Famous Cricketers’ Cranks.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue I, 4 January 1902, Page 21

Famous Cricketers’ Cranks.

I John Jones, in the " Royal Magazine.”) A tall, lithe figure, with a very dark, pleasant, roundish face, runs lightly down the pavilion steps, n.s white silk cneketing-shirt fluttering and shimmering in the wind and sun, rhe sleeves fastened at the wrist, and with long, easy, graceful strides swings itself across to the wickets. Who should this be but Prince Raajitsinhji? A big. burly figure, with keen brown eyes and a long blacK beard, just showing a suspicion of white in the middle, comes ponderously from the pavilion, surveying men with a monarch's glance. Ever and anon his hand goes to stroke tne great beard. In due course his measured tread brings him to the wicket. He

lifts a bail from the wicket's top. stoops to mark very carefully a line on the ground, removes all particles of dust from the bail, and as carefully replaces it. He straightens h>s back, glances all round him. strokes his beard, and in his own good tim--faces the bowler. Who could this he but the great Grace? The unfailing eccentricities of two of the most popular men in the world as they go forth to bat for their counties have been faithfully set out. The Indian Prince always runs lightly down the pavilion steps, always wears a silk hat which flutters al the slightest breath of wind, and always wears his sleeves fastened at the wrists—a fashion adopted by hardly another cricketer in England. W. G. Grace is forever stroking his beard — when at the wicket, as he watches a well-placed cut skimming to the boundary—when in the field

as he exchanges a few words with one of the batsmen or fielders. And he always removes a bail to maik a little line on the batting-crea'.e. ami always carefully shakes off th. dust as he replaces it. Every cricketer has his eccentricity; an eccentricity well known to every cricket devotee, who looks for it. who would l>e disappointed if it were not apparent on any occasion. Some cricketers have only one eccentricity. others, like Ranjitsinhji and Grace, have two or three —Abel probably holds the record. 1 can en'l to mind five distinct eccentricities of Bobby Abel—little habits that l.«. has formed, that you may notice every time when he goes to -he wickets. First of all comes his curious trick of pulling at the kneeflaps of his pads as he leaves the pavilion to bat. Secondly he has a strong partiality for pulling his cap over h : s

left eye. In the third place, none is so fond of sitting on his bat as little Bobby Abel. Fourthly, just when he is about to receive a ball, he delivers, with his bat, a series of quick little taps to his block. Fifthly and finally, he plays imaginary ball- . This is a very noticeable eccentricity. Abel is always trying to improve his cricket. He plays witn his brains, th......tig out the why and the wherefore of everything. If he shout ! miscalculate a stroke, he will play ii over again, ana you may often sec him. in his dressing-room, in the cricket pavilions, wherever a bat is likely to come to nis hand, playing imaginary balls, making imaginary master-strokes. Some men's eccentricities are nn st noticeable when they are inarching out to bat; others when they armarching in at the end of their innings. Watch Jephson as he goes to the wickets, pulling on his gloves, with bat under his arm. In nine cases out of ten you see him turn his head as though looking round at a clock. Or J. T. Hearne, on emerging from the dressing-room, first lie touches his cap. then he pulls up his pads, finally heaving up his trousers, sailor fashion, in the course of his progress across the ground. He also wears unusually thick soles to his shoes. Hearne may always be recognised by these eccentricities. Hayward is the possessor of two eccentricities—the one apparent on his outward journey to the wickets, th' other on the return journey. When outward bound he wags his head. His head, indeed, appears to be on wires, and sways from side to side in a manner quite alarming. When homew ar I bound, especially after a good innings. he will run at speed for exactly half the distance from the wicket to the pavilion: the remainder lie walks slowly, fanning himself with his hat. Noticeable voices and curious ways of using them are the outstanding eccentricities of Lord Hawke and Gunn. Anyone who has played with Lord Hawke can always tell by his voic * when the old Yorkshire captain feels in good form. Having made a few runs and settled down to the bowling he begins t i call to his partner with a beautiful silver tenor note —a sound full of encouragement and inspiration to the partner.