CRICKET HINTS

Evening Star, Issue 20688, 10 January 1931, Page 5

CRICKET HINTS

NO. IX.-BATSMAHSHIP [Written for the ‘ Evening Star,’ hf, J. D. A. Scott and F. T. Baucock.] Though by no means so productive of runs as the drive or the cut, the leg glance takes pride of place in the batsman’s art for grace and delicacy of execution. A well-played leg glance never fails to meet with the fullthroated appreciation of the spectators, as well as giving a sense of immense satisfaction to the player. It is, however, a stroke that can be—and often, is—easily overdone, bringing disaster in its train. The chief essentials for the safe production of the stroke are a very straight bat, the eyes plumb on the line of flight of the ball, and perfect timing of the turning of the wrists to defect the ball. It is essentially wrong to advance an already : deflected blade to the ball and to permit the ball merely to hit the angled face. The full blade should he presented to the hall and a definite flick of the wrists imparted at impact, so that, when the hat and ball do actually connect, the blade of the bat is facing in the general direction of square leg. The question now arises as to the type of ball that should be glanced. Let us first eliminate the, balls that should not bo dealt with in this manner. We can definitely rule out the straight ball, at any rate until the player is amongst -the first flight of batsmen. It is highly dangerous to attempt to glance a bowler who is swinging from the leg, and leg-break bowlers who can turn the ball quickly should be dealt with by other methods. The stroke is not usually very profitable when used against slow bowling, since sufficient speed cannot often be imparted to the hall, with the flick of the wrist, to produce more than a single. The ideal type of ball to deflect is the medium-pace and fast .stuff pitched on the legs anywhere between the wicket and a- foot outside the leg stump. The ideal stroke is a forward shot with the left lew brought forward inside the flight of the ball, but not more than an inch or so from the line of flight. The stroke can also be effected by back play if the pitch of the ball permits, but leg glancing, to be at its best, is essentially a forward stroke with the weight of the left foot. Kanjitsinhji was probably the greatest master of the stroke that the world has known, and the balls he used to deal with in this manner so outraged the sense of propriety of certain of the best fast howlers of the day that the view was not infrequently expressed that the great Indian prince was not playing cricket at all, but a game of his own invention. It was no uncommon thing for him to put his left foot right across the wicket to a ball well outside the off stump, and with a flick of his steely wrists send it flying to the fine leg boundary. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than to bring off this trick, and nothing upset the opposition so much. During one famous innings of 167 against Lancashire “ Kanji ” scored no less than sixteen fours to fine leg off Kermode, the Australian fast bowler, who was then playing for the northern county. He afterwards declared that lie had never enjoyed an innings more. Kermode’s remarks on the subject have also been preserved by a few enthusiasts at the Hove ground, where the match was played, but have so far nevlffr found their way into print. It is, however, suicidal for the average player to attempt any freak shots, and he should be content to deal with the bowling on it merits. The pull, or hook, is » horse of a different colour, and is generally only to be meted out as the just punishment to loose balls on the short side. It is undoubtedly the most effective method of dealing with a short, straight ball, but it might be as well not to exploit the stroke until the batsman has been at the wicket long enough to have got his eye well in. The main essential is that the body should be brought to a position practically facing the bowler in such a manner that the centre of the body is dead on the line of flight of the hall. This is effected by advancing the right foot, so producing the requisite turning of the shoulders. The weight of the body is usually either equally balanced on both feet or mostly on the right foot, but a ball is seldom pitched short enough to make the stroke practicable from the left foot. Another point to bo noted is that the wrists, in making the stroke, should bo rolled over so that on the completion of tiio stroke the back of tho right hand and wrist is very definitely uppermost. This .will prevent the lifting of the ball. It is held by some to amount almost to a crime to pull an off ball round to the leg. Such a view is both narrow and illogical. Assuming that an off theory bowler is operating with a packed off field and a mid-on and square leg only on the on side. The gap between the two legside fieldsmen obviously offers much greater opportunity for scoring than does the offside cordon of fieldsmen, and, given that tho object of the batsman is to score runs, there is no earthly reason why lie should hot avail himself of the opportunitv to bring off a hook, if anything short" on the off is offered. Far from being had cricket it is often cricket of a high order, and is most apt to disconcert the bowler.