CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 32, 6 August 1921, Page 11

CRICKET

WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS

HINTS TO CLUBS AND PLAYERS

(By "Not-out.")

It is a very difficult matter to say exactly what the public wants in the way of oricket, because on© finds that in every park of the country the likes and dislikes of the spectators round the ring vary considerably. Some, appreciating the finer points of the game, aro quite satisfied with cricket which would on other grounds call forth a lot of ironical comments; others, being perhaps more used to football and the somewhat intense excitement that one usually experiences during the 'footer" game, are all out for thrills, sometimes quite irrespective of whether they: aro provided by their own men or the visitors. It is only natural that a ring of spectators shb'uld wish their own men to do well, but it is very gratifying to know that there are quite a large number of cases where the visitor who does well receives an equal share of the approbation of the spectators to that of the homo player. Of course- a great deal depends on the methods to which they have been used. Some orowds, to whom stubborn, solid cricket is the everyday dish served up by the home ,team find a more pleasurable interest to those who indulge in a little lightning orioket, no matter whether it is in batting, bowling or fielding. Others, usually those who have played a good deal themselves, find more interest in watching some hard strugglo the outcome of which will in all probability, influence the whole course of the game from a technical point of view, than in seeing an exhibition of wild slogging. KEENNESS IN THE FIELD. Wherever it is and whatever the circumstances, there is no doubt but that one thing in any circumstances would always appeal to a sporting public, and that is summed up ia one word "keenness." That quality may be preserved in all departments of the game, and is really more of a personal matter than one related simply and solely to oricket. But, no matter what the circumstances, a keen orioketer is far more interesting, even though he is only doing the same thing as another more stolid player may be. The outward manifestation of keenness, whioh is really Iwhat the general public probably appreciates most, would lie under three headings, the first and most important of which is good fielding.. This is always appreciated, and, if only it would be realised, it is really quite as important a part of oricket as any other, if not actually the most important. Keenness in bowling is manifested by a player who keeps on trying. Ho may be continually soored off, even hit, but if ha is always trying it is bound to be> visible to the spectators, and that draws their interest. Keennesß in batting; will load a man in ordinary circumstanoes to want to score. If he wants to score he will naturally attempt to take any and every opportunity of doing so. That leads to bright bitting, or the next best thing, the 1 man who has tried to be bright, although he may have failed. Slackness in any department of the! game is the one thing that must be most abhorrent to any ring of spectators, and probably one of the questions which is aaked above is that this blot on any side should be conspicuous by its absence. In using "keenness" and coupling with it "fielding" in answering the question as to what the public wants, one has only to go back' to cases which must surely bo occurring every day, where a player, although he has taken, '.'a blob," has made just as many, if not more, runs than one of his fellows who has perhaps got 20 or 25 on the score-sheet. This by actually stopping the other sida scoring runs which they would otherwise have had to their credit. This same "keenness" applied in yet another direction, apart from the actual playin/r of the game, would do as much towards livening up cricket and satisfying the publW demands as all the previous examples I have given. I refer to the "keenness" which keeps the game continually in motion and reduces tho intervals of waiting to a minimum. Naturally the player looks at this aspect of the game from altogether a different standpoint to that of the spectator; for whereas the latter is out for an idle day's pleasure, and in need of continual excitement to keep him from boredom, tho player is engaged in real hard work—and three days of a first-class cricket match is hard work—and is inclined to welcome any short opportunity for rest which may present itself. But even then there is no reason why the game should not be kept moving as rapidly, aa possible by the fieldsmen quickly taking up their new positions at the end of overy over and the "next man in" losing no time in (jetting to the crease at the fall of a wicket. UMPIRES AND TIME-WASTERS. At almost any match one hears complaints 'with regard to the latter point, and it is certainly one in which there is room for considerable improvement. There is, of course, a rule of the game covering the point, but this is probably more often 'broken than not, and this will continue to be the case until umpires commence to inflict the penalty and "blow out" the batsman who is not at the wicket within the stipulated two minutes from the fall of the last wicket. Only last season considerable discussion on this point arose, over an incident which took place in a' county match in which Somerset were engaged, and it is. probable that cricket- ' era generally read a lesson in this, for it is said that things Have not been quite so slack in the Old Country in this direction since that particular occurrence. But the average spectator sees no reason whatever why the outgoing batsman should not pass hia more unfortunate colleague (.t any rate on the pavilion steps, even if not considerably nearer the wicket. It is evident that nothinpr will satisfy the public so much as the definite result to j a match, the drawn game being unsatisfactory in every way, and the public therefore likes to watch the team which poes all out to win, even though considerable risk is incurred in the doing of it. The maiority of spectators would rathpr see their team_ nctuallv lose, after a gallant ancl enterprising effort to brinsr off the match, than sit out the Jay watchlnpr n Bomfiwhßt .nrC'irv dnfonsivp pjame, the sole object of which is to play out time and thus save the sidn from defent. Players, of course, have other views on t.hia point, and in many cases the thrills in a pomp of this character are nioro to them thrn in tnanv a fi(?hfc which nas' been ensilv won. But _ tho snectator does not experience this Vind nf thing, nnd i-he.result of such a clay's play means but lifflo to Mm.

When nil is said and dono. spectators n£ any snort, are a ■ Jonp-.TOfFerinT und really nl! they rpni'iro *n satisfy Mipm i« to se° every man doinp his best all the t'mp. They Ininw they rnnnof hsve moro than tbis, nnd "do not nsk for it. but they are quite .iW.iflnd jr, thnir rWand.