Jones Wister

“ He is the perfect batsman referred to on several occasions, who hits every ball which does not threaten his wicket, and many that do. His powerful physique, eagle eye, and energetic mind have given him a place beyond his companions. That instinctive knowledge of the presence of a man immediately behind him who will down his wicket with a smile of satisfaction, must be forever present in the mind of the batter. American cricketers may ignore him, but when America meets her English competitor and hopes for the like convenient ignorance, she is sure to have her pride injured. ”

“ BATTING. An expert batsman experiences unspeakable pleasure during his innings. Cricketers glory in him, his friends delight in him, and the sweetest smile of his best girl emphasizes his triumph.
Nearly every young American learns base ball before cricket. When he first stands before a wicket, he is almost paralysed by the fear of losing it. Nothing corresponding to it appears upon the diamond. When his wicket has been successfully attacked a few times he is disheartened, and is likely to abandon cricket and return to his first love. This is a critical period in the history of the beginner. ”

“ A match is never lost ’till it is won, and the unexpected may at any time happen, which is a great charm in the game. The disappointment which follows the fall of wicket after wicket, simply because the reliable bat has had the misfortune to be bowled, is not easily described, but we have experienced the keenest anguish when the catastrophy has happened to our side; while excessive buoyancy seems to have taken posession of and intoxicated our opponents. The American audience is so completely bent upon victory that good cricket is momentarily lost sight of. ”

“ But we have many aggressive batters, who settle down into first-rate bats when in the presence of a standard wicket keeper. We say most of them, advisedly, for a star will shine, wicket keeper, or no wicket keeper. The true aggressive batsman is a combination of cause and effect which no amount of ambition can even hope to imitate. Brain, guiding muscle, with discipline resulting from long and patient training. He can take almost any liberty with the bowler, he can play inside or outside his crease, for the dangerous ball never reaches the wicket keeper. ”

“ The fielder is always on exhibition in the proportion of eleven to one batter, so that his opportunities for the display of either good or bad play are many. If cricketers will bring to their game the excellent qualities displayed upon the diamond, theirs will soon be recognized as the popular game. Greater interest is felt in fine fielding than in brilliant batting by the spectator, though from a cricketers standpoint a finished batsman will always be the favorite. There seems no excuse for poor fielding unless to permit the second-rate bat to score double figures. ”

“ His assumption of the double role of captain and wicket keeper is notice to his men that however severe they may deem their duties, his require greater muscular strength, greater activity, greater continuance of effort and energy, greater brain power and keener eyesight than theirs. Every danger to which the fielders may be exposed is shared by the captain. When the ball is struck to any fielder an unobstructed view of it enables him to perform his duties without fear, for the watchful eye robs it of danger. ”

“ Let base ball players then not hesitate, for all their training is in the line of perfect fielding on the cricket ground.
The most important fielder is thought by many cricketers to be the bowler, nor do we wish to disparage the judgement of anyone prejudiced in favor of that opinion. But our belief, reached after deliberate thought, is that the wicket keeper who performs his arduous duties successfully, does greater service for his side than even the best bowler. ”

“ Having planted, a vigorous growth should follow, but the disappointed spectator sees only a machine cricketer trying to force hands and wrists to do the duty, which they should but assist the arms and shoulders in doing. The beauty of the game is sacrificed to the ounce of precaution, which may have been too much emphasized by an over careful captain. While the game is in progress cricketers should be active mentally as well as physically, and they have only themselves to thank for the erroneous impression which has become prevalent that cricket is a sleepy game. ”

“ Companions can practice fielding indoors or almost anywhere, if a ball is provided. Cricketers will find a ball a delightful companion. Passing it around gives the practice which fielders must have to become expert. A dozen occasions innure the hands to the sensation of stopping a fast ball. It will no longer feel hard, but the fielder will take it at lightning speed.
Perfect fielding is absolutely unknown on the American cricket fields. Errors are so numerous even among the best players, that bowlers lose courage and nerve. Each fielder should recollect that he is the support of the bowler. ”

“ The late or back cut is beautiful as well as the safest and most graceful hit in the repertoire of the batsman. But he must posess experience of no mean order to guide the bat to strike the ball, which is moving by him at a double acute angle and usually at a rapid rate; for instead of facing the ball and meeting it with his bat as in the forward and square off cut, he turns his person two-thirds around towards the wicket keeper using his left foot for a pivot. Then he takes a long stride with his right towards short slip, which moves him in the direction of the motion of the ball. ”

“ If they will reflect a moment, we think they will see that base ball has reached a stage only somewhat beyond single wicket cricket, which gave place to the double wicket game, about the year 1800, but it is so many years behind modern cricket, that the year 1900 is likely to arrive before such changes are made, as will place the different departments of the game in balance. Yet the anomoly of the inferior game producing the best exponents exists in America, and is the production of that antagonism between amateurism and professionalism, which seems to be never ending. ”

“ The memories of the past, though dear to many, will not be used to bore those who look rather to the future. But a few words about the origin of the game we love, may prove interesting. Early in the century Englishmen were found playing their national game upon the beautiful meadows of Germantown. Young America, as quick then as now, to imitate a good thing, organized a Germantown Cricket Club, and played upon a field of the Belfield farm from 1840 to 1846. Those were the glorious days of underhand bowling, forward hits and single wicket. ”

“ The bowler must direct his efforts to gauge the batter’s reach, and deliver balls which will prevent scoring. When a bowler discerns the “length” ball a batsman cannot play, and his skill enables him to deliver it at will, he may be relied upon. It is the eager hope of every beginner to become a superior bowler. We have endeavored to indicate just what a good ball is and wherein it differs from one which the batter fancies. But this is not enough; the mind of the young bowler must solve the problem, and must have a well defined conception of the ball which is expected to baffle the batter. ”

“ Let the cricket fielder constantly bear in mind that the time allotted to him to pick up and return the ball to the wicket is less than that required for a fast runner to traverse 18 yards at speed. If he is just as fast as the runner his exertions are lost to his side, for the batsman has reached his crease. The fielder must therefore be mentally and physically active while the ball is in play. It is not enough for him to take the ball and return it to the wicket keeper. Thousands of wickets have been held by a failure on the part of the fielder to return to the right wicket. ”

“ The advent of the fast bowler has been the chief means of changing the wicket keeper into a back fielder, he has at the same time given the opportunity to the aggressive batsman. The chief object of the fast bowler has been to frighten the timid batsman, and drive him to the tent. If he has been the Simon Pure article, he has fulfilled his mission, and even the crack batter has failed to score heavily. But has he not oftener through bumpy ground and wrong pitch, for the faster the bowling, the less control the bowler has over the ball, given the other side the victory? ”

“ The ball strikes the ground with greater force, causing a more sudden and unexpected rise, while the spin and angle add to its disturbing effect upon the mind of the batsman.
13th.—The bowler more than any other fielder needs patience, perseverance and pluck. He must be strong, steady and sure. He must smile and look happy when catches are missed. He must look contented and satisfied when the umpire gives decisions against his interest. All will recognize the successful bowler even without the aid of these few rules. ”

“ The exhibition of base ball professionals in every city of America, has given the youth of this generation, opportunities to learn the game and their magnificent ball playing upon the diamond, is a worthy example for American cricketers, and the popularity of the “National Game” is largely due to the skill of these professional experts. The organizations are sustained by capitalists, whose investments depend upon the character of the games, and the system has given it an impetus which has placed it in the front rank of American sport, and brought the play up to the highest standard. ”

“ Unless he can vary his intention to thwart the batsman by the delivery of unexpected and difficult balls, he cannot expect to rank among the best, nor will he be called a head bowler. The only ball which the bowler can depend upon for uniform good results, strikes the turf outside the reach of the batter. Good batsmen safely block or hit any ball falling within six feet of the crease, some reach a ball which drops eight feet or more from the crease. But every batsman has a limit when the wicket keeper is in place. ”

“ The courage and nerve which are sure to follow careful training and good discipline, can and will prepare each batter to depend upon himself, rather than follow a bad example.
Fielding is too much neglected for the more pleasant occupation of batting. The net is a useful invention, a tremendous time saver, thoroughly in accord with other economic devices of the age, but it has not improved fielding. Fielders should practice their art when the game is not in progress if they expect success while the eyes of spectators are concentrated upon a hard hit ball. ”

“ We believe there are many who would gladly learn to play cricket, if the opportunity presented itself. Only the favored few live near established grounds, while the many are unable to find even a book upon the game. The enjoyment of cricket, followed by the good health which it brings, is within the easy grasp of all, nor does it depend upon the standard of the play, but turns rather upon its equality. ”

“ It is asking too much of a wicket keeper to stop every wild attempt of the machine bowler, or be abused by his side. Speedy bowling, under wise control and supported by prompt and efficient fielding, has distinct advantages, but with slow fielding it is a menace to its own eleven, and has been the means of increasing the score of the adversary, who need not display even good batting to accomplish the result. ”

“ It is our intention to give some hints to those, who seek pleasure and health from cricket pure and simple, for we are most firm in the belief that good fielding, good bowling, and above all good wicket keeping, now almost a lost art in America will popularize cricket. ”

“ The American batter is expecting the same loose methods to prevail among English fielders, but disappointment awaits him, for much to his astonishment the English fielder recollects the other wicket. Nothing has impressed itself upon the writer’s mind in commenting upon the play of foreign elevens, like the constant watchfulness of the fielder. If English cricketers worship the bat at home, they show no evidence of it upon American cricket grounds. They set an example to American cricketers which the sooner they follow, the sooner will they equal their alert foreign competitors. ”

“ The star known as the aggressive batter, or perhaps he had better be called a comet, has turned the heads of American cricketers. We are all sovereigns, though many of us cannot show that amount of cash, and why should we not all be star batsmen? The object is easily accomplished if the wicket keeper can be got rid of. The attempt has not only been made, but has been actually imposed upon the American public as cricket; for though wearing the armor of that great office, he is located ten to fifteen feet behind the batsman, thereby becoming a fielder ”

“ When it is observed that every batsman has his own peculiar style, some right handed, some left, some long, some short reach, some forward, some back, the beginner will at once percieve that success depends upon this, absolute command of the ball. When the possible fast bowler has learned to bowl “slows” with precision, he may put up an occasional fast ball. If he has properly conceived the art of slows, the chances are all in favor of his also becoming a good fast bowler. No eleven is perfect with only slow bowlers. Batters must be worried by fast as well as slow balls. ”

“ It is waste of time to play a pure defensive game, and if the inveterate blocker could waste only his own time none would have any right to complain, but that of at least twenty-five others is being sacrificed at the same moment, until from that and many other delays a game capable of giving delight has become so little understood, even by American cricketers themselves that only foreigners can draw a crowd. ”

“ There the impartial observer will find no undue advantage given either to batter, fielder or bowler. But if a game is played between cricketers of like standard, every department is in strict equiblirum, while opportunities are offered to skillful performers unknown in base ball. Some misguided lovers of American cricket have tried to popularize the game through base ball modifications, but their failure was a forgone conclusion, owing to essential differences in the theories of the two games. ”

“ The names of Englishmen were numerous upon the rolls of this club, and their professional Tom Seinor was the typical fast round arm bowler of the period. He trained the elevens to meet the St. George and New York Clubs, and was regarded with awe and wonder by the young American cricketer. The boy or even the man, who could block the cannon balls of the mighty Yorkshireman was the hero of the hour. The idea of hitting his terrefic balls scarcely entered the heads of the boys. Only Englishmen were supposed to be able to score against such speedy bowling. ”

“ Hundreds of pounds were bet upon the great matches, and other wagers laid on the scores of the finest players, and that too by men who had a book for every race, and every match in the sporting world: men who lived by gambling; and as to honesty, gambling and honesty don’t often go together. What was easier, then, than for such sharp gentlemen to mix with the players, take advantage of their difficulties, and say, your backers, my Lord this, and the Duke of that, sell matches and overrule all your good play, so why shouldn’t you have a share of the plunder? ”