SOME FOREIGN VIEWS OF CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1935, Page 12

SOME FOREIGN VIEWS OF CRICKET

Amusing Descriptions

Continental ideas of cricket are still vague, perhaps nearly as much as in W. G. Grace’s day. It is strange, but nevertheless true, that cricket has not found much popular favour in Europe even in those countries only a few hour’s journey from the home of the game. A friend has shown me (says a writer in a Sydney paper) a couple of Old English newspaper clippings of French and German views on'cricket. A Frenchman wrote: “England is in mourning because Dr Grace, the King of Cricket, has laid down the bat and renounced the gloves and the ball. A national subscription has been organised to give him a work of art. "To play this game ot cricket, which is a modification of an old French game called Crosse or croquet, you take two sticks of about three feet in height, and place them in the ground about 10 centimetres apart.

"The play consists in throwing a ball in such a manner as to make the wicket fall. This ball, which is nearly the hardness of irbn, is covered with a skin, and also with tightly-bound leather thongs. The players have skin gloves, similar to those of the fencing schools. , . , “One of them on each side is armed with a bat, which is a hitting implement with a long handle.” Even more amusing were the views of a German girl: “The game of cricket is very good for the exercising of the limbs. Besides, the players learn to obey orders and not to quarrel. The cricket court consists of a great lawn and a little tent where the players repose themselves or where are places of the audience, which has to pay a little money before they are permitted to regard events. Now the bailer sends a ball. , "The batter, who is standing before the wicket, has to send it abroad. When thev are thirsty they go into tents ana drink a glass of. brandy; When they are drunk their parents scold. Poor boys! I would not allow my children to play such a stupid game.”