ,
h m i y of h f,  d h h  d i vio , p  ogh ,
did o p v  b f om fyi g ov h  d fid, i  f mo 
i oc   d io  y o hi, h o h oh id, of h  .
No, h   h mch i h  c  y--v g m
gi  h v C ? No! h, ho gh  ci  m,   of
mod im. K   d E g d   good    mch i h ,
 i h p   c  y. Th Whi Co d i Fid  d h A i y
G o d  ppid h pc of Lo d, ho gh i 1787 h m of Lo d
i fo d i B y mch, impyi g, of co , h od M ybo 
G o d, o Do  Sq  , d Thom Lo d,  d o h p  
by S. Joh  Wood, mo  p op y d vi g h m of D k h
Lo d. Th K ih bfid   Sv ok--h  d of Co ,
o  of h o igi  mk  of c ick-b,--Coxhh, D dio
Fid, i h I of Th ,  d Cobhm P k; o D fo d B    d
P  d Hh: h  i o  y m io of G v d, Roch ,
 d Wooich.
Nx i impo  c o h K  mch   ho of Hmphi   d
of S y, ih ch of hich co i i diff  y h Hmbdo
m d o py. Fo i m  o b  ppod h h ho co y
of S y p  fo h  c op of  mp  d ick   o c:  hv
 dy id h m  d hop  d c ick hv v go  ogh .
To p ih i S y, djoi i g H , o h o igi   
fo hi co y; p ih i h immdi vici iy of h F hm
hop co  y. Th Ho,  F hm,  d Mo y H ,   h
S y g o d. Th mch migh  y hv b cd F hm

hop-gh   _v._ ho of K . Th fo m , idd occio y by


m ho d  k h  of Ao , j   B o -o -T  , if- i 
o o I di mpi ,  d fo h i gi , f hd ih bi
, o df d h ho o of h ighbo i g o   d co i. Th
m of Hmphi , f B odhfp y  b do d o dock  d
hi, pichd hi   g  y ih po Wi dmi Do  o
po Sok Do ;  d o c hy pyd  mch gi  T. Aho
Smih, ho m  h dc dd o  o hy p  iv, hh
o h v  f o by h cov id. Abi, h h g m
h  m ( occio y dv id)  Hmbdo , h m 
co cio y void h po h  ich  d  --h Hmphi 
c y--did o c xhi  h fmo  Jm Ay d, mo g oh ,  h
o ihd h F hm ggo  , by co i i g o   d h m i i g
 h m d ov p o h T dy f oo  d do o h Wd dy
mo i g! Thi mch  pyd  A dov ,  d h  m of mo of
h Ev my b d o h ombo  (ih h b of ch c )
i A dov Ch chy d. Bo  Pddock, E  D y ,  d
B y P k, i R  dhi , co i d of h dbb g o d
i hi pciv co i. E  D y,    Si Ho c M
 d E  Wi ch, M . P   d M . E,   hi m  d
p o g o Ev ; omim i h pc m io d, omim 
Lo d,  d omim  P im Do ,  L gg h, i Wihi .
Middx o, xc ivy of h M ybo  C b, hd i Ev
i h dy; o ,  ho d y, i _ y-o_, fo h  h
mb h q i d o  d h dicipi d fo c of Hmphi ,
K , o E g d. A d hi mi d  of  Uxb idg g o d, h 
Middx pyd  d o; o, of Ho ch ch, Ex, h  Ex,
i 1791,   ffici y dv cd o i gi  M ybo , 
occio mmo b, bc  Lo d F d ick B c k h  pyd
 y hi fi  co dd mch, mki g c c  y , b  boi g
fo ick. Lo d F d ick fi  mch   Lo d, 2 d
J , 1791. Th   o,  i h Ho . R. G imo , h
Boi g-g   H o-o -h-Hi, h  h choo pyd:
Rich do , ho  bq  y bcm M . J ic Rich do ,  h
cpi of h Schoo Ev i 1782.
A dy, i 1790, h gm  p di g o h d, o , h ,
p oof xi h i hd o g bfo   ck f  d id i oo
 d b  ch i o h i d;  d o h i   gm 
pop  ih h m of bo  h m of i ,  d h fo 
i co by of hom g oh: o m  xoic, o impo io of h
fvo d f, c c ick b, if, ik i mk, i i fo d 
ho hod o d ih ho hom B  py c h m y-p o d
o  of mch ic if.
I 1791 Eo , h i, h od Eo i , pyd M ybo , fo
py  giv o ih id;  d    Eo i  i h k 
fo i fo mi g hm, o o y h h v Eo i    mo  h
 mch fo hi dv  i, b  o h hi mch p ov h
Eo hd,  h  y d, h ho o of  di g fo h h mo
dii g ihd m  of h dy; fo Lo d Wi ch, Ho . H.
Fiz oy, E  D y, Ho . E. Bigh, C. A g ih, Aho Smih--good
m  d  --  Eo i  . Thi mch  pyd i B y P k,
R  dhi . O h fooi g dy, J  25h, 1791, h M ybo 
pyd v yom  d  i  of Lic ;  d ho gh h
Lic i  c   o y fig , i h fc h h Mid d
Co i p cid c ick ixy y  go i o h co di g. P
H d, of Lic ,  fmo  ick-kp , of  y y  i c,
od m of   i mch i hich h  hi fh , q i  od

m , ih  oh v  of hi o  di g, q icky p  o  ih


h od-fhio d o boi g  y good Ev fo om  y
--good, h i, gi  h mod y of boi g;  d c ick
 o   gm i hi od m   y dy (y 1780) bo 
Lic  d Noi ghm,  h co  i pg 41 o  o d p ov;
fo  ch  gm  c ick, vid y of g d  dvopm , m  hv
b pyd i om p imiiv fo m m y  o g y bfo  h d
of 1775, i hich i hd xcid  ffici  i  ,  d  if
 ffici y m d i fo m, o ho h o Ev  of Shffid  d
of Noi ghm. Add o hi, h  hv  dy m io d,  d
fo m of c ick  f o h  A g   d Lohi i 1700,  d  c
h dy do b h c ick  k o   y i h Mid d  i h
So h Co i. Th m of Noi ghm-- d of C k, B k ,  d
Rdg-- x mo h, i h m y (1791) h  do h g ,
 d h d h m f;  d x dy h M ybo , ddi g, i 
c icki g  , i   o i j y, pyd  y-o of hm,  d
o by hi  .
I 1790, h hopoc cy of B igho hd o  Ev ;  d S x
 d S y, i 1792,    v gi  E g d o Lo d, ho
co d i o  i i g 453 , h  g co  o co d, v
h of Epom i 1815--476 i o  i i g! M.C.C. _v._  y-o
of Noi ghm,  o fi d    mch;  d o M.C.C. _v._
B igho , hich bcom  o c o hy of h fm h S x o g
h bo . I 1793, h od Wmi  m  b  b h od
Eo i :  d Ex  d H , oo  o o m  h fm of K 
 d S y,   co  , ik co d-  p fo m , o hv, ho gh
pyi g  y-o, o  B fi b hm, i h hp of df i
o  i i g f om E g d. A d h     mi dd by o od py ,
 K   d  Ex m , h, bi g chooboy i 1785, hy c
pcivy ify h, boh i K   d i Ex, c ick pp d
o hm mo  of  vig gm h hy hv v  i of 
y . Th    c ick-b bhi d h doo , o  p i h
bco ck, i v y cog. W h d i of c b, xcp  o d
Lo do ; i h gm  pyd by m y o by f, i v y choo
 d vig g  i Ex  d i K ,  d h fid pcd m ch 
h ih h Sidmo h I pyd h Tig b idg C b i 1826. M .
Whihd  h g  hi of K ;  d F m  d Sm   m
 of m io d  Pich  d P by o boy o. A d o (1793)
h gm hd p  d f h W; fo v yom  Odfid
B y, i B khi , hd  d o g  o gh o b b o df  good
v of h M ybo  C b.
I 1795, h Ho . Coo  L ox, mmo b fo  d  ih h D k
of Yo k, fo gh--h  h g  Coo  hd fo gh o m y  
hoi b--o h c ick g o d  D fo d B  , hdd Ev 
gi  h E  of Wi ch;  d o, fi  h M ybo  v
b ix Oxo i  o B i gdo G  .
I 1797, h Mo pi C b  d g o d  c o oic. Th m of
hi c b i o  of h mo  ci ,  d hi g o d  ho  di c
o y f om h g o d of H of Cmb .
Sffhm, i No fok, i o m io d fo h fi  im. B  No fok
i o  of h   od,  d i  co y hich,  M . Dick  id
of God Sq  , bfo  i  h id c of C di  Wim ,
i obody y o o f om  y pc. So, i ho o coch  d
pckho  dy, h p o  of K , S y, H ,  d M ybo , ho
o  gv o h    i y ohi g,  oc hbiio  d 
m, co d o o iy x d hi ci c i o h  d of  ky,

ihoomy,  d d mpi g. B  i hpp d o c h Lo d F d ick


B c k  h d o y, hi v ho d b  y h  v 
i h co y of No fok; h c  o  ch g f om h No fok
m , hom,    o gh, hi Lo dhip did b,  d h i o  i i g;
 d  p i , ho gh o o pock-h dk chif,   ck off o
p p  hi ho o b chivm .
Lo d F. B c k  o o  of h b py  of hi dy;  o
  h Ho . H.  d I. T fo . Thy f q  y hdd  diviio of
h M ybo , o om co y c b, gi  Middx,  d omim
Hmpd  d Highg.
I hi y (1798) h g m fo id md h fi  mp
  mch b h G m  d h Py ;  d o hi fi 
occio h py  o ; ho gh h  m io h h G m hd
h  py  giv ,  d o h T. Wk , Bdhm,  d Hmmo d  
h h , c i y i  ik pyi g E g d, h p  of E g d
bi g f o  by p ic  di .
K  ckd E g d i 1798, b , bi g b i bo  _hf_ 
i i g,  fi d h K ih m i 1800, ho gh i h k i g
f h m comopoi dii cio , mody ccp h odd of
i  ,  d f  d  y-h , m o v.
Th chif p o g,  d co q  y h chif p cic, i c ick,
 byo d  comp io i Lo do . Th , h py   y
 p ofio : v h g m md  p ofio of i;  d
h fo , ho gh c ick  f mo  x ivy p d h o gho 
h vig of K  h of Middx, h c b of h m opoi
fig  i h co  book  dfyi g  compiio . P ofio 
py ,  my ob v, hv y  dcidd dv g i pc of
j dicio  choic  d m  i g hi b m . Th b v o h
id of h Py  i mo y k o ,  d c b m  d o 
giv dy. Fvo , f i dhip,  d iq  i  f  b  i ih
hi cio ; b  h v g m of E g d    y o
m  ,-_Li q  d_ P ih _ dom   pc _
_Uxo _,--

 d hy   v  yhi g mo  h h b v k o o h


p y ho mk h mch. Bid, by h im  m i  hi
b, h h d i hich bid him i .
Hvi g o  cd h i  d p og  of h gm f om h im
of i g   bihm  o h im h Bdhm hd ho
 h f  po  of h b,  d Lo d F d ick hd ( F x
y dc d) fo md hi y po Bdhm;  d i c o
 pp och h   of   choo,  d h fo  d py of
F x,--hich hi fh  md  i ovio  d p  mpio
co   y o  xp i c,--i h m fo  d py  p ovd
ffc  by Lmb ,  d Hmmo d hd ho h, i pi of ick
kp , boi g, if ifo my o, migh b m  d hi y 
h pich;-- o,  i i o ch c i, i h o d of
y-i , h h o of h co   dy m io d.
O h Od Py  I my b b if; bc , h f od g m
(ih o  of hom I m i diy comm icio ) ho hv h d v h
m of h Wk , F m, Sm,  d Dvid H i,   pi g y,
f  of y ,  d mo  h  i hio y of h Od Py 

co i i dic imi i g co .


I poi  of y h Od Py  did o py h dy gm, ih
mid ov ,   p  . Th df iv  comp ivy k o :
boh h b  d h ick,  d h y of boi g oo,   
dpd o  ho  if  d  m y o . Th ood  bi  fo 
b,  i C  d Dog, bfo  dc ibd, vid y impid  hii g,
 d o  oppi g gm.
Th Wick,   coc f om  MS. f ihd by  od f i d o h
 Wiim W d, Eq., , i h  y dy of h Hmbdo C b,
o  foo high  d o f id, co ii g of o  mp o y, ih
o   mp id c o. Th ,  igh b pd b ,  d, h
 o c,  pichd b o d of co  i ov . Wh , h ,
 h  co gm  o bock, h fo   o d o of  p h
pc of ci c? A d,  o h b, ook  h pic  of c ick 
pyd i h od A i y G o d; h b i c vd  h  d ik
 hocky ick, o h h d of  poo ,  d-- commo impm 
 y   dpd o h o k o b p fo md--yo i diy
biv h i od im h f  hi  h b bm .
Th boi g   o g h g o d, h d  d y bi g v yhi g,
 d j dgm  ohi g; bc , h   o igi y  o bo d
h b. Th ick  oo o fo ii g b;  d h o 
h omim of h Bockho , o h h bockho o igi y
d od g  d, b  bc  b h o-f- d  mp h 
 c   ho big  o gh o co i h b,  d ( o ih h
choo boy gm of o d ) h hi  md o  i i g 
och by h b bi g poppd i o hi ho (h c poppi g c )
bfo  h poi  of h b co d ch i.
Did  y R i g  Noch? _ d_ Noch? Wh o d   h dy
of f  k odg,  d Si Wiim C i h  R,--o ,
di g,  ii g,  d  ihmic,--h   ci c ho d b
vovd i   y   y: h o d h och o  ick,
ik h och i h mik-om  y i Hog h pic ,
ho d  ppy h pc of ho compicd pp  of v ic
co m , hich  bjc h boi g, h bi g,  d h fidi g o
 p oc v y  d c p o y j , of  yic ob vio ,
o diff  i cc  ! Wh  o h  i o kich chi , ih
i k bo id o   mp h o  fo  , M . Cdco 
 d Byy (i piy o  ch m ho d v o b mpi ),
ih  comfo b  gh of pp o hi k ,  d  g i
g phic   bov hi hd;  d h  o i Liyhi
p i i g p , o h d do v y hi  oo  md o op y
c d o f   g  io ; h , o i  imi poiio , od
F m, o yo g Sm (yo g o c: h did i 1834, gd ighy) migh
hv pcd   y yom o c  och ih hi b d- d-bco
k if o  h ick. Oh! i  o gh o mk h Hmbdo h o
i p igh i hi g v ih o ihm  o hi k, h i h
G m  d Py  Mch, i 1850, h c ick  of od Sp k
G o d,  Edi b gh, co d c y k o h co  of h fi 
i i g i Lo do , bfo  h co d hd comm cd!
B  h  y h h od py  hd i o ohi g of h
df iv,  pk of h py bfo  1780, h Dvid H i
fo ihd: fo Wiim Bdhm dii cy  d  h h  
of boi g ov h b by  gh b o igi d ih h fmo 
Dvid;   io ,  i v   o y, hich q i   i,
 d o y  i, q ificio . L gh boi g, o h -q  
b, o   pop  , ho gh xpodd, xp io ,  i  od cd i

Dvid im,  d by him fi  b o gh o p fcio . A d h h


co fi m hi m  i, h h  y bo    v y if
bo ,-- ch  o o y Dvid, b  h fmo  B , of  i
d,  d F m of g   o :  mo  mod  pc  d f om h
 dicov y of   pichd bi b.
Th od py   d ood h   of ii g, o bi boi g.
Lmb , h i f m , y Ny  , imp ovd o h  ,  d
p zzd h K  m i  g  mch, by ii g h v  of h
  y,--h i, f om h off o g  mp. Tom Wk  id
h Ny  c h h oi g-boi g,  d dfid  h py  of
h dy o ih d hi ovy; b , by  co ci of h Hmbdo
C b, hi  fo bidd ,  d Wi,  K  m , hd  h p i
of i v i g i om  y y   . I  mch of h Hmbdo
C b i 1775, i  ob vd,   c iic poi  of h gm,
h h b pd h  im b Sm o  mp iho 
k ocki g off h bi;  d h , fi ,  hi d  mp  ddd;  d,
i g h h  y of b hich i ov h b o o
ov h ick, h b  o  foo high, h ick   d o
h dim io  of 22 i ch by 6,  hich m  i mi d i
bo  1814, h i  i c d o 26 i ch by 8,  d gi o i
p   dim io  of 27 i ch by 8 i 1817; h ,  o  i ch 
ddd o h  mp, o i ch   ddd o h idh b h
c . Th ch g i h ick   p  d i h fo goi g
oodc . I h y 1700, h   md o , o by  iki g off
h   v   mp-- c h dy c i  bi--b  by poppi g h
b i h ho h i p  d.
[I  io ]
Dvid H i boi g, F x d o y, i  od cd, o  
bihd  d fixd,  dy  d df iv y of bi g. I
hv  , id Sp k, v y o ighy  i  i i g,
ho gh o mo  h igh o i  md  H i  d. H i,
id  xc  j dg, ho  mmb  him, hd  y  h
q ick  of i  d h high of div y, hich ch c i
ov h d boi g, ih f g   igh   d p ciio . Th b
pp d o b fo cd o  f om d hi  m ih om cco b
j k, o h i  div d b  high. Hi p ciio xcdd
 yhi g I hv v  , i o m ch h Tom Wk dc d h, o
o  occio , h   f  hi ,  d h coo of h oi diy
pp d, o  po  poiivy cov d by h pd pichi g of
Dvid b i h m pc.
Thi boi g, id Sp k, compd yo o mk h b of yo
ch fo  d; fo if  m  h b pich oo   d c od
po him, h v y  y co d p v   mik, f om h high  d
pidiy ih hich h b c  p f om h g o d.--Thi cco 
g  ih h -k o dc ipio of Ny  . H i mod of
div i g h b  v y i g  . H o d b i g i f om d hi
 m by  i,  d  y  high  hi  m-pi,  d ih hi cio
p h i,  i  , f om him. Ho i  h h b cq i d h
vociy hy did by hi mod of div y, I v co d comp h d.
Hi b   v y i bhod o h g o d; i  b   o ch
 d p gi ;  d o b o h m ho did o g i o bock hm,
fo hy hd  ch  pc i c  hy o d g i d hi fi g  gi 
h b.
A d Ny  g  ih my i fo m  i c ibi g g  imp ovm  i
bi g,  d h pcifi, p ic  y i oppi g (fo h c of

df c,  id,  o  i o h bm i h id of
o  of h od py ), o h boi g of Dvid H i,  d b 
imo y o   io , h fo  d py, h i mi g  h
pich b co id by ho  of  hf voy,  i k o o
h od py ,  d  cd i o q iiio chify by h
boi g of Dvid H i. Obvio y, ih h p imiiv fhio of
g o d boi g, cd  k , fo  d py co d hv o pc,  d
v -pichd b, ik ho of P Sv , _i_ L mpy,
of mod  pc migh b pyd ih om ffc, v bhi d h
c ; b  Dvid H i, ih pc, pich,  d pid i combi d,
imp ivy dm dd   i v io ,  d  ch  fo  d py bo 
1800. Od F x, ho did, ! i  Middx o kho , gd
ighy, i 1839 (hd hi co d c b   ighfo  d  d p igh
 hi b, h o d hv k o  b  d), y dc d h h
 h fi ,  d mi d o g iho  foo ;  d o m p i
i d  o h bod   d o igi iy h   o gh h civd
mxim of hi fo fh  bfo  h  bo o ho gh of; d i g o
 y hi g h, hd hy b o di  iy o b, o d o, of
co , hv b ig o d by F m, by P ch, o by Sm. Th
o d    ch m  F x; m , ho i hk off h p j dic
of bi h, p  g,  d d cio ,  d body dc  h g h
 gh hm idom,  d h h poicy of hi p dco , hov
xp ivy  oypd, m  b vid  d co cd  d dpd o
h dm d of  mo  i q i i g g  io . My fh , id F x,
kd m ho I cm by h  py, chi g o   o o  v 
bfo . Th m y h ivd o  p cid, o g y, b 
ih o d f  po  d ffc by Lmb ,  mo v   d o 
hi ;  d F x o bod h h hd  mo p ofici 
dicip i F  Pich: ho gh I  pc h,  _po ci
o fi_,--h i, h  g  p fo m  pp o hv b o gh
h c  of hi xc c i o h o d o g ih hm,  d  
o h m  p pp of hich oh  p  h  i g--F  Pich my
hi k h h coi cidd ih, h   f om, Wiim F x.
No h Dvid H i fo id, ho  o gh q i  vo io i h
gm, ch gi g c ick f om  bck d  d  hi g o  fo  d
 d df iv gm,  d cimi g high  mp o do j ic o hi
ki--hi Dvid, ho boi g  m y y  i dv c of hi
g  io , hvi g  h xc c of Liyhi high div y,
ho gh f  f om  imp io of fi --hi Dvid o
 y,  d  ook ,  d  h b d of c f  , bfo 
h i d  ch dii cio --i h dy of i od, Thm
 ,  d  b  gov  d b idg--o d v h oic of o
p . Fo , id Joh B , yo migh hv  Dvid p cii g
 di  im  d f ho ,  h i  h o gh;  d m y 
Hmphi  b , id Bgy, h b h d o o d ih b  d
b    h hi g.
_Ni i  mg o,_
_ i bo  ddi mo ib ._
A d o  m  m io h m , ho,  h  d of h  c  y,
p  d h Pich, h P , h W m ,  d h Wid of h
p   dy.
Lo d B c k  fo md o h y of Bdhm, hom, i b ii cy
of hii g, h  y mbd. Th Ho . H. Bigh  d Ho . H. T fo
  of h m choo. Si P B   o  good hi . A d
h   h mo dii g ihd g m py  of h dy. E 
Wi ch  i v y p i cip mch, b  h fo hi p o g

h hi py:  d h Ho . Co. L ox fo h m o . M . R.


Whihd   K  py of g  cb iy. B  Lo d F. B c k
 h o y g m ho hd  y cim i h  c  y o py
i  A E g d v . H  o o  of h f  .
Hmmo d  h g  ick-kp ; b  h h boi g  o:
Sp k id h  him cch o  Robi o by  d  b g  d
ick. F m   h fi  o g op; b  Ry h fi  fid
i E g d;  d i ho dy, h h co    o g, fidi g
 of v mo  co id io h  p  . Of h p ofio 
py , Bdhm, Hmmo d, Tom  d H y Wk , F m , Robi o ,
F x, J. W,  d J. Sm   h fi  cho f H i hd
pd y; fo , Ny  y h v Lo d B c k co d h dy hv
 Dvid H i i hi p im. A hi im h     ffici 
mb of py  o mi i h c di of h f h d. O h
10h of My, 1790, h Lf-h dd b h Righ by hi y- i  .
Thi mch v h H i  d Ay d,  d h h  b K 
py , B zi , C ,  d Ciffo d,--S  , h fi  dii g ihd
ick-kp ,--H. Wk ,  d F m     f-h dd: o o
 Noh M .
Th bov-m io d py    q i  ffici  o giv om id
of h py of h  c  y. Sp k i  k o o h  ho
of h pg  hi q o dm i  co . I bi g h diff d o
idy f om h   y of good py , v h h v pyd
fo  d o  y v y g  x . Pyi g d g, cco di g o h
od fhio ( c i od-fhio d ho gh Pich dop i),  vd
i d of h f mo  g   d ffici  d . Sp k  o
 fi bi bo , b  of o g  pc,  d o v y diffic . I
mmb hi yi g h h od choo of o boi g  b
by Hmmo d i g h xmp of i g i . Hmmo d, h id,
o o  occio hi bck  o b o Lo d F. B c k ih  ch
f ighf  fo c h i j  kimmd hi Lo dhip g  dd hd,  d
h hd c cy  v o bo f . Of F x  c o pk f om
o f i d h Rv. Joh Mifo d. F x   fi  ighfo  d
hi ,  d o c  good  i g-ick py   y i E g d.
Hi i d  y,  d h pyd g y,  d hi  f om h
 i. If hi boi g   y pcim of h of hi co mpo  i,
hy   by o m  o b dpid. Hi boi g  v y if  d
of high div y, h b c   d g o d p ih g  q ick   d
p ciio . F x d o y h h m of h p   dy hd
i id of h h od d h d boi g y co d ffc;  d,
f om h pcim hich F x himf gv  ixy-fiv y  of g,
h  pp d o b m ch o i hi  io . Of  h py 
F x hd v  (fo om p iiy fo bygo  dy  m  of
co  o) o  icid hi o of dmi io ik Bdhm. W
c o comp   m ho pyd d h d, ih ho ho   fo md
o ov h d, boi g. Si, h  i o o biv h M . W d
 d oh  hv od , h Bdhm hd h g i  fo c ick, h
o d f  y (ho gh i fid him v y  y),  d h q ick 
of h d, hich o d hv md him  g  py i  y g.
Bdhm d o  i 1838,  d h ih o i imb  of
h d  d vivciy of y, hi h  id h cio o h o d ih
 b of hi o m fc , ho h hd d  fo h h p di
of Lo d  h hi o d  d hpd o h boi g of B o  of
B igho , v f h bfo , ho gh h good m of B igho
ho gh h o o  co d  d gi  him,  d B o  hd ho gh
o bo Bdhm off hi g. Thi mch of H  gi  E g d i
1819 F x  fo d of dc ibi g,  d c i y i giv om id
of h Bdhm co d do. Obdo , id M . W d, ih hi

 m do y f boi g,  dfyi g v y o   i g ick,  d


h  d Lmb  ch gd M . E. H. B dd ih h  oh . J  h I
hd  B o  if boi g,  d  hi  f om m d h mch.
B o    ggd,  d Obdo  b ih hi o po .
A mch  o md o giv B o   fi  i,  d    hvi g
 oci g, id F x,  d ki g ov ih Bdhm h
mch of h mo o  h G  M , h B o  cm i ,  d od
Bdhm, ih  m ch i c iy  good-h mo , h h ho d oo
 d hi  mp -fyi g. Hod h , id Bdhm, fi g i g hi
b, yo i b good  o gh o o m hi bi of ood, o 
yo ? C i y, id B o . Q i ifid,   d Bdhm,
o o-mo o yo h . Sv y-o , id F x,-- d
h co -book  hi cc cy,-- Bdhm fi   d o y
i i g;  d, Bgy o joi d ih F x,  d  d , h
h v   mo  comp  i mph of  bm ov  bo .
N y v y b  c  o ippd y i B o  h dy d d o
bo ihi Bdhm ch.
W di  o o q ify h p i of Bdhm, b  h  h
h h  ivd i g   d b ii  hii g,  d i h
o d f  v iiy hich c  i diff  y, q ick  igh i g,
 o d him,  c o hp m ki g, h  ch boi g  h of
Rdg o of Wid  d  imp ivy c y  v  y of
df c,  d  i d of c io  chf  , hich m   d
h bm o q i  ch  pic  fo h  i  migh b  i
h dy of Bdhm  d Lo d F. B c k.
So f  hv  cd h diff io of h gm,  d h dg  of
p ofici cy i d, o h bgi i g of h p   c  y. To
 m p h vid c, by h y 1800, c ick hd bcom h commo
pim of h commo pop i Hmphi , S y, S x,  d K ,
 d hd b i  od cd i o h djoi i g co i;  d ho gh 
c o  c i co i iy byo d R  dhi   d B y P k,
c i y i hd b o g fmii o h m of Lic  d
Noi ghm    Shffid;--h, i poi  of Fidi g g  y,
hi   dy  good,  d q i  m ch v d i  mch,  i
h b i c; hi Wick-kpi g i p ic  hd b by
xc d by S  , fo h co d  mp off B , ho pc Ny  ,
cq i d  h  ih  h bo  o h dy of Liyhi,
cd q i of h m- gi  po , bi o ick-kp co d
hi  ik W m o Box, xcp ih h g  iy of ov h d
boi g;  d  dy Bo  hd i d by bi  d q ick div y
 h xc c hich d h d boi g dmi. Si,  g d
Bi g, h v y fc h h  mp mi d ix i ch id, by
 y-o i ch i high, d iby p ov h h c  of
 cc  imid o comp ivy  m mb of py .

CHAP. .
THE FIRST TWENTY YEARS OF THE PRESENT CENTURY.
Bfo  hi c  y  o  y od, Dvid H i, H y Wk ,
P ch, Ay d,  d L mpy hd f h g,  d Joh Sm,
i d of hii g bd b ho ich o d o   mch, hd
  o mk commodii o good h Co   d D k   m 
oy-hop i comp io . Noh M  h Cdco , o mpi , of

h dy,  d H y B y o, h h did o py. Fiv y  mo 


  y h  of E  Wi ch, Si Ho c M , E  D y,
 d Lo d Y mo h; i S y hd  g  o  f i d i M . L ,
H  i M . T. Smih,  d K  i h Ho o b H.  d J. T fo .
Th Pviio  Lo d, h  d i c 1787 o h i of Do 
Sq  ,   dd by Lo d F d ick B c k, h  yo g m of
fo - d- y, h Ho o b Coo  Bigh, Coo  L ox, H.  d
J. T fo ,  d A. Upo . Ao, h     y M . R. Whihd,
G. Lyc , S. ig ,  d F. Ldb ok. Th   h g  p omo 
of h mch,  d h fi  of h m . C ick  o  of Lo d
By o  fvo i po ,  d h i pi of hi m foo: i 
h i ,-Togh joi d i c ick m y oi,
O h d h p od c of h iv  poi.
By o m io  i hi   h h pyd i h v of H o
gi  Eo i 1805. Th co  i giv i Liyhi P bic-Schoo
Mch.
Th xc  Wiim Wib fo c  fo d of c ick,  d  id p
by  v  bo o h g  Rohy hi pyi g ih hi o : h
y h doco od him  i mo  o d hv b ok h bo .
C ick,  hv ho ,  o igi y cd mo g h gm of
h o o d ; o  fi d h yom i fi iy  p io o h
g m v bfo  c ick hd bcom by  y m  o m ch of 
p ofio  i i o. Tom Wk , Bdhm, Joh W, F x,
Hmmo d, Robi o , Lmb , Sp k, H. B y, B , F m ,
  h b p ofio  of h dy. Fo i  v o igh y 
 h M . E. H. B dd,  d hi q  iv, M . B  d,  d hi
po i g f i d, Obdo ,  o h fi  py , E. P y, Eq.,
v y pp d;  d  i, h M . W d, Ho d, Bgy,
Th mood, Cdco , S , Fv, Ahby, S ,  d S d ,
 ccivy hod v y o c of bi boi g o ho  h
co ,  d of fi  hii g o  gh hm. By h  d of h
 y y ,  h dii g ihd py  hd  gh  gm i
hich h bi g b h boi g. C ick, id M . W d, ik
h i g, hooi g, fihi g, o v ychi g,   po  h d
h  dy; h ick hd b ic   gd, o c bo  1814,  d
gi i 1817; od Lo d hd  id hi hi d, h p  , g o d; h
Lg hd  gh h idom of pyi g h fo ov h mo y; o
coch hd giv y o f, o g hi o ho ;  d imy
Lmb , Joh W, Ho d,  d Po, h dd ov h b o
B odb idg  d Liyhi.
S ch i h c , h ch c ,  d h p fo m c. Mch i
ho dy   mo  m o y  dd h o, id M . W d: h
od gm  mo   civ o pco , bc  mo  b y, h
h . Tom Lo d fg  h  k o g ph h b o gh him
i f om h  o fo ho  d ixp c   mch. Joh Godhm, h
ocog  i i pco of Bii gg, h  h D k of Yo k  d
hi dv  y, h Ho o b Coo  L ox, i h m gm,  d
hd h ho o of pyi g ih boh,  d h P i c Rg , oo, i
h Whi Co d i Fid, o hich po M . Godhm b i hi p  
ho . Fo h P i c   g  ov of h gm,  d c d h
P i c C ick G o d o b fo md  B igho . Th  Lo d
B ymo , kid by h ccid  dich g of  b d b  i hi
pho ,    h iic c ick . Th D k of Richmo d, h
Coo  L ox,  obm ho if  d pi i  d g i g  o 

  md him bovd by , x d i hi  i  hic


po : h bi of  fox kid him. Th ,  yo d iv h o gh
R  Sq  , bhod h   of  oh p o , h ob-bo
 d ob-mi dd D k of Bdfo d;  d i Do  Sq  , h i of
od Lo d G o d, yo my m   d f cy yo , h  o i om
mod m io , h id ic m k cd h D k  ik, hich
o g co dd  hi, 132 y d i h i , f om h o c fmo  b
of Ax d ,  D k of Hmio . G  mch i ho dy, 
i h, co mo y. Six g i  if hy o  d fo if hy o,
 h py  f; o , fiv  d h  if hy ivd i o . So, 
v y mch co om v y po d, ov h fi -pc  Lo d
yo o d   S bc ipio Li fo S y gi  E g d, o fo
E g d gi  K ,  h c migh b,  d fi d oic of ch
i  i g mch  B ook  d oh c b.
Thi c om of dv ii g c ick mch i of v y  ci  d.
Fo , i h B iih Chmpio of Sp. 8. 1743,   i compi 
h ho gh obm , g m ,  d c gym my div  hmv
 hy hi k fi,  d ho gh h c o dip  hi p ivig o
mk b ch , cobb , o i k  hi comp io , h v y m ch
do b hh hy hv  y igh o i vi _ho  d of pop_ o
b pco  of hi giiy. Fo , i d  mb  of pop f om
hi mpoym  o h i of hi fmii. I i  mo oo io 
b ch of h --h dv im  mo imp d y cii g h
g   m   id. A d, i h y fooi g (1744),   d i
h Lo do Mgzi , K  b  E g d i h A i y G o d,
i h p  c of hi Roy High  h P i c of W, h
D k of C mb  d, h D k of Richmo d, Admi   o ,  d m y
oh p o  of dii cio . Ho pi g o fc h ho  y
hoidy   joy  Lo d hv b  joyd by h pop fo mo 
h  c  y p!
B  h   h fmo  c ick Co i i h  y y ?
Th go y of K  hd fo  hi dp d. Tim  h K 
co d ch g E g d m fo m ; b  o, o y ih  ch odd
  y-h  o v! A o h id x io of c ick, i
dv cd b  oy h comp d ih c  im. A m ci c
o d Lo do o d i comp i  h fi  py . I  o
i 1820 h No fok, fo gi g i h  Ev  b by Lo d
F d ick, gi pyd M ybo ;  d, ho gh h  g m  
giv  d F  Pich pyd--h  d of v  y --No fok
o by 417 , i c di g M . W d o g co  o co d,--278.
B  h  mid, id M . B dd, h i poib cch bfo 
h hd co d hi y. Si i   g  chivm ;  d M . Mo 
p  v,   ic, h id ic b,  d h b hich hi
h b bo ,   y f i d h  vd i o  fify y !
K i go Ov, p hp,  h  dock  d hi. S y i
ood fi  of c ick co i,  d M . L --Robi o  hi
kp ;  f  m fo poch , 6 f 1 i ch,  d 16 o ,  d
 o g i p opo io --mo g  o  of  ppo  ,  o o o giv
o d  o od Thom Lo d fo god g i , h  S y m , by
cch o i i g, hd icid pp . Of h m high o d  
Si J. Cop of B mhi P k,  d M . B , h b k , p omo of
h B. mch; h Ho . D. Ki i d,  d,  o , M . W. W d,
ho by p ch of   vd Lo d f om b idi g g o d;  c of
g  oiy i hich h imid h good od D k of Do , ho, id
M . B dd, gv h g o d cd h i ,  Sv ok, by  dd of
 , fo h  of c ick  fo v .
Th good m of S y, i 1800, mo opoid  y  h py of

E g d. Lo d F d ick B c k  d Hmmo d   h o y A E g d


py  ho   o S y m .
K  hd h om civi co --py   of i g c --b  o
co y mch;  d hi g  f i d R. Whihd, Eq., dp dd o
h M.C.C. fo hi fi  gm. Th gm hd bcom  p ofio : 
ci c o h g m ,  d    o h dic f o h py ;  d
F hm fo d i Lo do h b m k fo i c ick,  fo i
hop. Th b K  py  dipyd  Roch ,  d y mo  
Wooich; b  chify mo g o offic , ho b   bo gh i
Lo do , o  Sv ok. Th gm fcd o   ch ho o o
h co y  h h E  of Th   d of D y b o gh hi
o    y o Lo d o D fo d B  ,  md ih h iv io
ood of K . So, h Ho o b H.  d A. T fo   obigd o
yid o h  d im,  d py o- d- y m h  hi
ob fh , h E  of Th , hd o ih hi v . Thi 
o  y-h   h mb   joyd, id Sp k, fo ih
hi  good m  pcd,  d h boi g good,  did o  
hi  y-h . A hi d m O ,  d  fo  d poi , o ki d of
midd ick, ih o boi g, o  x  ip ih f, md 
v y  o g fid: h K  m   omim g  y po dd by o
fidi g.
I 1805  fi d  c io  mch: h v b gi   y-h 
x b. Lo d F d ick  h o y m mo g h b; b 
B o , o  of h x b mo g h  , co d 87; o o .
M . B dd fi  pp d  Lo d i 1802   boy: h pp d i
1808,  d   o c mo g h o g co  .
Th Hom o C b o f ihd    mch: i  ihi
h o d of Bo b. To fo g Hom o , id M . W d,   o
ig o  M . ig , o ick-kp , b  o  of v y mod  po .
Hmmo d  h b  v hd. Hmmo d pyd i hi ixih
y ; b  B o   d Obdo p   ick-kpi g o h o .
Hmmo d g   cc  i h dy of o boi g. Joh W
 d Ho d   o o b f bo , ho gh Po  v y
 . Obdo b hi id ih by  d ip--hi y-o by
i h B. mch. F m co d hi him bfo  ick; h c h m y
i g-ick mch h pyd; b  M . W d p    d o hi ig
by fi di g o  B o  of B igho . Bgy id of B o ,  h
py  o y of M . Fo, hy hd o objcio o him h h
g o d  mooh.
Th Hom o C b o bod of M . Ldb ok, o  of h g 
p omo  of mch,    h  M . Aibi, y fo d
of h gm, b   hi if oo big o py,--h m k by Lo d
F d ick of M . W d, hich, bi g pd, did o i o dvop
h   po  of h mo ffici  py .
Th Mo pi C b, o, ih m giv ,  y pyd M ybo .
Lo d F d ick, i 1803, gv  i v iy o h mch by
di g gi  M ybo   m of Lic  d Noi ghm,
i c di g h o W op. T. W op, id C k,  o  of h
b bo  I v k . C k h o  high opi io of Lmb ,
f om hom, h y, h   mo  of h gm h f om  y oh m .
Lmb  boi g  ik M . B dd, gi  hich I hv of
pyd:  high d h d div y, o, b  ii g v y high, v y
cc y pichd,  d  i g i f om g  mp. Abo  h y

1818, Lmb   d I, id M . B dd, i d o  ki d of o d- md


div y (dc ibd  C k), by hich  o dciddy  p io
o  h bm of h dy. M . W d co d o py i, b  h
hdd  p y gi  ,  d o  boi g  ig o d. Tom Wk
 d Lo d F d ick   of h dio y o choo; Lmb   d
B dd   v  dg  f . Ho d  d Joh W   h f
d h d bo .
Lo d F d ick   v y  ccf  bo ,  d i pi d g 
co fid c   g  : hi boi g    b by m i g
i o him. Sp k m io d  oh py ho b o gh v y o
boi g o p fcio ,  d  b i h m y. Bdhm ho gh
M . B dd boi g b h Lo d F d ick; Bgy id h m.
Hi Lo dhip i g  y  ppod o hv b h b m of
hi dy; o id Cdco ; o Bgy, ho ob vd hi Lo dhip
hd h b hd  d  mo v b   g  . Oh i, hi
i   io h d o co ci ih ck odgd fc; fo , fi ,
M . B dd md h b v g, ho gh  y pcd gi  Lmb 
boi g,  d pyi g mo xc ivy i h g  mch. M . B dd
  m ch mo  po f  hi . Lo d F d ick id, B dd y
 d o i h gm off  i g b: Bdhm ob vd, if M .
B dd o d o hi o g y, h o d b h fi  py i 
E g d. Wh I k  him hi hii g  q i f py. Si Lo d
F d ick  h p i y of bi g,  d h hd h ch c
of bi g h mo ci ific py . B  i c M . B dd hd h  g
v g i pi of hi hii g, Bdhm bcom  i  i hi
fvo . M . B dd m d fiv f  i ch,  d ighd v
o , v y c md  d po f , ih  y i g  y k ,  d
g    q ick , bi g o  of h f   of hi dy.
Sco dy, M . B dd  h b fidm . H ood  y  midd
ick. I v  f h d   cch;  d I hv  him v y
q ick   mpi g o . B , Lo d F d ick co d o k v y p 
of h fid; b   y ho  ip,  d o o  of h v y b.
A d, hi dy, M . B dd  h b bo . M . B dd hi  f om
h  i. A Wooich h hi  voy o o g fid fo _ i _, ho gh
M . P y h  i i . H o hi o  of Lo d od g o d. Lo d hd
id h o d fo fi  y g i  if  y o  h  p ovd hi g o d
oo m: o   c odd  o d M . B dd, id Bdhm,  d od
him h h migh cim. W h , h id, I cim i,  d giv i
mo g h py . B  Lo d  hbby  d o d o py. M . B dd i
o (1854) i hi ixy- i h y : i i o y y h  y co  y
Ev co d  p  him.
Lmb   o good  v y poi . I bi g, h   bod fo  d
py . H ood ih f foo  y d i dv c, yi g hi b  d
body  if o i mom  m,  d chi g fo  d mo o h  h
b m  pich.
Lmb  chif poi   o k h b  h pich  d d iv i
po f y y,  d, id M . B dd, o  o bo hi  
o q ick  d fo cib, h hi ho m   y i imidi g
o  bo . Ev y o  m kd ho compy Lmb  md m
of h b. U y h bo pp  o ck  d h bm o
df d; b  Lmb  md y o h ck,  d h bo  hi
m cy,  d hi, id Bdhm, h o o   co d mdd ih.
Lo d F d ick  fo md o Bdhm y. M . B dd poiio 
h ick  m ch h m: h igh foo pcd   , b  h
f h bhi d  d  y  y d p , o h i d of h

p igh b  d fig  of Pich h b  d  c o,  d h


fig  h g y f om h ick. Thi   mik. Bfo  h b
co d b pyd M . B dd  oo good  py o o b p, ik
Pich,  d py  ov hi off  mp. Si M . B dd xpi d o
m h hi poiio of h f foo  j  h  o   y
hif i o hv oom fo  c : o hi   g i d   ppod
o fvo hi fi  off hi. I y Off hi bc  h C  did o
p op y bo g o ih of h py : Robi o  d S d 
  h m o c ,--c i g b c y f om h bi, ho gh
Robi o hd  mimd h d, b  h  chid: h h d of hi b
 g oovd o fi hi  d fi g . Tki g of hi b, h py 
o c dicov d by m m  i  byo d h   idh,  d
o d o p h o gh h  d d. So, c mo io y,  k if
 p od cd,  d h b d cd o i j , h h i fi ,
p opo io . W, id Robi o , I py yo off fo poii g my
b:  d    o gh h did, hii g  m do y,  d mki g o  of
hi  g i i g, hich   of   h d d .
I h fi   y y  of hi c  y, Hmphi , ik K , hd
o i  o , b  o y bc  Hmbdo  o o mo ; o did
S y  d Hmphi   y o g co   o . To co fi m o  io
h F hm p od cd h py ,--fo i 1808, S y hd pyd
 d b E g d h  im i o  o ,  d f om 1820 o 1825
Godmi g i m io d  h mo po f   go i; b  hh
cd Godmi g o S y,  m  o fo g h h ociy i
h m-- ob v, h i 1821, M.C.C. py Th Th  P ih,
my, Godmi g, F hm,  d H y Ro; hich p ih, f
 i g h fi  co mpo  i of Bdhm, co d h bo  
c of py  i Fv, S , Ho d, Th mood, Mh.
Abo  hi im (J y 23. 1821), id Bdhm,  pyd h
Co o io Mch; M.C.C. gi  h Py  of E g d. W co d
278  d o y ix ick do , h h gm  giv p. I  h 
 d co d o my och; i Jm B d,  d h oh Lg,
bggd of m o k pi , fo i  o po i g mch,  y odd
 d o k ;  d hy  d o hm h g m gi  i g
hi (h Lg) im i h m y  oh im.
B  h dy fo Hmphi ,  fo K ,  doomd o hi  gi .
F x, Sm, h Wk , J. W,  d Hmmo d, i im d op off
f om S y,-- d bo  h m im (1815), Cdco , Hooy,
Bgy, Th mood, Sh m , Ho d, M . W d,  d M . K igh, o 
h b c of po fo H ,  f  d, B odb idg  d
Liyhi fo S x.
I 1817,   , id M . B dd, ih Obdo o py
 y-o of Noi ghm. I h mch C k pyd. I commo
ih oh  I o my mo y,  d  g y dippoi d  h
 mi io . O  pid py  cc d of i g,  d v mpoyd
f . Th co co  of pop  v y g : h   h dy of
h L ddi ( io ),  d h mgi   d , h 
 o d op o gm  v ocock, hy co d o   fo
kpi g h pc. A v ocock  oppd;  d, im  o y,
h ho  d ho i d h g o d bg o co i po . Lo d
F d ick o  v  d  v y m ch  md; b  I id hy did 
  o h  . No; hy impy cm o hv  ook  h v m
ho v  d o py o fo o .--Hi Lo dhip b ok hi fi g ,  d,
bi g ih o  h d, co d o y v . Ni  m , h  g
mb p hp o co d, B y m k  c gh by B dd.

J  bfo  h bihm  of M . Wi o dh d boi g,  d 


if o p p  h y, Ahby cm fo h ih    bi, b  o
g  pc. Sp k bod i h m y;  o, Mh  d
M . J  omh  . Si h bm   f   po f  
v , cko i g S d , S , Bgy, M . W d, Ki gco,
K igh. S ffok bcm v y  o g ih Pich, h M . Bk,  d
oh , of h fmo  B y C b; hi S , Liyhi, Ki g,  d
h B odb idg, id h m of Midh   d of S x.
Agi   ch bm v y v iy of d h d div y fid o
mi i h b c of h gm, i J. B odb idg  d Liyhi,
f m y p o  d dic io ,  ccdd i bihi g h
o g  cd h S x boi g.
Abo  1820, id M . B dd,  o  iv  y di  (h -g i 
ick)  h C  do , M . W d kd m if I hd o id I
o d py  y m i E g d  i g ick, iho  fidm .
A ffi miv p od cd  mch p.p. fo fify g i . O h dy
ppoi d M . B  d p ovd my oppo  . H   f bo . I  
i fi ,  d co i g v y  ih om v  bo o h
g,--  k k   d ik ocki g,  d o pd i ho dy,--I
co  d  f i d  d k ockd do my o ick,  h mch
ho d  o h mo o,  d I b b o py. M . B  d  o 
iho   ! I   i gi ,  d mki g h 70 p o 100, I o c
mo  k ockd do my o ick,  d o c mo  my oppo   fid o
co !!
Th fg  fyi g--h ig  of  g  mch-- d   g co co 
  mbd;  d, co id i g M . W d,  good j dg, md h
mch, hi i p obby h mo hoo vico y o co d.
B  Obdo  vico y  f mo  ifco y. Lo d F d ick
ih Bdhm md  p.p. mch ih Obdo  d Lmb . O h
dy md, id B dd, I   o Lo d F d ick, p  i g my
f i d  oo i o  d,  d kd him o p  off h mch. No;
py o py, id hi Lo dhip, q i i xo b. Nv mi d, id
Obdo , I o  fo fi: Lmb  my b hm boh;  d, if h
do, h fify g i  h b hi.--I kd Lmb  ho h f.
Why, id h, hy    yhi g b  f.--Hi Lo dhip o d 
h of i. No  , h id, yo c  m i. Y; py o
py, my Lo d,    i  ,  d h cim h k!  d i
fc Lmb  did b hm boh. Fo , o py  ch  m  Lmb ,
h o hi m,  h dico gi g;  d h did mk dp 
x io , id Bdhm: o c h hd p f hi b,  d Lo d
F d ick  c gh o  h b h h o hi mp ,  d id
i  o fi py. Of co ,  h    ih Lmb .
Obdo  moh  by i h c ig,  d  joyd h mch;
 d h , id Bdhm, Lmb   cd o h c ig  d bo 
y  pp p c: om id i   god ch,--om, b k o.
T  Lmb  o kp hi o c . W    c io , b  o o 
v k :-- o v i k o. I M ch, 1851, I dd d  
o him  Rig. Soo ,  b if p g ph  o cd h dh of h
o c cb d c ick py Wiim Lmb .

CHAP. I.

A DARK CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF CRICKET.


Th ov  of c ick my co g   hmv h mch,  h
p   dy,   md  c ick,   ch, h fo ov  d h
ho o of vico y h fo mo y.
I i o m y y  i c Lo d  f q  d by m ih book  d
p ci, bi g  op y  d p ofio y  i h i g  Epom,
 d dy o d i h odd ih  y  d v y p o of pc iv
p op ii. F  ifco y  h  of hi g ih hich
Lo d F. B c k  d M . W d hd o co  d, o y ohi g of h
 i dy of h E  of Wi ch  d Si Ho c M . A o h
 p iod, Od Ny  bi i vi doi g. H pk of o 
ho hd h  o b of p ovi g himf  og ,  d o of h
g of M ybo , ho  id, fo o c i vi , o co p om
p imiiv pcim  of Hmbdo i oc c. H y, o, h h
g  d mch of hi dy   y md fo 500_._  id. Add o
hi h fc h b   i p opo io ;  d h Jim  d Jo
B d, of  f oo iy, ih Dick Whiom of Cov  G d , Simpo ,
 gmi g-ho  kp ,  d To of Eh ,  g  y  dd  
mch  C ockfo d  d G y  Epom  d Aco;  d h id h
 h S y  d Hmphi  ic ho d ih   o i
 o g mpio  o , i o o b   i d fo  mom .
Th co   hbi of bi g i k h ho y o  of  y m . A
hf-c o pk, o bi g  ch odd  dy o g kid o
g m  ho  dio, i  v y fi po ; b , if  m , f
y  of high bi g, c i p  v h fi  dg  d o  of
ho  fi g h i i dd  o d . To b o  c i y  dmi
i i di g. If o, o b h  yo f i i  c i y, m  b
v y bd mo  p cic.
If g m  d o b, id Bdhm, j  d h pviio
 m dy, ih mo y do , o giv  d k h c   odd:
h   by f h b m o b ih; bc , if hy o,
i   i h y of b i : hy pid hi mo y  d did o
g mb. Si, hy hd  o  of  ick o mk hi bi g
f. O   ific, id M . W d,  o kp  py o  of h
y by  f po  h hi if  dd. Th h m o d
com do o h G  M  d Si,  d d i k ih ,  d y
id, h ho ho bckd , o h ob,  hy cd hm,
od h mch;  d o, i ,  yo   goi g h o d bi g p
h q    of h od py , yo i fi d om o p  d yo
hi i  . B  do  biv i. Th  y g m i my dy v
p  himf i o h po of h bckg, by i g mch,
I c  c di. Si, o  dy, I ho gh I o d  y ho f h
    . So, goi g do i o K , ih o  of high dg ,
h id o m, Wi, if hi mch i o , I o  h d d po d!
W, id I, my Lo d, yo  d I _co d_ o d h. H mid 
if ohi g   m ,  d kd of omhi g ;  d,   ck o d
hv i, h  d I   i ogh ,  d b o gh p h co  b
, ho gh v y md o m ik  g i  o  of hi Lo dhip
pock.
I ho dy, foo c   v y commo . Lo d F d ick  d M . B dd
  fi -   ,  d b   f y id. So, o  dy, od
F x id   p fo h g m : h b o gh p, o c h p 
of om iy co cid yo g ih hi pock f  of mo y, 
fi -   o  of H fo dhi . Thi of yo g g m 
 mch o o ih om k o hi d-  m ,  d md o i by 

ck,  d o pc o p . Th h c o , I  y m o h


g o d fo 25_._, mo y do . A mch  q icky md,  d mo y
id o p y hick o F x cco . Som id, Too bd o i
of  ch  g  yo g fo! oh  id, H od  o gh-- v him
igh. So h  gh  fi y gi  ho ho   k i ; h
g  o   y ik  h !
Yo , i , id o  fi  od m , ih b ii  y  d q ick 
of movm , h hod hi igh h d hd o y fo go i
c i g, mch   bo gh,  d mch   od,  d g m
ho m  ho y o  g  m of mo y, i h og  b
hmv  . Thy ov did i; hy poi hi o  d;  d,
 I id o o  of hm,  k v  d  foo mk  bd p   hip;
o, yo  d yo f i v p op . W,  y h  
obb y  o gh:  d, o  f of h g  py   d mo y o
hi o dig c; b , if yo  biv m, h   o hf h
i g h   id o b. Y, I c g , i , m ch  yo hv
b ki g o  h od py  ov hi good  ff (poi i g o
h b  dy  d  I hd p ovidd), o do b yo hv h d h
B---- od  bd  h . I  h  h: o  mch p h
co  y I did ,-- mch md by M . Obdo  Noi ghm.
I hd b od o  of  mch j  bfo ,  d o 10_._,  d
hpp i g o h i I joi d o oh  of o v o ,  d g
bck my mo y. I o 10_._ xcy,  d of hi og  y o o  v
 pcd m; b  m y  h im I hv b bmd fo i g h
 i oc    bb. I ho dy, h o m ch mo y  o h
mch, v y m ho o hi mo y o d bm om o . Th , if A
mid  cch, o B md o ,-- d h  h py ho h d
i y i ?--h m  cd  og  di cy. So, h  m 
doomd o o hi ch c  d o b  h m , h   h
mo  mpio o do ik oh ,  d f h kick o com i fo
h hfp c. B  I m  od m o,  d h iy o y I hv
b v i c: bc , b  fo h Noi ghm mch, I co d hv
id ih  c co ci c o  g m ik yo , h  h 
id  f,  d I v od  mch i my if; b  o I c .
B , if I hd fify o , I o d v p  o  of hm, fo  h
gm i h o d, i h y of h og  y h I hv i d.
Th mpio y  v y g ,--oo g  by f fo  y poo
m o b xpod o,-- o ich h  hii g  k,  o 
h v im.--I v od yo , i , h y I fi   b o gh o
Lo do . I   d of igh  hi Hmphi  vig,  d Lo d
Wi ch hd   py mo g o v,  d chd h mch
ih h Hmbdo C b o B odhfp y, h I co d fo y-h 
gi  Dvid H i,  d v o m y of h  gi  Dvid
boi g,  d o o  v co d m g Dvid bfo . So, x y , i
h mo h of M ch, I  do i h mdo, h  g m cm
c o h fid ih F m Hio :  d, ho gh I,  i  mi ,
o hi i omhi g bo  c ick. W,   i  d I 
o py Hmphi  gi  E g d,  Lo do , i Whi-Co d i-Fid
g o d, i h mo h of J . Fo h  mo h I did ohi g b  hi k
bo  h mch. Tom Wk  o  v p f om hi co  y,  d I
g d o go ih him,  d fo d myf   ih  m y comp y of
c ick -- h m , ho m I hd v h d  fo mo i
h gm--m ogh , d i ki g, c d-pyi g, bi g,  d i gi g
 h G  M (h  h g  c ick  ho ), i Oxfo d
S ,-- o m iho  hi i , I   yo ,  d  ch  pp  
h  g i   gm o o,  d fiv o i (h  h h  m
fo py ) co d v py fo o g. To go o Lo do by h ggo ,
 fiv g i  h  o fo im od,  d com bck ih hf h
mo y i yo pock o h po gh gi ,   v y  ki g.

Yo k o h yo g fok  , i , h hy g ogh : michif


b   o g i  g q  ii: o, m y p   hi  i g,
 d   oo gd o mk mo  mo y om oh y. H d d of
po d   b po  h g  mch,  d oh g  id o
h co  of h fi  py ,  d h oo by m ho hd  book
fo v y c  d v y mch i h po i g o d; m ho ivd
by gmbi g;  d,  o ho y, gmbi g  d ho y do  of go
ogh . Wh  i , h , h fo  ch h p g m o
mix ih h py , k dv g of hi diffic i,  d y,
yo bck , my Lo d hi,  d h D k of h,  mch  d
ov   yo good py, o hy ho d  yo hv  h  of h
p d ?--Th  hi co    g m . S v hm  hy  v
yo .--Yo hv h d of Jim B d, h  fm ,  d hi b oh
Jo--o ic boy. Wh Jmmy Do  h gd fo poio i g h
ho , h B d v f f i h op  o d Do 
ck: o kp him q i, hy p  dd him o h  ho h
o o  d d h g him;  d  c i obm hd  p iv i hi
pock. W, o  dy i Ap i, Jo B d  cd m o  i hi p ih,
 d  id hi gm o ih m. Yo my mk  fo  , h id, if
yo i i o m: o m ch fo h mch ih S y,  d o m ch
mo  fo h K  mch-- Sop, id I: M . B d, yo k oo
f; I m h oo od fo hi  ick; yo v b y h m m
b  o c: if hi o dhip v od  , yo o d pch po
hm if v f hy d d o i . Yo   y m o c,  d h
yo  hv m i  i  ik him of h mi  y . No, i , 
m   v h o c h od o h fok: foo  d k v y
go ogh . Si, hy fo d foo  o gh fo hi p po; b 
og  c v   ch oh . O  dy,  d q    o b
o of hm, hich op d h g m  y oo id o co gi
o ho p cic. To v y big og   Lo d f  q  i g,
 d bo   giv ;  c od d  o d,  d h g m o d d
hm boh i o h pviio . Wh h o  bg , Yo hd 20_._ o
o h K  mch, boi g g o g hop  d mii g cch. A d
yo   pid o o  Sffhm.--Why did h gm ih S y
 bo --h   o g,  d yo did  mk hm? A g y o d
com o  f;  d, h hy   ci c m i  d q   ih
p vio   picio , hy   p oof   o g  hoy  i. I o 
i g-ick mch, h co i d,-- d ho   y g 
mch fo h po i g m , bc   y yo hd fi -  m o
ch id,  d hi m i k o ,--diho y   pi  hi:
j    py  comi g i , (Joh B. i co f hi if yo k
of h mch,) h id o m, Yo   m co  fiv o ix, fo
pp  c, o  yo , fo I m o goi g o mk m y if I c ?
Y, I id, yo og , yo h if I c _ o_ hp i.--B ,
h  gm   b  o ,  d h odd hvy,  d  o  y, i
 c  o  ho h fo   of h dy h o d ch g bo . I
h K  mch,--yo c  o i i yo book (B y co ),
pyd 28h J y, 1807, o P  d Hh,--I  d Lo d F d ick hd
co d ixy-o ,  d hi y mi d o i ,  d ix of h b m
i E g d   o  fo v . W, i , I o om mo y by
h mch,  d  v of    ki g hom d o m  coch,
 g m ho hd bckd h mch d ov by  d id, J mp p, my
boy,  hv  o ogh . I d o mi d if I hi   pi of
ho  x  x o , fo I hv o mo y  o gh o py fo  y
pi o mo . W, ho gh I,  I od o g, yo hv og   o gh
i yo c ig o, i , if h  h   od, I   fo i;
 d, o  of hm  o  h c , om  y  f . B , i , I
c  hp  ghi g h I  yo : o c, h    i g-ick
mch pyd  Lo d,  d  m o ch id  pid o o. O 
 bo ,  d h oh bm , h h gm cm o   poi .

I k  hi poiic, h c,  d  i  mi  ho hi g


ood;  d ho I did  gh o b  . Fo v b ogh , o 
o d o bo  igh,  d h oh o d o hi; b    
 igh b m  com,  d do   h ick.
F om oh i fo mio civd, I co d  hi v  h, v
i hi m ch- p d Noi ghm mch, hi  o h o y id h
hd m ovd o o. Th mch  od fo Noi ghm oo,  d
h ih   cc, fo Noi ghm o :  v  h  diffic 
o ccompih,  Lo d F d ick B c k b ok  fi g i  mp
o op   g y  d f io  h o f om Sh m , hom h hd codd
fo ck py. Hi Lo dhip bd ih o  h d. Af  d ock-j
h  d;  d Lo d F d ick ,  igh,  vicim o C ick!
I i  , C k, ho pyd i h mch, ho gh   fi :
i, h dmi, h h d o  Noi ghm m cc d, o h fid,
by hi o id of fo  py. Thi co fi m h vid c of h Rv.
C. W., o igh  ho iy i Noi ghm mch, ho id h 
c io d bfo  h mch h  o d o b fi .
Thi p cic of i g mch, id Bdhm, p od cd   g
hi g omim. O c, I mmb , E g d  pyi g S y,  d,
i my j dgm , S y hd h b id; i I fo d h Lg  
bi g v o fo gi  S y! Thi im, hy   do ; fo
hy bd o h bif h om S y m hd od h mch: b ,
S y h pyd o i .
C ockfo d d o b  bo  Lo d,  d M . G y o
occio y; b , o y fo h ociy of po i g m : hy did o
d  d h gm,  d I v  hm b. M . G y  of
ki g o m bo  h gm fo o  o ; b , id h od m , 
h moohd do hi mockf ock, ih  h co fid c i h o d,
I co d v p   y   i o him! H k  p y bo  fighi g,
 d f  d of ho - ci g; b   m c o  h odd of
c ick  h i omhi g of  py .

CHAP. II.
, OR THE SCIENCE AND ART OF BATTING.
A wrter n Blckwood once ttrbuted the success of hs mzne to
the creful excluson of every bt of scence, or resonn, bove hlf
n nch lon. The Cmbrde Professors do not exclusvely represent the
mnd of Prkers Pece; so, wy wth the stffness of nlyss nd the
mysteres of scence: the lws of dynmcs mht puzzle, nd the very
nme of _physcs_ lrm, mny n ble-boded crcketer; so, nvokn
the enus of our mother tonue, let us exhbt scence n ts more
pltble form.
All the blls tht cn be bowled my, for ll prctcl purposes, be
reduced to  few smple clsses, nd pln rules ven for ll nd
ech. There re wht re clled ood blls, nd bd blls. The former,
ood lenths, nd strht, whle puzzln to the eye; the ltter, bd
lenths nd wde, whle esy to see nd to ht.
But, s not  ood hnd nd eye qute enouh, wth  lttle prctce,

wthout ll ths theory? Do you nore the Plches nd the Prrs, who
hve proved fmous htters from ther own sense lone?--The queston
s, not how mny hve succeeded, but how mny more hve fled. Crcket
by nture s lke lernn from  vlle dme; t leves  ret del
to be untuht before the pupl mkes  ood scholr. If you hve
Cldecourts, Wsdens, or Lllywhtes nstructons, _vv voce_, why
not on pper lso? Wht, thouh mny excellent muscns do not know
 note, every ood muscn wll ber wtness tht the consequence of
Ntures techn s, tht men form  vcous hbt lmost mpossble
to correct,  lstn br to brllnt executon. And why?--becuse
the pno or the voln leves no dexterty or rpdty to spre. The
muscles ct freely n one wy only, n every other wy wth loss of
power. So wth bttn. A ood bll requres ll the power nd enery
of the mn! And, s wth rdn, drvn, rown, or every other
exercse, t depends on  certn form, tttude, or poston, whether
ths power be forthcomn or not.
The scope for useful nstructons for _formn ood hbts of httn
before ther plce s preoccuped wth bd_--for, theres the rub--s
very ret ndeed. If Plch, nd Clrke, nd Lllywhte, vern
ffty yers ech, re stll ndfferent to pce n bowln,--nd f
Mr. Wrd, s lte s 1844, scored forty nst Mr. Krwns swftest
bowln, whle some of the most ctve youn men, of lon experence n
crcket, re wholly unequl to the tsk; then, t s undenble tht 
btsmn my form  certn nvluble hbt, whch youth nd strenth
cnnot lwys ve, nor e nd nctvty entrely tke wy.
The follown re smple rules for formn correct hbts of ply; for
ddn the judment of the vetern to the ctvty of youth, or puttn
n old hed on youn shoulders, nd techn the sd youn shoulders
not to et nto ech others wy.
All blls tht cn be bowled re reducble to lenth blls nd not
lenths.
_Not lenths_, re the toss, the tce, the hlf volley, the lon hop,
nd round blls.
These re _not lenth blls_, not ptched t tht crtcl lenth
whch puzzles the judment s to whether to ply forwrd or bck, s
wll presently be explned. These re ll bd blls; nd mon ood
plyers consdered certn hts; thouh, from the delusve confdence
they nspre, sometmes they re bowled wth success nst even the
best of plyers.
These _not lenths_, therefore, ben the esest to ply, s requrn
only hnd nd eye, but lttle judment, re the best for  benner to
prctse; so, we wll set the tyro n  proper poston to ply them
wth certnty nd effect.
POSITION.--Look t ny professonl plyer,--observe how he stnds
nd holds hs bt. Much, very much, depends on poston,--so look
t the fure of Plch. Ths s substntlly the tttude of every
ood btsmn. Some thnk he should bend the rht knee  lttle; but
n ntomst remnds me tht t s when the lmb s strht tht
the muscles re relxed, nd most redy for sudden cton. Vrous
s tttudes pper to the csul observer, ll concde n the mn
ponts mrked n the fure of Plch n our frontspece. For, ll ood
plyers,--

1st. Stnd wth the rht foot just wthn the lne. Further n, would
lmt the rech nd endner the wcket: further out, would endner
stumpn.
2dly. All dvde ther weht between ther two feet, thouh mkn the
rht le more the pllr nd support, the left ben rther lhtly
plced, nd more redy to move on, off, or forwrd, nd ths we wll
cll the Blnce-foot.
3rdly. All stnd s close s they cn wthout ben before the wcket;
otherwse, the bt cnnot be uprht, nor cn the eye commnd  lne
from the bowlers hnd.
4thly. All stnd t urd s uprht s s esy to them. We sy _esy_,
not to forbd  slht stoop,--the tttude of extreme cuton. Heht
s  ret dvnte, nd  b mn, sys Dkn, s foolsh to mke
hmself nto  lttle mn. If the eye s low, you cnnot hve the
commndn sht, nor, s plyers sy, see s much of the me, s f
you hold up your hed, nd look well t the bowler.
5thly. All stnd esy, nd hold the bt lhtly, yet frmly, n ther
hnds. However rd your muscles, you must relx them, s lredy
observed, before you cn strt nto cton. Ross, the sculptor, mde 
beutful mrble sttue of  btsmn t urd, for the lte Mr. Wllm
Wrd, who sd, You re no crcketer, Mr. Sculptor; the wrsts re too
rd, nd hnds too much clenched.
After stndn t urd n the tttude of Plch, _f. 1._ shows the
bt tken up redy for cton. But, t wht moment re you to rse
your bt? Cldecourt teches, nd some very ood plyers observe, the
hbt of not rsn the bt tll they hve seen the ptch of the
bll. Ths s sd to tend both to sfety nd system n ply; but 
frst-rte plyer, who hs lredy ttned to  rht system, should
spre to more power nd freedom, nd rse nto the tttude of _f.
1._ s soon s the bll s out of the bowlers hnd. Good plyers
often ben n nnns wth ther bt down, nd rse t s they n
confdence.
[Illustrton: _F. 1._
Preprn for Acton. The toes re too much before Wcket, nd foot
hrdly wthn the crese. Foreshortenn suts our llustrton better
thn rtstc effect.]
_Meet the bll wth s full  bt s the cse dmts._ Consder the
full force of ths rule.
1st. _Meet the bll._ The bt must strke the bll, not the bll the
bt. Even f you block, you cn block hrd, nd the wrsts my do 
lttle; so, wth  ood plyer ths rule dmts of no excepton. Youn
plyers must not thnk I recommend  floursh, but n exct movement of
the bt t the ltest possble nstnt. In plyn bck to  bl bll,
 ood plyer meets the bll, nd plys t wth  resolute movement of
rm nd wrst. Plch s not cuht n the tttude of wht some cll
Hnn urd, lettn the bll ht hs bt ded, once n  seson.
2dly. _Wth  full bt._ A ood plyer hs never less wood thn 21
nches by 4 nches before hs wcket s he plys the bll,  bd
plyer hs rrely more thn  bts wdth lone. Remember the old
rule, to keep the left shoulder over the bll, nd left elbow well up.

Good plyers must vod don ths n excess; for, some ply from le
to off, cross the lne of the bll, n ther over cre to keep the
shoulder over t. Fx  bt by pes n the round, nd try to bowl
the wcket down, nd you wll perceve wht n unpromsn ntonst
ths smple rule cretes. I lke to see  bt, s the bll s comn,
hn perpendculr s  pendulum from the plyers wrsts. The best
complment ever pd me ws ths:--Whether you ply forwrd or bck,
httn or stoppn, the wcket s lwys covered to the full mesure
of your bt. So sd  frend well known n North Devon, whose
effectve bowln, combned wth hs nme, hs so often provoked the
pun of the flls of the _Clyde_.
3dly. _As full  bt s the cse dmts_: you cnnot present  full bt
to ny but  strht bll. A bt brouht forwrd from the centre stump
to  bll Off or to le, must be mnutely oblque nd form n nle
suffcent to mke Off or On hts.
Heren then conssts the ret excellence of bttn, _n presentn
the lrest possble fce of the bt to the bll_. Whle the bt s
descendn on the bll, the bll my rse or turn, to sy nothn of
the lblty of the hnd to mss, nd then the ood plyer hs lwys
hlf the wdth of hs bt, besdes ts heht, to cover the devton;
wheres, the cross plyer s fr more lkely to mss, from the lest
nccurcy of hnd nd eye, or twst of the bll.
And, would you brn  full bt even to  toss? Would you not cut t to
the Off or ht cross to the On?
Ths queston tres my rule very hrd certnly; but thouh nothn
less thn  ht from  toss cn stsfy  ood plyer, stll I hve
seen the most brllnt htters, when  lttle out of prctce, lose
ther wcket, or ht  ctch from the ede of the bt, by ths common
custom of httn cross even to  toss or lon hop.
To ht tosses s ood prctce, requrn ood tme nd quck wrst
ply. If you see  mn ply stff, nd up n  hep,  swft toss s
worth tryn. Bowlers should prctse both toss nd tce.
We remember Wenmn plyn well nst fne bowln; when n underhnd
bowler ws put on, who bowled hm wth  toss, fourth bll.
To ply tosses, nd round blls, nd hops, nd every vrety of
loose bowln, by the rd rules of strht nd uprht ply, s
 prncple, the nelect of whch hs often ven the old hnds 
luh t the youn ones. Often hve I been mused to see the wonder
nd dsppontment occsoned, when some noted member of  Unversty
Eleven, or the Mrylebone Club, from whom ll expected of course the
most tremendous httn off mere underhnd bowln, hs been esly
dsposed of by  toss or  round bll, yclept  snek.
A fst bll to the mddle stump, however bdly bowled, no plyer cn
fford to tret too esly. A bll tht rounds more thn once my
turn more thn once; nd, the bt thouh properly 4 nches wde, s
consderbly reduced when used cross wcket; so _never ht cross
wcket_. To turn to loose bowln, nd ht from le stump squre
to the on sde wth full swn of the body, s very rtfyn nd
very effectve; nd, perhps you my ht over the tent, or, s I
once sw, nto  nehbours crre; but, whle the ntves re
mrvel-strcken, Cldecourt wll shke hs hed, nd nwrdly reve t
folly so trumphnt.

Ths remnds me of  memorble mtch n 1834, of Oxford nst Cowley,


the vlle whch fostered those useful members of unversty socety;
who, durn the summer term, bowl t sxpences on stumps sometmes
eht hours  dy, nd hve strenth enouh left t the end to wn one
sxpence more.
The Oxonns, known the round or known ther bowlers, scored bove
200 runs n ther frst nnns. Then Cowley rew wser; nd even now
 Cowley mn wll tell the tle, how they put on one Tlor Humphreys
to bowl twstn underhnd sneks, t whch the Oxonns luhed, nd
clled t no crcket; but t ctully levelled ther wckets for
fewer runs thn were mde nst Byley nd Cobbett the follown
week. The Oxonns, too eer to score, nd thnkn t so esy, ht
cross nd dd not ply ther usul me.
Never luh t bowln tht tkes wckets. Bowln tht s bd, often
for tht very reson meets wth bttn tht s worse. Nothn shows
 thorouh plyer more thn plyn wth cuton even bdly ptched
underhnd bowln.
One of the best judes of the me I ever knew ws once offered by 
fne htter  bet tht he could not wth hs underhnd bowln mke
hm ve  chnce n hlf n hour.
Then you know nothn of the me, ws the reply; I would bowl you
nothn but Off tosses, whch you must cut; you would not cut those
correctly for hlf n hour, for you could not use  strht bt once.
Your bet ouht to be,--no chnce before so mny runs.
Peter Hewrd, n excellent wcket-keeper of Lecester,--of the sme
dy s Henry Dvs, one of the fnest nd most rceful htters ever
seen, s Dkn, or ny mdlnd plyer wll ttest,--once observed to
me, Plyers re pt to foret tht  bd bowler my bowl one or two
blls s well s the best; so, to mke  ood vere, you must lwys
ply the sme urded nd stedy me, nd tke cre especlly when
lte n the seson. Why lte n the seson? Becuse the round s
dmp nd hevy--t tkes the sprn out of ood bowln, nd ves fst
underhnd bowln s mny twsts s t hs hops, besdes mkn t hn
on the round. Ths me s hrdly worth plyn t s true; but  mn
s but hlf  plyer who s only prepred for true round. We do not
ply crcket, he contnued, on bllrd tbles; wnd nd wether,
nd the stte of the turf mke ll the dfference. So, f you ply to
wn, ply the me tht wll crry you throuh; nd tht s  strht
nd uprht me; use your eyes well; ply not t the ptch, nor by the
lenth, but lwys (wht few men do) t the bll tself, nd never ht
or pull the bll cross wcket.
Next s to the _hlf-volley_. Ths s the most delhtful of ll
blls to ht, becuse t tkes the rht prt of the bt, wth ll
the quckness of ts rse or rebound. Any plyer wll show you wht 
hlf-volley s, nd I presume tht every reder hs some lvn lexcon
to expln common terms. A hlf-volley, then, s very enerlly ht
n the r, sorn fr bove every feldsmns hed; nd to know the
power of the bt, every htter should lern so to ht t plesure.
Thouh, s  rule, _hh hts mke  low vere_. But I m now to
spek only of httn hlf-volleys lon the round.
Every tme you ply forcbly t the ptch of  bll you hve more or
less of the hlf-volley; so ths s  mterl pont n bttn. The

whole secret conssts prtly n tmn your ht well, nd prtly n
tkn the bll t the rht prt of the rse, so s to ply the bll
down wthout wstn ts force nst the round.
Every plyer thnks he cn ht  hlf-volley lon the round; but
f once you see t done by  relly brllnt htter, you wll soon
understnd tht such httn dmts of mny derees of perfecton. In
forwrd ply, or drvn, fne htters seem s f they felt the bll
on the bt, nd sprun t wy wth n elstc mpulse; nd, n the
more forcble hts,  bll from one of the All Enlnd btsmen ppers
not so much lke  ht s  shot from the bt: for, when  bll s ht
n the swftest prt of the bts whrl, nd wth tht prt of the bt
tht ves the retest force wth the lest jr, the bll ppers to
offer no resstnce; ts momentum s nnhlted by the whrl of the
bt, nd the two-nd-twenty feldsmen fnd to ther surprse how lttle
round  feldsmn cn cover nst true nd ccurte httn.
Clen httn requres  loose rm, the bt held frmly, but not
clutched n the hnd tll the moment of httn; clumsy loves re 
sd hndrnce, the ht s not hlf so crsp nd smrt. The bt must be
brouht forwrd not only by the free swn of the rm workn well from
the shoulder, but lso by the wrst. (Refer to _f. 1._ p. 115.) Here
s the bt redy thrown bck, nd wrsts proportonlly bent; from tht
poston  ht s lwys sssted by wrst s well s rm. The effect
of the wrst lone, slht s ts power ppers, s very mterl n
httn; ths probbly rses from the reter precson nd better
tme n whch  wrst ht s commonly mde.
As to hrd httn, f two men hve equl skll, the stroner mn
wll send the bll frthest. Mny slht men drve  bll nerly s
fr s lrer men, becuse they exert ther force n  more sklful
mnner. We hve seen  mn sx feet three nches n heht, nd of
power n proporton, ht  bll tossed to hm--not once or twce, but
repetedly-- hundred yrds or more n the r. Ths, perhps, s more
thn ny lht mn could do. But, the best mn t puttn the stone nd
thrown  weht we ever sw, ws  mn of lttle more thn ten stone.
In ths exercse, s n wrestln, the pplcton of  mns whole
weht t the proper moment s the chef pont: so lso n hrd httn.
The whrl of the bt my be ccelerted by wrst, fore-rm, nd
shoulder: let ech jont ber ts proper prt.
NUTS FOR STRONG TEETH.--All effectve hts must be mde wth both hnds
nd rms; nd, n order tht both rms my pply ther force, the pont
t whch the bll s struck should be opposte the mddle of the body.
Tke  bt n your hnd, pose the body s for  hlf-volley ht
forwrd, the lne from shoulder to shoulder ben prllel wth the
lne of the bll. Now whrl the bt n the lne of the bll, nd
you wll fnd tht t reches tht prt of ts crcle where t s
perpendculr to the round,--mdwy between the shoulders; t tht
moment the bt ttns ts retest velocty; so, then lone cn the
stronest ht be mde. Moreover,  ht mde t ths moment wll drve
the bll prllel to nd skmmn the round. And f, n such  ht,
the lower sx nches of the bts fce strke the bll, the ht s
properly clled  clen ht, ben free from ll mperfectons. The
sme my be sd of  horzontl ht, or cut. The bt should meet the
bll when opposte the body. I do not sy tht every ht should be mde
n ths mnner; I only sy tht  perfect ht cn be mde n no other,
nd tht t should be the m of the btsmn to ttn ths poston

of the body s often s he cn. Nor s ths mere speculton on the


scentfc prncple of bttn; t rses from ctul observton of
the movements of the best btsmen. All ood htters mke ther hts
just t the moment when the bll s opposte the mddle of ther body.
Wtch ny fne Off-htter. If he hts to Md-wcket, hs brest s
turned to Md-wcket; f he hts, I men desnedly, to Pont, hs
brest s turned to Pont. I do not sy tht hs hts would lwys o
to those prts of the feld; becuse the speed nd spn of the bll
wll lwys, to  reter or less deree, prevent ts on n the
precse drecton of the ht; but I only sy tht the bll s lwys
ht by the best btsmen when just opposte to them. Cuttn forms no
excepton: the best cutters turn the body round on the bss of the
feet tll the brest fronts the bll,--hvn let the bll o lmost
s fr s the bls,--nd then the full power of the htter s brouht
to ber wth the lest possble dmnuton of the ornl speed of
the bll. Ths s the menn of the observton,--tht fne cutters
pper to follow the bll, nd t the ltest moment cut the bll off
the bls; for, f you do not follow the bll, by turnn your brest
to t t the moment you ht, you cn hve no power for  fne cut.
It mkes ood Chmber prctce to suspend  bll osclltn by 
strn: you wll thus see wheren les tht peculr power of cuttn,
whch chrcterses Mr. Brdshw, Mr. Felx, nd Mr. C. Tylor; s of
old, Serle, Sunders, nd Robnson. Robnson cut so lte tht the bll
often ppered pst the wcket.
And these hnts wll suffce to wken ttenton to the powers of the
bt. Clen httn s  thn to be crefully studed; the plyer who
hs never dscovered hs defcency n t, hd better exmne nd see
whether there s not  secret he hs yet to lern.
_The Tce._ Sfest to block: pt to be mssed, becuse  droppn bll;
hrd to et wy, becuse on the round. Drop the bt smrtly on the
round, nd t wll mke  run, but do not try too much of  ht. The
Tce s lmost  full ptch; the wy to ht t, sys Cldecourt, s to
o n nd mke t  full ptch: I cnnot dvse ths for benners.
Gon n even to  Tce puts you out of form for the next bll, nd
cretes  dnerous hbt.
_Ground blls_, nd ll blls tht touch the round more thn once
between wckets, I hve lredy hnted, re reckoned very esy,
but they re lwys lble to prove very dnerous. Sometmes you
hve three hops, nd the lst lke  ood lenth bll: t ech hop
the bll my twst On or Off wth the nequltes of the round;
lso, f bowled wth the lest bs, there s much scope for tht
bs to produce effect. All these peculrtes ccount for  fct,
strne but true, tht the best btsmen re often out wth the worst
bowln. Bd bowln requres  me of ts own, nd  me of the
retest cre, where too commonly we fnd the lest; becuse only
underhnd bowln,--nd not by ny mens ood lenths; t requres,
especlly, plyn t the bll tself, even to the lst nch, nd not
by clculton of the ptch or rse.
Let me further remrk tht httn, to be ether free, quck, or clen,
must be done by the rms nd wrsts, nd not by the body; thouh the
weht of the body ppers to be thrown n by puttn down the left
le; thouh, n relty, the le comes down fter the ht to restore
the blnce.
Cn  mn throw hs body nto  blow (t crcket)? About s much s he
cn hold up  horse wth  brdle whle sttn on the sme horses

bck. Both re common expressons; both re t vrnce wth the lws
of nture. A mn cn only ht by whrln hs bt n  crcle. If
he stnds wth both feet ner toether, he hts feebly becuse n 
smller crcle; f he throws hs left foot forwrd, he hts hrder
becuse n  wder crcle. A pulst cnnot throw n hs body wth 
round ht; nd  crcketer cnnot mke nythn else but round hts.
Tke t s  rule n httn, tht wht s not elent s not rht;
for the humn frme s rrely nelent n ts movements when ll
the muscles ct n ther nturl drecton. Mny men ply wth ther
shoulders up to ther ers, nd ther snews ll n knots, nd becuse
they re conscous of desperte exerton, they foret tht ther force
s on nywhere rther thn nto the bll. It s often remrked tht
hrd httn does not depend on strenth. No. It depends not on the
strenth  mn hs, but on the strenth he exerts, t the rht tme
nd n the rht drecton; nd strenth s exerted n httn, s n
thrown  bll, n exct proporton to the rpdty of the whrl or
crcle whch the bt or hnd descrbes. The pont of the bt moves
fster n the crcle thn ny other prt; nd, therefore, dd not the
jr, resultn from the wnt of resstnce, plce the pont of httn,
s experence shows,  lttle hher up, the nerer the end the hrder
would be the ht. The wrst, however slht ts force, ctn wth 
multplyn power, dds retly to the speed of ths whrl.
Hrd httn, then, depends, frst, on the freedom wth whch the
rm revolves from the shoulder, unmpeded by constrned efforts nd
contortons of the body; next, on the ply of the rm t the elbow;
thrdly, on the wrsts. Observe ny crmped clumsy htter, nd you wll
reconse these truths t once. Hs elbow seems lued to hs sde, hs
shoulder stff t the jont, nd the lttle speed of hs bt depends on
 twst nd  wrle of hs whole body.
Keep your body s composed nd esy s the requste djustment of the
left le wll dmt; let your rms do the httn; nd remember the
wrsts. The whz tht meets the er wll be  crteron of ncresn
power. Prctse hrd httn,--tht s, the full nd tmely pplcton
of your strenth, not only for the vlue of the extr score, but
becuse hrd httn nd correct nd clen httn re one nd the sme
thn. Mere stoppn blls nd pokn bout n the blockhole s not
crcket, however successful; nd I must dmt, tht one of the most
wkwrd, pokn, vextous blockers tht ever produced  counterfet of
crcket, defed Byley nd Cobbett t Oxford n 1836,--three hours, nd
mde fve nd thrty runs. Another frend,  better plyer, ddcted to
the sme tesn me, n  mtch t Exeter n 1845, blocked wy tll
hs prty, the N. Devon, won the mtch, chefly by byes nd wde blls!
Such men mht hve turned ther powers to much better ccount.
Some mntn tht nythn tht succeeds s crcket; but not such
crcket s full-rown men should vote  scentfc nd  mnly
exercse; otherwse, to run cunnn mht be Coursn, nd to kll
sttn Shootn. A plyer my hppen to succeed wth wht s not
enerlly  successful style,--wnnn n spte of hs wkwrdness, nd
not by vrtue of t.
But there s nother coent reson for lettn your rms, nd not your
body, do the work,--nmely, tht t mkes ll the dfference to your
sht whether the level of the eye remns the sme s wth  composed
nd esy htter; or, unstedy nd chnn, s wth the wrln nd
the clumsy plyer. Whether  bll undultes n the r, or whether
there s n equl undulton n the lne of the eye whch rerds tht
bll, the confuson nd ndstnctness s the sme. As n experment,

look t ny dstnt object, nd move your hed up nd down, nd you
wll understnd the confuson of sht to whch I llude. The only
securty of  ood btsmn, s of  ood shot, conssts n the hnd nd
eye ben hbtuted to ct toether. Now, the hnd my obey the eye
when t rest, but hve no such hbt when n unstedy moton. And ths
shows how uncertn ll httn must be, when, ether by the movement
of the body or other cuse, the lne of sht s suddenly rsed or
depressed.
The sme lw of sht shows the dsdvnte of men who stnd t urd
very low, nd then suddenly rse themselves s the bll s comn.
The sme lw of sht explns the dsdvnte of steppn n to ht,
especlly wth  slow droppn bll: the eye s puzzled by  double
moton--the chne n the level of the bll, nd the chne n the
level of the lne of sht.
So much for our theory; now for experence! Look t Plch nd ll fne
plyers. How chrcterstc s the ese nd repose of ther fures--no
hurry or trepdton. How lttle do ther heds or bodes move! Bd
plyers dnce bout, s f they stood on hot ron,  dozen tmes whle
the bll s comn, wth precsely the dsdvnte tht ttends n
unstedy telescope. Then you would ctully tech  mn how to see?
We would tech hm how to ve hs eyes  fr chnce. Of sht, s of
quckness, most plyers hve enouh, f they would only mke ood use
of t.
To see  mn wnk hs eyes nd turn hs hed wy s not uncommon the
frst dy of prtrde shootn, nd qute s common t the wcket.
An undoubtn judment nd knowlede of the prncples of bttn
lterlly mproves the sht, for t ncreses tht clm confdence
whch s essentl for keepn your eyes open nd n  lne to see
clerly.
Sht of  bll lso depends on  hbt of undvded ttenton both
before nd fter delvery, nd very much on helth. A yellow blous
eye bespeks  short nnns: so, be very creful wht you et nd
drnk when ened to ply  mtch. At  mtch t Purton n 1836, fve
of the Lnsdowne sde, fter suppn on crb nd chmpne, could do
nothn but le on the rss. But your sht my be serously ffected
when you do not feel ctully ll. So Horce found t Cpu:-_Nmque pl lpps nmcum et ludere cruds._
STRAIGHT AND UPRIGHT PLAY.--To be  ood jude of  horse, to hve
ood common sense, nd to ht strht nd uprht t Crcket, re
qulfctons never questoned wthout dre offence. Yet few, very
few, ever ply s uprht s they mht ply, nd tht even to urd
ther three stumps. To be ble, wth  full nd uprht bt, to ply
well over nd to commnd  bll  few nches to the Off, or  lttle to
the le, s  very superor nd rre order of blty.
The frst exercse for lernn uprht ply s to prctse severl
tmes nst n esy bowler, wth both hnds on the sme sde of the
hndle of the bt. Not tht ths s the wy to hold  bt n ply,
thouh the bt so held must be uprht; but ths exercse of rther
pokn thn plyn wll nure you to the hbt nd method of uprht
ply. Afterwrds shft your hnds to ther proper poston, nd
prctse slppn your left hnd round nto the sme poston, whle n
the ct of comn forwrd.

But be sure you stnd up to your work, or close to your blockhole;


nd let the bowler dmonsh you every tme you shrnk wy or pper
frd of the bll. Much prctce s requred before t s possble
for  youn plyer to ttn tht perfect composure nd ndfference
to the bll tht chrcterses the professor. The lest nervousness
or shrnkn s sure to drw the bt out of the perpendculr. As to
shrnkn from the bll--I do not men ny pprehenson of njury, but
only the result of  wnt of knowlede of lenth or dstnce, nd the
result of uncertnty s to how the bll s comn, nd how to prepre
to meet t. Nothn dstnushes the professor from the mteur more
thn the composed nd unshrnkn posture n whch he plys  bll.
Prctce lone wll prevent shrnkn: so encoure your bowler
contnully to remnd you of t. As to prctsn wth  bowler, you
see some men t Lords nd the Unversty rounds bttn hour fter
hour, s f crcket were to be tken by storm. To prctse lon t one
tme s postvely njurous. For bout one hour  mn my prctse to
dvnte; for  second hour, he my rther mprove hs bttn even
by keepn wcket, or ctn lon stop. Anythn s ood prctce for
bttn whch only hbtutes the hnd nd eye to ct toether.
The next exercse s of  more elent knd, nd qute concdent
wth your proper me. Alwys throw bck the pont of the bt, whle
recevn the bll, to the top of the mddle stump, s n fure, pe
114; then the hndle wll pont to the bowler, nd the whole bt be n
the lne of the wcket. By commencn n ths poston, you cnnot fl
to brn your bt strht nd full upon the bll. If you tke up your
bt strht, you cnnot help httn strht; but f once you rse
the pont of the bt cross the wcket, to present  full bt for tht
bll s qute mpossble.
One dvnte of ths exercse s tht t my be prctsed even wthout
 bowler. The pth of  feld, wth bll nd bt, nd  stck for 
stump, re ll the pplnces requred. Plce the bll before you,
one, two, or more feet n dvnce, nd more or less On or Off, t
dscreton. Prctse httn wth rht foot lwys fxed, nd wth s
uprht nd full  bt s possble: keep your left elbow up, nd lwys
over the bll.
Ths exercse wll tech, t the sme tme, the full powers of the bt;
wht style of httn s most effccous; t wht nle you smother
the bll, nd t wht you cn ht clen; only, be creful to ply n
form; nd lwys see tht your rht foot hs not moved before you
follow to pck up the bll. Fxn the rht foot s lone  ret help
to uprht ply; for whle the rht foot remns behnd, you re so
completely over  strht bll, nd n  form to present  full bt,
tht you wll rrely ply cross the bll. Frmness n the rht foot
s lso essentl to hrd httn, for you cnnot exert much strenth
unless you stnd n  frm nd commndn poston.
Uprht nd strht httn, then, requres, brefly, the pont of the
bt thrown bck to the mddle stump s the bll s comn; secondly,
the left elbow well up; nd, thrdly, the rht foot fxed, nd ner
the blockhole.
Never ply  snle bll wthout strct ttenton to these three
rules. At frst you wll feel crmped nd powerless; but prctce wll
soon ve ese nd elence, nd form the hbt not only of ll sure
defence, but of ll certn httn: for, the strht plyer hs

lwys wood enouh nd to spre n the wy of the bll; wheres, 
devton of hlf n nch leves the cross-plyer t fult. Mr. Wllm
Wrd once plyed  snle-wcket mtch wth  thck stck, nst
nother wth  bt; yet these re not much more thn the odds of ood
strht ply nst cross ply. At Cheltenhm Collee the frst
Eleven plys the second Eleven  broomstck mtch.
When  plyer hts lmost every tme he rses hs bt, the remrk s,
Wht n excellent eye tht btsmn hs! But, uprht ply tends fr
more thn eye to certnty n httn. It s not esy to mss when you
mke the most of every nch of your bt. But when you trust to the
wdth lone,  slht error produces  mss, nd not uncommonly  ctch.
The ret dffculty n lernn uprht ply conssts n detectn
when you re plyn cross. So your prctce-bowler must remnd you
of the slhtest shftn of the foot, shrnkn from the wcket, or
declnton of your bt. Strht bowln s more esy to stnd up to
wthout nervous shrnkn, nd slow bowln best revels every wek
pont, becuse  slow bll must be plyed: t wll not ply tself.
Mny stylsh plyers re beten by slow bowln; some, becuse never
thorouhly rounded n the prncples of correct ply nd judment of
lenths; others, becuse httn by rule nd not t the bll. System
wth scentfc plyers s pt to supersede sht; so tke cre s the
mnds eye opens the nturl eye does not shut.
Underhnd bowln s by fr the best for  lerner, nd lerners re,
or should be,  lre clss. Ben enerlly t the wcket, t produces
the strhtest ply: flln stumps re no fltterers, but feelnly
remnd us wht we re. Cldecourt, who hd  pln, thouh judcous,
style of bowln, once observed  wek pont n Mr. Wrds ply, nd
levelled hs stumps three tmes n bout s mny blls. Mny men
bostn, s Mr. Wrd then dd, of nerly the frst vere of hs dy,
would hve blmed the bowler, the round, the wnd, nd, n short, ny
thn but themselves; but Mr. Wrd,  lberl ptron of the me, n
the dys of hs prosperty, ve Cldecourt  une for hs judment
n the me nd hs useful lesson. Such, Dr. Johnson would sy, s
the sprt nd self-denl of those whose memores re not doomed to
decy wth ther bts, but ply crcket for mmortlty.
PLAYING FORWARD AND BACK.--And now bout lenth-blls, nd when to ply
forwrd t the ptch, nd when bck for  better sht of the rebound.
A lenth-bll s one tht ptches t  puzzln lenth from the bt.
Ths lenth cnnot be reduced to ny exct nd unform mesurement,
dependn on the delvery of the bowler nd the rech of the btsmn.
For more ntellble explnton, I must refer you to your frends.
[Illustrton]
Every plyer s conscous of one prtculr lenth tht puzzles
hm,--of one pont between hmself nd the bowler, n whch he would
rther tht the bll should not ptch. There s  lenth-bll tht
lmost blnds you, sd n experenced plyer t Lords. There s 
lenth tht mkes mny  plyer shut hs eyes nd turn wy hs hed;
 lenth, sys Mr. Felx, tht brns over  mn most ndescrbble
emotons. There re two wys to ply such blls: to dscrmnte s
dffcult, nd, f you doubt, you re lost. Let A be the frthest
pont to whch  ood plyer cn rech, so s to plnt hs bt t the
proper nle, t once preventn  ctch, stoppn  shooter, nd

nterceptn  bler. Then, t ny pont short of A, should the bt


be plced, the bll my rse over the bt f held to the round, or
shoot under f the bt s  lttle rsed. At B the sme snle ct of
plntn the bt cnnot both cover  bler nd stop  shooter. Every
bll whch the btsmn cn rech, s t A, my be met wth  full bt
forwrd; nd, ben tken t the ptch, t s ether stopped or drven
wy wth ll ts rsn, cuttn, shootn, or twstn propenstes
undeveloped. If not stopped t A, the bll my rse nd shoot n sx
lnes t lest; so, f forced to ply bck, you hve sx thns to
urd nst nsted of one. Stll, ny bll you cnnot cover forwrd,
s t B, must be plyed bck; nd nerly n the tttude shown n pe
115. Ths bck ply ves s lon  sht of the bll s possble, nd
enbles the plyer ether to be up for  bler or down for  shooter.
MORE HARD NUTS.--Why do certn lenths puzzle, nd wht s the nture
of ll ths puzzln emoton? It s  sense of confuson nd of doubt.
At the moment of the ptch, the bll s lost n the round; so you
doubt whether t wll rse, or whether t wll shoot--whether t wll
twst, or come n strht. The eye follows the bll tll t touches
the round: tll ths moment there s no ret doubt, for ts course
s known to be unform. I sy no ret doubt, becuse there s lwys
some doubt tll the bll hs pssed some yrds from the bowlers hnd.
The eye cnnot dstnush the drecton of  bll pprochn tll t
hs seen  fr porton of ts flht. Then only cn you clculte wht
the rest of the flht wll be. Stll, before the bll hs ptched, the
frst doubt s resolved, nd the btsmn knows the blls drecton;
but, when once t touches the round, the chne of lht lone (erth
nsted of r ben the bckround) s tryn to the eye. Then, t
the rse, recommences ll the uncertnty of  second delvery; for,
the drecton of the bll hs once more to be scertned, nd tht
requres lmost s much tme for sht s wll sometmes brn the bll
nto the wcket.
All ths dffculty of sht pples only to the btsmn; to hm the
bll s dvncn nd foreshortened n proporton s t s strht.
If the bll s rther wde, or f seen, s by Pont, from the sde,
the bll my be esly trced, wthout confuson, from frst to lst.
It s the fct of n object pprochn perfectly strht to you,
tht confuses your sense of dstnce. A mn stndn on  rlwy
cnnot jude of the nerness of the enne; nor  mn behnd  tret
of the pproch of the rrow; wheres, seen oblquely, the flht s
cler. Hence  lon hop s not  puzzln lenth, becuse there s
tme to scertn the second prt of the course or rebound. A toss s
esy becuse one course only. The tce lso, nd the hlf-volley, or
ny over-ptched blls, re not so puzzln, becuse they my be met
forwrd, nd the two prts of the flht reduced to one. Such s the
phlosophy of forwrd ply, ntended to obvte the btsmns chef
dffculty, whch s, wth the second prt, or, the rebound of the
bll.
The follown re ood rules:-1. Meet every bll t the ptch by forwrd ply whch you cn
convenently cover.
Whtever bll you cn ply forwrd, you cn ply sfely--s by one
snle movement. But n plyn the sme bll bck, you ve yourself
two thns to thnk of nsted of one--stoppn nd keepn down 
bler; nd, stoppn  shooter. Every bll s the more dffcult
to ply bck n exct proporton to the ese wth whch t mht be

plyed forwrd. The plyer hs  shorter sht, nd less tme to see
the nture of the rse; so the bll crowds upon hm, ffordn nether
tme nor spce for effectve ply. Never ply bck but of necessty;
meet every bll forwrd whch you cn convenently cover--I sy
_convenently_, becuse, f the ptch of the bll cnnot be reched
wthout dner of losn your blnce, msplcn your bt, or drwn
your foot out of your round, tht bll should be consdered out of
rech, nd be plyed bck. Ths rule mny fne plyers, n ther
eerness to score, re pt to volte; so, f the bll rses bruptly,
they re bowled or cuht. There s lso dner of plyn wde of the
bll, f you over-rech.
2. Some sy, When n doubt ply bck. Certnly ll blls my be
plyed bck; but mny t s lmost mprctcble to ply forwrd. But
snce the best forwrd plyers my err, the follown hnt, founded
on the prctce of Fuller Plch, wll suest n excellent mens of
ettn out of  dffculty:--Prctse the rt of _hlf-ply_; tht s,
prctse on forwrd to blls  lttle beyond your rech, nd then,
nsted of plntn your bt ner the ptch, whch s supposed too fr
dstnt to be effectully covered, wtch for the bll bout hlf-wy,
ben up f t rses, nd down f t shoots. By ths hlf-ply, whch
I lernt from one of Plchs pupls, I hve often sved my wcket when
I found myself forwrd for  bll out of rech; thouh before, I felt
defenceless, nd often let the bll pss ether under or over my bt.
Stll hlf-ply, thouh  fne svn cluse for profcents, s but 
choce of evls, nd no prctce for lerners, s formn  bd hbt.
By tryn too mny wys, you spol your me.
3. Ascertn the extent of your utmost rech forwrd, nd prctse
ccordnly. The smplest method s to fx your rht foot t the
crese, nd try how fr forwrd you cn convenently plnt your bt t
the proper nle; then, llown tht the bll my be covered t bout
three feet from ts ptch, you wll see t once how mny feet you cn
commnd n front of the crese. Plch could commnd from ten to twelve
feet. Some short men wll commnd ten feet; tht s to sy, they wll
sfely meet forwrd every bll whch ptches wthn tht dstnce from
the crese.
There re two wys of holdn  bt n plyn forwrd. The poston of
the hnds, s of Plch, n the frontspece, stndn t urd, wll
not dmt of  lon rech forwrd. But by shftn the left hnd behnd
the bt, the cton s free, nd the rech unmpeded.
[Illustrton]
Every lerner must prctse ths shftn of the left hnd n forwrd
ply. The hnd wll soon come round nturlly. Also, lern to rech
forwrd wth composure nd no loss of blnce. Ply forwrd evenly nd
rcefully, wth rther n elstc movement. Prctce wll retly
ncrese your rech. Tke cre you do not lose sht of the bll, s
mny do; nd, look t the bll tself, not merely t the spot where you
expect t to ptch. Much depends on commencn t the proper moment,
nd not ben n  hurry. Especlly vod ny ctch or floursh. Come
forwrd, foot nd bt toether, most evenly nd most quetly.
Forwrd ply my be prctsed lmost s well n  room s n 
crcket-feld: better stll wth  bll n the pth of  feld. To
force  bll bck to the bowler or lon-feld by hrd forwrd ply
s commonly clled Drvn; nd drvn you my prctse wthout ny
bowler, nd retly mprove n blnce nd correctness of form, nd

thus ncrese the extent of your rech, nd hbtute the eye to 
correct dscernment of the pont t whch forwrd ply ends nd bck
ply bens. By prctce you wll ttn  power of comn forwrd
wth  sprn, nd plyn hrd or drvn. All fne plyers drve
nerly every bll they meet forwrd, nd ths drvn dmts of so mny
derees of strenth tht sometmes t mounts to qute  hrd ht. I
once, sd Clrke, hd thouht there mht be  school opened for
crcket n the wnter months; for, you my drll  mn to use  bt s
well s  brod-sword. Wth drvn, s wth hlf-ply, be not too
eer--ply forwrd surely nd stedly t frst, otherwse the pont
of the bt wll et n dvnce, or the ht be bdly tmed, nd ve 
ctch to the bowler. Ths s one error nto whch the fnest forwrd
plyers hve sometmes rdully fllen-- vcous hbt, formed from
n overweenn confdence nd success upon ther own round. Comprn
notes ltely wth n experenced plyer, we both remembered  tme
when we thouht we could mke hrd nd free hts even off those blls
whch ood plyers ply ently bck to the bowler; but eventully 
successon of short nnns sent us bck to sfe nd sober ply.
Sundry other hts re mde, contrry to every rule, by plyers
ccustomed to one round or one set of bowlers. Mny n Etonn hs
found tht  me, whch succeeded n the Shootn felds, hs proved
n utter flure when ll ws new t Lords or n  country mtch.
Every plyer should prctse occsonlly wth professonl bowlers;
for, they look to the prncple of ply, nd pont out rdcl errors
even n showy hts. Even Plch wll request  frend to stnd by hm
n prctce to detect ny shftn of the foot or other bd hbt,
nto whch experence teches tht the best men unconscously fll. I
would dvse every ood plyer to tke one or two such lessons t the
bennn of the seson. A mn cnnot see hmself, nd wll hrdly
beleve tht he s tkn up hs bt cross wcket, swn cross t 
drw, tottern over nsted of stedy, movn off hs round t le
blls, or very often plyn forwrd wth  floursh nsted of full on
the bll, nd mkn often most chldsh mstkes whch need only be
mentoned to be voded.
One ret dffculty, we observed, conssts n correct dscrmnton
of lenth nd nstntneous decson. To form correctly s the bll
ptches, there s tme enouh, but none to spre: tme only to ct,
no tme to thnk. So lso wth shootn, drvn, nd vrous knds
of exercses, t the crtcl moment ll depends not on thouht, but
hbt: by constnt prctce, the tme requste for delberton
becomes less nd less, tll t lenth we re unconscous of ny
delberton t ll,--ctn, s t were, by ntuton or nstnct, for
the occson prompts the cton: then, n common lnue, we do t
nturlly, or, hve formed tht hbt whch s  second nture.
In ths sense,  plyer must form  hbt of correct decson n
plyn forwrd nd bck. Tll he plys by hbt, he s not sfe:
the sht of the lenth must prompt the correspondn movement. Look
t Fuller Plch, or Mr. C. Tylor, nd ths rule wll be redly
understood; for, wth such plyers, every bll s s nturlly nd
nstnctvely receved by ts pproprte movement s f the plyer
were n utomton, nd the bll touched  sprn: so quckly does
forwrd ply, or bck, nd the tttude for off-cut or le-ht, pper
to concde wth, or rther to ntcpte, ech sutble lenth. All
ths quckness, ese, nd redness mrks  hbt of correct ply; nd
the queston s, how to form such  hbt.

All the clmness or composure we dmre n profcents results from 


hbt of plyn ech lenth n one wy, nd n one wy only. To ttn
ths hbt, mesure your rech before the crese, s you ben to
prctse wth  bowler; nd, mke  mrk vsble to the bowler, but not
such s wll dvert your own eye.
Hvn fxed such  mrk, let your bowler ptch, s nerly s he cn,
sometmes on ths sde of the mrk, sometmes on tht. After every
bll, you hve only to sk, Whch sde? nd you wll hve demonstrtve
proof whether your ply hs been rht or wron. Constnt prctce,
wth ttenton to the ptch, wll hbtute your eye to lenths, nd
enble you to decde n  moment how to ply.
For my own prt, I hve rrely prctsed for yers wthout ths mrk.
It enbles me to scertn, by referrn to the bowler, where ny bll
hs ptched. To know t  lnce the exct lenth of  bll, however
necessry, s not qute s esy to the btsmn s to the bowler; nd,
wthout prctsn wth  mrk, you my remn  lon tme n error.
After  few dys prctce, you wll become s certn of the lenth of
ech bll, nd of your blty to rech t, s f you ctully sw the
mrk, for you wll crry the mesurement n your mnds eye.
So fr well: you hve ned  percepton of lenths nd dstnce; the
next thn s, to pply ths knowlede. Therefore, ber n mnd you
hve  HABIT TO FORM. No doubt, mny wll luh t ths phlosophy.
Plch does not know the theory of morl hbts, I dre sy; but he
knows well enouh tht wld prctce spols ply; nd f to educted
men I plese to sy tht, wld ply nvolves the formton of  set
of bd hbts to hn bout you, nd contnully nterfere wth ood
ntentons, where s the bsurdty? How should you lke to be doomed
to ply wth some mschevous fellow, lwys tckln your elbow, nd
mkn you spsmodclly ply forwrd, when you ouht to ply bck,
or, ht round or cut, when you ouht to ply strht? Precsely such
 mschevous sprte s  bd hbt. Tll you hve ot rd of hm, he
s lwys lble to come cross you nd tckle you out of your nnns:
ll your resoluton s no ood. Hbt s  much stroner prncple thn
resoluton. Accustom the hnd to obey sound judment, otherwse t wll
follow ts old hbt nsted of your new prncples.
To borrow n dmrble llustrton from Plto, whch Socrtes pupl
remrked ws rther pt thn elent,--Whle hbt keeps up tchn,
mn cnt help scrtchn. And wht s most remrkble n bd hbts
of ply s, tht, lon fter  mn thnks he hs overcome them, by some
chnce ssocton, the old trck ppers n, nd  mn feels (oh!
fne for  morlst!) _one lw n hs mnd nd nother lw_--or rther,
let us sy, he feels  certn ltent sprn n hm ever lble to be
touched, nd dsturb ll the hrmony of hs crcketn economy.
Hvn, therefore,  hbt to form, tke the retest pns tht
you methodclly ply forwrd to the over-ptched, nd bck to the
under-ptched, blls. My custom ws, the moment the bll ptched, to
sy udbly to myself forwrd, or bck. By derees I ws ble to
clculte the lenth sooner nd sooner before the ptch, hvn, of
course, the more tme to prepre; tll, t lst, no sooner ws the bll
out of the bowlers hnd, thn bll nd bt were vsbly preprn for
ech others recepton. After some weeks prctce, forwrd nd bck
ply becme so esy, tht I cese to thnk bout t: the very sht of
the bll nturlly suestn the pproprte movement; n other words,
I hd formed  hbt of correct ply n ths prtculr.

_Suve mr mno_, sys Lucretus; tht s, t s delhtful, from


the vnte round of scence, to see others floundern n  se of
error, nd to feel  hppy sense of comprtve securty;--so, ws t
no lttle plesure to see the mny wckets tht fell, or the mny
ctches whch were mde, from defects I hd entrely overcome.
For, wthout the hbt foresd,  mn wll often shut hs eyes, nd
remove hs rht fners, s f the bt were hot, nd then look behnd
hm nd fnd hs wcket down. A second, wll dvnce  foot forwrd,
feel nd look ll brod, nd then try to seem unconcerned, f no
mschef hppens. A thrd, wll ply bck wth the shortest possble
sht of the bll, nd her hs stumps rttle before he hs tme to do
nythn. A fourth, wll stnd stll,  fxture of fuss nd confuson,
wth the sme result; whle  ffth, wll o rcefully forwrd, wth
strhtest possble bt, nd the most mertorous elonton of lmb,
nd the bll wll pss over the shoulder of hs bt, trverse the
whole lenth of hs rms, nd bck, nd colossl les, tppn off the
bls, or vn  chnce to the wcket-keeper. Then, s Pons sys of
Flstff, The vrtue of ths jest wll be the ncomprehensble les
tht ths sme ft roue wll tell us. For, when  mn s out by ths
smple error n forwrd or bckwrd ply, t would tke  volume to
record the vrety of hs excuses.
The reson so much hs been sd bout Hbt s, prtly, tht the
plyer my understnd tht bd hbts re formed s redly s ood;
tht  repetton of wld hts, or expermentlsn wth hrd hts off
ood lenths, my dsturb your quck percepton of crtcl lenths,
nd ve you n uncontrollble hbt of dnerous httn.
THE SHOOTER.--Ths s the surest nd most destructve bll tht s
bowled. Stoppn shooters depends on correct poston, on  hbt of
plyn t the bll nd not losn t fter the ptch, nd on  quck
dscernment of lenths.
The ret thn s decson; to doubt s to lose tme, nd to lose tme
s to lose your wcket. And ths decson requres  correct hbt
of forwrd nd bck ply. But snce preventon s better thn cure,
by meetn t the ptch every bll wthn your rech, you drectly
dmnsh the number, not only of shooters, but of the most dnerous of
ll shooters, becuse of those whch fford the shortest tme to ply.
But, supposn you cnnot cover the bll t the ptch, nd  shooter t
must be, then-The frst thn s, to hve the bt lwys ponted bck to the wcket,
s n _f. 1._ pe 115; thus you wll drop down on the bll, nd hve
ll the tme nd spce the cse dmts of. If the bt s not prevously
thrown bck, when the bll shoots the plyer hs two opertons,--the
one, to put the bt bck: nd the other, to round t: nsted of one
smple drop down lone. I never sw ny mn do ths better thn Wenmn,
when plyn the North nd South mtch t Lords n 1836. Redte ws
n hs prme, nd lmost ll hs blls were shootn down the hll;
nd, from the ood tme nd precson wth whch Wenmn dropped down
upon some dozen shooters, wth ll the pce nd spn for whch Redte
ws fmous--the round ben hrdened nto brck by the sun--I hve
ever consdered Wenmn equl to ny btsmn of hs dy.
The second thn s, to prepre for bck ply wth the frst possble
ntmton tht the bll wll requre t. A ood plyer descres the
enemy, nd drops bck s soon s the bll s out of the bowlers hnd.

The thrd-- olden rule for btsmen--s: expect  ood lenth to


shoot, nd you wll hve tme, f t rses: but f you expect t to
rse, you re too lte f t shoots.
THE BAIL BALL.--Frst, the tttude s tht of _f. 1._ The bt thrown
bck to the bls s ndspensble for quckness: f you ply  bler
too lte, short slp s plced on purpose to ctch you out; therefore
wtch the bll from the bowlers hnd, nd drop bck on your wcket n
ood tme. Also, tke the retest pns n trcn the bll every nch
from the hnd to the bt. Look hrd for the twst, or  brek wll
be ftl. To keep the eye stedly on the bll, nd not lose t t the
ptch, s  hnt even for experenced plyers: so mke ths the subject
of ttentve prctce.
The most dffcult of ll blers re those whch ouht not to be
llowed to come n s blers t ll, those whch should be met t the
ptch. Such over-ptched blls ve nether tme nor spce, f you
ttempt to ply them bck.
Every lenth bll s dffcult to ply bck, just n proporton to the
ese wth whch t could be covered forwrd. A certn spce, from nne
to twelve feet, before the crese s, to  prctsed btsmn, so much
_terr frm_, whereon ptchn every bll s  sfe stop or score.
Prctse wth the chlk mrk, nd lern to mke ths _terr frm_ s
wde s possble.
THE DRAW s so clled, I suppose, becuse, when perfectly mde, there
s no drw t ll. Look t _f. 2._ The bt s not drwn cross the
wcket, but hns perpendculrly from the wrsts; thouh the wrsts
of  ood plyer re never dle, but brn the bt to meet the bll 
few nches, nd the ht s the nturl nle formed by the opposn
forces. Sy lso, suests Clrke, tht the bll meetn the bt,
held esy n the hnd, wll turn t  lttle of ts own force, nd the
wrsts _feel_ when to help t. Ths old rule hrdly conssts wth the
prncple of meetn the bll.
The Drw s the spontneous result of strht ply bout the two le
stumps: for f you ben, s n _f. 1._, wth pont of bt thrown
bck true to mddle stump, you cnnot brn the bt strht to meet
 le-stump bll wthout the lne of the bt nd the lne of the bll
formn n nle n crossn ech other; nd, by keepn your wrsts
well bck, nd vn  cler spce between body nd wcket, the Drw
wll follow of tself.
[Illustrton: _F. 2._]
The bt must not be purposely presented edewys n the lest deree.
Drw  full bt from the lne of the mddle stump to meet  le-stump
bll, nd, s the lne of the bll must mke  very cute nle, you
wll hve the beneft of  ht wthout lessenn your defence. A Drw
s very dnerous wth  bll tht would ht the le stump, some sy;
but only when ttempted n the wron wy; for, how cn  full bt
ncrese your dner?
Ths mode of ply wll lso led to, wht s most vluble but most
rre,  correct hbt of pssn every bll the lest to the Ner sde
of mddle stump cler wy to the On sde. Ths blockn between les
nd wckets, frst, obvtes the bll on off les nto wcket;
secondly, t keeps mny wkwrd blls out of Slps hnds; nd,

thrdly, t mkes snle runs off the best blls.


Too lttle, now--dys, s done wth the Drw; too much s ttempted by
the blnd swpe, to the loss of mny wckets.
Every mn n  frst-rte mtch who loses hs wcket, whle swpn
round, ouht to py  forfet to the Rewrd Fund.
The only blls for the Drw re those whch threten the wcket. To
shuffle bckwrds hlf  yrd, scrpn the bt on the round, or to
let the bll pss one sde the body wth  blnd swn on the other,
re hts whch to menton s to reprove.
Our ood frend, Mr. Abrhm Bss,--nd wht crcketer n the Mdlnd
Countes defers not to hs judment?--thnks tht the Drw cnnot be
mde qute so much of s we sy, except by  left-hnded mn. The
short-ptched blls whch some drw, he thnks, re best plyed bck to
mddle On, by  turn of the left rm to the On sde.
Here Mr. Bss mentons  very ood ht-- ood vrety--nd one,
too, lttle prctsed: hs ht nd the Drw re ech ood n ther
respectve plces. To dscrmnte every shde s mpossble. Mr.
Tylor hd most hts I ever sw, sd Cldecourt, nd ws  better
plyer even thn Lord Frederck; thouh Mr. Tylors hts were not ll
_letmte_: so much the better; new combntons of old hts.
As to the old-fshoned ht under le, Mr. Mynn, t Lecester, n 1836,
ve ret effect to one vrety of t;  ht whch Plch mkes useful,
thouh hrd to mke elent. Some sy, wth Cldecourt, such blls
ouht lwys to be drwn: but s t not  useful vrety?
DRAW OR GLANCE FROM OFF STUMP.--Wht s true of the Le stump s true
of the Off, cre ben tken of ctch to Slps. Every bll plyed from
two Off stumps, by free ply of wrst nd left shoulder well over,
should o wy mon the Slps. Ply hrd on the bll; the bll must
never ht  ded bt; nd every so-clled block, from off stumps, must
be  ht.
Commence, s lwys, from _f. 1._; stnd close up to your wcket;
weht on pvot-foot; blnce-foot redy to come over s requred. Ths
s the only poston from whch you cn commnd the off stump.
Ber wth me, my frends, n dwelln so much on ths Off-ply. Mny
fne cutters could never n ther lves commnd off stump wth  full
nd uprht bt. Whence come the mny msses of off-hts? Observe, nd
you wll see, t s becuse the bt s slntn, or t must sweep the
whole spce throuh whch the bll could rse.
By stndn close up, nd plyn well over your wcket wth strht
bt, nd thrown, by mens of left le, the body forwrds over 
bll rsn to the off-stump, you my mke n effectve ht from n
off-bler wthout lessenn your defence; for how cn hrd blockn,
wth  full bt, be dnerous? All tht s requred s, strht
ply nd  free wrst, thouh certnly  tll mn hs here  ret
dvnte.
A FREE WRIST.--Wthout wrst ply there cn be no ood style of
bttn. Do not be puzzled bout thrown your body nto your ht.
Absurd, except wth strht hts--hlf-volley, for nstnce. Suspend 
bll, osclltn by  strn from  bem, keep your rht foot fxed,

nd use the left le to ve the tme nd commnd of the bll nd to
djust the blnce, nd you wll soon lern the power of the wrsts nd
rms. Also, use no hevy bts; 2 lbs. 2 oz. s hevy enouh for ny mn
who plys wth hs wrsts. The wrst hs, ntomclly, two movements;
the one up nd down, the other from sde to sde; nd to the ltter
power, by much the lest, the weht of the bt must be proportoned.
My old-fshoned bt, sd Mr. E. H. Budd, wehed nerly three
pounds, nd Mr. Wrds  pound more.
THE OFF-HIT, here ntended, s mde wth uprht bt, where the
horzontl cut were dnerous or uncertn. It my be mde wth ny
off-bll, one or two feet wde of the wcket. The left shoulder must be
well over the bll, nd ths cn only be effected by crossn, s n
_f. 3._ p. 159, left le over. Ths, one of the best plyers rees,
s  correct ht, provded the bll be ptched well up; otherwse he
would pply the Cut: but the cut serves only when  bll rses; nd I
m unwlln to spre one tht comes n ner the round.
Ths uprht off-ht, wth left le crossed over, my be prctsed
wth  bt nd bll n the pth of  feld. You my lso devse
some Chmber Prctce, wthout ny bll, or wth  soft bll
suspended--not  bd n-door exercse n cold wether. When
profcent, you wll fnd tht you hve only to ht t the bll, nd
the blnce-foot wll nturlly cross over nd djust tself.
In prctsn wth  bowler, I hve often fxed  fourth stump, bout
sx nches from off-stump, nd lernt to urd t wth uprht bt.
_Experto crede_, you my lern to sweep wth lmost n uprht bt
blls s much s two feet to the Off. But ths s  ht for blls
requrn bck ply, but-COVER-HIT s the ht for over-ptched off-blls. Come forwrd hrd to
meet n off-bll; nd then, s your bt moves n one lne, nd the bll
meets t n nother, the resultnt wll be Cover-ht. By no mens turn
the bt:  full fce s not only sfe but effectve.
Wth ll off-hts bewre of the bs of the bll to the off, nd ply
well over the bll--very dffcult for youn plyers. Never thnk bout
wht off-hts you cn mke, unless you keep the bll sfely down.
The fne squre le-ht s smlr to cover-ht, thouh on the other
sde. To mke cover-ht clen, nd not wste power nst the round,
you must tke full dvnte of your heht, nd ply the bt well down
on the bll from your hp, tmn ncely, eye stll on the bll, nd
nclnn the bt nether too lttle nor too much.
[Illustrton: _F. 3._]
THE FORWARD CUT,  nme by whch I would dstnush nother off-ht
s  ht mde by Butler, Guy, Dkn, Prr, nd ndeed especlly by
the Nottnhm men, who, Clrke thnks, ht ll round them better
thn men of ny other county (see _f. 3._). The fures ben
foreshortened s seen by the bowler, the rtst unwllnly scrfces
effect to show the correct poston of the feet. Ths ht my be mde
from blls too wde nd too low for the bckwrd cut. Cross the left
le over, wtch the bll from ts ptch, nd you my mke off-hts from
blls low or cut blls hh (unless very hh, nd then you hve tme
to drop the bt) wth more commndn power thn n ny other poston.
Some ood plyers do not lke ths crossn of left foot, preferrn
the cuttn tttude of _f. 3._; but I know from experence nd

observton, tht there s not  fner or more useful ht n the feld;
for, f  bll s some two feet to the Off, t mtters not whether
over-ptched or short-ptched, the sme poston, rther forwrd,
eqully pples.
The Forwrd Cut sends the bll between Pont nd Mddle-wcket, n
open prt of the feld, nd even to Lon-feld sometmes: no lttle
dvnte. Also, t dmts of much reter quckness. You my thus
ntercept forwrd, wht you would be too lte to cut bck.
To lern t, fx  fourth stump n the round, one foot or more wde to
the Off; prctse crefully keepn rht foot fxed, nd crossn left
over, nd preserve the cuttn tttude; nd ths most brllnt ht s
esly cqured.
When you ply  bll Off, do not lose your blnce nd stumble
wkwrdly one foot over the other, but end n ood form, well on your
feet. Even ood plyers commt ths fult; lso, n plyn bck some
plyers look s f they would tumble over ther wcket.
THE CUT s enerlly consdered the most delhtful ht n the me.
The Cut proper s mde by very few. Mny mke Off-hts, but few cut
from the bls between short slp nd pont wth  lte horzontl
bt--cuttn, never by uess but lwys by sht, t the bll tself;
the cut pplyn to rther short-ptched blls, not ctully lon hops;
nd tht not ben properly  cut whch s n dvnce of the pont.
Such s the defnton of Mr. Brdshw, whom  ten yers retrement
hs not prevented from ben known s one of the best htters of the
dy.
[Illustrton: _F. 4._]
The tttude of cuttn s fntly ven (becuse foreshortened) n
_f. 4._ Ths represents  cut t rther  wde bll; nd  comprson
of _fs. 3._ nd _4._ wll show tht, wth rther wde Off-blls,
the Forwrd Cut s the better poston; for you more esly ntercept
blls before they re out of ply. Rht le would be thrown bck
rther thn dvnced, were the bll nerer the wcket. Stll, the
tttude s exceptonl. Look t the other fures, nd the cutter
lone wll pper wth rht foot shfted. Compre _f. 1._ wth the
other fures, nd the chne s esy, s n the left foot lone; but,
compre t wth the cuts (_fs. 4._ nd _5._), nd the whole poston
s reversed: rht shoulder dvnced, nd rht foot shfted. There
s no bll tht cn be cut whch my not be ht by one of the other
Off-hts lredy mentoned, nd tht wth fr reter certnty,
thouh not wth so brllnt n effect. Plch nd mny of the stedest
nd best plyers never mke the enune cut. Mr. Felx, sys Clrke,
cuts splenddly; but, n order to do so, he cuts before he sees the
bll, nd thus msses two out of three. Nether do I beleve tht ny
mn wll reconcle the hbtul strht ply nd commnd of off-stump,
whch dstnushes Plch, wth  cuttn me. Ech vrtue, even n
Crcket, hs ts excess: fne Le-htters re pt to endner the
le-stump; fne Cutters, the Off. For, the Cutter must ben to tke
up hs ltered poston so soon, tht the de must be runnn n hs
hed lmost whle the bll s ben delvered; then, the frst mpulse
brns the bt t once out of ll defensve nd strht ply. Rht
shoulder nvoluntrly strts bck; nd, f t the wron knd of bll,
the wcket s exposed, nd ll defence t n end. But wth lon-hops
there s tme enouh to cut; the dffculty s wth ood blls: nd, to
cut them, not by uess but, by sht. _F. 5._ represents  cut t 

bll nerer the wcket, the rht foot ben drwn bck to n spce.
So much for the buse of Cuttn. If the bll does not rse, there
cn be no Cut, however loose the bowln; thouh, wth the other
Off-hts, two or three mht be scored. The most wnnn me s tht
whch plys the retest number of blls--n rt n whch no mn cn
surpss Bldwnson of Yorkshre. Stll  frst-rte plyer should hve
 commnd of every ht:  bowler my be ptchn unformly short, nd
the blls my be rsn reulrly: n ths cse, every one would lke
to see  ood Cutter t the wcket.
To lern the Cut, suspend  bll from  strn nd  bem, osclltn
bckwrds nd forwrds--plce yourself s t  wcket, nd
expermentlse. You wll fnd:-1. You hve no power n Cuttn, unless you Cut lte--off the bls:
then only cn you use the pont of your bt.
[Illustrton: _F. 5._]
2. You hve no power, unless you turn on the bss of your feet, nd
front the bll, your bck ben lmost turned upon the bowler, t the
moment of cuttn.
3. Your muscles hve very lttle power n Cuttn qute horzontlly,
but very ret power n Cuttn down on the bll.
Ths rees wth the prctce of the best plyers. Mr. Brdshw
follows the bll nd cuts very lte, cuttn down. He drops hs bt,
pprently, on the top of the bll. Lord Frederck used to descrbe
the old-fshoned Cuttn s done n the sme wy. Mr. Brdshw never
Cuts but by sht; nd snce, when the eye ctches the rse of  ood
lenth bll, not  moment must be lost, hs bt s thrown bck just 
lttle--n nch or two hher thn the bls (he stoops  lttle for
the purpose)--nd dropped on the bll n n nstnt, by ply of the
wrst lone. Thus does he obtn hs peculr power of Cuttn even
fr-lenth blls by sht.
Hrry Wlker, Robnson, nd Sunders were the three ret Cutters;
nd they ll Cut very lte. But the underhnd bowln suted cuttn
(proper) better thn round-rmed; for ll Off-httn s not cuttn.
Mr. Felx ves wonderful speed to the bll, effected by cuttn down,
ddn the weht of  descendn bt to the free nd full power of the
shoulder: he would hrdly hve tme for such exerton f he ht wth
the precson of Mr. Brdshw, nd not httn tll he sw the bll.
Lord Frederck found fult wth Mr. Felxs pcture of the Cut,
syn t mpled force from the whrl of the bt; wheres  cut should
proceed from wrsts lone, descendn wth bt n hnd,--precsely Mr.
Brdshws ht. Excuse me, my Lord, sd Mr. Felx, thts not 
Cut, but only  _pt_. The sd _pt_, or wrst ply, I beleve to be
the only knd of cuttn by sht, for ood-lenth blls.
To encoure elent ply, nd every vrety of ht, we sy prctse
ech knd of cut, both Lord Fredercks _pt_ nd Mr. Felxs off-ht,
nd the Nottnhm forwrd cut, wth left le over; but bewre of usn
ether n the wron plce. A mn of one ht s esly mned. A ood
off-htter should send the bll ccordn to ts ptch, not to one
pont only, but to three or four. Old Fennex used to stnd by Sunders,
nd sy no httn could be fner--no htter such  fool--see, sr,

they hve found out hs ht--put  mn to stop hs runs--stll,
cuttn, nothn but cuttn--why doesnt the mn ht somewhere else?
So wth Jrvs of Nottnhm,  fne plyer nd one of the best cutters
of hs dy, when  mn ws plced for hs cut, t retly dmnshed
hs score. For off-blls we hve ven, Off-ply to the slps--Cover
ht--the Nottnhm ht more towrds mddle wcket; nd, the Cut
between slp nd pont--four vretes. Let ech hve ts proper plce,
tll n old plyer cn sy, s Fennex sd of Beldhm, He ht quck
s lhtnn ll round hm. He ppered to hve no ht n prtculr:
you could never plce  mn nst hm: where the bll ws ptched
there t ws ht wy.
[Illustrton: _F. 6._]
LEG-HITTING.--Besdes the drw, there re two dstnct knds of
le-hts--one forwrd, the other bck. The forwrd le-ht s mde, s
n _f. 6._, by dvncn the left foot ner the ptch of the bll,
nd then httn down upon the bll wth  free rm, the bt ben
more or less horzontl, ccordn to the lenth of the bll. A bll
so fr ptched s to requre lttle strde of left le, wll be ht
wth nerly  strht bt:  bll s short s you cn strde to, wll
requre nerly  horzontl bt. The bll you cn rech wth strht
bt, wll o off on the prncple of the cover-ht--the more squre
the better. But, when  bll s only just wthn rech, by usn 
horzontl bt, you know where to fnd the bll just before t hs
rsen; for, your bt covers the spce bout the ptch. If you rech
fr enouh, even  shooter my be pcked up; nd f  few nches short
of the ptch, you my hve ll the joyous sprn of  hlf-volley. The
better ptched the bowln, the eser s the ht, f the bll be only
 lttle to the le. In usn  horzontl bt, f you cnnot rech
nerer thn bout  foot from the ptch, sweep your bt throuh the
lne n whch the bll should rse. Look t _f. 7._ p. 173. The bt
should concde wth or sweep  fr bts lenth of tht dotted lne.
But f the pont of the bt cnnot rech to wthn  foot of the ptch,
tht bll must be plyed bck.
THE SHORT-PITCHED LEG BALL needs no comment, sve tht, ccordn s t
s more or less to the wcket, you my,--1. Drw t; 2. Ply t by 
new ht, to be explned,  Drw or lnce outsde your le; 3. You my
step bck on your wcket to n spce, nd ply t wy to mddle On,
or cut t round, ccordn to your sht of t.
But n le-httn, bewre of  blnd swpe, or tht chnce ht, by
uess of where the bll wll rse, whch some mke when the bt cnnot
properly commnd the ptch. Ths blnd ht s often mde t  bll
not short enouh to ply by sht bck, nor lon enouh to commnd
forwrd. Prr dvnces left foot s fr s he cn, nd hts where the
bll ouht to be. But ths he would hrdly dvse, except you cn
nerly commnd the ptch; otherwse,  blnd swn of the bt, lthouh
the best plyers re sometmes betryed nto t, s by no mens to be
recommended.
Reder, do you ever mke the squre ht On? Or, do you ever drve 
bll bck from the le-stump to lon-feld On? Probbly not. Clrke
complns tht ths ood old ht s one out, nd tht one more mn
s thereby brouht bout the wcket. If you cnnot mke ths ht, you
hve evdently  fulty style of ply. So, prctse dlently wth
le-blls, tll blls from two le-stumps o to lon-feld On, nd
blls  lttle wde of le-stump o nerly squre; nd do not do ths
by  knd of push--much too common,--but by  rel ht, left shoulder

forwrd.
Also, do you ever drw out of your round n  le-ht? Doubly
dnerous s ths--dner of stumpn nd dner of mssn esy hts.
If once you move your pvot foot, you lose tht self-commnd essentl
for le-hts. So, prctse, n your rden or your room, the strde nd
swn of the bt, tll you hve lernt to preserve your blnce.
One of the best le-htters s Dkn: nd hs rule s: keep your rht
foot frm on your round; dvnce the left strht to the ptch, nd
s fr s you cn rech, nd ht s strht t the ptch s you cn,
just s f you were httn to lon-feld: s the lnes of bt nd bll
form n nle, the bll wll fly wy squre of tself.
My belef s, the Wykehmsts ntroduced the rt of httn le-blls
t the ptch. When, n 1833, t Oxford, Messrs. F. B. Wrht nd
Pyne scored bove sxty ech off Lllywhte nd Brodbrde, t ws
remrked by the plyers, they hd never seen ther le-ht before.
Clrke sys he showed how to mke forwrd le-hts t Nottnhm. For,
the Nottnhm men used to ht fter le-blls, nd mss them, tll he
found the wy of nterceptn them t the rse, nd httn squre.
And ths wll be  fr occson for qulfyn certn remrks whch
would pper to form wht s ptly clled  toe-n-the-hole plyer.
When I spoke so stronly bout usn the rht foot s  pvot, nd the
left s  blnce foot, nsstn, lso, on not movn the rht foot,
I ddressed myself not to profcents, but to lerners. Such s the
rht poston for lmost ll the hts on the bll, nd ths fxn of
the foot s the only wy to keep  lerner n hs proper form.
Experenced plyers--I men those who hve pssed throuh the
Unversty Clubs, nd spre to be chosen n the Gentlemens Eleven of
All Enlnd--must be ble to move ech foot on ts proper occson,
especlly wth slow bowln. Clrke sys, If I see  mn set fst on
hs les, I know he cnt ply my bowln. The reson s, s we shll
expln presently, tht the ccurte httn necessry for slow bowln
requres not lon rechn, but  short, quck cton of the rms
nd wrsts, nd ctvty on the les, to shft the body to sut ths
httn n nrrow compss.
A prctsed plyer should lso be ble to o n to over-ptched blls,
to ve effect to hs forwrd ply. To be stumped out looks ll
ndeed; stll,  frst-rte plyer should hve confdence nd coolness
enouh to bde hs tme, nd then o boldly nd stedly n nd ht
wy. If you do o n, tke cre you o fr enouh, nd s fr s the
ptch; nd, only o n to strht blls, for to those lone cn you
crry  full bt. And, never o n to mke  free swn of the bt or
tremendous swpe. Go n wth  strht bt, not so much to ht, s to
drve or block the bll hrd wy, or, s Clrke sys, to run the bll
down. Steppn n only succeeds wth cool nd judcous htters, who
hve some power of executon. All youn plyers must be wrned tht,
for ny but  most prctsed plyer to leve hs round, s decdedly 
losn me.
Supposn the btsmn knows how to move hs rht foot
then,  lon-hop to the le dmts of vrous modes of
I feel bound to menton, thouh not to recommend; for,
plyer should t lest know every ht: whether he wll
much or lttle nto hs me s nother queston.

bck redly,
ply, whch
 frst-rte
ntroduce t

A le-bll tht cn be plyed by sht s sometmes plyed by rsn


the left le. Ths s qute  ht of the old school,--of Sprkes nd
Fennex, for nstnce. Fennexs pupl, Fuller Plch, commonly mkes
ths ht. Some frst-rte judes--Cldecourt mon others--mntn
t should never be mde, but the Drw lwys used nsted. Mr. Tylor
found t  useful vrety; for, before he used t, Wenmn used to stump
hm from blls nsde le stump. For some lenths t hs certnly the
dvnte of plcn the bll n  more open prt of the feld.
[Illustrton: _F. 7._]
Another wy to ply such blls s to step bck wth the rht foot, nd
thus n tme nd lenth of hop, nd ply the bll wy, wth short
cton of the rm nd wrst, bout mddle On. Ths lso s ood, s
mkn one ht more n your me. Another ht there s whch bers
 nme not very complmentry to Mr. Jmes Den; thouh Smpson, of
Sheffeld, ttns n  smlr mnner remrkble certnty n meetn
le-blls, nd not nelently. My ttenton ws frst clled to ths
ht by wtchn the ply of Mr. E. Reeves, who mkes t wth ll the
ese nd elence of the Drw, of whch I consder t one vrety.
Clrke sys, tht wth  bll scrcely wde of your le, he thnks t
 ood ht: I hve, therefore, ven  drwn of t n the lst pe.
When done correctly, nd n ts proper plce, t s mde by n esy nd
elent movement of the wrsts, nd looks s pretty s the Drw; but
ths knd of forwrd ply, whch tkes n wkwrd bll t ts rse nd
plces t on the On-sde, however useful to Smpson of Sheffeld nd
the very few who ntroduce t n ts proper plce,--ths s  ht whch
_nsctur non ft_, must come nturlly, s  vrety of forwrd ply.
To study t, mkes  pokn me, nd spols the ply of hundreds. So,
bewre how you prctse the poke.
The best wy to score from short-ptched le-blls, wrtes  very
ood htter, s to mke  sort of sweep wth the left foot, lmost
blncn yourself by the toe of the sd left foot, nd restn
chefly on the rht foot,--t the sme tme drwn yourself uprht
nd retrn towrds the wcket. Ths of course s ll one movement.
In ths poston you mke the heel of your rht the pvot on whch
you turn, nd move your left (but n  reter crcle), so tht both
preserve the sme prllel s t strtn, nd come round toether; nd
ths I rerd s the ret secret of  btsmns movement n ths ht.
Ths ves you the power of smply plyn the bll down, f t rses
much, nd lkewse of httn hrd f t keep wthn  foot of the
round. Both Smpson nd Prr score very much n ths style.
However, wth fst bowln, there re lmost s mny mstkes s runs
mde by httn t these short-ptched le-blls. Plch, n hs lter
dys, would hrdly meddle wth them.
Lstly, s to le-blls, remember tht lmost ny one cn lern to ht
clen up (squre, especlly); the rt s to ply them down. Also,
le-httn lone s very esy; but, to be  ood Off-plyer, nd n
uprht nd strht plyer, nd yet ht to le freely, s very rre.
We know  fne le-htter who lost hs le-ht entrely when he lernt
to ply better to the off.

CHAP. VIII.

HINTS AGAINST SLOW BOWLING.


Whle our des on Slow Bowln were yet n  stte of soluton, they
were, ll t once, precptted nd crystllsed nto nturl order by
the follown remrks from  vlued correspondent:-I hve sd tht Plch ws unequlled wth the bt, nd hs ret
excellence s n _tmn_ the bll. No one ever mstered Lllywhte
lke Plch; becuse, n hs forwrd ply, he ws not very esly
deceved by tht wry ndvduls repeted chne of pce. He plys
forwrd wth hs eye on, not only the ptch, but on the bll tself,
ben fster or slower n hs dvnce by  clm clculton of tme--
pont too lttle consdered by some even of the best btsmen of the
dy. No mn hts much hrder thn Plch; nd, be t observed, hrd
httn s doubly hrd, n ll fr comprson, when combned wth
tht stedy posture whch does not scrfce the defence of the wcket
for some one fvourte cut or le-ht. Compre Plch wth ood enerl
htters, who, t the sme tme, urd ther wcket, nd I doubt f you
cn fnd from ths select clss  hrder htter n Enlnd.
Ths hbt of plyn ech bll by correct judment of ts tme nd
merts hs mde Plch one of the few who ply Old Clrke s he should
be plyed. He plys hm bck ll dy f he bowls short, nd hts hm
hrd ll lon the round, whenever he overptches; nd sometmes
he wll o n to Clrkes bowln, but not to mke  furous swpe,
but to run hm down wth  strht bt. Ths on n to Clrkes
bowln some persons thnk necessry for every bll, forettn tht
dscreton s the better prt of crcket; the consequence s tht
mny wckets fll from postve lon hops. Almost every mn who bens
to ply nst Clrke ppers to thnk he s n honour bound to ht
every bll out of the feld: nd, every one who ttempts t comes out
syn, Wht rubbsh!--no ply n t! The truth ben tht there s 
ret del of ply n t, for t requres rel knowlede of the me.
You hve curved lnes to del wth nsted of strht ones. But, wht
dfference does tht mke? We shll presently expln.
The musn prt s, tht ths cry of Wht rubbsh! hs been on
on for yers, nd stll the sme error prevls. Experence s not
lke nythn heredtry: the enertons of eels do not et used to
ben sknned, nor do the enertons of men et tred of don the
sme foolsh thn. Ech must suffer _propr person_, nd not by
proxy. So, the rdul development of the humn mnd nst Clrkes
bowln s for the most prt ths:--frst,  stte of confdence n
httn every bll; secondly,  stte of dsust nd contempt t wht
seems only too esy for  scentfc plyer to prctse; nd, lstly, 
slowly ncresn convcton tht the btsmn must hve s much hed s
the bowler, wth ptence to ply n unusul number of ood lenths.
Slow bowln s most effectve when there s  fst bowler t the other
end. It s very puzzln to lter your tme n forwrd ply from fst
to slow, nd slow to fst, every Over: so, Clrke nd Wsden work well
toether. A shooter from  slow bowler s sometmes found even more
dffcult thn one from  fst bowler: nd ths for two resons; frst,
becuse the btsmn s mde up for slow tme nd less prepred for
fst; nd, secondly, becuse  ood slow bll s ptched further up,
nd, therefore, thouh the fst bll shoots qucker, the slow bll hs
the shorter dstnce to shoot nto the wcket.

Compre the severl styles of bowln n the follown drm. A ood


lenth bll, you see, ptches nerer to the bt n proporton to the
slowness of ts pce. Wsden s not so fst, nor s Clrke s slow,
prctclly, s they respectvely pper. Wth Wsdens strht lnes,
t s fr eser to clculte where the bll wll ptch, thn wth the
curved lnes nd droppn blls of Clrke; nd when Wsdens bll hs
ptched, thouh ts pce s qucker, the dstnce t hs to come s so
much loner, tht Clrke, n effect, s not so much slower, s he my
pper. Lllywhte nd Hllyer re of  medum knd; hvn prtly the
quckness of Wsdens pce, nd prtly the dvnte of Clrkes curved
lnes nd ner ptch. From ths drm t ppers tht the slower the
bowln the nerer t my be ptched, nd the less the spce the bt
cn cover; lso, the more dffcult s the bll to jude; for, the
curved lne of  droppn bll s very decevn to the eye.
[Illustrton: Slow Bl blls--Clrkes.
Fst Bl blls--Wsdens.
Medum pce--Lllywhtes.
Slow Shooters--Clrkes.
Medum pce Shooters--Lllywhtes.
Fst Shooters--Wsdens.]
In spekn of Clrkes bowln, men commonly mply tht the slowness
s ts only dffculty. Now  bll cnnot be more dffcult for hnd
or eye becuse t moves slowly. No; the slower the eser; but the
dffculty rses from the follown qultes, wholly dstnct from
the pce, thouh certnly t s the slowness tht renders those
qultes possble:-1st. Clrkes lenths re more ccurte.
2dly. He cn vry hs pce unobserved, wthout vryn hs cton or
delvery.
3dly. More of hs blls would ht the wcket.
4thly. A slow bll must be plyed: t wll not ply tself.
5thly. Clrke cn more redly tke dvnte of ech mns wek pont.
6thly. Slow bowln dmts of more bs.
7thly. The lenth s more dffcult to jude, own to the curved lnes.
8thly. It requres the retest ccurcy n httn. You must ply t
the bll wth short, quck cton where t ctully s, nd not by
clculton of ts rse, or where t wll be.
9thly. Slow blls cn be ptched nerer to the bt, ffordn  shorter
sht of the rse.
10thly. Ctches nd chnces of stumpn re more frequent, nd less
lkely to be mssed.
11thly. The curved lnes nd the strhtness preclude cuttn, nd

render t dnerous to cross the bll n plyn to le.


One rtfce of Clrke, nd of ll ood slow bowlers, s ths: to ben
wth  bll or two whch my esly be plyed bck; then, wth  much
hher toss nd slower pce, s n the drm, he ptches  lttle
short of the usul spot. If the btsmns eye s deceved s to the
dstnce, he t once plys forwrd to  lenth whch s t ll tmes
dnerous; nd, s t rses hher, the ply becomes more dnerous
stll.
The dffculty of on n to such bowln s Clrkes, depends on
ths:-The bt s only four nches nd  qurter wde: cll hlf tht wdth
two nches of wood. Then, you cn only hve two nches to spre for the
devton of your ht; therefore, f  bll turns bout two nches,
whle you re n the ct of httn, the truest htter possble must
mss.
The obvous concluson from these fcts s,-1st. Tht you cn sfely o n to such blls only s re strht,
otherwse you cnnot present  full bt; nd, only when you cn step
rht up to the ptch of the bll, otherwse, by  twst t wll escpe
you; nd slow blls turn more thn fst n  ven spce. 2ndly. You
cn only o n to such lenths s you cn esly nd stedly commnd:
 very lon step, or ny unusul hurry, wll hrdly be sfe wth only
the sd two nches of wood to spre.
Now the queston s, wth wht lenths, nst such bowln s
Clrkes, cn you step n stedly nd sfely, both s fr s the
ptch, nd wth full commnd of hnd nd eye? Remember, you cnnot
ben your step tll you hve juded the lenth; nd ths, wth the
curved lne of  slow droppn bll, you cnnot jude tll wthn 
lttle of ts roundn; so, the crtcl tme for decson nd cton
s very bref, nd, n tht bref spce, how fr cn you step secure
of ll optcl llusons, for, Clrke cn deceve you by vryn both
the pce nd the curve of hs bll?--Go nd try. An, when you hve
stepped n, where wll you ht? On the round, of course, nd strht.
And where re the men plced? Besdes, re you wre of the dffculty
of nterchnn the stedy me wth rht foot n your round, wth
tht sprny nd spsmodc mpulse whch chrcterses ths on n?
At  mtch t Lords n 1849, I sw Brockwell score some forty runs
wth mny hts off Clrke: he sd to me, when he cme out, Clrke
cnnot bowl hs best to me; for, sometmes, I o n to the ptch of the
bll, when ptched well up, nd ht her wy; t other tmes, I mke
 fent, nd then stnd bck, nd so Clrke ets off hs bowln. He
dded, the dffculty s to keep your temper nd not to o n wth 
wron bll. Ths, I beleve, s ndeed  dffculty,-- much reter
dffculty thn s commonly mned. My dvce to ll plyers who hve
not mde  study of the rt of on n, nd hve not fully succeeded
on prctsn dys, s, by no mens to ttempt t n  mtch. It s not
so esy s t ppers. You wll fnd Clrke, or ny ood slow bowler,
too much for you.--But, supposn I should stnd out of my round,
or strt before the bll s out of the bowlers hnd? Why, wth n
unprctsed bowler, especlly f n the constrned tttude of the
overhnd delvery, ths mnuvre hs succeeded n producn threes nd
fours n rpd successon. But Clrke would ptch over your hed, or
send n  quck underhnd bll  lttle wde, nd you would be stumped;
nd Wsden would probbly send  fst toss bout the heht of your

shoulder, nd, ben prepred to ply perfectly strht t the ptch,


you would hrdly rse your bt n tme to keep  swft toss out of the
wcket-keepers hnds.
The dffculty of curvlner bowln s ths:-1st. As n mkn  ctch, every feldsmn fnds tht, n proporton
s the bll hs been ht up n the r, t s dffcult to jude where
to plce hmself: by the sme lw of sht,  fst bll tht oes
lmost pont-blnk to ts ptch, s fr eser to jude thn  slow
bll tht descends n  curve.
2ndly. As the slow bll reches the round t  reter nle, t
must rse hher n  ven spce; so, f the btsmn msjudes the
ptch of  slow bll by  foot, he wll msjude the rse to  reter
extent thn wth  fst bll, whch rses less bruptly. Hence, plyn
forwrd s less esy wth slow, thn wth fst, bowln.
3dly. As to tmn the bll, ll the eye cn dscern n  body movn
drectly towrds t, s the nle wth the round: to see the curve of
 droppn bll you must hve  sde vew. The mn t Pont cn see the
curve clerly; but not so the btsmn. Consequently, the effect of the
curve s left out n the clculton, nd the exct tme of the blls
pproch s, to tht extent, mstken. Every one knows the dffculty
of mkn  ood hlf-volley-ht off  slow bll, becuse the tmn
s so dffcult: ret speed wthout  curve s less puzzln to the
eye thn  curvlner movement, however slow. It were odd, ndeed,
f t were hrder to ht  slow thn  fst bll. No. It s the curve
tht mkes dffcult wht of ts pce lone would be esy. All forwrd
ply, wth slow bowln, s beset wth the ret dffculty of llown
for the curve. And wht style of ply does ths suest? Why, precsely
wht Clrke hs hmself remrked,--nmely, tht to fx the rht foot
s for fst bowln, nd ply wth lon rech forwrd, does not nswer.
You must be quck on your feet, nd, by short quck cton of the rms,
ht the bll ctully s t s, nd not s you clculte t wll be 
second lter. Ths s the system of men who ply Clrke best; of Mr.
Vernon, of Fuller Plch, of Hunt of Sheffeld, nd of C. Browne: thouh
these men lso dode Clrke; nd, pretendn sometmes to o out,
deceve hm nto droppn short, nd so ply ther heds nst hs.
The best bowln s sometmes ht; but I hve not herd of ny mn who
found t much eser to score off Clrke thn off other ood bowlers.
To ply Clrke on ny foreone concluson s ftl. Every bll must
be juded by ts respectve merts nd plyed ccordnly.
An, s to cuttn, or n ny wy crossn, these droppn or
curvlner blls. As  slow bll rses twce s much n  ven spce
s  fst bll, of course the chnces re reter tht the bt wll not
cover the bll t the pont t whch, by ntcpton, you cut. If you
cut t  fst bll, the heht of ts rse s nerly unform, nd ts
course  strht lne: so, most men lke very fst bowln, becuse,
f the hnd s quck enouh, the judment s not esly deceved, for
the bll moves nerly n strht lnes. But, n cuttn or n crossn
 slow bll, the heht of the rse vres enouh to produce  mstke
whle the bt s descendn on the bll.
Once more, n plyn t  bll fter ts rse,  sfe nd forcble ht
cn only be mde n two wys. You must ether meet the bll wth full
nd strht bt, or cut horzontlly cross t. Now, s slow blls
enerlly rse too hh for  hrd ht wth perpendculr bt, you re
reduced enerlly to the dffcultes of cuttn or bck ply. Add to

ll ths, tht the bs from the hnd nd from the nequltes of the
round s much reter, nd lso tht  ctch, resultn from  feeble
ht nd the bll spnnn off the ede of the bt, remns commonly
so lon n the r tht every feldsmn cn cover double hs usul
quntty of round, nd then we shll cese to wonder tht the best
plyers cnnot score fst off slow bowln.

CHAP. IX.
BOWLING.--AN HOUR WITH OLD CLARKE.
In crcket wsdom Clrke s truly Old: wht he hs lernt from
nybody, he lernt from Lmbert. But he s  mn who thnks for
hmself, nd knows men nd mnners, nd hs mny wly devces,
_splendd mendx_. I be your prdon, sr, he one dy sd to 
entlemn tkn urd, but nt you Hrrow?--Then we shnt wnt
 mn down there, he sd, ddressn  feldsmn; stnd for the
Hrrow drve, between pont nd mddle wcket.
The tme to see Clrke s on the mornn of  mtch. Whle others re
prctsn, he wlks round wth hs hnds under the flps of hs cot,
reconnotrn hs dversres wcket.
Before you bowl to  mn, t s worth somethn to know wht s
runnn n hs hed. Tht entlemn, he wll sy, s too fst on hs
feet, so, s ood s redy money to me: f he doesnt ht he cnt
score; f he does I shll hve hm drectly.
Gon  lttle further, he sees  mn lobbn to nother, who s
prctsn steppn n. There, sr, s prctsn to ply Clrke,
tht s very pln; nd  nce mess, you wll see, he wll mke of t.
Ah! my frend, f you do o n t ll, you must o n further thn
tht, or my twst wll bet you; nd, on n to swpe round, eh!
Lern to run me down wth  strht bt, nd I wll sy somethn to
you. But tht wouldnt score qute fst enouh for your notons. Gon
n to ht round s  temptn of Provdence.
There, tht mn s purely stupd: lter the pce nd heht wth 
droppn bll, nd I shll hve no trouble wth hm. They thnk, sr,
t s nothn but Clrkes vextous pce: they know nothn bout
the curves. Wth fst bowln, you cnnot hve hlf my vrety; nd
when you hve found out the wek pont, wheres the fst bowler tht
cn ve the exct bll to ht t? There s often no more hed-work n
fst bowln thn there s n the ctpult: wthout hed-work I should
be ht out of the feld.
A mn s never more tken bck thn when he prepres for one bll,
nd I bowl hm the contrry one: there ws Mr. Nmeless, the frst tme
he cme to Nottnhm, full of fnces bout plyn me. The frst
bll, he wlked some yrds out to meet me, nd I ptched over hs hed,
so ner hs wcket, tht, thouht I, tht brd wont fht n. Next
bll, he ws  lttle cunnn, nd mde  fent of comn out, menn,
s I uessed, to stnd bck for  lon hop; so I ptched rht up to
hm; nd he ws so bent upon cuttn me wy, tht he ht hs own
wcket down!

Look t drms pe 179. Clrke s there represented s bowln two


blls of dfferent lenths; but the ncresed heht of the shorter
ptched bll, by  nturl oculr deluson, mkes t pper s fr
ptched s the other. If the btsmn s deceved n plyn t both
blls by the sme forwrd ply, he endners hs wcket. See, there,
contnues Clrke, tht entlemns _s_  dode certnly, but not 
new one ether. He does step n, t s true; but whle httn t the
bll, he s so nxous bout ettn bck n, tht hs poston hs
ll the dner of steppn n, nd none of ts dvntes.
Then there s Mr. ----, nmn  _ret_ mn struln wth
dversty. He ves  jump up off hs feet, nd thnks he s steppn
n, but comes flump down just where he ws before.
Plch plys me better thn ny one. But he knows better thn to step
n to every bll, or to stnd fst every bll. He plys stedly, nd
dscrmntes, wtn tll I ve hm  chnce, nd then mkes the
most of t.
Bowln conssts of two prts: there s the mechncl prt, nd the
ntellectul prt. Frst, you wnt the hnd to ptch where you plese,
nd then the hed to know where to ptch, ccordn to the plyer.
To LEARN THE ART OF BOWLING.--1. Frst, consult wth some Lllywhte
or Wsden, nd fx on one, nd one only, pln of holdn the bll,
mneble pce, nd enerl style of delvery. Consult nd experment
tll you hve chosen the style tht suts the ply of your muscles nd
your strenth. If you choose  volent nd lborous style, you wll
certnly become tred of t: but  style wthn your strenth wll
be so delhtful tht you wll be lwys prctsn. Secondly, hvn
defntely chosen one form nd style of bowln, the next thn s to
fx t nd form t nto  hbt: for, on the lw of Hbt  bowlers
ccurcy entrely depends.
To form  stedy hbt of bowln, the nerves nd muscles ben  very
delcte mchnery, you must be creful to use them n one wy, nd one
wy only; for then they wll come to serve you truly nd mechnclly:
but, even  few hours spent n loose ply--n bowln wth few steps or
mny, or wth  new mode of delvery--wll often estblsh conflctn
hbts, or cll nto cton  new set of muscles, to nterfere wth
the muscles on whch you mnly depend. Mny ood plyers (ncludn
the most destructve of the Gentlemns Eleven!) hve lost ther
bowln by these experments: mny more hve been thrown bck when ner
perfecton. Therefore,
2. Never bowl  snle bll but n your chosen nd dopted form nd
style--wth the sme steps, nd wth the bll held n the sme wy. If
these seem smll thns, hbt s not  smll thn. Also, never o
on when you re too tred to commnd your muscles; else, you wll be
twstn yourself out of form, nd clln new nd conflctn muscles
nto cton.
As to Pce, f your strenth nd stture s lttle, your pce cnnot
be fst. Be contented wth ben rther  slow bowler. By commencn
slowly, f ny pce s n you, t wll not be lost; but by commencn
fst, you wll spol ll.
3. Let your crre be uprht thouh esy; nd strt composedly from
 stte of perfect rest. Let your steps, especlly the lst, be short;
nd, for frm foothold, nd to vod shkn yourself or cuttn up the

round, lern to descend not on the heel but more on the toe nd flt
of the foot, nd so s to hve both feet n the lne of the opposte
wcket. For,
4. A olden rule for strht bowln s to present, t delvery, 
full fce to the opposte wcket; the shoulders ben n the sme lne,
or prllel wth, the crese. Tht s the moment to qut the bll--
moment sooner nd you wll bowl wde to the le,  moment lter nd
you wll bowl wde to the Off. Observe Wsden nd Hllyer. They delver
just s ther front s squre wth the opposte wcket. They look well
t ther mrk, nd bowl before they hve swun too fr round for the
lne of sht to be out of the lne of the wcket. Observe, lso, bd
bowlers, nd you wll see  unformty n ther devton: some bowl
reulrly too much to the On; others s reulrly to the Off. Then,
wtch ther shoulders; nd you wll reconse  correspondn error n
ther delvery. The wonder s tht such men should ever bowl strht.
Also, dopt  run of from fve to seven yrds. Let your run be qute
strht; not from sde to sde, stll less crossn your les s you
run.
5. Prctse, sys Lllywhte, both sdes of the wcket. To be ble
to chne sdes, s hhly useful when the round s worn, nd t often
proves puzzln to the btsmn.
6. Hold the bll n the fners, not n the plm, nd lwys the sme
wy. If the tps of the fners touch the sem of the bll, t wll
ssst n the spn. The lttle fner udes the bll n the delvery.
7. The essence of  ood delvery s to send the bll forth rottn,
or turnn on ts own xs. The more spn you ve the bll, the better
the delvery; becuse then the bll wll twst, rse quckly, or cut
vrously, the nstnt t touches the round.
8. Ths spn must not proceed from ny conscous cton of the fners,
but from some mechncl cton of the rm nd wrst. Clrke s not
conscous of ny ttempt to mke hs bll spn or twst:  certn
cton hs become hbtul to hm. He my endevour to ncrese ths
tendency sometmes; but no bowln could be unform tht depended so
much on the nerves, or on such nce feeln s ths ttenton to the
fners would nvolve. A bowler must cqure  certn mechncl
swn, wth mesured steps nd unform cton nd crre of the body,
tll t lenth, s wth  un, hnd nd eye nturlly o toether. In
rown, f you look t your or, you cut crbs. In sktn, f you look
t the ce nd thnk of your steps, you lose the freedom nd the flow
of your crcles. So, wth bowln, hvn decded on your steps nd one
mode of delvery, you must prctse ths lone, nd thnk more of the
wcket thn of your feet or your hnd.
To ssst the spn of the bll,  ood bowler wll not stop short, but
wll rther follow the bll, or, ve wy to t, fter delvery, for
one or two steps. Some bowlers even contnue the twstn cton of the
hnd fter the bll hs left t.
9. Commence wth  very low delvery. Cobbett, nd others of the best
bowlers, ben underhnd. The lower the hnd, the more the spn,
nd the qucker the rse. Unfr or thrown bowlers never hve 
frst-rte delvery. See how esy to ply s  throw, or  bll from 
ctpult; nd smply becuse the bll hs then no spn. Redte showed
how bowln my be most fr nd most effectve. No mn ever took

Plchs wcket so often. Hs delvery ws esy nd nturl; he hd 
thorouh commnd of hs rm, nd ve ret spn to the bll. In Kent
nst Enlnd, t Town Mlln, he bowled the fnest Over on record.
The frst bll just rzed Plchs wcket; the second took hs bls;
the thrd bll levelled Mynn, nd the fourth Stermn; three of the
best bts of the dy.
10. Prctse  lttle nd often. If you over-ftue the muscles, you
spol ther tone for  tme. Bowln, s we sd of bttn, must
become  mtter of hbt; nd hbts re formed by frequent repetton.
Let the bowlers of Eton, Hrrow, nd Wnchester resolve to bowl, f
t be but  dozen blls, every dy, wet or fne. Intermsson s very
prejudcl.
11. The dffculty s to ptch fr enouh. Commence, ccordn to your
strenth, ehteen or nneteen yrds, nd ncrese to twenty-two by
derees. Most mteurs bowl lon hops.
12. Seek ccurcy more thn speed:  mn of fourteen stone s not
to be mtted by  youth of eht stone. Mny btsmen lke swft
bowln, nd why? Becuse the lenth s eser to jude; the lnes re
strhter for  cut; the bll wnts lttle ccurcy of httn; fst
bowlers very rrely ptch qute s fr even s they mht, for ths
requres much extr power; fst blls twst less n  ven spce thn
slow blls, nd rrely ncrese ther speed t the rse n the sme
proporton s slow blls; fst bowln ves fewer chnces tht the
feldsmn cn tke dvnte of, nd dmts enerlly of less vrety;
fewer fst blls re ptched strht, nd fewer even of those would
ht the wcket. You my fnd  Redte,  Wsden, or  Mynn, who cn
brn fst bowln under commnd for one or two sesons; but these re
exceptons too soltry to fford  precedent. Even these men were
nturlly of  fst pce: swftness ws not ther chef object. So,
study ccurte bowln, nd let speed come of tself.
So much for ttnn the power of  bowler; next to pply t. Not only
prctse, but _study_ bowln: to pelt wy mechnclly, wth the
sme lenths nd sme pce, s excusble n  ctpult, but not n 
mn.--Cn your dversry urd le-stump or off-stump? Cn he jude 
lenth? Cn he llow for  curve? Cn he ply well over n off-bll to
prevent  ctch? Cn you deceve hm wth tme or pce? Is he  youn
entlemn, or n old entlemn?-_tts cujusque notnd sunt tb mores._
1. Ptch s ner the bt s you cn wthout ben ht wy. The
bowlers chnce s to compel bck ply wth the shortest possble sht
of the rse.
2. If three ood blls hve been stopped, the fourth s often
destructve, becuse the btsmns ptence s exhusted: so tke pns
wth the fourth bll of the Over.
3. The strhter the bll, the more puzzln to the eye, nd the more
crmpn to the hnd of the btsmn.
4. Short-ptched blls re not only eser to ht, but hve more scope
for mssn the wcket, thouh ptched strht.
5. A free le-htter my often be put out by plcn n extr mn On
sde, nd bowln repetedly t le-stump--only do not ptch very fr

up to hm. Short-ptched le-blls re the most dffcult to ht, nd


produce most ctches. By four or fve ttempts t le-httn,  mn
ns  tendency to swn round, nd s off hs strht ply.
6. Besdes tryn every vrety of lenth, vry your pce to deceve
the btsmn n tmn hs ply; nd prctse the sme cton so s not
to betry the chne of pce. Also, try once or twce  hh droppn
bll.
7. Lern to bowl tosses nd tces. Wth  stff plyer, before hs eye
s n,  toss often succeeds; but especlly prctse hh lobs-- most
useful vrety of bll. In most Elevens there re one or two men wth
whom ood roundhnd bowln s lmost thrown wy. A frst-rte plyer
n Wrwckshre ws found t fult wth lobs: nd tll he lernt the
secret, ll hs fne ply ws t n end.
8. Fnd out the frthest pont to whch your mn cn ply forwrd
sfely, nd ptch just short of tht pont wth every vrety of pce
nd droppn blls. Lllywhtes delht s by ptchn lterntely
just wthn nd just out of the btsmns rech, _to ctch hm n two
mnds_. Here we hve postve metphyscs! Just such  wry ntonst
s Lllywhte s descrbed by Vrl,-Ille, velut celsm oppunt qu molbus urbem,
Nunc hos, nunc llos dtus, omnemque pererrt
Arte locum; et vrs dsultbus rrtus uret.
Of course _dtus_ mens n unurded stump, nd _locum_ where to ptch
the bll.
9. A ood underhnd bll of two hh curves--tht s,  droppn bll
rsn hh--wth  twst n to le-stump, nd  thrd mn to On sde,
s very effectve, producn both ctch nd stumpn. Ths s well
worth tryn, wth four men on the On sde, even f some ret plyer
s brouht to wn  country mtch.
10. Most men hve  lenth they cnnot ply. The fult of youn bowlers
s, they do not ptch fr enouh: they thus fford too lon  sht of
the bll. In the School mtches nd the Unversty mtches t Lords,
ths s very observble, especlly wth fst bowlers.
11. The old-fshoned underhnd lobbn, f overned by  ood
hed--droppn short when  mn s comn out, nd sometmes tossed
hher nd sometmes lower,--s  vluble chne n most Elevens; but
t must be hh nd ccurtely ptched, nd must hve hed-work n t.
Put lon-stop upon the On sde, nd brn lon-slp nerer n; nd be
sure tht your lon-felds stnd fr wy.
12. Lstly, the lst drm explns tht curvlner bowln (the
effect of  moderte pce wth  spn) ves the btsmn  shorter
sht of the rse thn s possble wth the strhter lnes of swft
bowln. A mn hs nerly s much tme to mke up hs mnd nd prepre
for Wsden s for Clrke; becuse, he cn jude Wsdens bll much
sooner, nd, thouh the rse s fster, the bll hs frther to come n.
THEORY OF BOWLING.--Wht chrcterses  ood delvery? If two men
bowl wth equl force nd precson, why does the bll come n from the
ptch so dfferently n respect of cuttn, twstn, or brupt rse?
Becuse one mn ves the bll so much more rottory moton on ts own

xs, or, so much more spn thn the other.


A throw, or the ctpult whch strkes the bll from ts rest, ves no
spn; hence, the bll s reulr n ts rse, nd esy to clculte.
Cobbett ve  bll s much spn s possble: hs fners ppered
wrpped round the bll: hs wrst becme horzontl: hs hnd thrown
bck t the delvery, nd hs fners seemnly unlued jont by jont,
tll the bll qutted the tps of them lst, just s you would spn
 top. Cobbetts delvery desned  spn, nd the bll t the ptch
hd new lfe n t. No bowln so fr, nd wth so lttle rouh ply
or volence, ever proved more effectve thn Cobbetts. Hllyer s
enttled to the sme knd of prse.
A spn s ven by the fners; lso, by turnn the hnd over n
delvern the bll.
A ood bll hs two motons; one, strht, from hnd to ptch; the
other, on ts own xs.
The effect of  spn on ts own xs s best exemplfed by bowln 
chlds hoop. Throw t from you wthout ny spn, nd wy t rolls;
but spn or revolve t nst the lne of ts flht wth ret
power, nd the hoop no sooner touches the round thn t comes bck to
you. So ret  deree of spn s ths cnnot possbly be ven to 
crcket bll; but you see the sme effect n the drw-bck stroke t
bllrds. Revolve the hoop wth less power, nd t wll rse bruptly
from the round nd then contnue ts course--smlr to tht wkwrd
nd brupt rse often seen n the bowln of Clrke mon others.
Thrdly, revolve the hoop s you bowl t, not _nst_ but _n_ the
lne of ts flht, nd you wll hve ts tendency to bound expended n
n ncresed quckness forwrd. Ths exemplfes  low swmmn bll,
quckly cuttn n nd sometmes mkn  shooter. Ths s smlr to
the follown stroke t bllrds, mde by strkn the bll hh nd
rottn t n the lne of the stroke.
Such re the effects of  bll spnnn or rottn vertclly.
Now try the effect of  spn from rht to left, or left to rht: try
 sde stroke t bllrds; the pprent nle of reflecton s not
equl to the nle of ncdence. So  crcket bll, wth lterl spn,
wll work from Le to Off, or Off to Le, ccordn to the spn.
But why does not the sme delvery, s t ves the sme knd of spn,
lwys produce the sme vertcl or lterl effect on  bll? In other
words, how do you ccount for the fct tht (prt from rouhness of
round) the sme delvery produces sometmes  contrry twst? Becuse
the bll my turn n the r, nd the vertcl spn become lterl. The
sde whch on delvery ws under, my, t the ptch, be the upper sde,
or the upper sde my become under, or ny modfcton of ether my
be produced n conjuncton wth nequlty n the round.
Wth thrown bowln, the bll comes from the ends of the fners;
why, then, does t not spn? Becuse, unlke Cobbetts delvery, s
explned, wheren the bll left the fners by derees, nd ws sent
spnnn forth, the bll, n  throw, s held between fners nd
thumb, whch leve ther hold t the sme nstnt, wthout ny tendency
to rotte the bll. The frer nd more horzontl the delvery the
more the fners ct, the more spn, nd the more vrety, fter the

ptch. A hh nd unfr delvery, t s true, s dffcult from


the heht of the rse; otherwse t s too reulr nd too esy to
clculte, to mke frst-rte bowln.
A LITTLE LEARNING IS A DANGEROUS THING--nd not lest t crcket. The
only pece of scence I ever her on  crcket feld s ths: Sr, how
cn tht be? The nle of reflecton must lwys be equl to the nle
of ncdence.
Tht  crcketer should hve only one bt of scence, nd tht, s he
pples t,  blunder, s ndeed  pty.
I hve lredy shown tht, n bowln, the _pprent_ nle of
reflecton s rendered unequl to the nle of ncdence by the
rottory moton or spn of the bll, nd lso by the rouhness of the
round.
I hve now to expln tht ths lw s eqully dsturbed n bttn
lso; nd by ttenton to the follown observtons, mny  forwrd
plyer my lern so to dpt hs force to the nclnton of hs bt s
not to be cuht out, even lthouh (s often hppens to  mns ret
surprse) he plys over the bll!
The effect of  movn body meetn nother body movn, nd tht sme
body quescent, s very dfferent. To prove ths,
Fx  bt _mmovebly_ perpendculr n the round, nd suppose 
bll rses to t from the round n n nle of 45 s the nle of
ncdence; then supposn the bll to hve no rottory moton, t wll
be reflected t n equl nle, nd fll nerly under the bt.
But supposn the bt s not fxed, but brouht forcbly forwrd to
meet tht bll, then, ccordn to the weht nd force of the bt, the
nturl drecton of the bll wll be nnhlted, nd the bll wll be
returned, perhps nerly pont blnk, not n the lne of reflecton,
but n some other lne more nerly resembln the lne n whch the bt
s moved.
If the bt were t rest, or only plyed very ently forwrd, the nles
of reflecton would not be mterlly dsturbed, but the bll would
return to the round n proporton nerly s t rose from t; but by
plyn very hrd forwrd, the btsmn nnhltes the nturl downwrd
tendency of the bll, nd drves t forwrd, perhps, nto the bowlers
hnds; nd then, fncyn the lws of rvtton hve been suspended
to spte hm, he wlks bck dsusted to the pvlon, nd sys, No
mn n Enlnd could help ben out then. I ws s clen over the bll
s I could be, nd yet t went wy s  ctch!
Lstly, s to ben out by luck, lwys consder whether, wth the
sme dversres, Plch or Prr would hve been so put out. Our opnon
s, tht could you combne the experence nd scence of Plch wth
the hnd nd eye of Prr, luck would be reduced to n nfntesml
quntty.
_Fortun fortes djuvt_, men of the best nerve hve the best luck;
nd _nullum numen hbes s st prudent_, when  mn knows s much of
the me s we would tech hm, he wll fnd there s very lttle luck
fter ll. Youn plyers should not thnk bout ben out by chnce:
there s  certn ntutve dptton of ply to crcumstnces,
whch, however seemnly mpossble, wll result from observton nd

experence, unless the de of chnce closes the ers to ll ood
nstructon.

CHAP. X.
HINTS ON FIELDING.
The essence of ood feldn s, to strt before the bll s ht,
nd to pck up nd return strht to the top of the bls, by one
contnuous cton. Ths ws the old Wykehmst style--old, I hope
not yet extnct, pst revvl--(thus hd we wrtten, Mrch 1851, nd
three months fter the Wykehmsts won both ther school mtches
t Lords);--for, some twenty yers snce, the Wykehmst feldn
ws unrvlled by ny school n Enlnd. Ffteen yers o Mr. Wrd
nd, severlly nd seprtely, Cobbett nstnced  Wnchester Eleven
s the frst feldn they hd ever seen t Lords. And mon ths
chosen number were the yet remembered nmes of B. Prce, F. B. Wrht,
Kntchbull, nd Meyrck. These hrdy Trojns--for the bll never cme
too fst for them--commenced fn out lon, very lon, before they
were nduled n bttn, nd were forced to qulfy, even for fn,
by prctsn tll they could throw over  certn nehbourn brn,
nd were lwys n bodly fer of the pns nd penltes of the mddle
stump f ever they mssed  bll. But these dys of the voluntry
system re fr less fvourble for feldn. To become  ood feldsmn
requres persevern prctce, wth  b fellow to f for who wll
expect  lttle more smrtness thn s lwys developed by pure love of
the me.
And now, Etonns, Hrrovns, Wykehmsts, I menton you
lphbetclly,  few words on trnn your Eleven for Lords. Choose
frst your bowlers nd wcket-keeper nd lon-stop; these men you must
hve, thouh not worth  run: then f you hve ny btsmen decdedly
superor, you my choose them for ther bttn, thouh they hppen not
to be frst-rte feldsmen. But n most school Elevens, fter nmn
four or fve men, mon the other sx or seven, t s mere chnce who
scores; so let ny ret superorty n feldn decde the choce.
I remember plyn  mtch n whch I hd dffculty n crryn the
electon of  frst-rte feldsmn nst  second-rte bt. Now,
the sd btsmn could not certnly be worth bove fourteen runs;
sy seven more thn the feldsmn. But the feldsmn, s t hppened,
mde  most dffcult ctch, put one runner out, nd, bove ll,
kept the bowlers n ood hert, durn n uphll me, by stoppn
mny hrd hts. A bd feldsmn s  loose screw n your mchnery;
vn confdence to the dversry, nd tkn the sprt out of hs
own prty. Therefore, let the cptn of n Eleven proclm tht men
must qulfy by fne feldn: nd let hm encoure the follown
exercses:-Put n two btsmen, whose ply s not ood enouh to spol, to tp nd
run. You wll then fnd wht very clen feldn s requred to sve
one run, wth men determned to try t.
Let every mn prctse lon-stop.
Lon-le s  feldsmn nerly s essentl s  ood lon-stop. A
mn who cn run nd throw well should mke  lon-le hs forte, nd

prctse judn dstnces for  lon ctch, covern round both


to rht nd left, net hndln, wth llownce for the twst, nd
especlly n rrow-lke nd ccurte return. No thn s so lkely to
put the runner out s  swft throw to the hnds from  lon dstnce.
Aspre to fol the usul clculton, tht, t  lon dstnce, the
runner cn bet the throw.
Let the wcket-keeper tke hs plce, nd whle some one throws or
hts, let hm requre the quckest nd most ccurte thrown. A
bll properly thrown comes n lke n rrow--no tme ben lost by
sorn hh n r. At short dstnces, throw t once to the hnds;
where unvodble, wth  lon hop. But ths hop should result from
 low nd skmmn throw; or, the bll wll lose ts speed. Prctse
thrown, wthout ny floursh, by  snle cton of the rm. Any ood
feldsmn wll expln, fr better thn our pen, the rt of pckn
up  bll n the only poston consstent wth  quck return. A ood
throw often runs  mn out; n dvnte very rrely ned wthout
somethn superor n feldn. Youn plyers should prctse thrown,
nd remember never to throw n  lon hop when they cn throw to the
hnds. Mny  run out, sys Mr. R. T. Kn, hs been lost by
tht njudcous prctce of thrown lon hops to the wcket-keeper,
nsted of strht, nd, when necessry, hrd, to hs hnds; 
prctce tht should be utterly reprobted, especlly s mny rsn
plyers wll fncy t s the most correct, nsted of the slowest,
style of thrown. To throw n  lon hop s only llowble when you
mht fl to throw  ctch, nd, whch s worst of ll, mke too short
 hop to the wcket-keeper. The Cptn should keep n ccount of the
best runners, throwers, clen pckers-up, nd especlly of men who cn
meet nd ntcpte the bll, nd of those who deserve the prse ven
to Chtterton--the sfest pr of hnds n Enlnd.
So much for quck thrown; but for  throw up from lon-feld, Vrl
hd  ood noton of pckn up nd sendn n  bll:-Ille mnu rptum trepd torquebt n hostem;
Altor ssurens, et cursu conctus, heros.
_n._ x. 901.
Here we hve sntchn up the bll wth  quver of the wrst, rsn
wth the effort, nd  quck step or two to n power.--Meetn the
bll requres  prctce of ts own, nd s  chrmn operton when
you cn do t; for the sme mpetus wth whch you run n sssts the
quckness of your return. Prctce wll revel the secret of runnn
n; only, run wth your hnds ner the round, so s not to hve
suddenly to stoop; nd, keep your eyes well open, not losn the bll
for n nstnt. In feldn, s n bttn, you must study ll the
vretes of blls, whether tces, hlf-volleys, or other lenths.
A fst runner _nsctur non ft_: stll, prctce does much, nd
especlly for ll the purposes of  feldsmn ner the wcket. A
sprn nd quck strt re thns to lern; nd tht, both rht nd
left: few men sprn eqully well wth both feet. Antcptn the
bll, nd ettn the momentum on the proper sde, s everythn n
feldn; nd prctce wll enble  mn to et hs proper footn nd
quck shftn step. A ood crcketer, lke  ood skter, must hve
free use of both feet: nd of course  fne feldsmn must ctch wth
both hnds.
Prctse left-hnded ctchn n  rn; lso pckn up wth left:

Any one cn ctch wth hs rht, sys the old plyer; now, my boy,
let us see wht you cn do wth your left. Try, lso, slobbern
 bll, to see how mny rts there re of recovern t fterwrds.
I need hrdly sy tht jumpn off your feet for  hh ctch, nd
rushn n to  bll nd pttn t up n the r nd ctchn t the
second ttempt, re ll rts of frst-rte prcttoners.
SAFE HANDS.--Your hnds should be on the rt-trp prncple,--tkn
nythn n, nd lettn nothn out n. Of course  bll hs 
peculr feeln nd spn off  bt qute dfferent from  throw; so
prctse ccordnly. By hbt hnd nd eye wll o toether: wht the
eye sees the rht prt of the hnd wll touch by  nturl djustment.
There s  wy of llown for the spn of the bll n the r: s to
ts tendency t Cover, to twst especlly to the left, ths s too
obvous to requre notce.
I m shmed to be obled to remnd plyers, old s well s youn,
tht there s such  thn s ben  ood jude of  short run: nd I
mht hold up, s n exmple, n _Honourble_ entlemn, who, thouh
 frst-rte lon-stop nd fne style of bttn, hs  dstnct
reputton for the one run. It s  tle, perhps, thrce told, but
more thn thrce forotten, tht the prtner should follow up the bll;
how mny btsmen destroy the very lfe of the me by stndn stll
lke n extr umpre. Now, n  school Eleven, runnn notches cn be
prctsed wth securty, becuse wth mutul dependence; thouh I
would wrn ood plyers tht, mon strners n  country mtch, shrp
runnn s  dnerous me.
SYMPTOMS OF A LOSER OF RUNS.--He never follows up the bll, but lens
on hs bt, or stnds socbly by the umpre; he hs 20 yrds to
run from  stte of rest, nsted of 16, lredy on the move; he s
ddcted to checks nd flse strts; he destroys the confdence of
hs prtners runnn; he condemns hs prtner to ply hs worst,
becuse n  stte of dsust; he never runs nd turns, but runs nd
stops, or shoots pst hs wcket, mkn ones for twos, nd twos for
threes; he often runs  mn out, nd, besdes ths loss, depresses hs
own sde, nd nmtes the other; he mkes slow feldsmen s ood s
fst; hvn no de of steln  run for the lest mss, he lets the
feldsmen stnd where they plese, svn both the two nd the one;
he lets the bowler coolly experment wth the wcket, when one run
breks the dnerous seres, nd destroys hs confdence; he spres the
bowler tht dsturbnce of hs nerves whch results from stolen runs
nd suspcon of hs feldsmen; he contnues the depressn nfluence
of mden Overs, when  Snle would dspel the chrm; he deserves
the nme of the _Green_ mn nd _Stll_, nd usully commences
hs nnns by syn, Pry dont run me out, Sr,--Well run no
rsks whtever. When there s  lon ht, the sme mn wll ter
wy lke md, forettn tht both he nd hs prtner ( hever
mn perhps) wnt  lttle wnd left for the next bll.--_O Invum
pecus!_ so-clled stedy plyers. Stedy, ndeed! You stnd lke
posts, wthout the lest ntuton of  run. The true crcketer runs
whle nother s thnkn of t; ndeed, he does not thnk--he sees nd
feels t s  run. He descres when the feldsmn hs  lon rech wth
hs left hnd, or when he must overblnce nd rht hmself, or turn
before he cn throw. He wtches hopefully the end of  lon throw, or
 bll bcked crelessly up.--Ber wtness, bowlers, to the vrtue of
 snle run mde shrply nd vextously. Just s your plot s rpe,
the btsmen chne, nd n ordnry lenth supersedes the very bll
tht would hve beuled your mn. Is t nothn to brek n upon the
complete Over to the sme mn? And, how few the bowlers who repet

the lenth from whch  run s mde! To repet, pssonless s the


ctpult,  lkely lenth, ht or not ht, here t s the professonl
bets the mteur.--These ndrect nfluences of mkn ech possble
run, sys Mr. R. T. Kn, re too lttle consdered. Once I sw,
to my full convcton, the whole fortune of  me chned by smply
effectn two snle runs; one, whle  mn ws thretenn to throw,
nsted of thrown, n the bll; the other, whle  bll ws drbbln
n from bout mddle wcket. Ths one run ended thrteen mden Overs,
set the bowlers blmn the feldsmen t the expense, s usul, of
ther equnmty nd precson, nd proved the turnn-pont n  mtch
tll then ded nst us. Clculte the effect of stolen runs on
the powers of  bowler nd hs tctcs s nst  btsmn, on the
plces of the feldsmen, on ther nsecurty when hurred, nd the
sprt t puts nto the one prty nd tkes wy from the other; nd
dd to ths the runs evdently lost; nd, I m confdent tht the sme
Eleven tht o out for sxty would, wth better runnn, enerlly mke
seventy-fve, nd not uncommonly  hundred.
Attend, therefore, to the follown rules:--1. Bck up every bll s
soon s ctully delvered, nd s fr s consstent wth sfe return.
2. When both men cn see the bll, s before wcket, let the decson
depend on the btsmn, s less prepred to strt, or on the elder
nd hever mn, by specl reement; nd let the decson be the
prtners when the bll s behnd the htter. 3. Let men run by some
cll: mere beckonn wth strners leds to ftl errors, bckn
up ben mstken for run. Yes, no, or run, stop, re the
words. Awy sounds lke sty. 4. Let the htter lso remember tht
he cn often bck up  few yrds n ntcpton of  bll pssn the
feldsmn. 5. Let the frst run be mde quckly when there s the
lest chnce of  second. 6. Let the bll be wtched nd followed up,
s for  run, on the chnce of  mss from wcket-keeper or feldsmen.
So, never over-run your round. 7. Alwys run wth judment nd
ttenton, never beyond your strenth: ood runnn between wckets
does not men runnn out of wnd, to the suffuson of the eye nd
the trembln of the hnd, thouh  ood btsmn must trn for ood
wnd. Henry Dvs of Lecester ws fne s ever n prctce, when too
hevy to run, nd therefore to bt, n  me. The reson of runnn
out nd losn runs s, enerlly, the wnt of n estblshed rule
s to who decdes the run. How rrely do we see  mn run out but
from hestton! How often does  mn lose hs chnce of sfety by
stoppn to jude wht s hs prtners bll! Let crcketers observe
some rule for judn the run. There wll then be no doubt who s to
blme,--thouh, to censure the btsmn becuse hs prtner s run
out, when tht prtner s not bckn up, s too bd. Let the mn
who hs to decde ber ll the responsblty f hs prtner s out;
only, let prompt obedence be the rule. When  mn feels he must run
becuse clled, he wll tke more pns to be redy; nd, when once t
s pln tht  btsmn hs erred n judment nd lost one wcket of
hs eleven, he wll, f worth nythn, mke  study of runnn, nd
vod so unplesnt  reflecton for the future. Fncy such  _mem._ s
ths:--Plch run out becuse Rsh hestted, or Rsh run out becuse
when the htter clled he ws not bckn up.
These nd mny other des on ths most essentl, yet most nelected,
prt of the me, I shll endevour to llustrte by the follown
computton of runs whch mht hve been dded to n nnns of 100.
Suppose, therefore, 100 runs scored; 90 by hts, 4 by wde blls, nd 6
by byes nd le byes--the loss s commonly s follows:--

1. Snles lost from hts


2. Ones nsted of twos, by not mkn the
former run quckly nd turnn for  second,
but over-runnn round nd stoppn
3. Runs tht mht hve been stolen from blls
dropped nd slovenly hndled
4. Loss from feldsmen stndn where they
plese, nd covern more round thn they
dre do wth shrp runners
5. Loss from not hvn those msses whch result
from hurryn the feld
6. Loss from bowlers not ben ruffled, s they
would be f feeln the runs should be
stopped
7. Extr loss from byes not run (wth the lest
slobbern the runners my cross--thouh
Den s cunnn)
8. From hvn drws nd slps stopped, whch
lon-stop could not stop f nerer n
9. One mn run out
10. Depressn nfluence of the sme
11. From not hvn the only lon-stop dsusted
nd hurred nto mssn everythn
12. From not hvn the dversry ll wld by
these combned nnoynces
Totl
13. Loss from dversry plyn better when
on n nst  score of 100 thn nst
152

bout 10

5
8
?

?
-52

Now, thouh I hve put down nothn for four sources of loss, not
the less mterl becuse hrd to clculte, the dfference between
ood runners nd bd seems to be bove hlf the score. Tht mny wll
beleve me I cn hrdly expect; but, before they contrdct, let them
wtch nd reckon for themselves, where feldn s not frst-rte.
It ws only fter wrtn s bove tht I red tht n North _v._
South, 1851, the North lost sx wckets, nd the South two, by runnn
out! In the frst Gentlemen nd Plyers mtch, of the sme yer, t
ws computed tht one mn, who mde  lon score, ctully lost s mny
runs s he mde! In choosn n eleven, such men should be mrked, nd
the loser of runs voded on the sme prncple s  bd feldsmn.
Reckon not only the runs  mn my mke, but the runs he my lose, nd
how the me turns bout sometmes by  mn ben run out. A perfect
crcketer, lke  perfect whst-plyer, must qulfy hs scentfc
rules, nd mke the best of  bd prtner--but, how few re perfect,
especlly n ths pont! Tlk not lone of ood btsmen, I hve often
sd.--Choose me some thorouh-bred publc-school crcketers; for,
the only men, sys Clrke, I ever see judes of  run, re those
who hve plyed crcket s boys wth sxpenny bts, used to dstnces
frst shorter, then loner s they rew stroner, nd lernt, not from
ben bowled to by the hour, but by yers of prctce n rel mes.
You blme me becuse the All Enlnd Eleven dont lern not to run out,
thouh lwys prctsn toether. Why,  run s  thn not lernt
n  dy. Theres tht entlemn yonder--wth ll hs fne httn he
s no crcketer; he cnt run; he lernt t  ctpult, nd how cn 
ctpult tech  mn the me?
Gret men hve the sme des, or Clrke would seem to hve borrowed

from Horce
Qu studet opttm cursu contnere metm
Mult tult fectque puer, sudvt et lst.
A ood nnns dsdns  sleepn prtner. Be lve nd movn;
nd--nsted of syn, Well plyed! Fmous ht! &c.; or, s we
sometmes her n the wy of encourement, How ner! Wht  close
shve! Pry, tke cre, Smth!--thnk of the runs, nd sy run
or stop s the cse my be. Thus, you my vod the ludcrous scene
of two b men rushn from ther wckets, pusn, turnn bck,
strtn n, nd hvn  smll tlk toether t the eleventh yrd,
nd fndn, one or the other,  prostrte wcket, whle poloes nd
recrmnton re the only solce.
Old plyers need keep up  hbt of thrown nd of ctve movements.
For, the redundnt sprt nd buoyncy of youthful ctvty soon
evportes. Mny  zelous crcketer loses hs once-fmed quckness
from mere dsuse--_Sc omn fts, n pejus ruere_. Insted of lwys
bttn, nd prctsn poor Hllyer nd Wsden tll ther dodes re
dodes no more, nd t s lttle credt to score from them, o to your
nehbours wcket nd prctse feldn for n hour, or else, next
mtch, you my fnd your thrown t fult.
Feldn, I fer, s retrordn:  ood enerl plyer, fmed for
tht quck return whch runs the dversry out, one who s, t the
sme tme,  useful chne n bowln,  sfe jude of  run, nd
respectble t every pont of the me--ths s becomn  scrce
chrcter, nd Bttn s  word supposed coextensve wth Crcket,--
sd mstke.
SPARE THE BOWLER.--One reson for returnn the bll not to bowler, but
to wcket-keeper, who should dvnce quetly, lke Box, nd return
 ctch. A swft throw, or ny exerton n the feld whch hurts the
bowlers hnd, or sets t shkn, my lose  me. If  bowler hs
hlf-volleys returned to hm, by stretchn nd stoopn fter them,
he ets out of hs swn. Now, ths sme swn s  ret pont wth
 bowler. Wtch hm fter he hs ot hs footsteps frm for hs feet,
nd when n hs reulr strde, nd see the ncresed precson of hs
performnce. Then comes the tme when your ret un tumbles down hs
men: nd tht s the tme tht some sure, judcous btsmn, whose
emnence s lttle seen mdst the loose httn of  scrtch mtch,
comes clmly nd composedly to the wcket nd mkes  stnd; nd, s
he dsposes of mden Overs, nd stels ones nd twos, he breks the
spell tht bound hs men, nd mkes the ded-strht bowln ood
for Cuts nd le-hts. In no me or sport do I ever wtness hlf
the stsfcton of the bowler who cn thus bowl mden Overs nd
defy  score; or of the btsmn who tkes the ede off the sme, runs
up the telerph to even bettn, nd ves eser work nd reter
confdence to those who follow. A wcket-keeper, too, my drt off nd
sve  bowler from feldn  three or four; nd, whenever he leves
hs wcket, slp must tke wcket-keepers plce. How stle, true;
but,--_nstntly_s the word,--from nelect of whch, we hve seen
dredful mstkes mde even n ood mtches.
Ay, nd wht beutful thns re done by quck return nd  low shy;
no tme wsted n prbolc curves: bll just skmmn the round when
t comes n  lon hop, but quckest of ll returns s  throw to the
top of the bls nto wcket-keepers hnds.

POINT.--Your ret strenth les n ntcpton: wtness .


To tht ge tlem eve y bll seems hit, becuse he lys gets
the ebouts; yet is he e -sighte ithl! Tis the mi  tht sees,
eyes  e its glsses,   he is too goo  o km to  t ecuse fo
his tools. With slo boli g    b btsm , Poi t c  ticipte
esily e ough. Still, ith ll boli g, fst   slo, the commo fult
of Poi t is, tht he st s, if e , too e ;   if f off, yet ot
f off e ough. St  he e you you self c ctch   stop. If slo
i h    eye st  off fo lo ge ctches, else, by st i g he e
 quick m oul ctch sh p ctches, you miss eve ythi g. With fst
boli g, fe blls hich coul be cught t seve y s g ou  sho t of
telve. Though, if the g ou  is ve y ough, o the boli g slo, the
bll my be poppe up e the bt, eve by goo plye s. Whe eve 
bll is hit Off, Poi t must c oss i st te , o hell be too lte to
bck up, especilly the bole s icket.
Poi t is sometimes Poi t p ope , like  Wicket-keepe o Sho t-slip,
to c mp the btsm ,   tke v tge of his mistkes; but ith
fst boli g   goo btsme , Poi t my v tgeously st  off like
 y othe fielsm . Fo the , he ill sve m y mo e u s,   my
mke quite s m y ctches. If M . Ki g stoo s Poi t,   Chtte to
s Cove i the sme li e, ith Pilch btti g   Wise boli g,
they oul ot (s I p esume they  e ell  e) o k to the best
v tge. Whe Cl ke is boli g he ge e lly  ts  ve itble Poi t
fo the ctch. But, to st  e , s  Scie tific Poi t, ith il
boli g is bsu .
SHORT-LEG is ofte  ve y h ly use pe so ge, epecte to sve u s
tht seem esy, but  e ctul impossibilities. A goo bll, pe hps,
is pushe fo   to mile icket O , Sho t-leg bei g squ e,  
the bole looks blck t him. The  D  is me, he Sho t-leg is
st i g the fo  ,   o m is ubiquitous. If the btsm ofte
oes ot k o he e the ise o bis my eflect the bll, ho shoul
the fielsm k o?
COVER-POINT   LONG-SLIP  e both ifficult plces; the bll comes so
fst   cu li g, tht it puzzles eve the best m . No plce i the
fiel but lo g-stop hs the o k of lo g-slip. This use to be Pilchs
plce.
The chief poi t i these plces is to st  eithe to sve o e o
to sve to. This epe s o the quick ess of the fielsm   the
jugme t of the u e s. With such juges of  u s Ho . F. Po so by,
P , Wise ,   J. Lillyhite, you must st  the e to sve
o e; but quick etu is eve y thi g. He e Clecou t s, ye s si ce,
fi st- te. I hve see him, t Cove , he pst his best, juge ell,
st t quick, u lo, up   i like  shot to icket-keepe s h s;
  ht mo e oul you hve i fieli g? Whe E. H. Bu plye  
o  seco  mtch fo 100_l._ ith M . B  --to fielsme give ,--so
much s thought of M . B  s hvi g e gge Clecou t, tht it
s g ee he shoul fiel o both sies. He i so,   shie M .
Bu out t  si gle stump. To sve to,  goo m my st   ve y
lo g y off o h  g ou ,   euce the h est cuts to si gles.
But  commo fult is, st i g ohe e, eithe to sve o e o to
sve to. Remembe ot to st  s sh p he fst boli g is eplce
by slo. Cove is the plce fo b illi t fieli g. Wtch ell the
btsm ,   st t i time. Hlf  sp i g i  ticiptio puts you
l ey u e eigh,   mkes y s i the g ou  you c cove . The
folloi g is cu ious;--

You oul thi k, si Clecou t, tht  bll to the ight h  my
be etu e mo e quickly th  bll to the left. But sk him,   he
ill sho you ho, if t  lo g ech, he lys fou  it othe ise.
The ight shoule my be eve i the bette positio to etu (i
spite of ch ge of h s), he the left picks up the bll th he
the ight picks it.
Some goo Cove s hve bee quicke ith  h  je k th  th o, fo
the ttitue of fieli g is less lte e. Still  je k is less esy
to the icket-keepe . A lo g-slip ith goo he   heels my ssist
lo g-stop; his t iumph is to u  m out by  ticipti g the blls
tht bump off lo g-stops  ists   shi s.
A thi  m up, o  mile-slip, is t times ve y killi g: this
llos lo g-slip to st  bck fo h  hits,   o ctch escpes. A
fo   Poi t, o mile icket close i , ofte s ps up  ctch o
to, p ticul ly he the g ou  is  ge ous fo fo   ply, o the
btsm plys hesitti gly.
Thick-sole shoes sve cols i soppy ethe ,   o ot j he the
g ou  is h ; fo the C tbs sy tht
Thi soles + h  g ou  = te e feet,
is  u e ible equtio . Bole s shoul e o ste socks to sve
bliste s,   mi  the th e is ot fste e off i  k ot, just
u e the most se sitive p t of the heel.
Much i co ve ie ce  ises i  mtch (fo the best plye my be out)
by spectto s st i g i the eye of the bll; so, st etch st ips of
hite c vss o poles five feet high; fo this, hile it keeps the
stupi y, p ovies  hite bckg ou  fo ech icket.
This is goo lso i  p k, he e the eep she of t ees i c eses
the co fesse u ce ti ty of the gme. Some such pl is much  te
o ll public g ou s he e the sipe y f eehole s st    hug
thei po tly co po tio s,  , by st i g i the li e of the icket,
give the bll ll the shes of g ee cot, light istcot,    b
smlls. Still, btsme must t y to ise supe io to such  oy ces;
fo , if the bole ch ges his sie of the icket, the umpi e ill
ofte be i the light of the bll.
Oh! tht i g t Lo s; fo , s i ole time,---si qui f icti cice is p obt et ucis empto ;
tht is, if the sille s of hlf- -hlf   smoke s of pigtil,--
p epo e ti g i flue ce   l ge mjo ity of voices,--pplu 
hit, it oes ot follo tht it is  goo o e: o , if they c y
Butte fi ge s! ee the miss be  b o e. No c eit fo goo
i te tio s!-- o llo ce fo  tisti g ctch   the su e ough
to si ge you eyelis!--the hit tht i s the hlf- -hlf is the
fi est hit fo tht select ssemblge, hose seet voices quite  o
the ice jugme t of the pvilio , eve s vote by bllot oul smp
the House of Lo s.
LONG-STOP.--If you oul estimte the vlue of  p ctise lo g-stop,
o ly t y to ply  mtch ith  b o e. Still, ptie t me it is  ely
pp ecite; fo , ht is o e ve y ell looks so esy. Lo g-stoppi g
equi es the cle est h li g   quickest etu . The best i fo m

I eve s s  Oo i bout 1838,-- M . Npie . O e of the o st


i fo m, hoeve , s the best of his y i effect,--Goo; fo he
took the bll sieys. A left-h e m , s Goo s, hs  g et
v tge i stoppi g slips u e -leg. Amo g the  cie ts, Ol Begley
s the m . But the e is m y  m hose p ise is yet u su g; fo
he M . E. H. Bu s M . R. Stothe t t L so , Bth, stop ight
  left to M . Ki  s boli g, he llue to Begleys oi gs,  
si Begley eve cme up to R. Stothe t. M . M shll (ju .) i
the sme Club stoppe fo M . M co ithout o e bye th ough  lo g
i i gs. The ge tlem ho oppose the fi mest f o t, hoeve , fo
ye s, to Mess s. Ki    Felloes,--bole s, ho hve b oke stus
i to the b est-bo e of  lo g-stop,   the , to mke me s, tke
fou pe y-bits of ski off his shi s, is M . H topp, p o ou ce, by
M . Ch les Bu t,--himself u e ible t tht poi t,--to be the best
fo  co ti u ce he hs eve see . _Viget vi etque!_ His fo m is
goo;   he o ks ith g et ese   cool tte tio . Amo g the most
celeb te t p ese t  e M . C. Rii g, W. Pilch, Guy,   De .
O Lo g-stoppi g, M . H topp ki ly  ites:--No plce equi es so
much ptie t pe seve  ce: the o k is so mech icl. I hve see m y
 b illi t fielsm the e fo  sho t i i gs, hile the boli g is
st ight    ely psses; but, let him hve to hum um th ough 150
o 200 u s,   he ill get bo e, ti e,   c eless; the , u s
come pce. Ptie ce is much  te, if  sh p u e is i ; fo
he ill ofte t y  lo g-stops tempe by steli g u s; i such 
cse, I hve fou  it the best pl to p ep e the icket-keepe fo
 h  th o to his, the e e , icket; fo , if this oes ot u
the m out, it f ighte s him o to steie u i g. Th oi g ove
my sometimes  se ; but  cu i g u e ill get i you y, o
bet  bll th o ove his he. Lo g-stops ist ce must ofte be
s much s fou o five y s less fo  goo u e th fo  b.
Sho t ist ce oes ot mke stoppi g mo e ifficult; becuse, it gives
fee hops   tists to the bll; but  lo ge ist ce e bles you
to cove mo e tips    s,   sves leg-byes. Goo u e s ought
to c oss if the bll is i the lest fumble; but cle fieli g, ith
quick u e h  etu , oul bet the Rege t St eet Pet himself, i
he ttempt  u . Lo g-stop is holly t fult if he equi es the
icket-keepe to st  sie: this oul spoil the stumpi g. As to
gloves   ps, let eve y o e plese himself; e must choose betee
gloves   so e h s; but  ist gu tlets  e of g et use,   o
hi   ce to ctches, hich ofte come spi i g to the lo g-stop,  
othe ise ifficult.
As to fo m,  oppi g o o e k ee is  b positio fo  y fieli g:
you  e fie   left behi  by  y sue tu of the bll. The best
ule is to tch the bll f om the bole s h    move cco i gly,
  you ill soo fi  fo ho much bis to llo;   be e of
 slope like Lo s: it cuses  g ete evitio th you oul
imgi e i thi ty y s. Just s the bll comes,   you self up heels
togethe (thus m y  shoote hve I stoppe),  , picki g s etly
s you c , pitch it bck to icket-keepe s if it e e e hot. Quick
etu sves m y byes,   keeps up  ppe  ce hich p eve ts the
ttempt. The sme isc imi tio of le gths is equi e ith h s s
ith bt. Lo g hops  e esy:  tice is s h  lmost s  shoote ;
hlf-volley is  tese . Such blls s pitch up to you shoul be
plye fo   by pushi g o seepi g you h s out to meet them;
eve if you o ot fiel them cle , still you ill ofte sve  u by
fo ci g the bll up to s the icket-keepe ,   hvi g it befo e you.
A Lo g-stop  ts much comm  of tte tio ,--eye eve off the

bll;   this, so little thought of, is the o e g et sec et of ll


fieli g: you must lso ply you h est   you ve y best;  hbit
hich fe hve e e gy to susti . If you miss  bll, ttle y fte
it; o ot st , s m y o, to pologise by umb sho. If the bll
bumps up t the mome t of h li g, th o you chi up   let it hit
you chest s full s it my: this is Ho ces vice;-_Fo tique ve sis oppo ite pecto  ebus._
Lo g-stop shoul ssist the bcki g up o the O sie,   must st t
t o ce to be i time. The tte tio he hs to susti is ve y t yi g
to the eyes, especilly i i y ethe .
WICKET-KEEPING.--If ot bo ith bette ocul e ves th the
ve ge, I oubt hethe  y eg ee of p ctice oul mke  fi st- te
icket-keepe . Still, si ce Lillyhite succeee i t i i g o e of
the Wi cheste eleve i Wicket-keepi g, by boli g cco i gly,
icket-keepi g seems   t to be cqui e. To plce the h s
ccu tely, ight o left, cco i g to the pitch of the bll,  
to tke tht bll, hoeve fst, u bulke by the bt o boy of
the plye , is elly ve y ifficult. But ht if e --  ho
fe, ve y fe, c ccomplish it!--tki g the bll i spite of 
u epecte bis o tu f om the bt. Still, p ctice ill o much
he e tu e hs o e  little; but ith moe boli g you  t 
m both ough   ey. M . He be t Je e s the ey m ;
so lso  e Mess s. A so , Nicholso ,   W. Rii g,   Bo; but
We m s ey   ough too. He h fi e o ki g qulities,  
coul st   el of pou i g, y fte y: othe s hve h 
sho t life    me y o e,   me e t  sie t popul ity; but, fo
icket-keepi g u e ifficulties, give me We m . At icket-keepi g,
the me of lbou ought to bet the me of leisu e. H  h s  e
esse til:  , h  h s c o ly come f om h  o k. We m s
clli g, tht of  heel ight   c pe te , is i his fvou . I
fou  my h s quite seso e,  ites  mteu , fte  to-mo ths
o k t the o . Chtte to fe s o pce i boli g. But Lockye s
me o st s highest of ll: the ce ti ty   fcility ith hich
he tkes Wise s boli g, both ith ight   left, c h ly be
su psse. We leve icket-keepe s to emulte Lockye , especilly i
his eve y-y lsti g   o ki g qulities gi st fst boli g,
fo tht is the ifficulty. Like We m , he oes ot st  too e ,
so he is ell plce fo ctches. Mo eove , they both hve eight  
poe -- ecie v tge:  fethe eight my be shke . Wi te to ,
of Cmb ige, c ies g et eight ith him t the icket. This gives 
ecie v tge ove  plye of the eight of M . Rii g: lbeit,
i the Plye s Mtch i 1849, M . Rii g stumpe Hillye off M .
Felloess boli g,   tht ith  Off-bll e ly ie! Hmmo 
s the g et icket-keepe of fo me ys: but the , the boli g s
ofte bout Cl kes pce. B o e, of B ighto ,   Osblesto put
icket-keepe s to flight; but the ce eppe e i --the fi est eve
see fo moe te pce--M . Je e , fme ot o ly fo the etest
stumpi g, but fo the m vellous qu tity of g ou  he coul cove ,
se vi g, s  e Poi t, Leg,   Slip, s ell s Wicket-keepe .
Bos poe s, though he hs lys bee  fi st- te m ,  e the
limite to pce.--Hve me to bol, Lillyhite use to sy, Bo to
keep icket,   Pilch to hit,   the youll see C icket; fo Bo
is best ith Lillyhite.--As to mki g mistkes s icket-keepe , ht
mo tl combi tio of flesh   bloo c help it. O e of the most
epe ie ce Lo g-stops, fte m y ye s t Lo s   i the cou t y,
sys, to tke eve o e out of th ee of possible ch ces, hs p ove,
i his epe ie ce, goo ve ge icket-keepi g; fo , thi k of leg

shoote s! though M . Rii g coul tke eve them o e fully ell.


I hve see ,  ites M . E. S. E. H., M . C. Tylo --ho s cpitl
t u i g i ,    ely stumpe out, hvi g  ecelle t eye,   if
the tist of the bll bet him it s e ough to bet the icket-keepe
lso--I hve see him, fte missi g  bll, lk quietly bck to
his g ou , poo icket-keepe looki g foolish   vee t ot
stumpi g him,   the i g, of cou se, clli g him  muff. Relly,
icket-keepe s  e h ly use; the spectto s little k o tht  tist
hich misses the bt, my s esily escpe the h .
Agi , the best piece of stumpi g I eve s s o e by M . A so ,
i the Plye s Mtch, i 1843. Butle , o e of the fi est of the
Notti ghm btsme , i t yi g to   o e of M . My s leg shoote s,
just lifte, fo  i st t, his ight foot; M . A so time the fet
beutifully,   sept the bll ith his left h  i to the icket. I
f cy  fet so ifficult s eve o e so esily.--I lso s M .
A so , i  mtch gi st the Eto i s, stump  m ith his ight,
ctch the flyi g bil ith his left,   eplce it so quickly tht
the m s su p ise   puzzle me ll the fu : stumpe out, though
icket seemi gly eve o ! M . Je e s ve y cleve i these
thi gs, skimmi g off o e bil ith his little fi ge , bll i h ,  
ot t oubli g the umpi e. O ce his f ie , M . R. K., h  k 
t ick of pulli g up his t ouse s, hich lifte his leg eve y time he
h misse  bll: M . Je e ite fo his ccustome hbit, cught
him i the ct,   stumpe him. A simil piece of fu hppe e i
Ge tleme of E gl  _v._ Ge tleme of Ke t i 1845. A Ke t plye st
o to get i , fte  u , his bt i his g ou  but ith set of
ho ou out,   fo  mome t let go the h le,   the icket-keepe
stumpe him out. He s ve y  g y,   si he eve oul ply gi :
hoeve , he i ply the etu mtch t C te bu y, he e he s put
out i p ecisely the sme m e . Si ce hich, like Mo sieu To so , he
hs eve bee he  of mo e.
Tht  fielsm  ts its to his fi ge s e s, s sho by
M ti gell o e y: bei g just too f to comm   bll he gve it 
touch to keep it up,   c ie, Ctch it, Slip. Slip, so ssiste,
eche the bll.
The g et thi g i Wicket-keepi g is, fo h    eye to go togethe ,
just s ith btti g,   ht is ee cise fo the fo me , ssists the
ltte . A y ee cise i hich the h  hbitully t ies to obey the
eye, is useful fo c icket; fieli g imp oves btti g,   btti g
imp oves fieli g.
Telve of the p i cipl icket-keepe s of the lst fifty ye s e e ll
efficie t Btsme ; mely, Hmmo , Se le, Bo, We m , Do i gto , C.
B o , Chtte to , Lockye , ith Mess s. Je e , A so , Nicholso ,  
Rii g.
Ho oul you epli , si , si Cobbett, tht the plye s btti g
keeps pce ith the ge tlem s, he e eve tke  bt ecept i 
gme?--Becuse you  e co st tly folloi g the bll ith h   
eye togethe , hich fo ms  vluble p ctice fo jugi g pce,  
time,   ist ce: ot e ough ce ti ly to tech btti g, but e ough
to keep it up. Besies, if you p ctise too little, most ge tleme
p ctise too much, e i g i  ki  of epe ime tl   specultive
ply, hich p oves--like ge tlem s f mi g--mo e scie tific th
p ofitble. Amteu s ofte t y t too much, mi iffe e t styles,  ,
o se th ll, _fo m co flicti g hbits_. The gme, fo  ve ge, is

the plye s gme; becuse, less mbitious, ith less eciteme t bout
fvou ite hits, of  simple style, ith fee thi gs to thi k of,   
gme i hich, though limite, they  e bette g ou e.
Amteu s  e pt to t y  bigge gme th they coul sfely ply ith
tice thei p ctice. M y  m , fo i st ce, hose tle t lies i
efe ce, t ies f ee hitti g,  , betee the to, p oves goo fo
othi g. Othe s, pe hps, c ply st ight   fi ly Off;-- ,
shoul ot they le to hit O lso? Ce ti ly: but hile i 
t  sitio stte, they  e ot fit fo  cou ty mtch;   some me  e
lys i this t  sitio stte. Ho ce h goo c icket ies, fo ,
si he,
_Aut fmm seque e, ut sibi co ve ie ti fi ge._
Eithe ply fo sho off,   thts vill ous, sys Hmlet,  
shos  most pitiful mbitio i the fool tht uses it; o , opt 
style you c put ell togethe --  _sumite mte im--qum vi ibus_,
opt  style tht suits you cpbilities; _cui lect pote te e it
es_; t y t o mo e th you c o--_ ec ese et hu c_,--  thts
the gme to c y you th ough.
A mistke, si  epe ie ce bole , i givi g  leg bll o to,
is ot ll cle loss; fo ,  si g ou  to the leg ofte tkes  m
off his st ight ply. To i g the ch ges o Cutti g ith ho izo tl
bt,   fo   ply ith  st ight bt,   leg-hitti g, hich tkes
 iffe e t bt gi , this equi es mo e stey p ctice th most
mteu s hve eithe time o pe seve  ce to le tho oughly. So, o e
moveme t is co ti ully i te fe i g ith the othe .

CHAP. XI.
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.--MISCELLANEOUS.
Willim Belhm s s much of c icket s  y othe m i E gl ,
f om the ye 1780 to bout 1820. M . E. H. Bu   Clecou t  e the
best of ch o icle s f om the ys of Belhm o to Geo ge P . Yet
eithe of these o thies coul emembe  y i ju y t c icket, hich
oul t ll comp e ith those movi g ccie ts of floo   fiel
hich hve thi e the  ks of Nim o, Hke , o Isc Wlto . A
ftl ccie t i  y legitimte gme of c icket is lmost u k o . M .
A. Hyg th, hoeve , ki ly i fo me me tht the fthe of Geo ge III.
ie f om the effects of  blo f om  c icket bll. His utho ity is
W lls Memoi s:-F ee ick, P i ce of Wles, so of Geo ge II., epi e sue ly i
1751, t Leiceste House, i the  ms of Des oy s, the celeb te
 ci g mste . His e  s cuse by  i te l bscess tht h lo g
bee fo mi g i co seque ce of  blo hich he eceive i the sie
f om  c icket bll hile he s e gge i plyi g t tht gme o the
l t Cliefe House i Bucki ghmshi e, he e he the p i ciplly
esie. It i ot tke plce, hoeve , till seve l mo ths fte the
ccie t, he  collectio of mtte bu st   i st tly suffocte
him.
A solicito t Romsey, bout 1825, s, sys  eye-it ess, st uck so

h  i the bome tht he ie i  eek of mo tifictio . The e is 


umou of  boy t school, bout eightee ye s si ce,    othe boy
bout te ty-eight ye s go, bei g seve lly kille by  blo o the
he ith  c icket bll. A i ty boy lso, of Slisbu y to , i 1826,
hvi g co t cte  b hbit of pocketi g the blls of the pupils of
D . Rtcliffe, s hit the h  o the he ith  b ss-tippe
stump,  , by  st  ge coi cie ce, ie, s the ju y fou , of
ecess of pssio ,  fe hou s fte .
The most likely sou ce of se ious i ju y, is he  hitte etu s
the bll ith ll his fo ce, st ight bck to the bole . Clecou t
  the Rev. C. Wo so th, seve lly   sep tely, em ke i my
he i g tht they h shue e t c icket o ce, ech i the sme
positio ,   ech f om the sme hitte ! Ech h  bll hit bck
to him by tht poe ful hitte M . H. Ki gscote, hich hizze, i
efi ce of h  o eye, most  ge ously by. A simil hit, l ey
esc ibe, by Hmmo  ho took  bll t the pitch, just misse Lo 
F. Beucle ks he,   spoile his e ve fo boli g eve fte .
But, ht if these seve l blls h elly hit? ho k os hethe the
espective skulls might ot hve stoo the shock, s i  cse hich
I it esse i Ofo , i 1835; he o e Rich  Bluche ,  Coley
bole , s hit o the he by  cle hlf-volley, f om the bt of
He y Dube y--th hom fe Wykehmists _use_ (_fuit!_) to hit ith
bette eye o st o ge  m. Still Rich  s himself gi the ve y
et y; fo , e s him ith his he tie up, boli g t shilli gs
s i ust iously s eve . Some skulls st   g et el. Wit ess the
sp igs of Shillelh t Do ib ook fi ; still most i ubitbly te e
is the fce; s lso--hich _ho esco efe e s_;   he e let me
tell icket-keepe s   lo g-stops especilly, tht  c icket jcket
me lo g   full, ith pockets to hol  h ke chief sufficie tly
i f o t, is  p ecutio ot to be espise; though the ce of
i ve tive me hve lso evise  c oss-b i i- ubbe gu , ptly
esc ibe i Achilles th et to The sites, i the Ili.[2]
[2] Hom. Il. II. 262.
The most l mi g ccie t I eve s occu e i o e of the m y
mtches plye by the L so Club gi st M . E. H. Bus Eleve ,
t Pu to , i 1835. To of the L so plye s e e u i g betee
ickets;   goo M . P tt--_imm i co po e_--s st i g mi y,
  hii g ech f om the othe . Both e e ushi g the sme sie of him,
  s o e hel his bt most  ge ously ete e, the poi t of it met
his p t e u e the chi , fo ce bck his he s if his eck e e
b oke ,   she him se seless to the g ou . Neve shll I fo get
the shue   the chill of eve y he t, till poo P ice--fo he it
s--bei g lifte up, g ully evi ce etu i g co scious ess;  ,
t le gth, he ll s epli e, he smile, mist his beile me t,
ith his usul goo- tu e, o his u lucky f ie . A su geo , ho
it esse the collisio , fe e he s e,   si, fte  s, tht
ith less poe ful muscles (fo he h  eck like  bull-og) he eve
coul hve stoo the shock. P ice tol me et y tht he felt s if 
little mo e   he eve shoul hve ise his he gi .
A  ht Wykehmist of 1820-30 oes ot emembe R---- P ice? o ht
Fello of Ne College o to 1847, he
_Multis ille bo is flebilis occiit_,
hs ot e joye his me ime t i the Commo Room o his ply o
Bulli go   Coley M sh? His e e the sfest h s   most

effective fieli g eve see . To ttempt the o e u f om  cove hit


he P ice s the e, o to give the sight of o e stump to shy t,
s  icket lost. Whe his f ie , F. B. W ight, o  y o e he coul
t ust, s t the icket, ell bcke up, the bll, by the fi e ol
Wykehmist ctio , s up   i ith such spee   p ecisio s I
hve h ly see equlle   eve eceee. Whe he cme to Lo s,
i 1825, ith tht Wykehmist Eleve hich M . W  so lo g emembe e
ith elight, thei ply s u k o   the bets o thei oppo e ts;
but he o ce P ice s see p ctisi g t  si gle stump, his Eleve
becme the fvou ites immeitely; fo he s o e of the st ightest of
ll fst bole s;   I hve he  epe ie ce btsme sy, We o t
c e fo his u e h  boli g, o ly it is so st ight e coul tke
o libe ties,   the fi st e misse s Out. I eve e vie  y m
his sight   e ve like P ice--the coolest p ctitio e you eve s:
he lys looke b ight, though othe s blue;   you h o ly to gl ce
t his sh p g ey eyes,   you coul t o ce ccou t fo the fct tht
o e stump to shy t,  ook fo  si gle bullet, o the ipple of 
t out i  bushy st em, s so much fu fo R. P ice.
Some of the most pi ful ccie ts hve bee of the sme ki --f om
collisio ; the efo e I eve blme  m ho, s the bll so s high
i i ,   the cpti of his sie oes ot (s he ought if he c )
cll out Joh so hs it! stops sho t, fo fe of th ee spikes i his
i step, o the butto s of his eighbou s jcket fo cibly coi cii g
ith his o . Still, these  e ot isti ctively the  ge s of
c icket: me my u thei hes togethe i the st eet.
The p i cipl i ju ies susti e  e i the fi ge s; though, I i o ce
k o  ge tlem ho plye i spectcles,   seei g to blls i
the i , he cught t the sho,   e ly h the subst ce i his
fce. The ol plye s, i the ys of u e h  boli g, plye ithout
gloves;   Be et ssu e me he h see Tom Wlke , befo e v ci g
civilistio me m te e , ub his bleei g fi ge s i the ust.
The ol plye s coul sho fi ge -joi ts of most u ge teel ime sio s;
  o o e , fo  fi ge hs bee b oke eve th ough tubul
i i- ubbe . Still, ith  goo pi of c icket gloves, o m ee
thi k much bout his fi ge s; lbeit flesh ill blcke , joi ts ill
g o too l ge fo the ccustome i g,   fi ge - ils ill come off.
A spi i g bll is the most mischievous;   he the e is spi  
pce too (s ith  bll f om M . Felloes, hich you c he hummi g
like  top) the  ge is too g et fo me e museme t; fo he , s
i the Plye s Mtch of 1849, Hillye plys  bole  foot y f om
his stumps,   Pilch c ot fce him--hich is t ue he M . Felloes
bols o  y but the smoothest g ou --hy the , e ill ot sy tht
 y thi g hich tht h est of hitte s   tho ough c ickete oes, is
ot c icket, but ce ti ly it is  ythi g but _ply_.
Some of the o st i ju ies of the h s occu the i fieli g th
i btti g. A fi e plye of the Ke t Eleve , bout th ee ye s go, so
f i ju e his thumb tht o e of the joi ts s emove,   he hs
 ely plye si ce. A othe of the best ge tlem plye s b oke o e of
the bo es of his h  i putti g o  icket: but, st  gest of ll,
I s o e of the Ch istchu ch eleve t Ofo , i 1835, i fieli g t
Cove , split up his h   i ch i le gth betee his seco    thi 
fi ge s: still, ll s ell i  fe eeks.
A to ll these ch ces of  , the m y blls hich  e flyi g t the
sme time t Lo s   t the U ive sities,   othe much f eque te
g ou s, o  p ctisi g y. At Ofo  you my see,  y y i the
summe , o Coley M sh, to os of si ickets ech fci g ech

othe , ith  spce of bout sity y s betee ech o,   te


y s betee ech icket. The , you hve telve bole s, _os os_,
  s m y hitte s--mki g telve blls   te ty-fou me , ll i
 ge s y t o ce, besies byst e s. The most  y o e of these
bole s c o is to look out fo the blls of his o set; hethe
hit o ot by  bll f om behi , is ve y much  mtte of ch ce.
A bll f om the opposite o o ce touche my hi . The o e is,
tht telve blls shoul be flyi g i  smll spce e ly eve y y,
yet I eve he  of  y m bei g hit i the fce-- fct the mo e
em kble becuse the e s usully f ee hitti g ith loose boli g.
Pie ce Eg eco s tht, i 1830, i the Hye P k G ou , Sheffiel,
i e ouble-icket gmes e e plyi g t o ce--TWO HUNDRED PLAYERS
ithi si c es of g ss! O e y, t Lo s, just befo e the mtch
bell u g fte i e , I s o e of the h est hitte s i the M.C.C.
ctully t yi g ho h  he coul  ive mo g the v ious cluste s of
sipe y mteu s, eve y m thi ki g it fu ,   o o e  ge ous. A
ele ly ge tlem c ot st   b uise so ell--mtte fo ms o bo e
efolites. But the ,  ele ly ge tlem ,--be i g  i ve se tio
i ll thi gs to him ho clls him gove o ,--is the most c eful
thi g i tu e;   s to you g bloo, it ci cultes too fst to be
ove tke by hlf the ills tht flesh is hei to.
A ell k o Wykehmist plye of R. P ices st i g, s ltely
plyi g s icket-keepe ,   seei g the btsm goi g to hit Off, 
lmost to the plce of  e Poi t; the hit,  t eme ously h  o e,
gl ce off f om his fo ehe--he clle out Ctch it,   it s
cught by bole ! He s ot hu t-- ot eve m ke by the bll.
Fou s sco e t Becke hm, 1850, by  hit tht gl ce off Poi ts
he; but the plye suffe e much i this i st ce.
A spot u e the i o of the tve t Lo s s m ke s the
evie ce of  fmous hit by M . Bu,   he I plye, Ofo  _v._
Cmb ige, i 1836, Ch les, so of Lo  F. Beucle k, hitti g bove
tht spot elicite the obse vtio f om the ol plye s. Begley hit 
bll f om his Lo ship ove  b k 120 y s. F eem tles fmous hit
s 130 y s i the i . F eem tles bil s o ce hit up   fell
bck o the stump: Not out. A simil thi g s it esse by  f ie 
o the Westmi ste G ou . O e hot y, si Byley, I s  e
stump bole out of the pe pe icul , but the bil stuck i the g oove
f om the melti g of the v ish i the su ,   the btsm co ti ue
his i i gs. I hve see M . Ki  hit  bil thi ty y s. A bil
hs flo fo ty y s.
I o ce choppe h  o upo  shoote ,   the bll e t  foot y
f om my bt st ight fo   to s the bole ,   the , by its
ot y motio , etu e i the sme st ight li e ectly, like the
 -bck st oke t billi s,   shook the bil off.
At  mtch plye t Cmb ige,  lost bll s fou  so fi mly fie
o the poi t of  b oke glss bottle i  ivie ll, tht  e bll
s ecess y to co ti ue the gme.
Amo g em kble gmes of c icket,  e gmes o the ice--s o
Ch istchu ch meo, Ofo , i 1849,   othe plces. The o e- me
  o e-legge pe sio e s of G ee ich   Chelse is  oft- epete
mtch.
M . T umpe   his og chlle ge   bet to plye s t si gle
icket i 1825, o H efiel commo , e Rickm so th.

Femle c ickete s Southey eeme o thy of otice i his Commo -plce


Book. A mtch, he sys, s plye t Bu y betee the Mt o s  
the Mis of the p ish. The Mt o s vi icte thei supe io ity  
chlle ge  y eleve petticots i the cou ty of Suffolk. A simil
mtch, it is ote, s plye t West T i g i 1850. Southey lso
s muse t five legs bei g b oke i o e mtch--but o ly ooe
legs--of G ee ich pe sio e s.
Eleve femles of Su ey e e bcke gi st Eleve of Hmpshi e,
sys Pie ce Eg , t Nei gto , Oct. 2. 1811, by to obleme fo 500
gui es  sie. H ts o . A   simil mtch s plye i st ict
o e   eco um o Lv t Level, Susse, befo e 3000 spectto s.
Mtches of much i te est hve bee plye betee membe s of the sme
fmily   some othe club. Besies the Telve Cs s, the fou
Mess s. Wlke   the Mess s. B Rii g hve p ove ho c icket my
u i  fmily, ot to fo get fou of the House of Ve ulm.
Pugilists hve  ely bee c icket plye s. We use to see the
fighti g me , si Belhm, plyi g skittles bout the g ou , but
the e e e o plye s mo g them. Ne ONel s  p etty goo plye ;
  Be igo h f ie s co fie t e ough to mke  p.p. mtch betee
him   Geo ge P fo 50_l._ Whe the y cme, Be igo ppe e
ith  lme leg,   P s f ie s set  emple o thy of t ue
c ickete s; they sco e to ply  lme m , o to p ofit by thei
eighbou s misfo tu es.
I the fmous Notti ghm mtch, 1817, Be tley, o the All E gl  sie,
s plyi g ell, he he s give u out, hvi g u ou  his
g ou . Why, si Belhm, he h bee home lo g e ough to tke 
pi ch of s uff. They ch ge the umpi e; but the blu e lost the
mtch.
Spike shoes, si Belhm, e e ot i use i my cou t y. Neve
s them till I e t to Hmbleo . Robi so , si ol M . Mo to ,
the  mtist, beg ith spikes of  mo st ous le gth, o o e foot.
The fi st otio of  leg gu  I eve s, si  ol plye ,
s Robi so s: he put togethe to thi bo s,  gle-ise, o his
ight shi : the bll oul go off it s cle s off the bt,   me
 p ecious el mo e oise: but it s lughe t--i ot lst lo g.
Robi so bu t some of his fi ge s off he  chil,   h the h le
of his bt g oove, to fit the stu te joi ts. Still, he s  fi e
hitte .
A o e- me m , ho use  sho t bt i his ight h , hs bee k o
to mke  fi ve ge sco e.
SAWDUST.--Belhm, Robi so ,   Lmbe t, plye Be ett, Fe e,  
Lo  F. Beucle k,  otble si gle icket mtch t Lo s, 27th Ju e,
1806. Lo  F ee icks lst i i gs s i i g the gme,   o ch ce
of getti g him out. His Lo ship h the ltely i t ouce sust
he the g ou  s et. Belhm, u see , took up  lump of et i t
  sust,   stuck it o the bll, hich, pitchi g fvou bly, me
 et o i  y tist,   took the icket. This I he  sep tely
f om Belhm, Be ett,   lso Fe e, ho use to me tio it s mo g
the o e s of his lo g life.
As to LONG SCORES, bove o e hu  e i  i i gs the lesse s th
s to the i te est of  gme.

The g etest umbe eco e, ith ove h  boli g, s i M.C.C.
_v._ Susse, t B ighto , bout 1844; the fou i i gs ve ge 207
ech. I 1815, Epsom _v._ Milese, t Lo s, sco e fi st i i gs,
476. Susse _v._ Epsom, i 1817, sco e 445 i o e i i gs. M . W s
g et i i gs s 278, i M.C.C. _v._ No folk, 24th July, 1820, but
ith u e h  boli g. M . My s g et i i gs t Leiceste s i
No th _v._ South, i 1836. South i i g by 218 u s. M . My 21 ( ot
out)   125 ( ot out) gi st Regtes boli g. Wise , P ,  
Pilch, Feli,   Julius Cs ,   Joh Lillyhite, hve sco e bove
100 u s i o e i i gs gi st goo boli g. Wise o ce bole te
ickets i o e i i gs: M . Ki  hs o e the sme thi g.
IN BOWLING.--The g etest fet eve eco e is this:--tht Lillyhite
bole Pilch 61 blls ithout  u ,   the lst took his icket.
T ue, Cl ke bole D iel Dy, t Weymouth, 60 blls ithout  u ,
but the D iel oul hit t othi g. Cl ke lso bole 64 blls
ithout  u to Cffy   Bo, i Notts _v._ E gl  i 1853, o
oubt  g et chieveme t; still, t slo boli g, these plye s hve
ot thei usul co fie ce: they h ove pitche blls hich they i
ot hit y. But Pilch s ot the m to miss  ch ce,   the fct
tht he me o u f om 61 blls speks o e s s to ht Lillyhite
coul o i his best y.
M . M co , t Attlebu y, 1850, bole fou me i fou successive
blls. The L so Club, i 1850, put the West Glouceste shi e Club
out fo si u s,   of these o ly to e e sco e by hits--so te
ciphe s! Eleve me lst ye (1850) e e out fo  u ech; M . Feli
bei g o e. M . G. Yo ge, plyi g gi st the Eto i s, put  hole sie
out fo si u s. A f ie , plyi g the Shepto Mllet Club, put his
ve s ies i , seco  i i gs, fo seve u s to tie,   got ll out
fo five! I  fmous Wykehmist mtch ll epe e o  outsie s
mki g to u s, he me  h  hit; he , i the mome t of eulttio ,
Cut y, you you g si e , si  big fello;   lo! o he li
his bt,   i i ee cut y, but--to the te t! hile the othe
sie, mist sc ems of lughte t the mistke, put o the icket
  o the mtch.
I  B. Mtch, 1810, the B.s, sco e seco  i i gs, o ly 6;   fou
of these e e me t o e hit, by J. Wells,  m give , though the
fi st i i gs sco e 137.
T ue, E. H. Bu s _bse t_, still the Be tleys, Be ett, Belhm
  Lo  F ee ick Beucle k e e mo g the te .
O the Su ey g ou , 1851, h ot  esy ctch bee misse, the
Eleve of All E gl  oul hve go e out fo  u piece.
The Smllest Sco e o eco  is tht of the Pltisick Club, he
plyi g gi st Bu y i 1824: thei fi st i i gs s o ly 4 u s!
Pilch bole out eight of them. I thei et i i gs they sco e 46.
Bu y, fi st i i gs, 101.
I  mtch t Ofo , i 1835, I s the to lst ickets, Ch les
Beucle k   E. Bulle , sco e 110 u s;   i  I.Z. mtch t
Lemi gto , the lst ickets sco e 80.
TIE MATCHES.--The e hve bee o ly fou of  y ote: the fi st s
plye t Woolich, i 1818, M.C.C. _v._ Royl A tille y, ith E. H.
Bu, Esq.; the seco , t Lo s, i 1839, M. C. C. _v._ Ofo ;

the thi , t Lo s, betee Wi cheste   Eto ; the fou th t the


Ovl, i 1847, Su ey _v._ Ke t. But t  sc tch mtch of Woki g _v._
Shie e, i 1818, t Woki g, the e s  tie ech i i gs   ll fou
i i gs the sme umbe , 71!
As to HARD HITTING.--O e of the lo gest hits i i of moe ys,
 ites  f ie , s me t Himley bout th ee ye s si ce by M .
Felloes, co fessely o e of the h est of ll hitte s. The sme
ge tlem , i p ctice o the Leiceste g ou , hit, cle ove the
popl s, o e hu  e lo g pces f om the icket: the ist ce f om
bt to pitch of bll my be fi ly stte s 140 y s. This s
te y s fu the , I thi k, th the hit t Himley, hich eve y o e
o e e t; though, the fo me s off slo lobs i p ctice, the
ltte i  mtch. M . Felloes o ce me so high  hit ove the
bole s (Wise s) he, tht the seco  u s fi ishe s the bll
etu e to e th! He s fte  s cught by A mitge, Lo g-fiel O ,
he hlf th ough the seco  u . I hve lso see , I thi k, M . G.
B ke , of T i ity, hit  i e o P ke s Piece. It took th ee ve ge
th oe s to th o it up. M . Bst , of T i ity, hit  te o the sme
g ou . Si F. Heygte, this ye , hit  eight t Leiceste . Whe M .
Bu hit  i e t Woolich, st  ge to sy, it p ove  tie mtch:
 eight oul hve lost the gme. P ctise cle hitti g, co ect
positio ,   jugme t of le gths ith f ee  m,   the bll is su e
to go f e ough. The hbit of hitti g t  bll oscillti g f om 
sl ti g pole ill g etly imp ove  y u p ctise hitte . A soft bll
ill  se the pu pose, pie ce   th ee o  st i g.
The most vetious of ll stupi thi gs s o e by Jmes B ob ige,
i Susse _v._ E gl , t B ighto , i 1827, o e of the t il mtches
hich ecite such i te est i the e ly ys of ove h  boli g. We
e t i fo 120 to i , si ou goo f ie , Cpti Chesly . No,
I si, my boys, let eve y m esolve o  stey gme   the mtch
is ou s; he , lmost t the fi st set off, tht stupi fello Jim
th e his bt  couple of y s t  bll too ie to ech,   M .
W  cught him t Poi t! The loss of this o e m s i i gs s ot
ll, fo the me e t i isguste; the quicksilve s up ith the
othe sie,   o ith us,   the mtch s lost by te ty-fou
u s. But, though stupi i this i st ce, B ob ige s o e of the
most  tful oge s tht eve h le  bll. A  o ce he p ctise fo
some mtch till he ppe e to ll the bole s bout Lo s to hve
euce btti g to  ce ti ty: but he the time cme, mist the most
s gui e epecttio s of his f ie s, he me o u s.
No fo Ge e lship: A m ge h bette ot be  bole , lest of ll
 slo bole , fo he  ts some imp til obse ve to tell him he
to go o   he to ch ge,-- moest m ill leve off too soo ; 
co ceite m too lte. To sy othi g of the effect of  ch ge, so
ell k o to gi , ot o ly ickets, but ctches (becuse the timi g
is iffe e t), it is too little co sie e tht iffe e t bole s  e
ifficult to iffe e t me ,-- ve y fo   plye ,   o e ege fo
 Cut, my espectively be _ o -suite_, ech by the boli g esiest
to the othe . A m ge equi es the g etest equ imity   tempe ,
especilly i m gi g his bole s, o hom ll epe s. He shoul
le hile he ppe s o ly to co sult them,   eve let them feel
tht the me  e plce co t  y to thei ishes. By ch gi g the best
fielme i to the busiest plces, fou o five goo me ppe like 
goo eleve . To put  m sho t slip ho is slo of sight,    m
lo g leg ho oes ot u e st   lo g ctch, my lose  mtch. I
putti g the btsme i , it is  g et poi t to hve me i e ly ho
 e likely to mke  st ,--flli g ickets  e ve y iscou gi g.

Also be e of the b juges of  u ;   mtch you me to the


boli g, I hve see  m sco e te ty gi st o e bole ho s
t o k to gi st  othe --keep you me i goo spi its   goo
humou ; if the gme is gi st you, sve ll you c ,   it o e
of those o  ous ch ges tht  si gle Ove sometimes mkes. Neve
espi till the lst m s out. The M.C.C. i 1847 i plyi g Su ey
folloe thei i i gs, bei g hee by 106; still they o the mtch
by i e u s.
The m ge shoul lys choose his o Eleve ;  , e hve l ey
hi te tht fieli g, the th btti g, is the qulifictio . A
goo fiel is su e to sve u s, though the best btsm my ot mke
 y. Whe ll  e g ee o the bole s, I oul leve the bole s to
select such me s they c t ust. The , i thei sec et co clve you
ill he such p i ciples of selectio s these:--Ki g must be Poi t,
Chtte to e c ot ffo  to put Cove u less you c e su e We m
to keep icket; De must be lo g-stop: he o ks so h    sves so
m y  s;   I hve ot e ve to ttck the leg stump s I ought to
ith  y othe m . We shll hve th ee me t lest gi st us hom e
c ot ecko o boli g out; so if fo Sho t-slip e hve  Hillye ,
  t leg such  m s Cotes of Sheffiel, e my pick these me up
p etty esily. But s to Si Wo moo Sc ubbs, ou sec et y vos he
shll eve get  y mo e pi e pples   chmpg e fo ou Gl ys if
e o t hve him,   he is bout ou sith bt. C t be helpe,
fo , ht ith his cig   his b tempe , he ill put us ll  o g;
besies, e must hve Joh Gi ge ley, hose o ly fult is chffi g,  
these to me ill eve o togethe : the fo Mile-icket e hve
You g Geo ge. Why, E s is quite s sfe. Yes; but ot hlf s
t ctble. I oul eve bol ithout Geo ge if I coul hve him; his
eye is lys o me,   he ill shift his plce fo eve y bll i the
Ove , if I ish it. A h y m to put bout i  mome t just he e
you  t him, is o th  g et el to  bole . The you leve out
Ki gsmill, B ke ,   Coteso th? Why, they c sco e bette th most
of the til of the Eleve ! Yes; o p ctisi g ys, ith loose ply,
but, ith goo me gi st them, ht iffe e ce c the e be betee
 y to me , he the fi st ippi g bll levels both like?
Whe tki g the fiel, goo humou   co fie ce is the thi g. A
ge e l ho epects eve y thi g smooth, i eli g ith te fllible
fello-c etu es, shoul be t o ce ismisse the se vice: he must
lys hve some m he h the ch ge s Vi gil sys of the bees-_Sempe e u t qu um mut i co po  mlis_;
but if you c hve fou o five sfe plye s, joi you i flue ce ith
thei s,   so keep up  ppe  ce of o ki g h mo iously togethe .
Obviously to bole s of iffe e t pce, like Cl ke   Wise , o k
ell togethe , s lso  left-h e   ight-h e btsm , like
Feli   Pilch, hom e hve see u up  hu  e u s fste th
eve befo e o si ce;
_Nu c et i gemi  s ictus, u c ille si ist ._
Neve put i ll you best me t fi st,   leve  til to follo:
m y  gme hs bee lost i this m e , fo me lose co fie ce
he ll the best  e out:  to this, most me ply bette fo the
e cou geme t tht  goo plye ofte gives. A  tke c e tht you
put goo juges of  u i togethe . A goo u e st ts i tuitively
  by hbit, he e  b juge, seei g o ch ce, hesittes   u s
him out. If  goo Off-hitte    goo Leg-hitte  e i togethe ,

the sme fiel tht checks the o e ill give  ope i g to the othe .
F eque t ch ge of bole s, he e to me  e mki g u s, is goo: but
o ot ch ge goo boli g fo i fe io , till it is hit; u less, you
k o you btsm is   ge ous m , o ly iti g till his eyes  e
ope .
With  fi e fo   plye ,  e Mile-icket o fo   Poi t ofte
s ps up  ctch, he the Bole v ies his time; ge e lly,  thi 
Slip c h ly be sp e.
If you Wicket-keepe is ot likely to stump  y o e, mke  Slip of
him, p ovie you ply  Sho t-leg; othe ise he is  te t the
icket to sve the si gle u s.
A  if Poi t is o goo s Poi t fo  sh p ctch, mke  fiel of
him. A b Poi t ill mke mo e ctches,   sve mo e u s some y s
bck. M y  time hve I see both Poi t   Wicket-keepe st i g
he e they e e of o use. The ge e l must plce his me ot o  y
pl o theo y, but he e ech p ticul m s poe s c be tu e
to the best ccou t. We hve l ey me tio e the commo e o of
me st i g too f to sve O e,   ot s f s is comptible ith
svi g To.
With  f ee hitte ,  m ho oes ot pitch ve y f up  se s
best; sho t leg-blls  e ot esily hit. A lobbi g bole , ith the
Lo g-stop,   fou me i ll, o the O sie, ill sho te the
i i gs of m y  epute fi e hitte .
A goo   geme t of you me , cco i g to these p i ciples, ill
mke eleve me o the o k of thi tee . Some me ply e vously t
fi st they come i ,   it is so much ste of you fo ces to ly you
me f out,   eqully  ste ot to ope you fiel s they begi
to hit.
*

We must co clue ith comme ts o the Ls of the Gme.


I. The bll. Befo e the ys of Joh Smll  bll oul ot lst 
mtch; the stitches oul give y. To cll fo  e bll t the
begi i g of ech i i gs is ot custom y o.
II. The bt. He e, the le gth of the ble of  bt my be  y thi g
the plye likes sho t of thi ty-eight i ches. As to the ith,  i o
f me s use i the ol Hmbleo Club s  guge, i those p imitive
ys he the Hmpshi e yeome shpe out thei o bts.
V. The poppi g c ese must be fou feet f om the icket,  
p llel to it: u limite i le gth, but ot sho te th the boli g
c ese,--_u limite_ i this se se tht it shll ot be si the u e
is out becuse he  ou  his g ou .
The boli g c ese is limite; becuse, othe ise, the btsm eve
coul tke gu ;   umpi es shoul be ve y c eful to cll No Bll,
if the bole bols outsie the etu c ese.
The etu , o c ese, is ot limite; becuse it is gi st 
btsm s i te est to u ie of his icket;    little ltitue is
equisite to p eve t  ge ous collisio ith the icket-keepe .

VI. The ickets. Sec et ies shoul p ovie  ule, o f me,
co sisti g of to ooe mesu es, si feet eight i ches lo g,   fou
feet p t,   p llel. The , ith  chi of te ty-to y s, the
eltive positio s of the to ickets my be ccu tely ete mi e.
IX. The bole . O e foot o the g ou . No m c elive  bll
ith the foot ot touchi g the g ou  i the full si g of boli g. So,
if the foot is ove the c ese, the e is o oubt of its bei g o the
g ou .
X. The bll must be bole: ot th o o je ke: he e the e is ot 
o  bout touchi g the sie ith the  m. It is left to the umpi e
to ecie ht is  je k. We o ce he   umpi e ske, ho coul you
mke tht out to be  je k?
I sy it is  je k becuse it is  je k, s the se sible eply. I
k o  je k he I see o e,   I hve  ight to believe my eyes,
though I c ot efi e he ei  je k co sists.
I  je k the e is  ce ti mech icl p ecisio   cu l of the bll
holly u like fi boli g.
A th o my be me i to ys; o e y ith   m e ly st ight
f om fi st to lst: this th o ith st ight  m equi es the h  to
be ise s high s the he,   b ought o i  hi l o ci cle,
the co t  y foot bei g use s the pivot o hich the boy moves i
the elive y. But the mo e commo th o, u e p ete ce of boli g,
esults f om the h  bei g fi st be t o the fo e- m,   the poe
of elive y bei g gi e by the sue lsh out   st ighte i g of
the elbo. It is  mistke to sy tht the ctio of the  ist mkes 
th o.
I elive y me s some ctio so clle: if the me e ope i g of the
h  is elive y of the bll, the the o ly questio is the height
of the h  the mome t it ope s. But if, s e thi k, elive y
comp ehe s the lst ctio of the  m tht gives such ope i g of the
h  effect, the i o p t of tht ctio my the h  be bove the
shoule .
Fu the , i cse of oubt s to fi boli g, the umpi e is to ecie
gi st the bole ; so the h  must be _cle ly_ ot bove the
shoule ,   the bll s cle ly ot th o , o je ke.
No, s to high elive y s  sou ce of  ge , e eve yet it esse
tht ki  of high boli g tht mitte of   ge ous i c ese of
spee i   g y mome t. The o ly boli g eve eeme  ge ous, hs
bee cle ly belo the shoule ,   svou i g mo e of  je k, o of 
u e h  sli g, o th o, th of the ou - me o high elive y.
Such bole s e e M . Osblesto e, B o e of B ighto , M . Ki  , M .
Felloes,   M . M co , eithe of hom, ecept o smooth g ou ,
shoul e ish to e cou te .
But, e hve ofte bee ske, o the l   the p ctice coi cie?
Is it ot  fct tht fe ou - me bole s  e cle ly belo
the shoule ? U oubtely this is the fct. The bette the bole ,
s e hve l ey epli e, the mo e ho izo tl   the fi e
his elive y. Cobbett   Hillye hve emi e tly eemplifie this
p i ciple; but mo gst mteu s   ll but the most p ctise bole s,
lloi g, of cou se, fo some eceptio s, the l is hbitully

i f i ge. I  cou t y mtch  st ict umpi e oul ofte c y o bll


to the bole s o both sies, c mp thei ctio , p ouce ie blls
  loose boli g,   eve tully, ot to spoil the ys spo t, the
to p ties oul come to  comp omise. A  o such thi gs eve hppe ?
Not ofte . Becuse the umpi es ee cise  eg ee of isc etio ,  
the l i the cou t y is ofte  e lette . P cticlly, the 10th
l e bles  fi umpi e to p eve t  u isguise    ge ous
th o; but, t the sme time, it e bles  u fi umpi e to put sie
some p omisi g plye ho is s fi s his eighbou s, but hs ot the
sme clique to suppo t him.
Wht, the , oul e suggest? The ifficulty is i the tu e of
the cse. To leve ll to the umpi es isc etio oul, s to fi
boli g, i c ese those evils of p tility,  , i ste of 
u ce ti st  , e shoul hve o st   t ll. With fi
umpi es the l oes s ell s m y othe ls s it is; ith u fi
umpi es o fo m of o s oul me  the mtte . I c eve fo get
the em k of the lte M . W :--C ickete s  e  ve y pecebly
ispose set of me . We ply fo the love of ply; the fi e the
ply the bette e like it. Othe ise, so i efi ite is the tu e
of ou - m boli g, tht I eve yet s  mtch bout hich the
isco te te might ot fi   p etet fo    gle. I m hppy to
, i the ye 1850, the M.C.C. psse  _ esolutio _ to e fo ce the
l of fi elive y. The violtio of this l h, e k o, become
lmost co ve tio l; this co ve tio the M.C.C. hve o ig o e i
the st o gest te ms; they hve cutio e thei umpi es, p omise to
suppo t them i  i epe e t jugme t,   ily e cou ge them i
the pe fo m ce of thei u ples t uty. This is begi i g t the
ight e . To epect  juge to o tht hich he believes ill be the
sig l fo his o ismissl is too much.
The bsu ity of hvi g  l   b eki g it, is obvious; so let
me i sist o  ee  gume t, mely, tht to i ulge  bole i
 u fi elive y is mistke ki  ess, fo the fi est ho izo tl
elive y, like Cobbetts   Regtes, te s most to tht spi , tist,
quick ise, shooti g   cutti g,   tht v iety fte the pitch i
hich effective boli g co sists. A th o is ve y esy to ply--s it
comes o , so it bou s up: the btsm feels little c eit ue,  
the spectto feels s little i te est. The bll leves the h  t
o ce ithout  y otto y motio ,   o e bll of the sme pitch  
pce is like  othe . Ve y iffe e t is tht life   vitlity i the
bll s it spi s y f om the skimmi g   lo elive y of  h  like
Cobbetts. The  gle of eflectio is ot to be clculte by the  gle
of i cie ce o e i te times, ith such spi i g blls. Tht otto y
motio hich mkes  bullet gl ce i ste of pe et ti g--tht cuses
the sloly-movi g top to fly off ith i c ese spee he ubbi g
gi st the ll--tht ete mi es the  gle f om the cushio ,  
eithe the folloi g o the   bck of  billi  bll--tht
sme ottio ou  its o is, o the sme spi , hich  c icket
bll eceives i p opo tio s the h  is ho izo tl   the boli g
lful, ete mi es the v iety of eve y bll of  simil pce  
pitch, t lest he the g ou  is t ue.
Whethe p ecisio   ccu cy  e s esily tti e ith  lo
s ith  high elive y, is  othe questio ; eithe shoul I be
su p ise o so y if fi elive y ecessitte  ie icket.
A highe icket oul fvou the ough g ou  th scie tific
boli g; but  ie icket oul o justice to tht spi   tist,
hich ofte is the me s of missi g the icket hich ith bette luck
might hve bee levelle. Amteu s ply c icket fo ec etio --s 

plesu e, ot  busi ess--  epe ie ce shos tht  y lte tio


hich oul e cou ge the p ctice of boli g oul g etly imp ove
c icket. I cou t y mtches, bole s stipulte fo fou blls o si;
hy ot mke mtches to ply ith  icket of eight i ches, o eve
telve? I h the see  bll go  yhe e th i to the lo g-stops
h s, o i to the btsm s fce. So, give us fi boli g    ie
icket,   let mteu s hve the g tifictio of seei g the bole s,
o hom the scie ce of the gme   the ho ou of victo y chiefly
epe s, o lo ge give me to ply the gme fo them, but the fi
ep ese ttives of thei o club o thei o cou ty.
XI. He my equi e the st ike t the icket f om hich he is boli g,
to st  o tht sie of it hich he my i ect.
Que y. C  bole give gu  fo o e sie of the icket   bol the
othe ? No l (though l XXXVI. my pply) pli ly fo bis it; still,
o ge tlem oul eve ply ith such  bole  othe time.
XII. If the bole shll toss the bll ove the st ike s he. As
to ie blls, some thi k the e shoul be  m k, mki g the sme bll
ie to  m of si feet   to  m of five. With goo umpi es, the
l is bette s it is. Still,  y p ties c g ee o  m k fo ie
blls, if they plese, befo e they begi the gme.
Bol it so ie. These o s sy othi g bout the bll pitchi g mo e
o less st ight   tu i g off fte  s: the ist ce of the bll
he it psses the btsm is the poi t t issue.
XVI. O if the bll be hel befo e it touch the g ou . Que y; is
it Out, if  bll is cught olli g bck off the te t? If the bll
st iki g the te t is, by g eeme t, so m y u s, the the bll is e
   m c ot the efo e be out. Othe ise, I shoul eso tht the
te t, bei g o the g ou , is s p t of the g ou . By the spi it
of the l it is _ ot out_, by the lette _out_. But, to voi the
questio , the bette pl oul be ot to ctch the bll,   isi
to i  mtch ecept by goo ply.
XVIII. O , if i st iki g t the bll, he hit o his icket.-I st iki g, ot i u i g  otch, hoeve k ly.
XIX. O , if u e p ete ce of u i g, o othe ise.
O othe ise; s, fo i st ce, by clli g out, pu posely to bulk
the ctche .
XX. O , if the bll be st uck,   he ilfully st ike it gi .
Wilfully st ike it gi . This obviously me s, he  m blocks 
bll,   fte  s hits it y to mke u s. A m my hit  bll
out of his icket, o block it h . The umpi e is sole juge of the
st ike s i te tio , hethe to sco e o to gu .
This l s, i o e memo ble i st ce, pplie to the cse of T.
W sop,  fi e Notti ghm plye , ho, i  mtch t Sheffiel i 1822,
s he s u i g  otch, hit the bll to p eve t it comi g home to
the icket-keepe s h s. Cl ke, ho s the plyi g, thi ks the
plye s p ope ly give out. Ce ti ly he ese ve to be out but ol
ls o ot lys fit e offe ces, hoeve flg  t.

XXI. With bll i h . The sme h .


Bt (i h ); tht is, ot th o .
XXIII. If the st ike touch. This pplies to the Notti ghm cse
bette th L XX.; but eithe of these ls co templte the ect
offe ce. A bll o ce  up  m s bt,   spu i to the pocket of
his jcket;   s he touche the bll to get it out of his pocket,
he s give out. The eply of M . Bell o the subject s, the plye
s out fo _touchi g_ the bll--he might hve shke it out of his
pocket. This e me tio fo the cu iosity of the occu e ce.
XXIV. O , if ith  y p t of his pe so , &c.
A m hs bee p ope ly give out by stoppi g  bll ith his  m belo
the elbo. Also  sho t m , ho stoope to let the bll pss ove his
he,   s hit i the fce, s o ce give out, s befo e icket.
F om it; tht is, the bll must pitch i  li e, ot f om the h ,
but f om icket to icket.
Much hs bee si o the Leg-befo e-Wicket l.
Cl ke   othe s sy tht  ou - m bole c  ely hit the icket
t ll ith  bll ot ove -pitche, u less it pitch out of the li e
of the ickets. If this is t ue,  bll tht hs bee pitche st ight
oul _ ot_ hve hit it;    bll tht oul hve hit it, coul
ot hve bee pitche st ight;   the efo e, it is  gue the
co itio i  st ight li e f om it (the icket) shoul be lte e
to i  st ight li e f om the bole s h .
A  ht o e sy?
B i g the questio to  issue thus: st etch  thi hite st i g f om
the leg-stump of the st ike s icket to the off-stump of the bole s
icket;   let  y ou - me bole (ho oes ot bol ove the
icket) t y hethe goo le gth blls, hich o ot pitch outsie
of the si st i g, ill hit the icket egul ly, tht is, of thei
commo te e cy   ot s  b ek.
My fi m belief is, tht this epe ime t (ith  bole   
st i g) ill co vi ce  y o e tht the to co itio s of bei g out
leg-befo e-icket (st ight pitch,   oul hve hit) c ot,
ecept by ccie t, be fulfille by  o i  y ou - me bole ;  
if so, the l of leg-befo e-icket shoul equi e tht the bll pitch
st ight ot f om the bole s icket, but st ight f om the bole s
h .
_Objectio ._ This oul mke the umpi es tsk too ifficult: you
oul thus mke him guess ht s st ight f om the h , but he c
ctully see ht is st ight f om the icket.
_A se ._ This ifficulty is  imgi  y o e. A umpi e must be bli 
i ee, ot to isce he the bll keeps its tu l li e f om the
h  to the icket,   he it pitches out of tht li e,   the
b uptly tu s i to it. Besies, s the l o st s, the umpi e hs
the sme ifficulty   the sme isc etio , fo ho c he ecie the
co itio , oul hve hit, ithout mki g llo ce fo the ie  m,
  the o ki g of the bll,   b i gi g the si objectio ble
_guessi g_ i to equisitio ? The jugme t o p opose fo the umpi e,

is o ifficulty t ll, but the jugme t he hs l ey to ee cise is


 g et ifficulty i ee. Ho ofte is  btsm co vi ce, tht the
bll tht hit him befo e icket s mki g so b upt  tu , tht it
must hve misse the icket,  , but fo tht b upt tu , oul eve
hve hit him t ll. I o ot believe tht of the me give out leg
befo e icket, o e i th ee  e ese vely out. But, ofte o e see 
icket sve by the leg   ps, he both the skill of the bole  
the blu e of the btsm ese ve flli g stumps.
With these obse vtio s, I must leve my f ie s to the f ee
ee cise of thei hes   h s, feet   fculties, ptie ce  
pe seve  ce, holi g myself up to them s  emple i o e espect
o ly, tht I m ot too ol to le ,   ill th kfully eceive  y
co t ibutio , hethe f om pe o pe cil, tht is clculte to e ich
o to illust te  o k, hich, I m but too hppy to ck olege, the
commu ity of c ickete s hve opte s thei o .

LONDON:
A.   G. A. SPOTTISWOODE,
Ne-st eet-Squ e.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRICKET FIELD***


******* This file shoul be me 52022-0.tt o 52022-0.zip *******
This   ll ssocite files of v ious fo mts ill be fou  i :
http://.gute be g.o g/i s/5/2/0/2/52022
Upte eitio s ill eplce the p evious o e--the ol eitio s ill
be e me.
C eti g the o ks f om p i t eitio s ot p otecte by U.S. copy ight
l me s tht o o e o s  U ite Sttes copy ight i these o ks,
so the Fou tio (  you!) c copy   ist ibute it i the U ite
Sttes ithout pe missio   ithout pyi g copy ight
oylties. Specil ules, set fo th i the Ge e l Te ms of Use p t
of this lice se, pply to copyi g   ist ibuti g P oject
Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks to p otect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
co cept   t em k. P oject Gute be g is  egiste e t em k,
  my ot be use if you ch ge fo the eBooks, u less you eceive
specific pe missio . If you o ot ch ge  ythi g fo copies of this
eBook, complyi g ith the ules is ve y esy. You my use this eBook
fo e ly  y pu pose such s c etio of e ivtive o ks, epo ts,
pe fo m ces   ese ch. They my be moifie   p i te   give
y--you my o p cticlly ANYTHING i the U ite Sttes ith eBooks
ot p otecte by U.S. copy ight l. Reist ibutio is subject to the
t em k lice se, especilly comme cil eist ibutio .
START: FULL LICENSE
THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To p otect the P oject Gute be g-tm missio of p omoti g the f ee


ist ibutio of elect o ic o ks, by usi g o ist ibuti g this o k
(o  y othe o k ssocite i  y y ith the ph se "P oject
Gute be g"), you g ee to comply ith ll the te ms of the Full
P oject Gute be g-tm Lice se vilble ith this file o o li e t
.gute be g.o g/lice se.
Sectio 1. Ge e l Te ms of Use   Reist ibuti g P oject
Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks
1.A. By ei g o usi g  y p t of this P oject Gute be g-tm
elect o ic o k, you i icte tht you hve e, u e st , g ee to
  ccept ll the te ms of this lice se   i tellectul p ope ty
(t em k/copy ight) g eeme t. If you o ot g ee to bie by ll
the te ms of this g eeme t, you must cese usi g   etu o
est oy ll copies of P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks i you
possessio . If you pi  fee fo obti i g  copy of o ccess to 
P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o k   you o ot g ee to be bou 
by the te ms of this g eeme t, you my obti  efu  f om the
pe so o e tity to hom you pi the fee s set fo th i p g ph
1.E.8.
1.B. "P oject Gute be g" is  egiste e t em k. It my o ly be
use o o ssocite i  y y ith  elect o ic o k by people ho
g ee to be bou  by the te ms of this g eeme t. The e  e  fe
thi gs tht you c o ith most P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks
eve ithout complyi g ith the full te ms of this g eeme t. See
p g ph 1.C belo. The e  e  lot of thi gs you c o ith P oject
Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks if you follo the te ms of this
g eeme t   help p ese ve f ee futu e ccess to P oject Gute be g-tm
elect o ic o ks. See p g ph 1.E belo.
1.C. The P oject Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio ("the
Fou tio " o PGLAF), o s  compiltio copy ight i the collectio
of P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks. Ne ly ll the i iviul
o ks i the collectio  e i the public omi i the U ite
Sttes. If  i iviul o k is u p otecte by copy ight l i the
U ite Sttes   you  e locte i the U ite Sttes, e o ot
clim  ight to p eve t you f om copyi g, ist ibuti g, pe fo mi g,
isplyi g o c eti g e ivtive o ks bse o the o k s lo g s
ll efe e ces to P oject Gute be g  e emove. Of cou se, e hope
tht you ill suppo t the P oject Gute be g-tm missio of p omoti g
f ee ccess to elect o ic o ks by f eely sh i g P oject Gute be g-tm
o ks i compli ce ith the te ms of this g eeme t fo keepi g the
P oject Gute be g-tm me ssocite ith the o k. You c esily
comply ith the te ms of this g eeme t by keepi g this o k i the
sme fo mt ith its ttche full P oject Gute be g-tm Lice se he
you sh e it ithout ch ge ith othe s.
1.D. The copy ight ls of the plce he e you  e locte lso gove
ht you c o ith this o k. Copy ight ls i most cou t ies  e
i  co st t stte of ch ge. If you  e outsie the U ite Sttes,
check the ls of you cou t y i itio to the te ms of this
g eeme t befo e o loi g, copyi g, isplyi g, pe fo mi g,
ist ibuti g o c eti g e ivtive o ks bse o this o k o  y
othe P oject Gute be g-tm o k. The Fou tio mkes o
ep ese ttio s co ce i g the copy ight sttus of  y o k i  y
cou t y outsie the U ite Sttes.
1.E. U less you hve emove ll efe e ces to P oject Gute be g:

1.E.1. The folloi g se te ce, ith ctive li ks to, o othe


immeite ccess to, the full P oject Gute be g-tm Lice se must ppe
p omi e tly he eve  y copy of  P oject Gute be g-tm o k ( y o k
o hich the ph se "P oject Gute be g" ppe s, o ith hich the
ph se "P oject Gute be g" is ssocite) is ccesse, isplye,
pe fo me, viee, copie o ist ibute:
This eBook is fo the use of  yo e  yhe e i the U ite Sttes  
most othe p ts of the o l t o cost   ith lmost o
est ictio s htsoeve . You my copy it, give it y o e-use it
u e the te ms of the P oject Gute be g Lice se i clue ith this
eBook o o li e t .gute be g.o g. If you  e ot locte i the
U ite Sttes, youll hve to check the ls of the cou t y he e you
 e locte befo e usi g this ebook.
1.E.2. If  i iviul P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o k is
e ive f om tets ot p otecte by U.S. copy ight l (oes ot
co ti  otice i icti g tht it is poste ith pe missio of the
copy ight hole ), the o k c be copie   ist ibute to  yo e i
the U ite Sttes ithout pyi g  y fees o ch ges. If you  e
eist ibuti g o p ovii g ccess to  o k ith the ph se "P oject
Gute be g" ssocite ith o ppe i g o the o k, you must comply
eithe ith the equi eme ts of p g phs 1.E.1 th ough 1.E.7 o
obti pe missio fo the use of the o k   the P oject Gute be g-tm
t em k s set fo th i p g phs 1.E.8 o 1.E.9.
1.E.3. If  i iviul P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o k is poste
ith the pe missio of the copy ight hole , you use   ist ibutio
must comply ith both p g phs 1.E.1 th ough 1.E.7    y
itio l te ms impose by the copy ight hole . Aitio l te ms
ill be li ke to the P oject Gute be g-tm Lice se fo ll o ks
poste ith the pe missio of the copy ight hole fou  t the
begi i g of this o k.
1.E.4. Do ot u li k o etch o emove the full P oject Gute be g-tm
Lice se te ms f om this o k, o  y files co ti i g  p t of this
o k o  y othe o k ssocite ith P oject Gute be g-tm.
1.E.5. Do ot copy, isply, pe fo m, ist ibute o eist ibute this
elect o ic o k, o  y p t of this elect o ic o k, ithout
p omi e tly isplyi g the se te ce set fo th i p g ph 1.E.1 ith
ctive li ks o immeite ccess to the full te ms of the P oject
Gute be g-tm Lice se.
1.E.6. You my co ve t to   ist ibute this o k i  y bi  y,
comp esse, m ke up, o p op iet y o p op iet y fo m, i clui g
 y o  p ocessi g o hype tet fo m. Hoeve , if you p ovie ccess
to o ist ibute copies of  P oject Gute be g-tm o k i  fo mt
othe th "Pli V ill ASCII" o othe fo mt use i the officil
ve sio poste o the officil P oject Gute be g-tm eb site
(.gute be g.o g), you must, t o itio l cost, fee o epe se
to the use , p ovie  copy,  me s of epo ti g  copy, o  me s
of obti i g  copy upo equest, of the o k i its o igi l "Pli
V ill ASCII" o othe fo m. A y lte te fo mt must i clue the
full P oject Gute be g-tm Lice se s specifie i p g ph 1.E.1.
1.E.7. Do ot ch ge  fee fo ccess to, viei g, isplyi g,
pe fo mi g, copyi g o ist ibuti g  y P oject Gute be g-tm o ks
u less you comply ith p g ph 1.E.8 o 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You my ch ge  eso ble fee fo copies of o p ovii g


ccess to o ist ibuti g P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks
p ovie tht
* You py  oylty fee of 20% of the g oss p ofits you e ive f om
the use of P oject Gute be g-tm o ks clculte usi g the metho
you l ey use to clculte you pplicble tes. The fee is oe
to the o e of the P oject Gute be g-tm t em k, but he hs
g ee to o te oylties u e this p g ph to the P oject
Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio . Roylty pyme ts must be pi
ithi 60 ys folloi g ech te o hich you p ep e (o  e
leglly equi e to p ep e) you pe ioic t etu s. Roylty
pyme ts shoul be cle ly m ke s such   se t to the P oject
Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio t the  ess specifie i
Sectio 4, "I fo mtio bout o tio s to the P oject Gute be g
Lite  y A chive Fou tio ."
* You p ovie  full efu  of  y mo ey pi by  use ho otifies
you i  iti g (o by e-mil) ithi 30 ys of eceipt tht s/he
oes ot g ee to the te ms of the full P oject Gute be g-tm
Lice se. You must equi e such  use to etu o est oy ll
copies of the o ks possesse i  physicl meium   isco ti ue
ll use of   ll ccess to othe copies of P oject Gute be g-tm
o ks.
* You p ovie, i cco  ce ith p g ph 1.F.3,  full efu  of
 y mo ey pi fo  o k o  eplceme t copy, if  efect i the
elect o ic o k is iscove e   epo te to you ithi 90 ys of
eceipt of the o k.
* You comply ith ll othe te ms of this g eeme t fo f ee
ist ibutio of P oject Gute be g-tm o ks.
1.E.9. If you ish to ch ge  fee o ist ibute  P oject
Gute be g-tm elect o ic o k o g oup of o ks o iffe e t te ms th
 e set fo th i this g eeme t, you must obti pe missio i  iti g
f om both the P oject Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio   The
P oject Gute be g T em k LLC, the o e of the P oject Gute be g-tm
t em k. Co tct the Fou tio s set fo th i Sectio 3 belo.
1.F.
1.F.1. P oject Gute be g volu tee s   employees epe  co sie ble
effo t to ie tify, o copy ight ese ch o , t  sc ibe   p oof e
o ks ot p otecte by U.S. copy ight l i c eti g the P oject
Gute be g-tm collectio . Despite these effo ts, P oject Gute be g-tm
elect o ic o ks,   the meium o hich they my be sto e, my
co ti "Defects," such s, but ot limite to, i complete, i ccu te
o co upt t, t  sc iptio e o s,  copy ight o othe
i tellectul p ope ty i f i geme t,  efective o mge isk o
othe meium,  compute vi us, o compute coes tht mge o
c ot be e by you equipme t.
1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Ecept fo the "Right
of Replceme t o Refu " esc ibe i p g ph 1.F.3, the P oject
Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio , the o e of the P oject
Gute be g-tm t em k,    y othe p ty ist ibuti g  P oject
Gute be g-tm elect o ic o k u e this g eeme t, isclim ll
libility to you fo mges, costs   epe ses, i clui g legl

fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.
1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you iscove 
efect i this elect o ic o k ithi 90 ys of eceivi g it, you c
eceive  efu  of the mo ey (if  y) you pi fo it by se i g 
 itte epl tio to the pe so you eceive the o k f om. If you
eceive the o k o  physicl meium, you must etu the meium
ith you  itte epl tio . The pe so o e tity tht p ovie you
ith the efective o k my elect to p ovie  eplceme t copy i
lieu of  efu . If you eceive the o k elect o iclly, the pe so
o e tity p ovii g it to you my choose to give you  seco 
oppo tu ity to eceive the o k elect o iclly i lieu of  efu . If
the seco  copy is lso efective, you my em   efu  i  iti g
ithout fu the oppo tu ities to fi the p oblem.
1.F.4. Ecept fo the limite ight of eplceme t o efu  set fo th
i p g ph 1.F.3, this o k is p ovie to you AS-IS, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
1.F.5. Some sttes o ot llo isclime s of ce ti implie
  ties o the eclusio o limittio of ce ti types of
mges. If  y isclime o limittio set fo th i this g eeme t
violtes the l of the stte pplicble to this g eeme t, the
g eeme t shll be i te p ete to mke the mimum isclime o
limittio pe mitte by the pplicble stte l. The i vliity o
u e fo cebility of  y p ovisio of this g eeme t shll ot voi the
emi i g p ovisio s.
1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You g ee to i em ify   hol the Fou tio , the
t em k o e ,  y ge t o employee of the Fou tio ,  yo e
p ovii g copies of P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks i
cco  ce ith this g eeme t,    y volu tee s ssocite ith the
p ouctio , p omotio   ist ibutio of P oject Gute be g-tm
elect o ic o ks, h mless f om ll libility, costs   epe ses,
i clui g legl fees, tht  ise i ectly o i i ectly f om  y of
the folloi g hich you o o cuse to occu : () ist ibutio of this
o  y P oject Gute be g-tm o k, (b) lte tio , moifictio , o
itio s o eletio s to  y P oject Gute be g-tm o k,   (c)  y
Defect you cuse.
Sectio 2. I fo mtio bout the Missio of P oject Gute be g-tm
P oject Gute be g-tm is sy o ymous ith the f ee ist ibutio of
elect o ic o ks i fo mts eble by the iest v iety of
compute s i clui g obsolete, ol, mile-ge   e compute s. It
eists becuse of the effo ts of hu  es of volu tee s   o tio s
f om people i ll lks of life.
Volu tee s   fi  cil suppo t to p ovie volu tee s ith the
ssist ce they ee  e c iticl to echi g P oject Gute be g-tms
gols   e su i g tht the P oject Gute be g-tm collectio ill
emi f eely vilble fo ge e tio s to come. I 2001, the P oject
Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio s c ete to p ovie  secu e

  pe m e t futu e fo P oject Gute be g-tm   futu e


ge e tio s. To le mo e bout the P oject Gute be g Lite  y
A chive Fou tio   ho you effo ts   o tio s c help, see
Sectio s 3   4   the Fou tio i fo mtio pge t
.gute be g.o g
Sectio 3. I fo mtio bout the P oject Gute be g Lite  y
A chive Fou tio
The P oject Gute be g Lite  y A chive Fou tio is  o p ofit
501(c)(3) euctio l co po tio o g ize u e the ls of the
stte of Mississippi   g  te t eempt sttus by the I te l
Reve ue Se vice. The Fou tio s EIN o fee l t ie tifictio
umbe is 64-6221541. Co t ibutio s to the P oject Gute be g Lite  y
A chive Fou tio  e t euctible to the full ete t pe mitte by
U.S. fee l ls   you sttes ls.
The Fou tio s p i cipl office is i Fi b ks, Alsk, ith the
mili g  ess: PO Bo 750175, Fi b ks, AK 99775, but its
volu tee s   employees  e sctte e th oughout ume ous
loctio s. Its busi ess office is locte t 809 No th 1500 West, Slt
Lke City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Emil co tct li ks   up to
te co tct i fo mtio c be fou  t the Fou tio s eb site  
officil pge t .gute be g.o g/co tct
Fo itio l co tct i fo mtio :
D . G ego y B. Neby
Chief Eecutive   Di ecto
gb eby@pglf.o g
Sectio 4. I fo mtio bout Do tio s to the P oject Gute be g
Lite  y A chive Fou tio
P oject Gute be g-tm epe s upo   c ot su vive ithout ie
sp e public suppo t   o tio s to c y out its missio of
i c esi g the umbe of public omi   lice se o ks tht c be
f eely ist ibute i mchi e eble fo m ccessible by the iest
 y of equipme t i clui g outte equipme t. M y smll o tio s
($1 to $5,000)  e p ticul ly impo t t to mi ti i g t eempt
sttus ith the IRS.
The Fou tio is committe to complyi g ith the ls egulti g
ch ities   ch itble o tio s i ll 50 sttes of the U ite
Sttes. Compli ce equi eme ts  e ot u ifo m   it tkes 
co sie ble effo t, much ppe o k   m y fees to meet   keep up
ith these equi eme ts. We o ot solicit o tio s i loctio s
he e e hve ot eceive  itte co fi mtio of compli ce. To SEND
DONATIONS o ete mi e the sttus of compli ce fo  y p ticul
stte visit .gute be g.o g/o te
While e c ot   o ot solicit co t ibutio s f om sttes he e e
hve ot met the solicittio equi eme ts, e k o of o p ohibitio
gi st ccepti g u solicite o tio s f om o o s i such sttes ho
pp och us ith offe s to o te.
I te tio l o tio s  e g tefully ccepte, but e c ot mke
 y stteme ts co ce i g t t etme t of o tio s eceive f om
outsie the U ite Sttes. U.S. ls lo e smp ou smll stff.

Plese check the P oject Gute be g Web pges fo cu e t o tio


methos    esses. Do tio s  e ccepte i  umbe of othe
ys i clui g checks, o li e pyme ts   c eit c  o tio s. To
o te, plese visit: .gute be g.o g/o te
Sectio 5. Ge e l I fo mtio About P oject Gute be g-tm elect o ic o ks.
P ofesso Michel S. H t s the o igi to of the P oject
Gute be g-tm co cept of  lib  y of elect o ic o ks tht coul be
f eely sh e ith  yo e. Fo fo ty ye s, he p ouce  
ist ibute P oject Gute be g-tm eBooks ith o ly  loose eto k of
volu tee suppo t.
P oject Gute be g-tm eBooks  e ofte c ete f om seve l p i te
eitio s, ll of hich  e co fi me s ot p otecte by copy ight i
the U.S. u less  copy ight otice is i clue. Thus, e o ot
ecess ily keep eBooks i compli ce ith  y p ticul ppe
eitio .
Most people st t t ou Web site hich hs the mi PG se ch
fcility: .gute be g.o g
This Web site i clues i fo mtio bout P oject Gute be g-tm,
i clui g ho to mke o tio s to the P oject Gute be g Lite  y
A chive Fou tio , ho to help p ouce ou e eBooks,   ho to
subsc ibe to ou emil eslette to he bout e eBooks.

You might also like