CRICKET MUDDLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 15

CRICKET MUDDLE

NEW LEG-BEFORE RULE EXPERIMENT IN AUSTRALIA An unsatisfactory feature of the present, Australian cricket season, states a Mclbourno writer; is that in two States—Victoria and South Australia —tho now leg-before-wicket rule is being applied to deliveries on the leg-side of tho wicket, while New Sonth'Wnles and Queensland have, refused to U. and will continue to apply it only to tho ovr SU Hcro is another instance emphasising tho necessity for one governing body to decido what shall be done in regard to changes in tho rules of the game. That body, of courso, is the Board of Control. It is necessary that thcro should be uniformity in the rules and when wo find Stato associations making their own rules, thcro is suro to bo conflict and muddle. .... ~ Personally 1 am strongly against the application of the rule to the leg side, but if it is to be tried it. should be tried by all. It is not a good thing to have two. sets ci rules in operation, for it leads only to confusion. The change applies only to club cricket in Victoria and South Australia, but it may afTect tho batsmen of these States when they face New South Wales and Queensland in tho Shoffield Shield games, because it means that thoy will havo to change their stylo of play.