AT THE WICKETS

NZ Truth, Issue 994, 13 December 1924, Page 11

AT THE WICKETS

Method of Taking Guard Important

Dangers of the Late Cut.

A most important item m batting is that of taking guard (says Edgar Mayne, captain of the Victorian eleven).' The young player, may understand more what is meant by using the term "block.". In days gone by many experienced'} players took guard oh the middle stump, but the' generally accepted guard taken by modern cricketers is "two legs," that is, with the bat covering the middle and leg stumps. As for myself, I prefer to take this guard for the reason that, with the feet standing comfortably alongside the bat, the body is as near to the wicket as it is possible to bo without, being m front. Should a batsman stand with his body well away from the leg stump there is always . a possibility' of his being bowled! off his pads. This is very apt to be the case when attempting to play the ball to the on side, for should he -fail to connect with the ball, such a player does not naturally move across his wickets to play his shot, and the ball strikes the pads with a glancing blow. The batsman is then very fortunate should the ball fail to hit his wicket when, continuing its course. ■ ,; Besides, a batsman standing away from the. leg stump is generally adr mitting to a brainy, bowler that he Is weak m his leg- play, and again it is a- wonderful consolation to . a bowler when, on. the batsman playing the stroke, a clear view of the three slumps is obtainable. SECOND LINE OF DEFENCE.' It will be interesting to watch the manner m which the leading English and/ Australian batsmen cpver their stumps when playing. Jack Hearrie, one 'of the classic batsmen of England, gives an object lessbn m this respect, and his play is a study m itself to young cricketers. ; What really happens is that the batsman uses his bat as his first line of defence, whilst his pads constitute his second line. At the same time the batsman is moving to get behind the line of, flight of .the ball, a very important factor when driving. Before going further, I would add that the. young player would be well advised to use extreme caution when using the second line of defence, especially when the ball is pitched m a line with wicket and wicket, and the Lb.w. must be. avoided; and I would say that the batsman should not employ these tactics until, he , has learnt the principles underlying the fundamentals of the art pf defence. To the experienced player the walking m f vont of the wicket does not imply any great risk, but is really beneficiu,} under certain circumstances,; and as ; a matter of fact adds a finish to his play-. Of course, if the ball be pitched <,< off the wicket the practice of walking into one's wicket can be indulged m with impunity. BATTING CHANGES. Batting has varied from one period to another, sometimes the result .of different bowling methods 'being evolved, added to which a new generation of batsmen may vary the strokes of their predecessors. One often hears a sigh for perhaps the most spectacular, yet at the same time one attendant with greater risks than any other stroke, namely, the "late cut.'.' > On hard, fast wickets, especially when facing "nippy" bowlers, the slightest mistiming of the ball frequently proves fatal, and when the bowler varies his pace ttie timing of the "late cut" is very difficult. I should say the most successful run-getters of to-day have realised the danger of this stroke, for as a rule they refuse to play at a good length ball on or just outside the off stump; butvif it be pitched, rather short, if the ball does not rise too sharply from the pitch and a batsman is able to get well over it, the "square cut" is played, whereas should the ball be

well up it ,is met with a powerful drive. In all cutting, whether square or late, the quick lifting of the bat to the height of the shoulder should be , observed and the ball hit with a downward shot. The batsman should play tall using his full height. This will be found of great advantage m the case of the ball kicking up awkwardly, when the bat can be held above the shoulder. Really the batsman is m the position of doing either of twoj things: he may cut the ball should H come through nicely, whereas should it rise awkwardly he can easily get his bat away from it. ' ' BENDING THE KNEES. . ■■' On imperfect wickets the ball may keep a , shade low .outside the ' off stump; and m. my opinion this is the only time a batsman may be excused for bending his knees and body when . executing the cut. as there, is not much danger of being , caught when the ball does not rise . to its usual height; but should ■ the batsman play "tall" there is every possibility of the ball being edged into the wicket. However, as a general rule the ball does rise at least stump high oh Australian wickets, and can be con-| venieritly played without the lowering of the body.,: .: : • : . Present-day bowlers are not given a great -deal of praise for .variations of flight and' pace, but I can assure my readers 'that quite a . number of good -length pace "bowlers m Australia to-day have at least the power to make .the • ball nip through^, with added pace, and when coming along on or just : outside the off stump the batsman has to use extreme caution. This is the reason why so few of our 1 leading Australian hatsmeji indulge m the "late cut." .. v , A hint as to which foot to place across the wicket when cutting may be of great; help. > Klt will generally be found advantageous for player 3 possessing strength -: of wrist to place the back foot across. This has the advantage of 'giving a ; longer sighting of the ball than would be the case, m placing the front foot across. The latter method is adopted by. players not exceptionally strong m the wrist, and thereby they gain added power from the body. :.■'■■.