CEICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 217, 10 September 1904, Page 12

CEICKET.

HINTS TO YOUNG CRICKETERS

(By An Old Cricketer.)

Its to the schools we must look for our future cricketers,, for everyone mast know that cricket is best learned in boyhood. I would say to the boys always try to field, well. Make it your forte to become one of the best at school, and the place to do that is to take up long stopping and do it well if you can. Then in time you would be able to field in any other part of the field, if required. Do not think batting is all that makes one a good cricketer. It ii-s nice to make a few runs, and to be a first-class bat; but it is better to be a sure eat eh and a quick return, for surely one run saved is a≤ good as two made. How many time-* do we notice that the. one who has made a large score has been lei. off by Mr Butterfingers. Yes. Never, if you can help it,"until you are master of the game, practice before the nets. If you do you lose that best part, the learning of fiehling. I would ask -any sensible person who understands the game i! a cricketer is likely to learn fielding before the nets. The nets are right in their place, when a few want a game. But what is needed to make fielding a success is to always practice on an open

ground. Then I would say to the boy who fancies he can bowl, "and intends to make that part his forte. Never try to do as it is stated that Spofforth said to bo\s, put on all force when commencing to -bowl. That is a mistake, because the bowler would soon tire himself. Just try and get the "proper length from different kinds of delivery, so that in time the bowler will have power over the ball. Never keep belting away just at one .place and spa-ce. If unable to get die twist on just get a feather and stick chat into the ground, .say, a yard off the straight line from wicket to wicket, and try to take the feather and stumps at the same time, or I would say with the same ball. Then reverse the sides. If it is a failure go ba<k to your own ideae, and in bowling to one that plays bacfc almost, up to his wicket, after failing to get him. just try one or two balls, say, six feet shorter, then put him one right up under the bottom of his bftt. If that fails, then yorker him. When that is mastered put on Spofforth/s force, but never be spiteful •when, bowling to any batsman. J remember when Bob Oaffyn played against J. Jackson. Before going in his hands would tremble so aineh he had to get. some one to button his gloves, for Jackson had often bowled right -at him with all the force of a cannon, as lie. being a tifteen-stone man, was as strong as a lion. But at the same lyne the umpire could not prove that lie intended to hurt the batsman wilfully. But Caffyn used to punish his bowling after he got settled.

Now I would say to the young batsman neveT show off with the 'bat before you are abip to handle it "well. Take the bat nrmly in your hand, ]ift your right hand as the case may be, get your proper block, stand firmly with rhe left or right foot advanced about- eighteen inrh<"S. keep your eye on the bowler's hand, then you have the chance to see what kind of a ball you are likely to get. Then try with a nerve to play it with judgment. If it comes on the offside, smartly bring the left foot to the front. If low, play it between mid-off and point, if you can. That is placing the ball. But if it is half up the wicket, then instead just turn the bat half round and smartly cut it past slip or through slip and 'cover-point. That is done with the right band after much practice. if off the wicket bring up the bat and chop it. By not reaching the ground with the bottom of the bat, the hall will glance between the two slips. But if the ball is straight and a bailer, a practised hand will just .smartly bring up his left foot and with his right hand and wrist iut it between point and cover-point. There are two kinds of leg ball—one at the knee and the other more off. Well for the first bring up the left foot half way to the right, then pjay to squareleg or step forward in front of the wicket. But that is a dangerous form unless you have made it a practice. A better way is to play eneh balls between the legs. But if the ball comes to leg properly, bring up the advancing foot, and at the same time the bat up over the shoulder and smartly hit it to leg. If the ball comes betw-een the bat and leg. play it> with what are called a snick or draw it by lifting the end of the bat and let it glance under; that is, if it is near the ground. But should 'it be knee-high, bring the face of your bat round leftwards and play it between your leg and wicket. In playing one straight on the wicket you must use your own judgment in blocking or otherwise be careful. In blocking always lean the handle of the bat forward and keep the ball down. Always try to place the ■ball if you can on either side of your wicket. There is nothing so puzzles the field as place-hitting. It requires great judgment. Always try to play the ball down along the ground, but when a ball is coming for a lifter never have two minds about it, but play the bat from the Shoulders—not with stiff arms. Swing with the whole body, like a solid piece, of timber, or just poke it. Never make ;i suwpit for a block, but keep your block after taking it by just naking a line from the centre of your wicket to ■he block taken, and keep it. Stand never bob u.p and down like a Jack-in-the-box. I would ask the boys ! -vhile at school to practise single wicket. llt seems out of date now, but it should i not be, for this reason: It makes a I young bat play more forward, 'as in play- ! ; n? single wicket all runs are made bej.fore the wicket. Tints in after years, I should he shine at the game, lie would be able to put some of the bowling with , thtt practice almost to any pert of the field lie chooses, and be able to use those I place hits which make good cricket.

But to enable one. to practise as stated there must be a practice ground free, not to have to pay for each wicket, as is done in Auckland, before one is able to play. Can any one expect to see our •boys come out even as second with practice before nets. How can the fielding be up to mark unless the}' have a proper wicket and practice days, *o that one is able to take the field as in a match, fcso long as cricket is played as it has been, so long shall we hear of wretched fielding. I saw some of the worst, fielding on the last Saturday in February that I ever saw in all the 59

years durintr which I took part in the ■rame. Paruell and Eden Clubs were matched against each other. At the time I was there Parnell was batting, ami Mason made that wonderful score of 117. Vps; but why? He was misled four times. The first when his *eorr stood a. 13. if I am not mistaken; and yet the onlookers kept clapping , and cheering—for what I could not understand lor the life of mc. I have seen •bette-r fielding even on the village green or on the road, with a. stone for a wicket, » limueapuu bat, and A peg-top

for a ball. I felt for Elliot the «,w tain, and bowlers, but can one J?* , seeing cricket murdered in that f *? ion where, so many matches are pw! on the same ground at the same nl* It is sport for those that arc l!?° ! but not much to onlookers, wW !' teution is taken to other parts CL * can those at play do well, as bills ,2 flying all over the ground. Of cW? is merely practice. Again I savTv, i! proper coaching is wanted liere T ♦ to remember the time when Ifl handled the bat amongst men i L call nothing but the advice "that J*" driven into mc. Stand well up toThf wicket, keep your left shoulder wS fniward, practise constantly and wrtV whole heart into it. Y&, our New Zealand boys done hf? ? ball. Jessop in a recent artL« 9t ' good fielding makes even nioLrS hS mg difficult, whilsf bad fielding a more to demoralise a bowler than „* Kome^TamEk-hardson'sfamou^SS Tlie he.st Wdv to praetisp fi«uto get or allo W \somelnf t riu fi t e &j to you, a.s jt comes off the '*•* ently f rom what it doe, V*£\M :It is also by no means a bad planTnT-"* pense witH a. net when ting a. this cables members t! El m their proper places. fieW W. Watts, WaiukuJ

On the subject of the* invitation „« the Marylebone Cricket Club fn? Australia* Eleven to visit Engla^" visited England in 1902, H. TrumMe « Jones, ami J. Darling have retiroH * L-7" W./-'Howell ... V. WSSjafrgg and S E. Gregory arc not likely £ make the trip. Therefore only ha J f t [ e . band which did so well in 1902 will be available—M. A vlu R. A. Duff. £ Trumper, A. J Honki ' and J. J. Kelly (New South W.S» Hill (South Australia), and ?\' Armstrong (Victoria). This j s cer " tainly a strong nucleus, but it is sadhdeficient in bowlers." H e suggests Jg■matches in various centres, "CertaiiT ties v. Possibles," to unearth, bowlfe. talent. c

Yorkshire and Lancashire contested for 31-icket supremacy on "the Leeds ground. The match ended in a draw so Lancashire's position at the head of the championship table was not disturbed. • But the unbeaten county were outplayed in every department "of the game, and it was only the stubborn defence of that, great little batsmau lyklesley, backed up by au unsurpassed exhibition of stonewalling by Maelaren, that saved the Lancastrians from defeat. Kenuode. the ex-Australian fast bowler, was playing for Lancashire, bub failed to distinguish himself. He secured three Yorkshire wickets for 110 r Una, but was bowled by Hirst for a duck.

F. Shacklock, the Nottinghamshire professional, who was engaged last year by the Dunedin Cricket Association to act as coach for the different local clubs, will this season act in a similar capacity for the Dunedin Cricket Club.

A contretemps unequalled in the modern history of county cricket caused Ox* meeting of Yorkshire and Kent at Harrogate on July 8 to come to an abortive conclusion, the game being abandoned for a reason hitherto without precedent in county cricket. It "seems -ttitt the wicket, during the.night or morning, Tiad been tampered with, water" Being put on and the worn places- filled tip with loose dust and pressed down. \» it was obvious that something had bee* done to the wicket, the captains, aftet a consultation with the umpires, , declared the match off, the scores 'and bowling analysis not counting in the averages.