LEG-THEORY BOWLING

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1933, Page 9

LEG-THEORY BOWLING

CARR SAYS HE WILL USE IT. L.B.W. RULE MAY BE ALTERED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, March 30. The propriety of leg theory, or, as the Australians are pleased to call it, “body ( line” bowling, has ceased to be discussed, | but on the one hand A. W. Carr, the Notts captain, has declared that he will exploit it this sumxner in county championship matches, and Mr. . Lyon, the Gloucestershire amateur, says he will go in to bat, against Larwood and Voce, wearing a suit of steel armour., His idea is the the‘ way to kill this method of attack is by ridicule. I do not think that Arthur Carr is in love with the new development, but he insists that it is legitimate, and that as a captain it is up to. him to use it, if it will give the best results. At the same time, he doubts' whether it will be effective in this country, except on one or two grounds. In the meantime, there has been no official move to deal with . the question, and it is difficult to suggest how it should be,, approached. Alan Fairfax, ' the Australian Test cricketer of 1930, who now plays with Accrington in the Lancashire League, says “Mark two white lines in the centre of the pitch a yard: apart. The square leg umpire to judge whether the ball pitches, on tlie’ batsman’s or the bowler’s side of the lines. In . the; latter case the umpire. to signal ‘No ball.’ This is the / one that ; kicks.' Ratlier'./than be noballedthe , bowler would pjtch over tfle white, lines,, which ■ renders the delivery' playable and n<?i .'nearlyso/violent.” But surely cricket has- not' come to this. We are not going ,’to njark.. a pitch like a lawp-tennis court. The next move ’ . would be for linesmen to act in support of the umpires. It, is a matter that must be settled by commonsense. Let it be agreed that leg theory is “not'cricket,” if this is the view, and there will be an end of it. I think, however, that tlie leg-before rule will be' altered. There is far tdo

much use of the legs in modem cricket The batsman should not be permitted to cove? up to a ball which pitches outside the stumps. As I have stated, Larwood only adopted his style in order to compel the batsman to play his deliveries. Otherwise, in Australia he would have been allowed to bowl himself out without any attempt being made to score off him until he had lost his sting. There is great sympathy in this country for (Larwood by those who understand his ' position. At the present time he is on his way home,; having left the other members of the M.C.C. to complete the tour in New Zealand, and the story he may tell—if it may be told at all—is being keenly,