TOO HEAVY BATS

Evening Star, Issue 18147, 11 December 1922, Page 4

TOO HEAVY BATS

OIPE-DBI.HNT TO BRIGHT CRICKET. One grave drawback to the modern game of cricket (says Sir Home Gordon i.n it ho ‘ Quarterly Review ’) is the heaviness of the bat. This was not introduced by K. S. Jlanjitsinhji ito assist his glide stroke, as .is currently supposed, for the JJa.ui Sahib of Nawanagar told mo in August oil' this year that lie had never used a bat weighing more 'than 21b 2oz. The weightier, implement put on the market by Uio trade killed the most attractive strokes. It may be of interest to mention that, not long before his death, Alfred Lyttelton, 'having taken up a newstylo bat, observed.- ‘‘lf I had been condemned to use one of this weight I should never have won even a place in the Eton lElevcn.” The profound respect with which any bowling that possesses length is treated may, at least in part,, be. due to the fact that, with the modern bat, some strokes have become nearly impossible; whilst Lord Harris has described cutting as a lost art. Also there is the baneful innovation of the two-eyed stance, and the .fact that schoolboys are now instructed “ to wait and see if the ball is going to inswing"—.which it rarely does—instead of advising them to devote themselves vigorously to the attack. These are some of the reasons for “the present pale ipocscnlinent in lieu of pod live punitive pugnacity.” In those exceptional demonstrations which have been so enjoyed, for instance, that by A. P. F. (Chapman and A. W, Carr for the Gentle .men, by Hobbs and P. G. H. Fender, and only too few others in addition, the ix> suits have been attained hy a, herd offwisivo or by perfect timing. It is not given to all lo reach this standard ; hut a .more pat-ball negative occupation of the wicket ought, not ito be encouraged against bowling which, when not experimental, is dis tinctly of "only mediocre much of a muchness.”

Moreover, spectators, constantly wearied with philandering tire of watching such travesties of the intention of cricket. —this poor apathy differing intrinsically from, the science of defence, which has furniishcd some of the most effective and pleasurable efforts in cricket—and soon, if it continues, the financial wail will ho heard. No side that has regularly played entbusiastid cricket has ever failed to win popular support. The onetime sad fate of Notts should bo remembered, for the latest period of Shrewsbury and William Gunn caused such local .abstention, that even a test match failed adequately to attract the public to Trent SB ridge. There are, however, brighter features in the cricket of ito-day. Never has the general standard of fielding reached so high a level: whilst there, are well-nigh a score of wicket-keepers, each of whom might wear the gloves for England with distinction. Also, the absolute fairness of modem bowling affords a welcome contrast to the old-time discussion as to the legality of the action of this one .bowler or (that. The game is played in a spirit of perfect sportsmanship. If there is an aggravating and aggravated tendency to play with .the pads instead of the bat, never before have so many batsmen been penalised by the umpires, for over 12 per cent, of the wickets captured have been due to appeals for Ibw given in favor of the bowler.