NEW LBW LAW

Evening Star, Issue 22106, 13 August 1935, Page 13

NEW LBW LAW

COME TO STAY THOSE BIG PADS H, Sutcliffe was out Ibw under the amended law three times in the first two tests. The Yorkshireman is one of the arch-disciples of the cover-up-with-the-pads batting art developed since the war. The amended Ibw Jaw Jias made a strong impression on the scoring books, and, incidentally, in shortening t|ic matches —no undiluted blessing, measured by the “ gates.” From several sources I gather that the M.C.C. is to continue the change, feeling that it will act beneficially to the game, even if a hardship or two bo inflicted in the process. Dr P. C. Charlton, the old Australian eleven and I. Zingari Australian cricketer, now on a visit to England, writing to “ Not Out,” of the Sydney ‘ Referee,’ from London at the end of April, bears out the idea that the change will be continued by Lord’s. “ The now Ibw rule is shortening all the matches, much to the detriment of the county clubs as regards finance. My opinioli is that it has come to stay and will sound the death-knell of all the players like J. T. Hearne, who methodically walk in front. In the last five innings he has been out four times Ibw, and last week out of 110 wickets in county cricket, 33 came under the new law.

“ Spin bowlers and left-handers around tKe wicket are reaping a harvest, and it seems to me that, no matter the angle of the break, if your legs are in front, the decision is against you. “It would ho well to adviso our coaches to discountenance the method of coming up to and revert to the old stylo and not select a man for English wickets who adopts eovering-up tactics. Although it might, on Australian wickets, where the break is so small, be effective, it is bound to fail here, where the ball does so much, and especially where wickets affected by rain are an. everyday occurrence. “ There are no coming batsmen hero, except a Cambridge man, MitchellInnes. He is an excellent batsman, and I think will play for England.” Those Big Pads, too.

While the M.C.C. is about this Ibw business, it ought to do something, to curtail the size of the extraordinary pads now worn by batsmen. These pads look ridiculous.

If you compare their width and height with those worn hy W. L. Murdoch, H. H. Massie, T. Horan, Clem Hill, Joe Darling, Victor Trumper, M. A. Noble, George Giffen, J. Worrall, W. W. Armstrong, V. S. Hansford, and their contemporaries, you will note a mighty difference.

Leather Blanketings. C. B. Fry, the Sussex batting colleague of “ Ranji,” writing in the London ‘ Evening Standard,’ gets off an amusing and timely skit at the size of pads worn these times; “ There is no escape from fundamentals. And looking on a Lancashire with two men and three out for a few runs, ■ I still want to know how on earth batsmen can play loaded with leather blanketing about tlieir legs. (About this new Ibw rule—l’ll wager one thing; It will reduce the batsmen’s pads by several pounds of weight and make them livelier on their feet.) As I write—absolutely this instant-—Oldfield is out Ibw new rule. I look at his pads as he passes me within a yard. Well, well, we didn’t so handicap ourselves in my day. It’s murder to movement; and batting is not a stationary art.” Another English writer early in June said;— “ The South African batsmen play forward a good deal; that is why they are not sharing the worries of the new leg-before-wicket rule—worries which are turning grey the heads of several English players, Few umpires will give a cricketer out under the amended rule if he comes forward to the ball.”