HUMOUR OF CRICKET

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1932, Page 12

HUMOUR OF CRICKET

CONTENTS OF OLD HANDBOOK. SOME SOUND ADVICE. A sixpenny handbook on a game does not as a rule survive many seasons. But one on cricket, written more than 70 years ago, has lately come into the hands of a reader of the ‘ ‘ Miscellany ’ ’ column of the “Manchester Guardian.” The old woodcut illustrations are as funny as “Punch” caricatures, and the reading matter is full of unconcious humour. For instance, talking of dress, the author says: “How snobbish a man- looks strutting about in attaining red shirt, a dark blue cap, and a bolt of another colour!” He himself advocated white shirts, suggesting also “a white jacket with at least throe large pockets, in which to carry a ball, batting gloves, handkerchief, etc.”

Those were the days when a yorker was a “tice,” a break “a twist” (“the.-long-hop is liable to every time it reaches the ground”), and a shooter , the most difficult of all balls - to play ((“stopping a shooter at Lord’s produces more applause than a hit which scores two or three runs”). Some of his remarks on technique are beautiful in their simplicity, as, for instance: “Never if you can possibly avoid it hit a ball on the wrong side. How disgusting it is to see a big awkard player swipe a ball right round to the offside (sic) which ho should have drawn or played to midwicket on.”

To illustrate the importance of pay* ing attention when fielding the author of this cricket handbook tells an almost incredible story o u f a certain Mr. Knatchbnll who was keeping wicket one day. The ball “was struck sharply by him" and hit him on the forehead. It rebounded and was caught by the bowler! “Mr. Knatchbnll assures ns he felt no inconvenience from the blow.’-’

But buried among much that is out of date and quaintly amusing are many pieces of advice which are as right now as ever they were. “Let me beg young players, ’ ’ says the author, “to use a light bat, one that feels almost as a whip in their hands." And with regard to bowling, how admirable is the remark: “If change of pitch is advantageous in the swift bowling, it is the very* soul of slows." But how many would agree nowadays with his lunch menu, “a sandwich and a glass of ale"? Moreover, there is ho reference to a tea interval. As he says, “You will be able to enjoy a good meal when the match is over."